Edinburgh and Glasgow top London as UK nightlife hotspots, Uber finds

Edinburgh and Glasgow are the UK’s nightlife hotspots, beating London with the biggest proportion of late-night journeys, Uber has said.

Data from the global ride-hailing app sheds light on travel, socialising and takeaway trends from across the UK by analysing millions of trips and deliveries.

Edinburgh took the top spot with the highest proportion of journeys made between 10pm and 4am, cementing the Scottish capital’s position as a cultural hub with a thriving pub, bar and club scene.

Glasgow came a close second, with Scots out and about in the early hours, while London was third, with people across the city taking trips to popular venues such as Fabric nightclub.

Separate data from rival taxi app Bolt late last year had shown a 15% increase in night-time activity over 2025, compared to 2024, with the peak time to go out shifting from 11pm on Saturdays to midnight.

On the other hand, Uber analysis showed Birmingham to be the city of early risers, with more trips booked between 6am and 8am than anywhere else in the UK, pointing to it being a hotspot for commuters.

While eight in ten of the country’s top requested destinations were train stations, tourist spots were also in high demand, with the likes of London’s Hyde Park, Edinburgh Castle and The Beatles Story museum in Liverpool the most sought after in their respective cities.

Meanwhile, data from Uber Eats, the food delivery arm of the transport giant, said major cities and university hubs like Manchester, Birmingham and Leeds were a hive for late-night deliveries, and the areas among those most likely to place orders between 10pm and 4am.

Chinese food remained the most searched for on the app in 2025, but searches for sushi, pizza and Thai food more than doubled during the year.

A trend which dominated the year was the matcha craze, reflected in the app’s data with searches for the Japanese green tea powder drink soaring by 700% year on year.

Andrew Brem, regional general manager for Uber UK, said: ” Whether it’s scouting shops on Edinburgh’s famous Royal Mile, indulging in a treat at Cadbury World or learning about the Fab Four at the Beatles Story Museum in Liverpool, people are embracing their passions and the country’s iconic destinations.”

Here the Press Association shows most requested destinations in 10 UK cities by category, according to Uber’s data:

– London

Tourist destination – British Museum
Events – ExCel London
Nightlife – Fabric
Restaurant – The Ivy, Soho
Hotel – The Ritz
Shopping – Harrods

– Manchester

Tourist destination – People’s History Museum
Events – Co-op Live
Nightlife – Soup Kitchen
Restaurant – Mana
Hotel – The Dakota
Shopping – Piccadilly (Market Street)

– Birmingham

Tourist destination – Cadbury World
Events – NEC
Nightlife – LAB11
Restaurant – Opheem
Hotel – The Grand Hotel
Shopping – The Bullring

– Leeds

Tourist destination – Royal Armouries Museum
Events – First Direct Arena
Nightlife – Mint Warehouse
Restaurant – The Man Behind the Curtain
Hotel – The Queen’s Hotel
Shopping – Corn Exchange

– Liverpool

Tourist destination – Beatles Story
Events – ACC Liverpool
Nightlife – Heebie Jeebies
Restaurant – Maray
Hotel – Titanic Hotel

– Newcastle

Tourist destination – Newcastle castle
Events – Utilita Arena
Nightlife – Digital
Restaurant – House of Tides
Hotel – Jesmond Dene House
Shopping – Grey Street

– Nottingham

Tourist destination – Nottingham Castle
Events – Motorpoint Arena
Nightlife – Rock City
Restaurant – Sat Bains
Hotel – Hart’s Hotel
Shopping – Old Market Square

– Glasgow

Tourist destination – Kelvingrove Gallery
Events – OVO Hydro
Nightlife – Sub Club
Restaurant – The Gannet
Hotel – Kimpton Blythswood

– Edinburgh

Tourist destination – Edinburgh Castle
Events – Edinburgh International Conference Centre
Nightlife – Cabaret Voltaire
Restaurant – The Kitchin
Hotel – The Balmoral
Shopping – Royal Mile

– Cardiff

Tourist destination – Cardiff Castle
Events – Principality Stadium
Nightlife – Clwb Ifor Bach
Restaurant – The Potted Pig
Hotel – voco St David’s