From now on, users in the Algarve, Aveiro, Leiria, Braga, and Coimbra will also be able to choose to travel only with female drivers, and for these drivers to transport only female passengers.

"After the pilot phase in Lisbon, Uber is expanding the 'Women Drivers' service to new cities. The option to travel only with female drivers or to transport only female passengers is now available in more regions of the country: the Algarve, Aveiro, Leiria, Braga, and Coimbra," Uber said in a statement sent to newsrooms.

The new service will be available to passengers and drivers via the app, but Uber explains that, as with Lisbon, the expansion to these new cities "will be gradual over the coming weeks."

"Women Drivers" has no additional cost, but it depends on the availability of drivers in the covered regions. It's worth noting that, currently, only 9% of TVDE drivers in Portugal are women, so Uber emphasizes that this new feature is also helping to "make the sector more inclusive, representative, and attractive to women."

"We want to continue meeting a clear need for many passengers and drivers: the ability to choose who they ride with," says Francisco Vilaça, general manager of Uber in Portugal, quoted in a statement.