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After months of speculation, taxi app Uber will launch in Cardiff this Friday at 4pm.

The app links passengers with drivers through GPS on their phones.

The company say they have had one of the biggest reactions they have ever seen ahead of a launch in a new city.

When they recently launched in Southampton, 27,000 people downloaded the app in the 90 days before it launched. In Cardiff, 125,000 people have downloaded it in the last 90 days.

Last week, drivers met to register ahead of the launch - the date of which was being kept secret but the company have confirmed that the launch will be on Friday.

The firm was given its licence to operate by Cardiff council earlier this year.

How does Uber work?

Download the app to your mobile phone and set up an account, registering your card and contact details When you require a cab, you mark your location on the app via GPS Select a car (cars range from standard to luxury) You will be shown Uber drivers near to your location and an estimate of the cost of the journey You book the trip and are shown details of the driver including their name and picture and vehicle registration Your driver will arrive and you will be informed when it has Your credit card details are held on the app and payment is taken directly from this so you don't need cash. You'll be shown the total on the app You can rate your driver - and your driver can rate you. This will then show up during future journeys.

How to book an Uber car:

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Read more: Uber is coming to Cardiff - faceless corporation or welcome wake-up call?

Where does Uber already operate?

The service operates in 17 UK areas; Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Dublin, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Home Counties, Leeds, Leicester, London, Manchester, Merseyside, Newcastle, Nottingham, Portsmouth, Southampton and Sheffield.

Will I be able to use Uber on Friday?

Yes. But the company have warned that the first days in any new city are very busy so be warned!

How much will a journey cost?

The company say a trip from Cardiff's Central Station to Cathays will cost around £4.70.

Are there any discounts?

New Uber users can also get £15 off their first trip by entering the code CARDIFF15 into the promotions tab of the app.

Where will it go?

Uber cars booked from Cardiff will be able to take passengers as far as they want - including other local authority areas but they have to start in Cardiff. So, a car could be booked from Cardiff to Rhondda Cynon Taf, but not the other way round.

Is it safe?

There have been concerns across the world about the safety of using an Uber vehicle and the impact on the existing taxi trade.

But Uber say all their UK drivers are licensed for private hire by the local authority and have met the local licensing requirements, including an enhanced DBS check.

Fouzan Ali, Uber’s General Manager for Cardiff, said: “We’re really excited to be launching in Cardiff on Friday. Over 125,000 people in the city have opened the app in the last 90 days, so we know there is real demand for the service here.

Read more: Union say Uber's arrival will bring tough times for drivers

"Uber has been a huge success throughout the UK and we hope people in Wales will embrace us too. At the push of a button people can get a ride which is convenient, safe and affordable. And our app also enables licensed drivers the opportunity to partner with us and become their own bosses - choosing when and where they work."

Is this the end for other Cardiff taxi firms?

Existing taxi firms, including Paul Ragan from Dragon, says the arrival of the firm should not be feared. Dragon also offer an app for bookings.

Paul Ragan, chief executive officer of Veezu – which owns Dragon Taxis in Cardiff and Newport and Radio Cabs in Bridgend – said Uber had already played a “pivotal role” in showing people that taxis can now be booked from a mobile phone.