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Commute like a queen: Uber and HBO offer a Ride of Thrones

This week, New Yorkers can hail a 'Ride of Thrones.' Uber and HBO Now are offering users a Game of Thrones-themed pedicab ride, or a photo with the Iron Throne.

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Helen Sloan/HBO/AP
Daenerys Targaryen, portrayed by Emilia Clarke, appears in a scene from season four of 'Game of Thrones.'

For aspiring kings and queens who’ve dreamed of reigning Westeros – or midtown Manhattan – from the Iron Throne, this ride beats them all.

Uber has joined forces with HBO Now to give riders the chance to experience "Ride of Thrones." On Thursday and Friday, Game of Thrones fans in New York City can summon their very own Iron Throne via Uber's app for a photo opp on the throne or a ride through the streets of New York on an Iron Throne pedicab.

A marriage of three of the most successful stories in business today – Uber, HBO, and Game of Thrones – Ride of Thrones promotes HBO's new stand-alone streaming service, HBO Now, which provides TV viewers access to HBO content, including the hit drama “Game of Thrones.”

For a limited time, New Yorkers can summon a regal ride by entering the promo code "ThroneRides" in the Uber app. Users can choose one of two options: “THRONE” to take photos with the throne in the glass truck or “PEDICAB” for a ride in the throne pedicab.

The throne, which in the novel is made from the swords of vanquished enemies, will be available between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday. Its realm is decidedly smaller than Westeros: Ride of Thrones will circulate Manhattan between 14th Street and 59th Street. The throne pedicab can accommodate two riders and is limited to 30 minutes, while the throne is only for photo opps.

Fans are encouraged to share their photos with the throne on social media using the hashtags #RIDEOFTHRONES and #GETHBONOW.

This isn't the first promotion Uber, which excels at synergistic campaigns, has undertaken. Last fall it teamed up with the ASPCA to deliver kittens to users' doors. It has also delivered ice cream, Christmas trees, roses, and convenience store items like gum, deodorant, and milk.

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