Uber, the taxi-hailing app has signed an agreement with Facebook that will allow Facebook Messenger users to book Uber rides from the messaging app.

The link-up gives Uber access to millions of potential new customers and is the first time that Facebook has ventured into the transport services sector.

"With this new feature, you can request a ride from a car service without ever needing to download an extra app or leave a conversation. It’s super easy and doesn’t take you away from the plans that you’re making with your friends or family," Facebook Product Manager, Seth Rosenberg wrote in a blogpost commenting on the deal.

Neither company would disclose whether the deal involves a revenue sharing arrangement.

Facebook has invested in beefing-up its messenger adding integrations to allow users to buy products from select retailers and creating other add-ons with third party developers - following a model similar to that used by WeChat.

The social media giant owns Messenger's main competitor in Europe and North American, the more Spartan WhatsApp.

In group chats when one participant books a ride they can immediately share the details with the other people in the chat to coordinate travel plans.

The service will initially only be available in San Francisco, Boston, Houston, Los Angeles, and Miami - an international rollout in on the way but it remains unclear when that will happen.