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CalculateTaxiFare

Cape Town · ZA · verified Apr 12, 2026

Taxi Fare in Cape Town

Real OpenStreetMap routing meets the official City of Cape Town Transport Directorate tariff. See the base fare, every surcharge and a min–median–max range so you know what to expect on the meter.

Base fare
ZAR 25.00
Per km
ZAR 14.50
Per minute
ZAR 1.50
Currency
ZAR

01Definition

What is a taxi fare in Cape Town?

A taxi fare in Cape Town is the metered price of a regulated for-hire car ride within the city limits. Cape Town taxi rates are set by City of Cape Town Transport Directorate and combine three components: a base fare of ZAR 25.00 (the amount on the meter when the trip begins), a distance rate of ZAR 14.50 per km, and a slow-traffic rate of ZAR 1.50 per minute that applies when the cab is stopped or moving slowly. Surcharges, taxes and tip can shift the final amount by another 10–30%.

02Attributes

Cape Town taxi tariff at a glance

Below is the live Cape Town taxi tariff exactly as published by City of Cape Town Transport Directorate. Every figure is dated; the most recent verification was on 2026-04-12. Use the calculator above to apply these numbers to your specific trip.

Cape Town taxi tariff attributes
Base fare
ZAR 25.00
On the meter when the ride begins
Per-km rate
ZAR 14.50 / km
Charged for distance travelled
Per-minute rate
ZAR 1.50 / min
Slow-traffic switch speed: 17 km/h
Minimum fare
ZAR 50.00
Floor that the meter cannot fall below
Currency
ZAR
Distance unit
km
Timezone
Africa/Johannesburg
Vehicle classes
1
standard

03Calculator

Calculate your fare in Cape Town

Type any pickup and destination inside Cape Town. We pull the real OpenStreetMap distance and apply the tariff above.

Calculate a fare in Cape Town

Local addresses, the Cape Town tariff applied automatically.

05Airport routes

Cape Town airport ↔ city centre

Airport ↔ city-centre rides are the most predictable taxi trips in Cape Town because their distance is fixed. Where the regulator imposes a flat fare, the meter is bypassed and the price is locked. Otherwise the standard tariff applies and the estimate below reflects realistic departure-hall waiting plus the metered ride.

No major airport is mapped to Cape Town in our airport directory yet.

06Vehicle classes

Cape Town vehicle classes and rates

Cape Town licenses 1 vehicle class (standard). Larger vehicles command higher base or per-km rates because their fuel and licensing costs are higher. Ride-sharing apps also offer parallel categories (UberXL, Lyft XL) that compete with the licensed taxi minivan tier.

Vehicle classes and rates in Cape Town
Vehicle classBasePer kmPer minMin fare
Standard sedan
City of Cape Town metered taxi maximum tariff. R25 + R14.50/km.
ZAR 25.00ZAR 14.50ZAR 1.50ZAR 50.00

07Surcharges & taxes

Every extra charge on a Cape Town taxi fare

On top of the base meter, Cape Town taxi fares can include no extra surcharges or taxes. Every charge below is reproduced verbatim from City of Cape Town Transport Directorate, with the trigger condition (time, day, equipment) shown alongside.

Surcharges, taxes and fees on Cape Town taxi fares
ChargeWhen it appliesAmountCategory
Flat fare CPT ↔ CITY ↔ BOWLRegulator-imposed, bypasses the meterZAR 350Flat fare

08Tipping

Tipping etiquette in Cape Town

Basic

5%

Functional service — you got there.

Standard

10%

What most riders give for ordinary service.

Excellent

15%

Helpful with bags, smooth driving, knew the route.

Tipping is expected in Cape Town. The conventional range is 5% (basic), 10% (standard) and 15% (excellent service). A tip line is built into card terminals; for cash, simply round up to a convenient amount.

09Side by side

Taxi vs Uber vs Lyft in Cape Town

Rideshare apps (Uber, Lyft and local equivalents) compete with metered taxis in Cape Town on price, but their tariffs swing with surge multipliers. A taxi’s price is fixed by the meter and the regulator — there is no surge. For routine rides our data typically shows rideshare 10–25% cheaper than taxi outside surge windows, and 20–60% more expensive at peak. Airport routes are the exception: many cities (including Cape Town where applicable) cap airport ↔ centre as a flat fare that beats both.

Reference ride: a 8 km / 15-minute trip in Cape Town. Numbers below combine the live tariff (taxi) and crowdsourced per-city rate sheets (rideshare). Apps surge in real time, so we surface min · median · max.

Taxi vs Uber vs Lyft fare comparison in Cape Town
ServiceProductMedianRange
Metered taxiStandard cabZAR 147ZAR 141ZAR 178
UberUberGoZAR 78.50ZAR 74.58ZAR 126
BoltBolt GoZAR 70.75ZAR 67.21ZAR 113

10FAQ

Cape Town taxi fare — frequently asked questions

How much is a taxi in Cape Town?
Cape Town taxis charge a ZAR 25.00 base fare plus ZAR 14.50 per km of distance and ZAR 1.50 per minute of slow-traffic time. A typical 8-km ride costs roughly ZAR 146 excluding surcharges and tip.
What is the base fare for a Cape Town taxi?
The drop charge — the amount on the meter when your ride begins — is ZAR 25.00. This is set by City of Cape Town Transport Directorate and is identical for every licensed cab in the city.
Are Cape Town taxi fares metered or negotiated?
Cape Town taxis are metered. The regulator requires drivers to use the meter on every trip; negotiating off-meter is generally illegal and unwise. Flat fares apply only on a small list of pre-approved airport routes (see the airport routes section above).
Do I tip taxi drivers in Cape Town?
Tipping is expected in Cape Town. The conventional range is 5% (basic), 10% (standard) and 15% (excellent service). A tip line is built into card terminals; for cash, simply round up to a convenient amount.
How do night and weekend rates work in Cape Town?
Cape Town does not impose an explicit night surcharge — the meter rate is the same 24/7.
Is Uber cheaper than a taxi in Cape Town?
In free-flow conditions, Uber and Lyft are usually 10–25% cheaper than Cape Town taxis. During peak demand, surge pricing can push rideshare 20–60% above the metered taxi fare. For airport runs, regulated taxi flat fares often beat both. Use the rideshare comparison above to see today's typical numbers.
Can I trust the calculator above?
Yes. We compute distance and duration from real OpenStreetMap routing (OSRM) and apply the published Cape Town tariff straight from City of Cape Town Transport Directorate. We always show a min–median–max range so you see how traffic affects the final price.
How long does a 8-km taxi ride take in Cape Town?
In free-flow traffic, a 8-km ride in Cape Town takes roughly 13 minutes on average city streets. Heavy traffic can double that, which is why our maximum estimate uses a 60% slow-time assumption.
Are credit cards accepted in Cape Town taxis?
Card acceptance varies by operator. Many regulated taxis in Cape Town accept major credit and debit cards; always carry cash as a backup, particularly for short journeys. Confirm with your driver before starting the trip, and contact City of Cape Town Transport Directorate for the current official requirement.
Where do I find the official Cape Town taxi rates?
The authoritative rate sheet is published by City of Cape Town Transport Directorate at https://www.capetown.gov.za/Family%20and%20home/transport-services-fines-and-tariffs (last verified 2026-04-12). Every figure on this page is reproduced from that source.
Is there a flat airport taxi fare in Cape Town?
Yes. The route CPT ↔ CITY ↔ BOWL has a regulator-mandated flat fare of ZAR 350 (excluding tip and tolls). Other airport pairs in Cape Town default to the metered tariff.

11Sources & verification

Sources, last verified

Every figure on this page is reproduced from City of Cape Town Transport Directorate, the recognised authority that sets Cape Town taxi rates. We re-verify each record at least every 180 days; the timestamp below confirms when this page was last reconciled with the primary source.

Primary source

City of Cape Town Transport Directorate

Last verified
April 12, 2026
Verification cadence
Every 180 days
Routing data
OpenStreetMap via OSRM

Spotted an inaccuracy? Report it and we will reconcile within 48 hours.