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CalculateTaxiFare

London · GB · verified Apr 15, 2026

Taxi Fare in London

Real OpenStreetMap routing meets the official Transport for London — Taxi fares tariff. See the base fare, every surcharge and a min–median–max range so you know what to expect on the meter.

Base fare
£3.80
Per mile
£6.40
Per minute
£0.40
Currency
GBP

01Definition

What is a taxi fare in London?

A taxi fare in London is the metered price of a regulated for-hire car ride within the city limits. London taxi rates are set by Transport for London — Taxi fares and combine three components: a base fare of £3.80 (the amount on the meter when the trip begins), a distance rate of £6.40 per mile, and a slow-traffic rate of £0.40 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

London taxi tariff at a glance

Below is the live London taxi tariff exactly as published by Transport for London — Taxi fares. Every figure is dated; the most recent verification was on 2026-04-15. Use the calculator above to apply these numbers to your specific trip.

London taxi tariff attributes
Base fare
£3.80
On the meter when the ride begins
Per-mile rate
£6.40 / mile
Charged for distance travelled
Per-minute rate
£0.40 / min
Slow-traffic switch speed: 17 km/h
Minimum fare
£3.80
Floor that the meter cannot fall below
Currency
GBP
Distance unit
mile
Timezone
Europe/London
Vehicle classes
1
standard

03Calculator

Calculate your fare in London

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

Calculate a fare in London

Local addresses, the London tariff applied automatically.

05Airport routes

London airport ↔ city centre

Airport ↔ city-centre rides are the most predictable taxi trips in London 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.

06Vehicle classes

London vehicle classes and rates

London licenses 1 vehicle class (standard). Larger vehicles command higher base or per-mile 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 London
Vehicle classBasePer milePer minMin fare
Standard sedan
Transport for London (TfL) Hackney Carriage Tariff 1 (06:00–20:00 Mon–Fri). Black cab metered fare.
£3.80£6.40£0.40£3.80

07Surcharges & taxes

Every extra charge on a London taxi fare

On top of the base meter, London taxi fares can include a night surcharge, rush-hour windows. Every charge below is reproduced verbatim from Transport for London — Taxi fares, with the trigger condition (time, day, equipment) shown alongside.

Surcharges, taxes and fees on London taxi fares
ChargeWhen it appliesAmountCategory
Night surcharge22:00 → 06:00, every day+25%Surcharge
Rush-hour surcharge20:00 → 22:00, days 1, 2, 3, 4, 5+15%Surcharge

08Tipping

Tipping etiquette in London

Tipping is not customary for taxis in London. A small round-up to the nearest convenient amount is appreciated for good service but never obligatory.

09Side by side

Taxi vs Uber vs Lyft in London

Rideshare apps (Uber, Lyft and local equivalents) compete with metered taxis in London 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 London where applicable) cap airport ↔ centre as a flat fare that beats both.

Reference ride: a 8 km / 15-minute trip in London. 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 London
ServiceProductMedianRange
Metered taxiStandard cab£37.11£35.61£45.10
UberUberX£10.76£10.23£17.22
BoltBolt£8.92£8.47£14.27

10Public transit

Public transit alternative in London

For short city-centre trips, public transit in London is consistently cheaper than a taxi — a single fare typically costs less than the taxi base alone. The trade-off is travel time: transit is slower door-to-door, runs on a fixed schedule, and may not serve every airport hour. The dedicated transit fare calculator below estimates a single-leg fare on the local subway, metro or bus network using the published zone or flat structure.

Public transit in London

For trips inside the central zones, a single transit fare is typically a fraction of even the lowest taxi estimate. The trade-off is travel time and route flexibility.

See transit fares

11FAQ

London taxi fare — frequently asked questions

How much is a taxi in London?
London taxis charge a £3.80 base fare plus £6.40 per mile of distance and £0.40 per minute of slow-traffic time. A typical 5-mile ride costs roughly £37.00 excluding surcharges and tip.
What is the base fare for a London taxi?
The drop charge — the amount on the meter when your ride begins — is £3.80. This is set by Transport for London — Taxi fares and is identical for every licensed cab in the city.
Are London taxi fares metered or negotiated?
London 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.
Do I tip taxi drivers in London?
Tipping is not customary for taxis in London. A small round-up to the nearest convenient amount is appreciated for good service but never obligatory.
How do night and weekend rates work in London?
A night surcharge of 25% applies between 22:00 and 06:00 every day, including weekends.
Is Uber cheaper than a taxi in London?
In free-flow conditions, Uber and Lyft are usually 10–25% cheaper than London 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 London tariff straight from Transport for London — Taxi fares. We always show a min–median–max range so you see how traffic affects the final price.
How long does a 5-mile taxi ride take in London?
In free-flow traffic, a 5-mile ride in London 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 London taxis?
Card acceptance varies by operator. Many regulated taxis in London 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 Transport for London — Taxi fares for the current official requirement.
Where do I find the official London taxi rates?
The authoritative rate sheet is published by Transport for London — Taxi fares at https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/taxis-and-minicabs/taxi-fares (last verified 2026-04-15). Every figure on this page is reproduced from that source.

12Sources & verification

Sources, last verified

Every figure on this page is reproduced from Transport for London — Taxi fares, the recognised authority that sets London 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

Transport for London — Taxi fares

Last verified
April 15, 2026
Verification cadence
Every 180 days
Routing data
OpenStreetMap via OSRM

Editorial notes

London black cab tariffs are set by TfL. Tariff 2 (Mon–Fri 20:00–22:00, weekends 06:00–22:00) and Tariff 3 (nightly 22:00–06:00 + public holidays) charge progressively higher per-mile rates. Heathrow Express train often beats taxi for cost.

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