Free tool · official tariffs
Taxi fare calculator
Choose a city and tariff, enter the distance and the minutes you expect to spend stopped or in slow traffic, and the calculator runs the official meter steps: the start charge, then a charge for each unit of distance or time. It covers London's black cab tariffs from 25 April 2026 and twelve other UK and US fare tables.
Your trip
Run the official meter for your journey
Check the distance on a map app; add the minutes you expect to sit in traffic.
£4.13 a mile up to 6 miles, £4.99 after
Distance in
Estimated metered fare
£20.00
3.0 miles, 5 minutes slow · Monday to Friday 05:00–20:00
The meter charges by time instead of distance whenever the taxi is slower than 10.4 mph. No extra charge for luggage, extra passengers, assistance dogs or paying by card. Each started step is charged, as London’s and many council tables say (“or part thereof”), so a real meter can land a step or two away. Source: Transport for London: Taxi fares and Tariffs (effective from 25 April 2026).
How it works
How a taxi meter works out the fare
Taxi (hackney carriage) fares are maximums set by the council or city. Each fare table says what the start charge buys, usually a short first distance, then adds a fixed amount for each further unit of distance, such as 20p every 77.9 metres on London’s Tariff 1. When the car is stopped or crawling, many tables charge by time instead: in London the meter switches to time whenever the taxi is slower than 10.4 mph.
The calculator runs those steps for your distance and adds the slow-traffic minutes at the table’s time rate. Tariffs change by time of day and day of week, so pick the one in force when you travel; London’s Tariff 1 covers weekdays 05:00 to 20:00, Tariff 2 weekday evenings and weekend days, Tariff 3 nights and public holidays.
Minicab (private hire) firms set their own prices and usually quote before you book, so these tariffs do not apply to them. For how operators set those prices, see the taxi tariff calculator and UK taxi fares per mile.
TfL’s typical London taxi fares
| Distance | Approx. time | Tariff 1 | Tariff 2 | Tariff 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 mile | 6–13 mins | £8.40–£13.00 | £8.40–£13.20 | £9.00–£13.20 |
| 2 miles | 10–20 mins | £12.60–£20.20 | £13.40–£20.40 | £13.60–£20.40 |
| 4 miles | 16–30 mins | £21.00–£31.00 | £23.00–£32.00 | £23.00–£35.00 |
| 6 miles | 28–40 mins | £33.00–£42.00 | £41.00–£45.00 | £41.00–£45.00 |
| Heathrow – central London | 30–60 mins | £70.00–£120.00 | £70.00–£120.00 | £70.00–£120.00 |
Transport for London, effective from 25 April 2026. Fares can be higher with delays or heavy traffic.
Sources
Where the figures come from
- Transport for London: Taxi fares, typical fares and extra charges (effective from 25 April 2026) (read 2026-11-03)
- Transport for London: Taxi fares and Tariffs (effective from 25 April 2026) (read 2026-11-03)
- Birmingham City Council: Hackney carriage table of fares (dated 1 April 2025) (read 2026-11-02)
- Bristol City Council: April 2025 hackney carriage table of maximum fares (read 2026-11-02)
- Sheffield City Council: Hackney carriage fares and charges (read 2026-11-02)
- Nottingham City Council: Hackney carriage fares (in effect from 13 June 2022) (read 2026-11-02)
- Brighton & Hove City Council: Maximum hackney carriage fares (read 2026-11-02)
- Hull City Council: Hackney carriage fares (read 2026-11-02)
- City of Edinburgh Council: Taxi fare table from 25 July 2026 (read 2026-11-02)
- Department for Infrastructure (Northern Ireland): Maximum taxi fares to increase (10 November 2023) (read 2026-11-02)
- NYC Taxi & Limousine Commission: Taxi fare (read 2026-11-02)
- SFMTA: Taxi fares (rates effective 17 November 2022) (read 2026-11-02)
- LADOT: Taxicab rates (2023 rate sheet) (read 2026-11-02)
- DC Department of For-Hire Vehicles: Taxicab fares (effective 2 August 2024) (read 2026-11-02)
- Miami-Dade County: Taxicab rates (Resolution R-700-22) (read 2026-11-02)
FAQ
Taxi fare questions
How much is a taxi in London?
TfL's typical black cab fares for weekday daytime (Tariff 1) are £8.40 to £13.00 for a mile, £12.60 to £20.20 for two miles, £21 to £31 for four miles and £33 to £42 for six miles, with a minimum fare of £4.40. Evenings, weekends, nights and holidays cost more.
How much is a black cab from Heathrow to central London?
Transport for London puts a typical metered fare between Heathrow and central London at £70 to £120, taking 30 to 60 minutes. Journeys starting at a Heathrow taxi rank add £1.60, and dropping off in a Heathrow terminal zone can add up to £6.00.
How are taxi fares calculated?
By the council's or city's fare table: a start charge that covers a short first distance, then a fixed amount for each further unit of distance, and a time charge when the car is stopped or slow. Different tariffs apply by time of day, and some trips carry extras such as airport charges.
How much is a taxi per mile in New York City?
The TLC meter charges $3.00 to start and 70¢ per 1/5 mile, which is $3.50 a mile, or 70¢ per minute in slow traffic. Surcharges are added on top, such as the 50¢ MTA surcharge, the $1 improvement surcharge and $2.50 in weekday rush hour.
Do London taxis charge extra for card payments or luggage?
No. TfL says there is no extra charge for paying by card, for luggage, for additional passengers or for assistance dogs, and every London taxi must take contactless card payment. Booking by phone, app or online can add up to £2.
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