PASSENGER GUIDE · CHECK THE FARE
What's a fair taxi fare?
Start with the journey, the type of vehicle and the rules that apply—not a single “UK price per mile”. Compare the same route against reviewed tariffs, then check what your quote or meter actually includes.
An estimate is not a quote or a verdict. TECSI lists 318 licensing units, including London TfL and Northern Ireland once each. That is an inventory, not 318 available prices. Calculation coverage is incomplete and unsupported results are labelled.
First, check what kind of fare you're paying
A taxi tariff and a private-hire booking quote are not automatically the same product. Check the vehicle's licensing authority, whether a meter or agreed fare applies, and any conditions agreed before travelling.
For example, Bristol publishes maximum hackney-carriage fares for journeys wholly inside its boundary, while private-hire fares are not set by that council. Its guidance treats journeys outside the boundary separately. These are Bristol's rules, not a shortcut for every UK journey.
Rules also differ between nations. West Lothian's fare guidance covers taxis and metered private-hire cars and explains agreement for journeys beyond the district. Northern Ireland's official guidance sets out Class A/B taxi fares and when meter-use exceptions apply. Always check the relevant current source.
Why two similar journeys can cost different amounts
- Starting charge and increments: a tariff may include an initial distance, then charge in small distance or time steps rather than a smooth per-mile rate.
- Departure time: nights, weekends and named holidays may use different bands. The exact hours vary.
- Waiting and slow traffic: meter rules can combine distance and time. An estimated journey duration is not the same thing as chargeable waiting.
- The booking and vehicle: passenger numbers, vehicle class, airport arrangements, tolls or agreed extras may affect the total.
- Route and boundary: road distance can differ from a straight line, and journeys crossing a licensing boundary need their own rule check.
These are questions to check against the fare card and booking terms. They are not universal automatic surcharges.
Compare your route in three steps
1. Choose both places
Search for the pickup and destination and select the correct matches. The calculator draws the road route on a street map.
2. Choose a tariff
Select a council and departure time. The pickup location—not the destination—is used to identify the local licensing area where mapping is available.
3. Read the comparison
See the selected and pickup-area results, then search all councils on file. Only comparable prices receive ranks.
Another council's price is a same-route comparison; it does not establish that its tariff legally applies to your booking. Lowest and highest results are drawn only from the supported, comparable tariffs for that particular journey—not every UK council.
The preview has no live-traffic feed. It estimates the base fare for one passenger and excludes extras such as tolls and airport fees. Separately entered waiting is accepted only where supported. Some combined time/distance rules remain unmodelled: any distance-only illustration is visibly marked and excluded from rankings.
Open the free fare calculatorBefore you compare the estimate with a bill
Does a higher charge mean I was overcharged?
No. An incomplete estimate cannot establish that. First check the agreed booking price, departure time, actual route, waiting, vehicle and any permitted extras. Ask the operator or driver for an explanation and a receipt. If a concern remains, use the relevant licensing authority's passenger guidance or complaints route.
Why is my council listed without a price?
We can hold council information without having a sufficiently verified calculation model. A price may also be unavailable for your date or journey, or because source documents conflict. The comparison shows a reason rather than inventing a number.
Can I compare another council with the pickup area?
Yes, where both calculations are supported. The route stays the same so you can explore tariff differences. That comparison is not a booking offer, and the pickup-area match does not by itself determine the legally applicable fare.
Can I use it without finding an address?
Yes. Manual mode accepts a measured road distance. It cannot identify a pickup council or display a route from mileage alone. Check the calculator's source and limitations before relying on any estimate.