Taxi Fare Calculator UK
Enter your pickup and drop-off locations, city and time of travel to instantly estimate your taxi fare, whether you are booking a black cab, a minicab or comparing against app-based ride-hailing prices.
How Much Does a Taxi Cost Per Mile in the UK?
Taxi fares in the UK are not uniform, they vary significantly by city, time of day, vehicle type and whether you book in advance or hail on the street. Here is what you can expect to pay per mile across major UK cities in 2026:
| City | Black Cab / Hackney Carriage | Private Hire / Minicab |
|---|---|---|
| London | £2.50 – £3.00 per mile | £1.60 – £2.20 per mile |
| Edinburgh | £1.70 – £2.60 per mile | £1.50 – £2.00 per mile |
| Manchester | £1.60 – £2.50 per mile | £1.40 – £1.90 per mile |
| Glasgow | £1.50 – £2.40 per mile | £1.30 – £1.80 per mile |
| Liverpool | £1.50 – £2.20 per mile | £1.30 – £1.70 per mile |
| Birmingham | £1.50 – £2.30 per mile | £1.30 – £1.70 per mile |
| Leeds | £1.40 – £2.10 per mile | £1.20 – £1.60 per mile |
| Smaller towns | £1.20 – £1.80 per mile | £1.00 – £1.50 per mile |
| A 5-mile journey across most UK cities typically costs between £10 and £20 depending on vehicle type and time of day. A 20-mile journey might cost £85 in London but just £45 in Birmingham, city and timing matter enormously. |
What Makes Up Your Taxi Fare ?
Most taxi fares in the UK are calculated from the same core components:
Base fare (flagfall): a starting charge applied the moment your journey begins. In London black cabs this ranges from around £3.80 to £5.25 depending on tariff. Outside London, base fares typically start at £2.50 to £3.50.
Distance charge: the per-mile rate that forms the bulk of most fares. The meter switches from distance-based to time-based charging when the vehicle slows below around 10–12 mph, which is why traffic adds meaningfully to metered fares.
Time-based charge: when your taxi is stationary or moving slowly, the meter continues running per minute. This is why a short city centre journey in heavy traffic can cost more than a longer out-of-town run at speed.
Time of day and tariff: black cabs and hackney carriages operate on multiple tariffs. In London, Tariff 1 applies weekday daytime, Tariff 2 covers evenings and weekends (around 20% more), and Tariff 3 applies late nights on Fridays and Saturdays. Most cities outside London operate similar but locally set structures.
Extras: airport drop-off charges, additional passengers, large luggage or advance booking fees may all be added to the base fare depending on the operator.
Black Cab vs Minicab vs Uber
The answer depends on the journey type, city, time of day and in London, a major 2026 pricing shift has changed the landscape.
From 2 January 2026, ride-hailing platforms including Uber and Bolt in London must apply 20% VAT to the full fare on every ride, following the Autumn Budget 2025 change that closed the Tour Operators' Margin Scheme loophole they had previously used. This pushed Uber and Bolt fares in London up roughly 15–20% overnight, narrowing the traditional cost gap with black cabs significantly.
Here is how the three options compare across typical journey types:
| Journey Type | Best Option |
|---|---|
| Short city ride, off-peak | App-based (Uber/Bolt), upfront pricing, often cheapest |
| Short city ride, peak hours | Black cab, regulated meter, no surge pricing |
| Airport transfer, any time | Pre-booked fixed-fare minicab, typically 25–35% cheaper than metered cabs |
| Long-distance (10+ miles) | Pre-booked minicab, fixed price avoids metered accumulation |
| Black cabs are the only taxis in England and Wales that can be hailed from the street without pre-booking. Minicabs and ride-hailing vehicles must always be pre-booked, accepting an unlicensed or "touting" vehicle outside airports or venues is illegal. |
London Taxi Fares 2026
London black cab fares are fully regulated by Transport for London and are identical across every licensed black cab in the city. The meter never surges, never changes for weather or demand, and never charges more for app booking than street hailing. For 2026 the minimum fare is £4.40, with per-mile rates of £4.10 to £5.25 depending on which tariff applies.
A typical 3-mile journey across central London costs £10 to £15 in daytime, rising to £12 to £18 at night. For a 10-mile journey from Heathrow to central London, black cabs typically cost £45 to £60 in daytime. Pre-booked minicabs on the same route typically save 25–35%.
Common UK Airport Taxi Fares
Airport transfers are the most searched taxi journey type in the UK. Here are current benchmark fares for 2026:
| Route | Distance | Pre-Booked Minicab | Black Cab |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heathrow to Central London | 15–20 miles | £40 – £60 | £45 – £75 |
| Gatwick to Central London | 30 miles | £65 – £90 | £70 – £110 |
| Stansted to Central London | 35 miles | £75 – £110 | £80 – £120 |
| Manchester Airport to City Centre | 10 miles | £18 – £28 | £22 – £35 |
| Birmingham Airport to City Centre | 10 miles | £15 – £25 | £20 – £30 |
| Bristol Airport to City Centre | 12 miles | £20 – £26 | £28 – £38 |
| Always pre-book for airport journeys. Unlicensed taxi touts at terminal exits frequently charge premium rates, only use licensed firms displaying TfL or local council licence numbers. |
How to Get the Best Taxi Fare ?
Book in advance for longer journeys: Pre-booking a minicab typically saves 20–30% compared to hailing or using a metered cab, particularly for airport runs and journeys over 5 miles.
Avoid surge pricing windows: Uber and Bolt surge pricing typically activates between 18:00 and 21:00 on weekdays and throughout Friday and Saturday nights. Waiting 10 to 15 minutes for surge to drop can reduce fares significantly. During surge, a regulated black cab meter frequently beats Uber.
Compare before you confirm: Use fare estimator tools for both black cab rates and app-based pricing before committing. For longer journeys, the difference between the two can be substantial.
Travel off-peak where possible: Weekday daytime hours (06:00–20:00 Monday to Friday) attract the lowest tariff rates in virtually every UK city.
Related Calculators
References
- Transport for London. Taxi Fares. tfl.gov.uk, reviewed April 2026
- Leevalley Minicabs. Taxi Price Per Mile UK 2025: Updated Rates and Insights. leevalley-minicabs.co.uk, September 2025
- LondonAirport-Taxi.com. London Taxi Fares 2026. londonairport-taxi.com, June 2026
- Taxis101.co.uk. UK Taxi Costs 2025: Realistic Prices by Region and Distance. taxis101.co.uk, February 2026
- HM Treasury. Autumn Budget 2025, VAT on Private Hire Vehicles. gov.uk, November 2025
- Minicabit. Taxi Fare Calculator UK. minicabit.com