London Black Cab Fare Calculator
Estimate what a licensed black taxi will cost between London's airports, stations and sights. It uses Transport for London's official fares and tariffs, effective 25 April 2026.
How London taxi fares work
Every licensed black cab runs a meter set by TfL. Which of three tariffs it uses depends on when the journey starts, and the minimum fare is £4.40 at all times. The meter charges by distance, and by time for any part of the journey slower than 10.4 mph. If a journey runs into the next tariff's hours, the rate changes with it.
| Tariff | When | Per mile, up to 6 miles |
|---|---|---|
| Tariff 1 | Monday to Friday, 05:00–20:00 | £4.13 |
| Tariff 2 | Monday to Friday, 20:00–22:00; Saturday and Sunday, 05:00–22:00 | £4.99 |
| Tariff 3 | Every night, 22:00–05:00, and all day on public holidays | £5.29 |
| Over 6 miles | All times | £4.99 |
Typical fares
TfL's own typical fares and journey times. Fares can be higher in heavy traffic.
| Distance | Time | Tariff 1 | Tariff 2 | Tariff 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 mile | 6–13 min | £8.40 – £13.00 | £8.40 – £13.20 | £9.00 – £13.20 |
| 2 miles | 10–20 min | £12.60 – £20.20 | £13.40 – £20.40 | £13.60 – £20.40 |
| 4 miles | 16–30 min | £21.00 – £31.00 | £23.00 – £32.00 | £23.00 – £35.00 |
| 6 miles | 28–40 min | £33.00 – £42.00 | £41.00 – £45.00 | £41.00 – £45.00 |
| Heathrow – central London | 30–60 min | £70.00 – £120.00 | ||
Extra charges
- Starting from a Heathrow taxi rank: £1.60.
- Drop-off at a Heathrow terminal: up to £6.00, added each time the cab enters a terminal drop-off zone. To avoid it, ask to be dropped at a park and ride car park and take the free bus.
- Drop-off at the London City Airport forecourt: up to £6.00. There is no extra for journeys from its taxi rank.
- Booking by phone, app or online: up to £2.00.
- Christmas and New Year: £4.00 for journeys between 20:00 on 24 December and 06:00 on 27 December, and between 20:00 on 31 December and 06:00 on 2 January.
There is no extra charge for luggage, additional passengers or assistance dogs, or for paying by card. Every taxi must take contactless payment.
Outside London
For destinations outside Greater London, including Gatwick, Luton and Stansted airports, you can agree the fare with the driver before you set off. If you don't agree one, the meter fare applies.
Sources
Transport for London, Taxi fares and Tariffs, effective 25 April 2026 (checked 1 October 2026). Public holidays are from GOV.UK. This page is not affiliated with TfL. The calculator runs on this site's server and keeps nothing you enter.