Price of a taxi: our most useful information

We no longer need to tell you about the advantages of getting around Paris or (elsewhere) in a taxi. However the price of a taxi seems to be an uncertain piece of information that is often sought after. That is why we have decided to come to your aid and divulge all the information on the rules and regulations linked to the cost of a taxi journey. So if you are asking how much does a taxi cost? Then you are in the right place as you will soon discover below.

Taxi tariffs: how are they calculated?

We have judged it essential to tell you more about the price for taxis and notably how they are calculated in regards to to rules and regulations put in place to protect you as a customer. There is a good reason for this: scams are becoming more frequent especially in France’s major cities. So to begin with how do you distinguish between a official professional taxi and a clandestine taxi? Well we can often tell this by the cost that should be paid to the driver (but by this point it could be too late) so it might also be worth checking this list of essential equipment for an official taxi. The set price of a taxi is actually something very few people know off the top of their heads. In fact, in France, there is a set fee per minute decided upon each year by the government, but this set fee differs depending on the department or region or in some cases the city. So as you may well imagine the cost of a taxi journey in the countryside will be cheaper than the cost in a major city such as Paris or Marseilles because the set fees are calculated in accordance to the cost of living and cost of operating a taxi business in these places.

Prices of taxi journeys: other determining factors

It is important also to note that the price of a taxi journey will differ depending on three determining factors:

• The pick up charge. This is the amount that the journey starts at and will also vary in relation to the town or city where they taxi is operating.
• The cost per kilometre travelled. As discussed above this fee is also set depending on location.
• Finally, in some cases but not all, any additional charges / supplements. This could be anything from day travelled, increased size of car, disabled access or even VIP services.

If you have a doubt about the additional charges incurred these taxi prices are also governed and limits set by the local government. So if you think you have been overcharged you can enter into a procedure and see what the taxi drivers have the right to charge. In extreme cases you could even take the taxi company to court over this, but this is a very rare occurrence. What is good to know and take away from all this is that the tariffs are not pulled out of thin air but each one is carefully limited and regulated by the local government, so if ever the taxi cost seems too high you know you have consumer rights on your side.

Taxi costs: additional fees

It is often the additional fees that are at the heart of conflicts or debates about the overall cost of taxi journeys. Here are a few examples of extra costs that taxi companies such as Taxi 33 and others have the right to apply. Probably the best example is that the cost of a taxi journey will be more if you take the taxi on a Sunday or a ‘Jour Férié’ (the French equivalent to a bank holiday). Another less common, yet still perfectly valid example is extreme weather conditions. So if there is a lot of snow or ice on the roads the taxi price per kilometre travelled will increase.

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