Taxi prices and fares: the ins and outs of rules of the profession

Have you ever wondered who sets the price of taxis? Are you interested in finding out more about the rules and regulations surrounding this particular profession? You’ve come to the right place! Today we’re going to talk about the prices of taxis in Paris and the rules behind this. You’ll hopefully come away knowing more about why taxi fares are priced as they are, and will also be able to avoid being ripped off (unfortunately a practice which is becoming more and more common in the French capital city).

Taxi prices: find out more about the way prices are fixed

Contrary to popular belief, French taxis have no right to decide the prices they charge on their own terms. In actual fact, they have to follow strict regulations and laws which are decided upon by prefectural decrees. This means the region will fix taxi prices in place for up to one year. The prefectural decrees must be obeyed by taxi drivers if they want to avoid any sanctions or punishments when they are setting their own prices. One thing to note is that these decrees are done by region – and not nationally – as the price of a taxi varies greatly depending on population size, amongst other factors. In other words, each French region has its own prefectural decree which has the final say in the maximum fee a taxi can charge .

How are French taxi prices calculated?

If you are really curious about the ins and outs of how taxis decide their prices, it is important to know that they are mostly calculated using the following variables: the number of kilometres travelled, the pick-up charge, any increases based on the journey in question and additional charges (for example, extra people). Any increased charges are also taken care of by the prefectural decree. They might include night-time fares, rush hour journeys (where risk of accident is higher), weather conditions (snow or ice) or long-distance journeys. However, if you are unsure about the extra fee that has been added to your journey, you have every right to check the decree and make sure this supplement was done legally.

Paying a fare: necessary equipment for the journey

As for the payment of a taxi ride, the driver is required to have a meter in his taxi at all times to be able to work out the number of kilometres travelled, and also to show the final price to the client. This taxi meter needs to be renewed every year depending on the new legislation put forward by the aforementioned prefectural decree.

Payment methods accepted by the majority of taxis

As for the client, when paying for a taxi there are three main ways to do so. You can use either cash or card, since taxis are now required to accept credit and debit cards. Sometimes it is also possible to pay by cheque. If the taxi company does not accept cheques, they should stipulate this on their right-hand window so that passengers know before they travel. A payment terminal (e.g. a card machine) plus printer should always be available to a taxi driver in case a client pays by card.

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