Clear Sydney taxi fare guide based on official Transport for NSW information last reviewed in June 2026, covering rank and hail fares, booked fares, Sydney Airport fixed fare rules, TTSS, Passenger Service Levy, tolls, non-cash surcharge and pre-paid fare notes.
Starting urban rank and hail fare for Sydney metropolitan area and other listed urban areas.
First 12 km in urban day trips, then the after-12-km rate applies. Night rates are higher.
Applied while vehicle speed is less than 26 km/h during an urban rank and hail trip.
Passenger levy may be passed on, tolls can be added, and card surcharge rules may apply.
These are the regulated maximum urban fares for rank and hail taxi trips in Sydney. Transport for NSW lists the current urban maximum fares from 1 July 2025. Drivers and service providers can charge less, but they cannot exceed the regulated maximum where the fare order applies.
| Fare component | Amount | When it applies | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hire charge | $5.17 | Start of urban rank & hail trip | Base charge for Sydney urban area |
| Peak time hire charge | $2.65 | 10pm–6am on Fridays, Saturdays and the night before public holidays | Added on top of hire charge |
| Distance rate | $2.61/km | First 12 km of standard urban trip | Day / non-night urban rate |
| Distance after 12 km | $2.37/km | After first 12 km | Urban day trip |
| Night distance rate | $3.10/km | First 12 km between 10pm–6am | Night urban rate |
| Night distance after 12 km | $2.82/km | After first 12 km between 10pm–6am | Night urban rate |
| Waiting time | $67.78/hr | When vehicle travels under 26 km/h | 113.0c per minute |
| Cleaning fee | Up to $124.14 + GST | If taxi is soiled by passenger | Maximum charge |
| Passenger Service Levy | $1.32 | If service provider passes on levy | $1.20 levy + GST |
| Non-cash payment surcharge | Maximum 5% | When paying by eligible non-cash method | Card, Cabcharge or EFTPOS surcharge conditions may apply |
Simple breakdown of how an estimated urban rank and hail taxi fare is built.
The fare begins with the base hire charge when the trip starts.
Per kilometre amount is added during the trip. Night trips use higher distance rates.
When the taxi slows below the trigger speed, waiting time can be added.
Tolls, levy, approved surcharge or cleaning fee may be added where applicable.
This distinction matters because rank and hail fares and booked fares are treated differently.
For booked taxi, hire car and similar booking services in NSW, fares are not government regulated. Providers can set their own pricing and may use discounts, peak pricing or fixed fares.
A temporary Passenger Service Levy applies to point-to-point transport trips in NSW. If the provider passes it on, the passenger sees the levy plus GST added to the fare.
Passenger Service Levy: $1.20
If passed to passenger with GST: $1.32
TTSS customers remain under regulated fare rules for booked trips, and a fare calculation device must be used for all TTSS journeys.
For non-booked taxi trips from anywhere in the Sydney Airport Precinct directly to the Sydney CBD fixed fare zone, the official fixed fare trial applies.
$60 Applies to a standard taxi or wheelchair accessible taxi for eligible rank trips from Sydney Airport taxi ranks direct to the Sydney CBD fixed fare trial area.
$80 Applies where a requested maxi taxi is used at Sydney Airport taxi ranks, other than for wheelchair-accessible service carriage, under the official fixed fare trial conditions.
When the taxi uses a toll road, toll charges may be added to the fare.
If your taxi ride travels on a toll road, the toll charges are added to your fare.
If you travel on the Sydney Harbour Bridge or Sydney Harbour Tunnel, you should only be charged the toll during your trip, not for the driver’s return journey.
Useful passenger-facing notes for a Sydney taxi fare page.
When hiring a maxi taxi at a rank or hailing it from the street with five or more passengers, the fare may be up to 150% of the regular taxi fare.
If passengers agree to share a taxi with a stranger, each passenger pays 75% of the maximum fare to their own destination.
TTSS and pre-paid taxi rules should be shown separately because users often confuse them with standard booked fares.
Useful customer-facing notes for the pre-paid section.
If you pay the estimated fare by Cabcharge, credit card or EFTPOS, a maximum 5% surcharge applies.
If the final fare amount is lower than what you pre-paid, you can only be refunded for the remaining fare deposit. No portion of the surcharge amount can be refunded.
These Sydney taxi fare details are based on official Transport for NSW pages. Transport for NSW lists current urban rank and hail fares from 1 July 2025.
