Gold Coast taxis use the South East Queensland maximum taxi fare schedule for rank and hail trips. This guide explains the current flagfall, distance rate, waiting charge, booking rules, wheelchair taxi conditions, payment surcharge, airport access charges and other permitted fare components.
Starting meter amount from 7am to 7pm on weekdays, except public holidays.
Starting meter amount outside the weekday daytime period, including weekends and public holidays.
Current maximum distance rate for metered taxis in the South East Queensland fare area.
Waiting-time component applies while the taxi is not moving.
Gold Coast is included in the South East Queensland taxi fare category. The following maximum fares apply to rank and hail taxi services and to the specific booked services covered by Queensland maximum-fare rules.
| Fare component | Maximum amount | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Weekday daytime flagfall | A$3.80 | 7am to 7pm on weekdays, except public holidays. |
| Other-time flagfall | A$6.20 | All other times, including weekends and public holidays. |
| Distance rate | A$2.77/km | South East Queensland metered taxi distance charge. |
| Waiting time | A$1.04/min | Applied while the taxi is not moving. |
| Rank or hail booking fee | A$0 | There is no booking fee when hailing a taxi or taking a taxi directly from a rank. |
| TSS / wheelchair booking fee | Up to A$1.90 | Maximum booking fee for qualifying Taxi Subsidy Scheme or wheelchair-user booked taxi trips. |
| Cleaning fee | Up to A$172 | May be charged if a passenger soils the taxi. |
| Non-cash payment surcharge | Maximum 5% | A credit card or other eligible non-cash transaction surcharge may apply. |
For a standard rank or hail trip, the meter starts with the applicable flagfall and then adds distance and any stationary waiting time. Permitted tolls or other applicable charges can be added where the rules allow.
From 7am to 7pm on a weekday that is not a public holiday, the meter starts at A$3.80. Distance is then charged at A$2.77 per kilometre.
At other times the meter starts at A$6.20. The published South East Queensland distance rate remains A$2.77 per kilometre.
These examples show only the flagfall and 10 km distance component. They do not include stationary waiting, tolls, airport-related charges, payment surcharge or other permitted extras.
A$3.80 flagfall + 10 km × A$2.77.
A$6.20 flagfall + 10 km × A$2.77.
Queensland treats rank and hail taxi work differently from most pre-booked personalised transport services.
Ordinary booked taxi fares can be commercially set by the booking provider. This means the price offered for a booked taxi can differ from the maximum rank and hail meter rates.
Queensland provides specific fare protections for passengers who require a Wheelchair Accessible Taxi.
When a passenger uses a wheelchair, the taximeter may only start after the passenger has been safely loaded and secured in the taxi.
For a booked Wheelchair Accessible Taxi carrying a passenger who uses a wheelchair, maximum fares apply and the maximum applicable booking fee is A$1.90.
A high-occupancy fare must not be applied to a rank or hail taxi trip, regardless of how many passengers are travelling.
A booking provider may set high-occupancy pricing for a booked service. Queensland no longer regulates that surcharge under the maximum-fare notice, so the amount should be checked in the provider's upfront fare estimate.
Gold Coast Airport has its own ground-transport access arrangements for taxi operators. These airport operator charges are separate from Queensland's standard taxi flagfall and per-kilometre tariff.
Gold Coast Airport currently lists an A$4.50 charge for each entry of a registered taxi into the airport ground-transport holding area.
The A$4.50 amount is an airport operator access charge rather than a separate Queensland taxi tariff. Queensland rules separately control when tolls, access fees or similar charges can be passed to a passenger.
Only charges that genuinely apply to the journey should be added to the passenger's total.
Tolls, access fees or ferry charges incurred as part of a hiring may be charged to the passenger under the applicable Queensland rules.
Queensland's maximum-fare application guidance states that there is no taxi fare charge for carrying luggage.
A transaction surcharge may apply when paying by credit card or another eligible non-cash method. The maximum published surcharge is 5%.
If a passenger soils the taxi, a cleaning charge of up to A$172 may be applied.
Queensland also permits multiple-hire arrangements where passengers share a taxi under the relevant fare rules.
Queensland's multiple-hiring tariff is set at 75% of the standard fare. The fare charged to each passenger must remain lower than the fare that passenger would have paid if travelling directly to their destination.
Rates and fare rules on this page were reviewed against Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads, Queensland Government passenger information and Gold Coast Airport ground-transport information.
Enter your pickup and destination to estimate the taxi cost using the applicable Gold Coast fare settings. Actual fares can vary with route, traffic, waiting time and permitted additional charges.
