How much does a taxi cost per kilometre in Germany?

In the 14 major cities covered here, the per-km rate is between €2.00 and €3.30 — with one exception: in Nuremberg the first kilometre costs €5.10. On top comes a base fare of €4.00 (Frankfurt) to €5.90 (Munich). Many cities use distance bands: the first kilometres cost more, longer distances less, e.g. in Hamburg €2.70 up to 9 km and €2.00 after that. A 10 km trip with 5 minutes of waiting costs roughly €31 to €37 depending on the city, i.e. a little over €3 per kilometre.

How is the taxi fare calculated?

The fare consists of base fare, distance charge and waiting time. The base fare is charged once when the meter starts. While driving, the meter counts distance at the per-km rate; when the taxi stands in traffic, at lights or waits at your request, the waiting rate applies instead. Surcharges, e.g. for a large taxi, come on top. All values are set by the city or district in its taxi tariff ordinance.

Is a taxi more expensive at night or on weekends?

It depends on the city. Most major cities have a single tariff around the clock — a trip costs the same at night and on Sundays as during the day. Leipzig, Dresden and Duisburg, however, have a separate night, Sunday and holiday tariff with higher per-km rates. Over 10 km the difference is between €1.00 (Dresden) and €2.40 (Leipzig). The calculator only shows the night option where the tariff has one.

How much does a large taxi (minivan) cost?

For a large taxi — usually from the fifth passenger or when you explicitly order one — cities charge a flat surcharge per trip. It ranges from €3.00 in Nuremberg (5–6 passengers) through €6.00 in Berlin, Cologne, Dortmund and Duisburg and €8.00 in Hamburg to €10.00 in Munich and Leipzig. The per-km and waiting rates stay the same. Split among five to eight people, a large taxi is almost always cheaper than two regular taxis.

Why does the meter show a different price than the calculator?

The calculator estimates the price for the distance and waiting time you enter. In real traffic, jams, lights, roadworks and detours change the waiting time and the distance driven. The meter also counts up in small steps of 10 or 20 cents, and some surcharges (e.g. airport) only apply in certain cases. The amount on the calibrated taximeter is always binding.

Can I agree a fixed price with a taxi?

For pre-booked trips, section 51(1) of the German Passenger Transport Act allows fixed prices or a price corridor with minimum and maximum prices. Many cities have implemented this, e.g. Berlin (up to 20 % above or 10 % below the meter price), Cologne (±20 %) or Dortmund (±15 %). If you take a taxi from a rank or hail one, you pay the meter price. Within the mandatory service area the tariff may otherwise be neither exceeded nor undercut (section 51(5) with section 39(3) of the Act).

Does luggage cost extra in a taxi?

In most major cities it does not: normal luggage, prams and wheelchairs ride free in Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Dortmund and Essen, for example; in Bremen and Düsseldorf any other surcharges are expressly excluded. Surcharges sometimes apply to bicycles (Hamburg €8.00, Munich €7.50), to animals in Duisburg (€2.00) or when bulky luggage requires a large taxi or estate car. The notes for each city in the calculator show the details.

Which major German city has the cheapest taxi fares?

It depends on the distance, because cities weight base, per-km and waiting rates differently. For a typical 10 km trip with 5 minutes of waiting, Dortmund is cheapest at about €30.60, followed by Frankfurt (€31.17). Düsseldorf (€35.58) and Cologne (€36.80) are the most expensive. For short trips of around 5 km Frankfurt leads; at 25 km Dortmund, Hamburg and Berlin come out ahead because long distances get cheaper there. The city comparison in the calculator shows the ranking for your distance.

Do I have to tip in a taxi?

No, tipping is voluntary and not part of the tariff. It is common to round up to the next full euro or to give around 5 to 10 % for good service. The calculator does not include a tip. You can ask for a receipt — important for business trips or your tax return.

Nights, Weekends, Holidays: When Do Taxis Cost More? | Taxi Fare Calculator

Night surcharges are on the way out

For a long time the rule of thumb was: taxis cost more at night, at weekends and on public holidays. For most major German cities that is no longer true. Of the 14 cities whose current tariff the taxi fare calculator covers, eleven have one tariff around the clock: Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Cologne, Frankfurt am Main, Stuttgart, Düsseldorf, Dortmund, Essen, Bremen and Nuremberg. If you ride home there at three in the morning, you pay exactly the same for the same route as at noon.

Hamburg abolished its peak and off-peak split on 1 February 2025; Dortmund dropped its higher night waiting rate on 1 September 2026. Cities mainly cite transparency: a tariff that does not change with the time of day is easier for passengers to follow.

Where a different tariff applies at night and on Sundays

Three of the cities covered keep a separate tariff. In each case only the per-km rate changes; the base fare and waiting rate stay the same.

Leipzig: On weekdays from 8 pm to 5 am and all day on Sundays and public holidays, the night, Sunday and holiday tariff applies. The first 3 km cost €3.40 instead of €3.30, km 4 to 10 cost €2.70 instead of €2.40, and every further km €2.30 instead of €2.20.
Dresden: Tariff II applies daily from 8 pm to 5 am and on Sundays and public holidays. Each distance band costs 10 cents more per km: €3.30 instead of €3.20 up to 4 km, €2.70 instead of €2.60 up to 10 km, then €2.50 instead of €2.40.
Duisburg: From 10 pm to 6 am and on Sundays and public holidays, a kilometre costs €2.70 instead of €2.50.

How big is the difference?

On a 10 km trip with 5 minutes of waiting, the night tariff adds the following compared with the day tariff:

Leipzig: €34.53 by day, €36.93 at night — plus €2.40
Duisburg: €32.55 by day, €34.55 at night — plus €2.00
Dresden: €35.38 by day, €36.38 at night — plus €1.00

That is between 3 and 7 %. On longer trips the gap grows with every kilometre but stays similar in relative terms. In the calculator you can switch on the night tariff for these three cities; for all others a note says the same tariff applies around the clock.

Why the meter often shows less at night anyway

Even without a night tariff, a night-time trip is often cheaper than the same route in rush hour. The reason is waiting time: when the taxi hardly stops at lights and is not stuck in traffic, almost only the distance rate runs. Five minutes less standstill saves between €2.08 (Dresden, €25/h) and €3.58 (Düsseldorf, €43/h), depending on the city. So set a lower waiting time in the calculator for night trips than for rush-hour trips.

Public holidays and special cases

Where a Sunday and holiday tariff exists, it follows the statutory public holidays of the respective federal state. Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve are not statutory holidays; whether special rules apply is stated in the local tariff ordinance. A flat mark-up for big events, trade fairs or bad weather is not allowed within the mandatory service area — the tariff applies regardless of demand.

Plan ahead with a fixed price

If you need to travel a longer distance at night, for example to the airport, many cities let you agree a fixed price when booking. It lies within a corridor around the meter price set by the tariff. Read more in Taking a taxi to the airport. For an overview of all price components, see the main guide Taxi fares in Germany.

Nights, Weekends, Holidays: When Do Taxis Cost More?

Night surcharges are on the way out

Where a different tariff applies at night and on Sundays

How big is the difference?

Why the meter often shows less at night anyway

Public holidays and special cases

Plan ahead with a fixed price

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