Taxis are part of public transport
In Germany, taxis are not just any ride service but part of public passenger transport in the broader sense. That is why special obligations apply to them, set out in the Passenger Transport Act (PBefG) and in local taxi and tariff ordinances. For you as a passenger, this means you have more rights than many people realise.
Duty to carry: short trips must be accepted too
Under sections 22 and 47(4) PBefG, taxi operators are obliged to carry passengers within their mandatory service area. A driver may not refuse a trip because it is too short; Bremen's taxi ordinance, for example, states this explicitly. Refusal is only allowed in exceptional cases, for instance if a passenger endangers safety or the trip goes beyond the mandatory service area.
The meter must be running
Within the mandatory service area the official tariff applies, and it may be neither exceeded nor undercut (section 51(5) in conjunction with section 39(3) PBefG). The taximeter is the measuring instrument for this: it must be calibrated, switched on at the start of the trip and clearly visible to you. A "flat price on request" without a running meter is not permitted within the mandatory service area. Exceptions exist only where the tariff ordinance expressly provides for them: fixed route prices, flat rates such as in Hamburg, or a fixed price agreed within the fare corridor when booking.
Outside the mandatory service area, i.e. on trips beyond the city boundary, the price may be freely agreed. If nothing is agreed before departure, the meter usually keeps running in practice. For longer cross-country trips it is best to settle the price in advance.
Detours and choice of route
In principle the driver must take the shortest or fastest route unless you want something else. A detour because of roadworks or traffic is permitted and may even be cheaper, because less waiting time accrues. A detour without reason is not. If you want a particular route, say so at the start. With the taxi fare calculator you can estimate in advance what amount is plausible for your route and spot amounts that differ widely.
Receipt, card payment, tips
On request, the driver issues a receipt for the fare; local taxi ordinances regulate this. You need the receipt for travel expense claims and your tax return — and it is the basis if you want to complain later. Card payment is mandatory in more and more cities: Munich, Frankfurt am Main, Bremen and Nuremberg require that you can pay by card at no extra cost. Tipping is voluntary; rounding up or about 5 to 10 % is common.
Waiting time and approach
If you book a taxi, the drive to the pickup point is free in most cities — Frankfurt, Bremen and Duisburg state this explicitly. The meter may only start when you get in or at the booked time. Nuremberg even grants four minutes of free waiting at the pickup for booked taxis. If you have the taxi wait along the way, for example outside a pharmacy, the waiting rate runs; Berlin and Cologne require the driver to wait up to 15 minutes, Frankfurt up to 30 minutes.
If something goes wrong
If you feel you have paid too much, note the taxi's licence number (usually shown on the rear window and on the receipt), the date, time and route. Complaints are handled by the city's licensing authority, usually the public order office or the road traffic office. Drivers usually hand in forgotten items at the dispatch centre or the lost property office.
Conclusion
The taxi tariff protects you as a passenger: the same price for everyone, no arbitrary surcharges, and an obligation to carry you even on short trips. If you know the basic rules and roughly estimate the price beforehand, you can ride more relaxed. How the price is made up is explained in the main guide Taxi fares in Germany; which surcharges are allowed is covered in Large taxis, luggage, bikes.