NYC taxi fare calculator
Estimate a metered yellow cab fare between any two New York locations, including the surcharges most calculators leave out. Then compare it against a fixed quote.
Price your trip
Two dropdowns and you have a number. Our flat rate first, the metered comparison underneath.
How the meter actually works
New York's taxi meter is simpler than it looks and stranger than most people assume. There is one rate, set by the Taxi & Limousine Commission, identical in every yellow and green cab in the city. No driver can charge more or less.
It starts at $3.00 the moment you get in. Then it adds $0.70 per unit, and a unit is either:
- One fifth of a mile, when the cab is moving faster than 12 mph, or
- 60 seconds, when it is moving slower than 12 mph or standing still.
Twelve miles per hour is the crossover point, and it explains almost everything about New York fares. Above it you pay for distance. Below it you pay for time — which means in stop-start traffic you are paying the meter to sit still.
Average traffic speed in Manhattan at 5pm is around 8 mph. At 3am it is over 20. The same journey, the same distance, and a materially different price.
The full rate card
| Charge | Amount | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Initial charge | $3.00 | Every trip, on entry |
| Unit charge | $0.70 | Per ⅕ mile, or per 60 seconds below 12 mph |
| MTA state surcharge | $1.00 | Trips within NYC, Nassau and Westchester |
| Improvement surcharge | $0.50 | All trips |
| Congestion surcharge | $2.50 | Most trips touching Manhattan below 96th St |
| Weekday peak surcharge | $2.50 | Monday–Friday, 4pm–8pm |
| Overnight surcharge | $1.00 | Nightly, 8pm–6am |
| JFK ↔ Manhattan flat fare | $70.00 | Either direction, plus extras |
| JFK access charge | $5.00 | Trips originating at JFK |
| Newark surcharge | $20.00 | Trips to Newark Airport |
| Tolls | At cost | Whichever crossing is used |
Our published rates
The number the calculator gives you comes from this card. Airport routes are exact. Trips within the city use the base rate with a distance uplift beyond ten miles — that part is an estimate, and anything unusual is confirmed on the phone before you book.
Our rates sit above a metered cab, deliberately. You are not buying the same thing. A meter gives you whichever car stops and a number that climbs in traffic. A flat rate gives you a named vehicle at a set time, a professional driver, flight tracking with an hour of free waiting, tolls and gratuity included, and a total that does not move.
Which class is which
The Luxury Sedan prices above the Luxury SUV, and that is not a mistake — a flagship saloon sits a class above a premium SUV. Pick the SUV for space, the sedan for the higher-specification car.
- Executive Sedan up to 3
- Full-size executive saloon — E-Class, 5 Series or similarEveryday business travel and airport runs.
- Executive SUV up to 6
- Full-size SUV — Suburban, Yukon or similarSame tier as the Executive Sedan, more room for people and luggage.
- Luxury Sedan up to 3
- Flagship saloon — S-Class, 7 Series or similarThe premium choice. A class above the SUV in comfort and finish, which is why it prices higher.
- Luxury SUV up to 6
- Premium SUV — Escalade, GLE, X5 or similarLuxury finish with SUV space. Choose this over the Luxury Sedan for luggage or a fourth passenger, not for prestige.
| Route | Executive Sedan | Executive SUV | Luxury Sedan | Luxury SUV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NYC ↔ JFK | $150 | $180 | $250 | $200 |
| NYC ↔ LaGuardia | $130 | $160 | $225 | $175 |
| NYC ↔ Newark | $155 | $185 | $255 | $205 |
| NYC ↔ Teterboro | $155 | $185 | $255 | $205 |
| NYC ↔ Westchester County | $225 | $260 | $375 | $300 |
| NYC ↔ Westchester | $220 | $250 | $375 | $300 |
| Within NYC | $120 | $150 | $250 | $200 |
| Hourly / as directed | $853 hr min | $1003 hr min | $1303 hr min | $1153 hr min |
| Vehicle | Passengers | Per hour | Minimum |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mercedes-MaybachRear-cabin executive saloon. The step above a standard luxury sedan. | 3 | $350 | 4 hrs6 hrs as directed |
| Rolls-RoyceWeddings, milestone occasions, and arrivals where the car is the statement. | 3 | $500 | 6 hrs |
| BentleySame tier as the Rolls-Royce, a shade more understated. | 3 | $500 | 6 hrs |
| Armored Escalade / S-ClassProtective detail work. Twelve-hour minimum reflects how these are crewed and staged. | 4 | $750 | 12 hrs |
| Stretch LimousineWeddings, proms, birthdays. Priced by the hour, not the mile. | 6–8 | $175 | 3 hrs |
| Jet SprinterThe highest specification Sprinter — private-jet style interior. | 10–12 | $225 | 4 hrs |
| Limo SprinterLounge seating. Group nights out and roadshows. | 12–14 | $200 | 4 hrs |
| Executive SprinterForward-facing executive seating. Corporate groups and airport runs. | 12–14 | $200 | 4 hrs |
| Passenger SprinterStandard shuttle configuration. The most economical way to move a full group. | 14 | $150 | 3 hrs4 hrs as directed |
| 56-Passenger Coach BusFull-size motor coach. Conferences, weddings, corporate offsites. | 56 | $250 | 5 hrs |
| 28–33 Passenger BusMid-size coach for medium groups. | 28–33 | $200 | 5 hrs |
| 24-Passenger BusSmallest of the coaches. Wedding parties and shuttle loops. | 24 | $175 | 5 hrs |
Rates exclude tolls where a route carries them, airport parking on a meet-and-greet, waiting time beyond the included allowance, and any stop added on the day. Everything that applies to your trip is confirmed in the quote before you book — nothing is added afterwards.
What the calculator does not include
Tolls. Left out on purpose, because they depend on a routing decision made in the moment. The Queens-Midtown and Hugh L. Carey tunnels are tolled; the Queensboro, Brooklyn, Manhattan and Williamsburg bridges are free. A Newark trip crosses tolled New Jersey roads. Add roughly $7 to $20 where a tolled crossing is likely.
The congestion relief zone charge. Separate from the $2.50 TLC congestion surcharge, and applied to vehicles entering Manhattan below 60th Street. The calculator includes the TLC surcharge only.
Actual road distance. The tool measures a straight line between two points and multiplies by 1.35 to approximate the street grid. That is a reasonable approximation across the city and a poor one for a few specific journeys — anything crossing water at an awkward angle, in particular.
Anything unusual. Waiting time you asked for, a route you specified, a cleaning charge. Rare, but real.
Reading the result
Treat the number as within about 15% for most trips. It is deliberately built to be honest rather than flattering — where the flat fare or the meter beats booking a car, the tool says so rather than hiding it.
If you want a number that genuinely cannot change, that is what a fixed quote is for. Send the trip through the form and we will price the whole thing, tolls and gratuity included. Our our comparison guide goes through when each option actually wins.
Prefer a price that cannot move?
Send the trip and we will quote one fixed number — tolls and gratuity included.
Compare against a booked service
Each of these is priced as a flat rate rather than on the meter.
Fares from your borough
Drive times and airport distances vary enormously by where you start.
Questions about NYC taxi fares
How is a New York taxi fare calculated?
The meter starts at $3.00 and adds $0.70 per unit. A unit is one fifth of a mile when the cab is moving above 12 mph, or 60 seconds when it is moving slower than that or standing still. Above 12 mph you are paying for distance; below it you are paying for time. On top of the metered amount come the MTA state surcharge, the improvement surcharge, and the congestion, peak or overnight surcharges where they apply. Tolls are added at cost and the tip is customary.
How accurate is this calculator?
It is a good estimate and not a quote. It uses the current TLC rate structure and realistic average speeds by time of day, but distance is calculated as a straight line between two points multiplied by 1.35 to approximate the street network. A real route may be longer or shorter, and it excludes tolls, which vary by which crossing the driver takes. Treat the number as within about 15% for most trips.
What is the congestion surcharge?
A $2.50 charge on most taxi trips that begin, end or pass through Manhattan south of 96th Street. It applies to yellow and green cabs; for-hire vehicles pay a different rate. Since 2025 there is also a separate congestion relief zone charge for entering Manhattan below 60th Street, which is layered on top. The calculator includes the $2.50 TLC surcharge.
Why is the fare higher at 5pm than at 5am?
Two reasons compound. Weekdays between 4pm and 8pm carry a $2.50 peak surcharge. More importantly, average traffic speed in Manhattan drops to around 8 mph at that hour, and below 12 mph the meter charges by time rather than distance — so you pay $0.70 for every minute you spend not moving. The same physical journey can cost 40% more at peak than it does overnight.
Does the calculator include tolls?
No, deliberately. Tolls depend on which crossing the driver takes, and that is decided by live conditions. The Queens-Midtown and Hugh L. Carey tunnels are tolled; the Queensboro, Brooklyn, Manhattan and Williamsburg bridges are free. A trip to Newark also crosses tolled New Jersey roads. Add roughly $7 to $20 where a tolled crossing is likely.
Is a pre-booked car cheaper than the meter?
Sometimes, and the honest answer depends on the trip. Short journeys in light traffic usually favour the meter. Long trips, peak-hour trips, outer-borough trips and anything to Newark usually favour a fixed quote, because the meter charges you for congestion and a flat rate does not. Manhattan to JFK is the notable exception — the $70 flat fare is genuinely hard to beat.