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Swansea · Taxi

Swansea taxi fares

Abertawe

What a licensed hackney carriage is allowed to charge in Swansea.
Swansea hackney fares start at £2.50 for the first ⅛ mile on Tariff 1 (Mon–Thu 5 am–10 pm; Fri–Sat 5 am–6 pm), then 30p per ⅛ mile.

Source: City and County of Swansea · Checked: 2026-08-20 · Licensed hackney carriages in Swansea. Not private hire.

£7.00
About 2 miles, Tariff 1, no waiting
£14.60
About 5 miles, Tariff 1, no waiting

Calculated from the published bands (flag £2.50 / first ⅛ mile, then 30p / ⅛ mile). Traffic and waiting add more. This is a guide, not a quote.

Official tariff

Distances shown in miles for reading. Councils publish yards or mile fractions on the meter — see the source link above for the original table.

TariffWhenFlagThenWaiting
Tariff 1Monday–Thursday 5 am–10 pm; Friday 5 am–6 pm; Saturday 5 am–6 pm£2.50 / first ⅛ mile30p / ⅛ mile20p / 36s
Tariff 2Monday–Friday 10 pm–5 am; Friday 6 pm–Saturday 5 am; Saturday 6 pm–Monday 5 am; bank holidays£3.00 / first 0.14 mi40p / 0.14 mi20p / 30s
Tariff 3 (Christmas / New Year)24 Dec 6 pm–27 Dec 5 am; 31 Dec 6 pm–2 Jan 5 am (Tariff 2 + 50%)£4.50 / first 0.14 mi60p / 0.14 mi30p / 30s

Extras (from the same council page)

More than 4 passengers+ £1 per passenger exceeding 4
Soiling the vehicle£100

What to know

If you take a ranked or hailed hackney in Swansea, the meter should not exceed this table. Tariff 1 covers most daytime hours (Mon–Thu 5 am–10 pm; Fri–Sat 5 am–6 pm). Evenings, nights, bank holidays, and Christmas/New Year use higher tariffs.

If you pre-book a minicab, that is private hire — licensed, but not this council table. Agree the price when you book.

Hackney vs private hire

TypeTypical costWhen to use
Metered hackneyThis tableRank or hail; tariff applies
Pre-booked private hireAgreed when bookingAirport runs, accounts, apps — still licensed

Full explainer

A guide to the official hackney-carriage maximum tariff, not a quote. Private hire vehicles are licensed, but they generally do not use this council tariff — agree the price when you book.

Recommended

Yellow CabsTaxi operator

Large Swansea private hire fleet with app booking and business accounts.

DatacabsTaxi operator

Established Swansea operator with 24/7 dispatch and airport coverage.

Enroute TaxisTaxi operator

Fixed-price online booking with airport and accessible options.

Common questions

Does this tariff apply to minicabs?

No. This is the maximum metered tariff for hackney carriages. Private hire vehicles are licensed, but you agree the price when you book.

What if the meter is higher than this table?

The table is a maximum. If you believe you were overcharged, contact your council's licensing department.

See something outdated? New tariff?