# Edinburgh taxi fares

A taxi from Edinburgh Airport (EDI) to Ocean Terminal (Leith) picked up on Tuesday 10 November, 12:00 costs about £36.90 (9.8 mi, about 36 min). At night it costs about £38.10. From the official Edinburgh taxi tariff in force since 25 July 2026, checked 31 October 2026.

The City of Edinburgh Council's fare table, which every Edinburgh black cab's meter charges. Private hire cars set their own prices.

## Your trip: Edinburgh Airport (EDI) → Ocean Terminal (Leith)

- Pick-up charge, Tariff 1 (weekdays 06:00 to 18:00), includes the first 430 m: £3.60
- Tariff 1 (weekdays 06:00 to 18:00): 0.78 mi, 2.2 min in slow traffic: £3.99
- Tariff 1, after 1,699 m: 6.48 mi, 18.2 min in slow traffic: £29.99
- Included in the pick-up charge: −£0.91
- Meter steps of 0.30 (a started step counts): £0.23
- Total, typical traffic: £36.90 (£32.70 in light traffic · £39.60 in heavy)

This trip has its own page, with the fare through the day: https://taxifare.org/gb/edinburgh/edinburgh-airport-to-ocean-terminal/index.md

- Status: Verified (verified 31 Oct 2026 by Alexander Gonzalez)
- Tariff in force from: 25 July 2026
- Currency: GBP; distances in miles
- Page: https://taxifare.org/gb/edinburgh/
- Regulator: [City of Edinburgh Council](https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/downloads/file/40420/taxi-fare-table-from-25-july-2026)

## The short version

- Weekdays from 06:00 to 18:00 the meter starts at £3.60, which covers the first 430 m, then £0.30 a step: about £3.42 per mile.
- Evenings, nights and weekends start at £4.80, with the same steps after that.
- After the first 1.7 km each step covers more ground, so longer trips cost a little less per km: about £2.94 per mile.
- Christmas and New Year cost more: up to £5.75 to start and £0.52 a step, all day on 25 December and 1 January.
- Each passenger over three adds £0.50, and booking £1.00. Drivers using the airport's charged drop-off zone pass on its fee.

## Tariffs

| Tariff | Start | Distance | Time, slow traffic | When |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tariff 1 (weekdays 06:00 to 18:00) | £3.60 | £0.30 per 141 m (£3.42 per mile) | £0.30 per 30 s (£36.00 per hour) | Mon–Fri 06:00–18:00 |
| Tariff 1, after 1,699 m | – | £0.30 per 164 m (£2.94 per mile) | £0.30 per 30 s (£36.00 per hour) | After 1699 m (about 1.1 miles) on Tariff 1 (weekdays 06:00 to 18:00) |
| Tariff 2 (evenings, nights and weekends) | £4.80 | £0.30 per 141 m (£3.42 per mile) | £0.30 per 30 s (£36.00 per hour) | At all other times |
| Tariff 2, after 1,699 m | – | £0.30 per 164 m (£2.94 per mile) | £0.30 per 30 s (£36.00 per hour) | After 1699 m (about 1.1 miles) on Tariff 2 (evenings, nights and weekends) |
| Tariff 3 (Christmas and New Year, weekdays 06:00 to 18:00) | £4.60 | £0.40 per 154 m (£4.18 per mile) | £0.40 per 32 s (£45.00 per hour) | Mon–Fri 06:00–18:00, 24 Dec 18:00 to 27 Dec 06:00, 31 Dec 18:00 to 3 Jan 00:00 |
| Tariff 3, after 1,816 m | – | £0.40 per 178 m (£3.62 per mile) | £0.40 per 32 s (£45.00 per hour) | After 1816 m (about 1.1 miles) on Tariff 3 (Christmas and New Year, weekdays 06:00 to 18:00) |
| Tariff 4 (Christmas Day, New Year's Day and Christmas and New Year nights and weekends) | £5.75 | £0.52 per 154 m (£5.43 per mile) | £0.52 per 32 s (£58.50 per hour) | 25 Dec 00:00 to 26 Dec 00:00, 1 Jan 00:00 to 2 Jan 00:00; Sat, Sun, 24 Dec 18:00 to 27 Dec 06:00, 31 Dec 18:00 to 3 Jan 00:00; 24 Dec 18:00 to 27 Dec 06:00, 31 Dec 18:00 to 3 Jan 00:00 |
| Tariff 4, after 1,816 m | – | £0.52 per 178 m (£4.70 per mile) | £0.52 per 32 s (£58.50 per hour) | After 1816 m (about 1.1 miles) on Tariff 4 (Christmas Day, New Year's Day and Christmas and New Year nights and weekends) |

Below about 11 mph the meter charges by time instead of distance. 

## Surcharges

- Each passenger over 3: £0.50
- Call-out charge (pre-booked): £1.00 (Trips booked for now or booked in advance)
- Edinburgh Airport pick-up and drop-off zone charge: up to £8.50 (Trips starting, ending or passing through Edinburgh Airport); may be added in situations quotes cannot detect
- Soiling charge (up to): up to £50.00; may be added in situations quotes cannot detect

## Example fares

- Waverley to Haymarket (1.6 mi, about 12 min): £10.20. Pick-up charge, Tariff 1 (weekdays 06:00 to 18:00), includes the first 430 m £3.60; Tariff 1 (weekdays 06:00 to 18:00): 0.09 mi, 7.7 min in slow traffic £4.95; Tariff 1, after 1,699 m: 0.04 mi, 4.0 min in slow traffic £2.51; Included in the pick-up charge −£0.91; Meter steps of 0.30 (a started step counts) £0.05

- Airport to Waverley on a Saturday (8.1 mi, about 33 min): £33.30. Pick-up charge, Tariff 2 (evenings, nights and weekends), includes the first 430 m £4.80; Tariff 2 (evenings, nights and weekends): 0.71 mi, 2.8 min in slow traffic £4.09; Tariff 2, after 1,699 m: 4.72 mi, 18.6 min in slow traffic £25.05; Included in the pick-up charge −£0.91; Meter steps of 0.30 (a started step counts) £0.27

- Grassmarket to Leith, Friday 23:00 (3.1 mi, about 20 min): £17.40. Pick-up charge, Tariff 2 (evenings, nights and weekends), includes the first 430 m £4.80; Tariff 2 (evenings, nights and weekends): 0.27 mi, 6.3 min in slow traffic £4.69; Tariff 2, after 1,699 m: 0.53 mi, 12.0 min in slow traffic £8.77; Included in the pick-up charge −£0.91; Meter steps of 0.30 (a started step counts) £0.05

## Why was my fare higher?

- It was evening, night or the weekend: Tariff 2 starts at £4.80 instead of £3.60.
- It was Christmas or New Year: Tariffs 3 and 4 run from 18:00 on 24 December to 06:00 on 27 December, and from 18:00 on 31 December to the end of 2 January, with steps of up to £0.52.
- Traffic was slow: When the cab is stuck, the meter charges £0.30 for each 30 s instead of each distance step.
- You were more than three or booked: £0.50 for each passenger over three, and £1.00 for a booked cab.
- You were dropped at the airport terminal: The charged pick-up and drop-off zone costs £8.50; the driver should tell you before the trip, and the free zone avoids it.

## More pages

- [Edinburgh Airport (EDI)](https://taxifare.org/gb/edinburgh/airports/edi/index.md)
- [Waverley Station to Ocean Terminal (Leith)](https://taxifare.org/gb/edinburgh/waverley-to-ocean-terminal/index.md)
- [Waverley Station to Murrayfield Stadium](https://taxifare.org/gb/edinburgh/waverley-to-murrayfield/index.md)
- [Waverley Station to Edinburgh Zoo](https://taxifare.org/gb/edinburgh/waverley-to-edinburgh-zoo/index.md)
- [Waverley Station to Royal Infirmary](https://taxifare.org/gb/edinburgh/waverley-to-royal-infirmary/index.md)
- [Waverley Station to Portobello](https://taxifare.org/gb/edinburgh/waverley-to-portobello/index.md)
- [Haymarket Station to Holyrood Palace](https://taxifare.org/gb/edinburgh/haymarket-to-holyrood/index.md)
- [Haymarket Station to Ocean Terminal (Leith)](https://taxifare.org/gb/edinburgh/haymarket-to-ocean-terminal/index.md)
- [Haymarket Station to Royal Infirmary](https://taxifare.org/gb/edinburgh/haymarket-to-royal-infirmary/index.md)
- [Edinburgh Airport (EDI) to Waverley Station](https://taxifare.org/gb/edinburgh/edinburgh-airport-to-waverley/index.md)
- [Edinburgh Airport (EDI) to Haymarket Station](https://taxifare.org/gb/edinburgh/edinburgh-airport-to-haymarket/index.md)
- [Edinburgh Airport (EDI) to St Andrew Square](https://taxifare.org/gb/edinburgh/edinburgh-airport-to-st-andrew-square/index.md)
- [Edinburgh Airport (EDI) to West End (Princes Street)](https://taxifare.org/gb/edinburgh/edinburgh-airport-to-west-end/index.md)
- [Edinburgh Airport (EDI) to Grassmarket](https://taxifare.org/gb/edinburgh/edinburgh-airport-to-grassmarket/index.md)
- [Edinburgh Airport (EDI) to Holyrood Palace](https://taxifare.org/gb/edinburgh/edinburgh-airport-to-holyrood/index.md)
- [Edinburgh Airport (EDI) to Ocean Terminal (Leith)](https://taxifare.org/gb/edinburgh/edinburgh-airport-to-ocean-terminal/index.md)
- [Edinburgh Airport (EDI) to Murrayfield Stadium](https://taxifare.org/gb/edinburgh/edinburgh-airport-to-murrayfield/index.md)

## Questions

### How much is a taxi from Edinburgh Airport to the city centre?

The cab runs on the meter; there's no fixed fare. The calculator above shows the trip to Waverley, and the Edinburgh Airport page lists typical fares to each part of the city, by day and in the evening.

### Is there an airport surcharge?

Not on the meter, but if the driver uses the airport's charged pick-up and drop-off zone, its fee (£8.50) is added. They have to tell you before the trip, and you can choose the free zone, a 10-minute walk from the terminal.

### Do private hire cars charge the same?

No. Only black cabs are bound by the council's fare table; private hire firms set their own prices, which you agree when you book.

### Do I pay extra for luggage?

No. The only extras are passengers over three, the call-out charge for a booked cab, the airport zone fee and, if you make a mess, a soiling charge of up to £50.00.

## Sources

- [Fare table for taxis, with effect from 25 July 2026](https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/downloads/file/40420/taxi-fare-table-from-25-july-2026), City of Edinburgh Council, official, retrieved 31 Oct 2026
- [Edinburgh Airport to increase passenger drop-off fees to £8.50](https://news.stv.tv/east-central/edinburgh-airport-to-increase-passenger-drop-off-fees-from-6-to-8-50), STV News, secondary source, retrieved 31 Oct 2026

## Price any trip

Open this page with the two ends of the trip, as place ids from the list below, coordinates (lat,lon) or an address:

`https://taxifare.org/gb/edinburgh/index.md?from=<place>&to=<place>&when=day|night`

For another pick-up time, use when=custom&at=YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM (local time). Quotes for any trip: `https://taxifare.org/api/v1/quote?city=gb-edinburgh&from=…&to=…&time=…` (see https://taxifare.org/methodology/#api).

- `waverley`: Waverley Station
- `haymarket`: Haymarket Station
- `st-andrew-square`: St Andrew Square
- `west-end`: West End (Princes Street)
- `grassmarket`: Grassmarket
- `holyrood`: Holyrood Palace
- `ocean-terminal`: Ocean Terminal (Leith)
- `murrayfield`: Murrayfield Stadium
- `edinburgh-zoo`: Edinburgh Zoo
- `royal-infirmary`: Royal Infirmary
- `portobello`: Portobello
- `edinburgh-airport`: Edinburgh Airport (EDI)

To cite this page: Taxi from Edinburgh Airport (EDI) to Ocean Terminal (Leith), TaxiFare, https://taxifare.org/gb/edinburgh/edinburgh-airport-to-ocean-terminal/ (checked 31 October 2026)