# London taxi fares

A taxi from Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Waterloo picked up on Tuesday 10 November, 23:30 costs about £102.00 (17.8 mi, about 55 min). On a weekday daytime it costs about £94.80. From the official London taxi tariff in force since 25 April 2026, checked 31 October 2026.

The black cab tariff set by Transport for London, from 25 April 2026, with the Heathrow and London City Airport extras.

## Your trip: Heathrow Airport (LHR) → Waterloo

- Pick-up charge, Tariff 3, includes the first 121.8 m or 26.2 s: £4.40
- Tariff 3: 5.01 mi, 7.8 min in slow traffic: £33.58
- Tariff 4 (over about 6 miles): 9.92 mi, 15.4 min in slow traffic: £62.78
- Included in the pick-up charge: −£0.40
- Meter steps of 0.20 (a started step counts): £0.04
- Heathrow taxi rank extra: £1.60
- Total, typical traffic: £102.00 (£96.40 in light traffic · £106.80 in heavy)

This trip has its own page, with the fare through the day: https://taxifare.org/gb/london/heathrow-to-waterloo/index.md

- Status: Verified (verified 31 Oct 2026 by Alexander Gonzalez)
- Tariff in force from: 25 April 2026
- Currency: GBP; distances in miles
- Page: https://taxifare.org/gb/london/
- Regulator: [Transport for London](https://content.tfl.gov.uk/04-26-taxi-fares-and-tariffs-update.pdf)

## The short version

- The meter starts at £4.40, which is also the minimum fare, and goes up in £0.20 steps.
- Weekdays 05:00 to 20:00 are tariff 1; evenings and weekend days are tariff 2; nights from 22:00 and public holidays are tariff 3.
- After about 6 miles, tariffs 1 and 3 switch to the tariff 4 rate.
- Taxis from a Heathrow rank add £1.60; a terminal drop-off at Heathrow or London City can add £6.00.
- There's no extra charge for luggage, extra passengers or paying by card. Booking by phone or app can add up to £2.00.

## Tariffs

| Tariff | Start | Distance | Time, slow traffic | When |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tariff 1 | £4.40 | £0.20 per 77.9 m (£4.13 per mile) | £0.20 per 16.8 s (£42.86 per hour) | Mon–Fri 05:00–20:00 |
| Tariff 2 | £4.40 | £0.20 per 64.5 m (£4.99 per mile) | £0.20 per 13.9 s (£51.80 per hour) | Mon–Fri 20:00–22:00; Sat, Sun 05:00–22:00 |
| Tariff 3 | £4.40 | £0.20 per 60.9 m (£5.29 per mile) | £0.20 per 13.1 s (£54.96 per hour) | Public holidays; Every day 22:00–05:00 |
| Tariff 4 (over about 6 miles) | – | £0.20 per 64.5 m (£4.99 per mile) | £0.20 per 13.9 s (£51.80 per hour) | After 9581.7 m (about 6.0 miles) on Tariff 1; After 9622.2 m (about 6.0 miles) on Tariff 3 |

Below about 10 mph the meter charges by time instead of distance. The minimum fare is £4.40.

## Surcharges

- Heathrow taxi rank extra: £1.60 (Trips starting at Heathrow Airport)
- Airport terminal drop-off charge (Heathrow, London City): up to £6.00 (Trips ending at Heathrow Airport or London City Airport); may be added in situations quotes cannot detect
- Phone, app or online booking (up to): £2.00 (Trips booked for now or booked in advance)
- Christmas and New Year extra: £4.00 (24 Dec 20:00 to 27 Dec 06:00, 31 Dec 20:00 to 2 Jan 06:00)

## Example fares

- Trafalgar Square to King's Cross (2.0 mi, about 15 min): £15.20. Pick-up charge, Tariff 1, includes the first 155.8 m or 33.6 s £4.40; Tariff 1: 0.17 mi, 14.6 min in slow traffic £11.16; Included in the pick-up charge −£0.40; Meter steps of 0.20 (a started step counts) £0.04

- Heathrow to Trafalgar Square (16.0 mi, about 45 min): £83.80. Pick-up charge, Tariff 1, includes the first 155.8 m or 33.6 s £4.40; Tariff 1: 5.27 mi, 5.4 min in slow traffic £25.68; Tariff 4 (over about 6 miles): 8.90 mi, 9.2 min in slow traffic £52.33; Included in the pick-up charge −£0.40; Meter steps of 0.20 (a started step counts) £0.19; Heathrow taxi rank extra £1.60

- King's Cross to Canary Wharf, late evening (6.0 mi, about 30 min): £41.80. Pick-up charge, Tariff 3, includes the first 121.8 m or 26.2 s £4.40; Tariff 3: 3.06 mi, 23.3 min in slow traffic £37.56; Tariff 4 (over about 6 miles): 0.01 mi, 0.1 min in slow traffic £0.12; Included in the pick-up charge −£0.40; Meter steps of 0.20 (a started step counts) £0.12

## Why was my fare higher?

- It was evening, a weekend or a holiday: Tariff 2 or 3 runs at a higher rate than tariff 1.
- Traffic was slow: Below 10.4 mph the meter adds £0.20 every 16.8 s on tariff 1.
- You started at Heathrow: Journeys from a Heathrow taxi rank add £1.60.
- You were dropped at an airport terminal: Heathrow and London City drop-off zones can add £6.00.
- You booked the cab: Phone, app and online bookings can add up to £2.00.
- It was Christmas or New Year: £4.00 extra from 20:00 on 24 December to 06:00 on 27 December, and from 20:00 on 31 December to 06:00 on 2 January.

## More pages

- [Heathrow Airport (LHR)](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/airports/lhr/index.md)
- [London City Airport (LCY)](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/airports/lcy/index.md)
- [King's Cross St Pancras to Paddington](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/kings-cross-to-paddington/index.md)
- [King's Cross St Pancras to Waterloo](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/kings-cross-to-waterloo/index.md)
- [King's Cross St Pancras to Victoria](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/kings-cross-to-victoria/index.md)
- [Euston to Victoria](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/euston-to-victoria/index.md)
- [Paddington to Waterloo](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/paddington-to-waterloo/index.md)
- [Paddington to Liverpool Street](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/paddington-to-liverpool-street/index.md)
- [Victoria to Liverpool Street](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/victoria-to-liverpool-street/index.md)
- [Waterloo to Liverpool Street](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/waterloo-to-liverpool-street/index.md)
- [Trafalgar Square to King's Cross St Pancras](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/trafalgar-square-to-kings-cross/index.md)
- [Oxford Circus to Canary Wharf](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/oxford-circus-to-canary-wharf/index.md)
- [King's Cross St Pancras to Canary Wharf](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/kings-cross-to-canary-wharf/index.md)
- [Paddington to Canary Wharf](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/paddington-to-canary-wharf/index.md)
- [Covent Garden to Shoreditch](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/covent-garden-to-shoreditch/index.md)
- [Westminster (Houses of Parliament) to Tower of London](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/westminster-to-tower-of-london/index.md)
- [Trafalgar Square to London Bridge (The Shard)](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/trafalgar-square-to-the-shard/index.md)
- [Paddington to South Kensington (museums)](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/paddington-to-south-kensington/index.md)
- [Oxford Circus to Notting Hill](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/oxford-circus-to-notting-hill/index.md)
- [Trafalgar Square to Camden Town](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/trafalgar-square-to-camden-town/index.md)
- [London Bridge (The Shard) to Greenwich](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/the-shard-to-greenwich/index.md)
- [King's Cross St Pancras to The O2](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/kings-cross-to-the-o2/index.md)
- [Oxford Circus to Wembley Stadium](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/oxford-circus-to-wembley-stadium/index.md)
- [Paddington to Lord's Cricket Ground](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/paddington-to-lords/index.md)
- [Liverpool Street to ExCeL London](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/liverpool-street-to-excel-london/index.md)
- [King's Cross St Pancras to Emirates Stadium](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/kings-cross-to-emirates-stadium/index.md)
- [Waterloo to Wimbledon (All England Club)](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/waterloo-to-wimbledon/index.md)
- [Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Paddington](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/heathrow-to-paddington/index.md)
- [Heathrow Airport (LHR) to King's Cross St Pancras](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/heathrow-to-kings-cross/index.md)
- [Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Euston](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/heathrow-to-euston/index.md)
- [Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Victoria](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/heathrow-to-victoria/index.md)
- [Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Waterloo](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/heathrow-to-waterloo/index.md)
- [Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Liverpool Street](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/heathrow-to-liverpool-street/index.md)
- [Heathrow Airport (LHR) to London Bridge (The Shard)](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/heathrow-to-the-shard/index.md)
- [Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Trafalgar Square](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/heathrow-to-trafalgar-square/index.md)
- [Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Oxford Circus](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/heathrow-to-oxford-circus/index.md)
- [Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Covent Garden](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/heathrow-to-covent-garden/index.md)
- [Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Westminster (Houses of Parliament)](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/heathrow-to-westminster/index.md)
- [Heathrow Airport (LHR) to South Kensington (museums)](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/heathrow-to-south-kensington/index.md)
- [Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Knightsbridge (Harrods)](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/heathrow-to-knightsbridge/index.md)
- [Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Notting Hill](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/heathrow-to-notting-hill/index.md)
- [Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Mayfair](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/heathrow-to-mayfair/index.md)
- [Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Canary Wharf](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/heathrow-to-canary-wharf/index.md)
- [Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Wembley Stadium](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/heathrow-to-wembley-stadium/index.md)
- [Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Hammersmith](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/heathrow-to-hammersmith/index.md)
- [Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Richmond](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/heathrow-to-richmond/index.md)
- [Heathrow Airport (LHR) to London City Airport (LCY)](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/heathrow-to-london-city-airport/index.md)
- [London City Airport (LCY) to Canary Wharf](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/london-city-airport-to-canary-wharf/index.md)
- [London City Airport (LCY) to ExCeL London](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/london-city-airport-to-excel-london/index.md)
- [London City Airport (LCY) to Liverpool Street](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/london-city-airport-to-liverpool-street/index.md)
- [London City Airport (LCY) to London Bridge (The Shard)](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/london-city-airport-to-the-shard/index.md)
- [London City Airport (LCY) to King's Cross St Pancras](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/london-city-airport-to-kings-cross/index.md)
- [London City Airport (LCY) to Trafalgar Square](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/london-city-airport-to-trafalgar-square/index.md)
- [London City Airport (LCY) to Oxford Circus](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/london-city-airport-to-oxford-circus/index.md)
- [London City Airport (LCY) to Heathrow Airport (LHR)](https://taxifare.org/gb/london/london-city-airport-to-heathrow/index.md)

## Questions

### What is the minimum fare for a black cab?

£4.40 at any time of day.

### Do I pay more for luggage or extra passengers?

No. TfL allows no extra charge for luggage, additional passengers or paying by card.

### Can a driver refuse a long trip?

Unless there is a good cause, drivers must accept a hiring of up to 12 miles (20 miles from Heathrow), or up to an hour, if the destination is in Greater London.

### What happens after six miles?

Tariffs 1 and 3 change to the tariff 4 rate after about 6 miles. Tariff 2 already runs at that rate.

## Sources

- [London Taxi and Private Hire Notice 04/26, Taxi fares and tariffs update](https://content.tfl.gov.uk/04-26-taxi-fares-and-tariffs-update.pdf), Transport for London, official, retrieved 30 Oct 2026
- [Taxi fares - tariffs](https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/taxis-and-minicabs/taxi-fares/tariffs), Transport for London, official, retrieved 30 Oct 2026
- [Transport for London taxi fares from 25 April 2026 (fare card)](https://content.tfl.gov.uk/taxi-fare-card-2026.pdf), Transport for London, official, retrieved 30 Oct 2026
- [UK bank holidays (England and Wales)](https://www.gov.uk/bank-holidays), GOV.UK, official, retrieved 30 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/london/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-london&from=…&to=…&time=…` (see https://taxifare.org/methodology/#api).

- `trafalgar-square`: Trafalgar Square
- `oxford-circus`: Oxford Circus
- `kings-cross`: King's Cross St Pancras
- `paddington`: Paddington
- `waterloo`: Waterloo
- `victoria`: Victoria
- `liverpool-street`: Liverpool Street
- `british-museum`: British Museum
- `the-shard`: London Bridge (The Shard)
- `camden-town`: Camden Town
- `canary-wharf`: Canary Wharf
- `greenwich`: Greenwich
- `euston`: Euston
- `covent-garden`: Covent Garden
- `westminster`: Westminster (Houses of Parliament)
- `tower-of-london`: Tower of London
- `shoreditch`: Shoreditch
- `south-kensington`: South Kensington (museums)
- `knightsbridge`: Knightsbridge (Harrods)
- `notting-hill`: Notting Hill
- `mayfair`: Mayfair
- `the-o2`: The O2
- `wembley-stadium`: Wembley Stadium
- `lords`: Lord's Cricket Ground
- `excel-london`: ExCeL London
- `emirates-stadium`: Emirates Stadium
- `wimbledon`: Wimbledon (All England Club)
- `hammersmith`: Hammersmith
- `richmond`: Richmond
- `heathrow`: Heathrow Airport (LHR)
- `london-city-airport`: London City Airport (LCY)

To cite this page: Taxi from Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Waterloo, TaxiFare, https://taxifare.org/gb/london/heathrow-to-waterloo/ (checked 31 October 2026)