Taking a Leeds taxi service
Getting a taxi in Leeds is extremely easy as they are available 24 hours a day. There are two types of Leeds taxis available: black and white Hackney cabs that use taximeters, and private hire vehicles that choose their own rates and fares. You can easily hail a Hackney cab in the street or at one of the taxi ranks; however, private hire vehicles must be called or booked in advance.
You can also use one of the many Leeds taxi apps to request a ride. For time-sensitive journeys, such as your Leeds Airport transfer, you can also pre-book these with a specialized company to avoid delays.
Taking a Leeds taxi service is usually safe and reliable as long as you travel with a licensed driver. Check for a clear taxi number and a driver’s ID in the front of the car, matching the person driving, before entering the vehicle. Keep in mind that only Hackney cabs can pick up passengers from the curb; no private hire vehicle should offer this service.
HOW MUCH IS A TAXI IN LEEDS?
| Taxi prices | Day time (05:00 - 24:00) | Night time (00:00 - 05:00) | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| LEEDS AIRPORT TO CITY | 50 € | 57 € | 25 MIN |
| LEEDS CITY CENTER TO ELLAND ROAD | 13 € | 15 € | 10 MIN |
| LEEDS TRAIN STATION TO LEEDS UNIVERSITY | 7 € | 9 € | 5 MIN |
| HEADINGLY TO CITY CENTER | 15 € | 18 € | 10 MIN |
What is the taxi fare in Leeds?
The Leeds taxi price will depend on which type of taxi you choose to travel in. Private hire taxis may decide to use a taximeter and set their own fares or give a fixed price, while Hackney cabs must have an officially calibrated taximeter fitted, set by the local council. Your taxi rate in Leeds will be calculated as follows, if you take one of the black and white Hackney cabs:
Tariff 1 – 06:00 to 20:00 Monday to Friday
Base fare: £3.60 (€4.20)
Price per 140 yards/36 seconds: £0.20 (€0.23)
Tariff 2 – 22:00 to 06:00 Monday to Friday, and all day Saturday and Sunday
Base fare: £4 (€4.70)
Price per 121 yards/36 seconds: £0.20 (€0.23)
There will also be additional fares added to your Leeds taxi fare, such as card payments have a £0.50 (€0.60) processing fee, and bringing pets on board will cost £2 (€2.40) per animal. Traveling during public holidays, Christmas, and New Year’s will also incur a higher fare.
For example, traveling from Leeds Train Station to The University of Leeds will take around 5 minutes and will cost £7 (€8.20) during the day and £9 (€10.50) at night. Taking a taxi from Leeds Airport to the city center will cost around £50 (€58) during the day and £57 (€66) when traveling after 20:00.
For a fixed fare that won’t change, you can also pre-book your taxi in Leeds with a trusted company such as Welcome Pickups to enjoy pre-paid, competitive fares.
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How to get a taxi in Leeds
Getting a taxi in Leeds is easy, as there are plenty of Hackney cabs and private taxis roaming around 24/7. By law, the official white and black taxis, known as Hackney carriages, are the only ones that are allowed to pick up passengers from the street or wait at the taxi ranks. The Leeds taxi ranks can be found at popular points, such as Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA), Leeds Train Station, Call Lane, and The Headrow. You can see a full list of Hackney cab taxi ranks by visiting the Leeds Council website.
There are also plenty of private taxi companies that can be booked in advance, called for a phone dispatch service, or booked through a ride-sharing app.
How to get a taxi from Leeds Bradford Airport
Leeds Bradford Airport has a singular passenger terminal with a dedicated taxi rank. The Leeds Airport taxi rank is open 24/7 and is located just outside the main terminal building, by the Arrivals Area. The official Leeds taxi partner for the airport is Arrow Cars, which has access to both pickup and drop-off areas. You will be charged using a taximeter when taking a taxi from Leeds Airport and can expect to pay around £50 (€58) to the city center of Leeds.
How to get a taxi in Leeds from Call Lane
Call Lane is one of the most popular nightlife streets in the city center, featuring many bars, clubs, and restaurants. At the bottom of Call Lane, you will see a taxi rank with black and white Hackney cabs waiting to pick up passengers. The rank is open 24/7, but you will see most cars waiting here at night. All taxis from this rank will use a meter to calculate the cost of your fare.
How to get a taxi from Leeds Train Station
There’s a dedicated Leeds taxi rank located just outside the main New Station Street exit doors. The taxis will be waiting right by the bus interchange. This rank is open 24 hours a day, and all of the taxis must use a taximeter to calculate the cost of your fare.
How to get a taxi in Leeds from The Headrow
The Headrow is Leeds’ most popular shopping street and home to popular restaurants and entertainment centers such as The Light. The taxi rank here is open 24/7 and is located just outside of Sports Direct on the corner of The Headrow and Briggate. All taxis from this rank use a taximeter to calculate their fares.
Using a Leeds taxi app
To avoid having to roam the city streets to hail a cab or walk to a taxi rank, you can always use a ride-sharing app. There are plenty of Leeds taxi app options, with Veezu, Bolt, and Uber being the most widely used. Although taxi apps are available 24/7, there may be long waits for an available car and price spikes during peak travel times.
To avoid these frustrating prices and wait times, you can always pre-book your Leeds taxi service with a private company such as Welcome Pickups.
Calling a Leeds taxi number
If downloading another app to your phone seems inconvenient, you can also call a phone dispatch taxi in Leeds. There are a few different taxi Leeds number options, with the following being the most popular and reliable:
Central Cars: +44 113 270 0700
Veezu: +44 113 202 2112
Zoyp: +44 113 234 5345
Arrow Cars: +44 113 258 5888
SJK Private Hire: +44 113 250 5222
Keep in mind that there may be additional fees for using a phone dispatch taxi in Leeds.
Leeds taxi tips
- Before you begin your journey, make sure the meter has been reset to the initial fare.
- If you are going to hail a taxi in the street or get one from a taxi rank, it is recommended that you only get into a licensed Hackney cab.
- In the UK, it is customary to tip your driver by adding 10-15% or by rounding up the fare to the nearest pound.
- Private hire companies are not subject to the Hackney carriage rates, so you should agree on the fare with the operator or driver before beginning your journey to avoid being overcharged.
- You can pay for your Leeds taxi service in cash or by card. However, there will be a £0.50 (€0.60) transaction charge for paying by card.
- Pre-booking your taxi in Leeds will give you the peace of mind of guaranteed on-time pickups, hand-picked local drivers, competitive fixed-rate fares, and 24/7 customer support.
Wheelchair-accessible taxis in Leeds
Almost all of the official Leeds taxis that can accommodate up to 6 people are wheelchair-accessible. You can also book in advance with a private Leeds taxi company as most have wheelchair-accessible vehicles that they can provide on demand. Make sure to ask if this will cost you extra, as the policy may differ between companies.
Leeds taxi safety and complaints
Although taxis in Leeds are well regulated and considered safe, you should only get into a vehicle that is an official black and white Hackney carriage or a trusted private transfer that you have called for or booked online in advance.
Once in the car, make sure to check that your driver has a badge and that they are licensed.
Should you have a negative experience to report, you can contact the Taxi and Private Hire Licensing office of the Leeds City Council at +44 113 378 1570. Try to provide as much information as possible in order to help them identify the driver, vehicle and operator.