Getting a taxi in New York
When arriving in the beautiful City of New York you will probably be overtaken by the hustle and bustle of its busy city life. To avoid crowds or getting lost in the city’s sprawling subway, the best way to get around quickly and safely is to take a New York taxi.
There are thousands of iconic yellow cabs driving around the city that can easily hailed in the street, booked through an app, or found at taxi ranks. The yellow cabs are also the only authorized New York Airport taxi. If you’re outside of Manhattan, you may also see green taxis licensed to operate in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Staten Island, and Queens. For a more personalized experience, you can pre-book your taxi in NYC over the phone or through one of the many taxi apps.
As there are so many available taxis in New York, it’s important to only use licensed vehicles. All official taxis in Manhattan are yellow with a large TAXI sign on top, and their unique medallion license numbers on the roof and sides of the cab. Taxis in NYC are all metered, so the cost of your journey will depend on the distance you cover and the time it takes to get to your destination.
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How much does a taxi cost?
| Taxi prices | Day time (05:00 - 24:00) | Night time (00:00 - 05:00) | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| FROM TIMES SQUARE TO CENTRAL PARK | 17 € | 18 € | 6 MIN |
| FROM MANHATTAN TO GREENWICH VILLAGE | 30 € | 31 € | 15 MIN |
| FROM QUEENS TO GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM | 60 € | 61 € | 22 MIN |
| FROM JFK AIRPORT TO MANHATTAN | 65 € | 66 € | 45 MIN |
| FROM LAGUARDIA TO MANHATTAN | 44 € | 45 € | 30 MIN |
| FROM EWR AITRPORT TO MANHATTAN | 60 € | 61 € | 40 MIN |
What does a taxi cost in New York?
The New York taxi rates are calculated using a taximeter based on both time and distance elements. This means that if there’s lots of traffic, a short journey can end up being very expensive. The metered rates are set by the local council and must be adhered to through officially calibrated meters. It is highly recommended to make sure that the taximeter is reset before starting your journey, the on-screen rate message should read: “Rate #01 – Standard City Rate” when traveling within the city itself.
Base fare: $3 (€2.80)
Price per 0.3 km: $0.70 (€0.65)
The exception to this rule is if you’re traveling from JFK to Manhattan. You can usually expect a fixed New York taxi cost of $70 (€67) for this journey, before tips or tolls. Trips from LaGuardia Airport to the city or from Newark Airport to Manhattan are charged by the standard metered fare, with an extra $20 (€19) surcharge for trips from EWR Airport and a $5 (€4.80) surcharge for rides from LGA Airport.
Extra charges:
There are a few surcharges and extra costs that aren’t included in your NYC taxi fare. For example, there’s an overnight surcharge from 20:00 to 06:00 of $1 (€0.90) and a rush hour surcharge from 16:00 to 20:00 on weekdays of $2.50 (€2.30). Any toll fees incurred during your journey will also be added to your final fare.
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How to get a taxi in New York City
If you’re in Manhattan, the only authorized taxis are the classic yellow New York cabs. These taxis can be hailed in the street or found at taxi ranks. You can tell if a yellow cab is empty and ready to pick up passengers as the ‘TAXI’ sign on the roof will be lit up. In the boroughs, you will also see green cabs with a large ‘T’ on the door. Green cabs can also be hailed in the street or found at taxi ranks (excluding the airport). New York City taxi ranks can be found dotted around the major transport hubs, such as all three airports, Grand Central Station, and the ferry terminals. You can also find taxi stands outside large shopping malls, Times Square and popular tourist attractions. To avoid walking around the busy city streets, you can also call a phone dispatch taxi in NYC or use one of the available taxi apps.
How to get a JFK Airport taxi
There are dedicated taxi ranks located outside of all terminals at JFK. You will see the long line of yellow cabs at the curbside as you exit the Arrivals Hall level of all terminals except Terminal 8. In Terminal 8, you will have to cross the street to your left to find the taxi rank.
You can also take a ride-share app taxi from Terminal 5 and Terminal 7. Ride-share apps have their own designated pickup area. For Terminal 4, you will need to take a free shuttle bus to the Remote Ride App & Car Services Lot. Buses run every 1-2 minutes from outside the main terminal building. There’s another ride-share app pickup point on the Orange Garage roof of Terminal 7. If you land in Terminal 5, you will need to travel around 15 minutes by air train to reach the Ride App Pick-ups area.
The journey from JFK Airport to Manhattan in a NYC taxi will be around 50 minutes and will cost a fixed fare of $70 (€67).
How to get a LaGuardia Airport taxi
All three terminals: A, B and C have a dedicated New York taxi rank. You will find the rank just outside the Arrivals Hall of all three terminal buildings.
Terminal A: Level 2 outside of the Arrivals Hall
Terminal B: Level 2 on the easternmost curb
Terminal C: Level 1 outside of the Arrivals Hall
The taxis from LaGuardia Airport use a taximeter to calculate your fare, so your exact destination or the traffic levels will determine your final fare. The average cost for a New York taxi from LaGuardia Airport to the city will be $40 (€37).
How to get a Newark Airport taxi
There are three terminal buildings at Newark Airport, each one with its own taxi rank. You will see the long line of yellow cabs as you exit the Arrivals Hall of Terminals A, B and C. From the baggage claim area, you will follow signs that say “Ground Transportation & Taxis”.
Taxis from Newark are metered and they will take around 40 minutes to get from Newark Airport to Manhattan. You can expect to pay around $62 (€60) for your NCY taxi.
How to get a taxi from Grand Central Station
There’s a taxi rank at Grand Central Station that offers rides from 05:20 to 02:00 daily. After exiting the train station, you will see the line of yellow New York taxis waiting on the corner of 42nd Street and Vanderbilt Avenue. Taxis from this rank are metered and will take you all over the city with ease.
What are the New York taxi app options?
When traveling late at night, during bad weather or from one of the New York suburbs, waiting for an available New York City taxi can be a long and frustrating process. During these times, you can stay inside and order a ride directly from your phone. There are many different New York taxi apps to choose from, but some of the most reliable are Uber, Lyft, Curb, RideYellow and Arro.
However, it’s worth noting that during peak travel times, there can be surges in the cost and wait time for the app taxis. To avoid these issues, you can always pre-book your ride with a trusted company such as Welcome Pickups. Welcome offers an app that guarantees fixed fares and on-time pickups.
Useful New York taxi numbers
If you don’t have a reliable internet connection, calling a New York taxi number is a great way to get a personalized pickup. Most hotels and restaurants will call a cab for you, however, if you wish to call your own taxi in NYC, you can do so one one of the following numbers:
Dial 7: +1 (212) 777 7777
Brooklyn Taxi & Limo: +1 (917) 999 9396
NYC Taxi Yellow Cab Company: +1 (718) 784 9292
Booking your NYC taxi in advance
You can easily find a taxi 24 hours a day in New York City. However, when it comes to planning and budgeting your trip, knowing you’ll arrive at your destination on time and securing a friendly driver, it can be very uncertain.
To avoid these common issues and enjoy an all-inclusive fixed fare, you can pre-book your New York taxi rides with a trusted company such as Welcome Pickups. Using a private company guarantees on-time pickups, 5-star service, and 24-hour customer care.
New York taxi tips
- Before beginning your journey in the city, ensure your driver has reset the meter to the correct tariff of "Rate #01 – Standard City Rate".
- Any fees such as toll roads or rush hour surcharges will be automatically added to your fare at the end of your journey. However, feel free to ask your driver which costs are likely to be added to your ride.
- Most New York drivers don’t usually take bills over $20. Try to bring change in USD with you to pay for your ride in cash.
- Tipping your New York taxi service around 15 to 20% is customary. You can decide on your tip at the end of your journey.
- Most New York City taxi drivers accept all types of credit cards and you can often add your tip directly on the machine.
- Be sure to ask for your receipt at the end of your journey. You will need this receipt if you wish to make a complaint or if you left any personal belongings behind in the taxi.
- Pre-booking your taxi service in New York will give you the peace of mind of guaranteed on-time pickups, competitive fixed-rate fares and 24/7 customer support.
Wheelchair-accessible New York taxi service
Being the modern city that it is, NYC has plenty of wheelchair-accessible vehicles. There is a Citywide Accessible Dispatch Program which provides wheelchair-accessible yellow and green New York taxi services to every borough with no extra cost to passengers. There are four ways to request an accessible vehicle from this program: using the Accessible Dispatch NYC app, ordering one online, calling 311, or calling the dispatch CADP center at +1 (646) 599 9999.
You can also use one of the following private New York taxi numbers:
NYC Wheelchair: +1 (212) 705 8773
NYC Wheelchair Accessible Transportation: +1 (212) 920 7287
Safety and complaints for your New York City taxi
Taxis in New York are known for their safety and reliability, although the “New York driving style” can be slightly shocking, there’s no need to be too alarmed, this way of driving is normal for a taxi in New York.
On the off chance that you do experience any issues during your journey, or if you leave personal belongings behind in the taxi, be sure to ask for your receipt at the end of your journey. With this, you can make a formal complaint or request.