A Dublin taxi runs on a meter under the National Maximum Taxi Fare set by the National Transport Authority. On a weekday daytime trip the meter starts at €4.40 and runs at €1.32 per kilometre, with higher rates at night, on Sundays and on public holidays, according to Transport for Ireland. From Dublin Airport to the city, the airport itself estimates €30 to €45.
That makes the Dublin taxi a good, fair product for most short trips. A pre-booked chauffeur is a different one: a fixed price in US dollars agreed before you fly, from US$120 per vehicle from Dublin Airport to St Stephen's Green with Elly8.net, a driver waiting inside arrivals, and room for a family's luggage. Rides in Dublin are operated by licensed, commercially insured local chauffeur partners vetted through the Limousine Worldwide network; Elly8.net takes the booking, fixes the price and runs the 24/7 desk. This guide explains both, so you can choose trip by trip.
How much is a taxi in Dublin?
Taxis in Ireland charge by the meter, up to the National Maximum Taxi Fare. Between 8am and 8pm Monday to Saturday the initial charge is €4.40, then €1.32 per kilometre; premium and special rates apply at night, on Sundays and on holidays. A pre-booked taxi adds €3. Dublin Airport estimates €30 to €45 to the city.
For short hops across the city centre, that makes a taxi inexpensive. The cost rises on longer trips, at premium hours and when a group needs two cars.
The National Maximum Taxi Fare, explained
The current National Maximum Taxi Fare took effect on 1 December 2024. It sets three rates, shown as 1, 2 or 3 on the taximeter.
| Rate | When it applies | Initial charge | First stage | Thereafter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard (1) | 8am to 8pm, Monday to Saturday, except public holidays | €4.40 for the first 500 m or 85 seconds | €1.32 per km or €0.47 per minute, until the fare reaches €23.60 | €1.72 per km or €0.61 per minute |
| Premium (2) | 8pm to 8am Monday to Saturday, all day Sunday and public holidays | €5.40 | €1.81 per km or €0.64 per minute, until the fare reaches €31.80 | €2.20 per km or €0.78 per minute |
| Special (3) | Midnight to 4am Saturday and Sunday; Christmas Eve 8pm to St Stephen's Day 8am; New Year's Eve 8pm to New Year's Day 8am | €5.40 | €2.20 per km or €0.78 per minute for the rest of the journey | - |
Three more points from Transport for Ireland are worth knowing:
- Pre-booking adds €3. The fare estimator applies an extra €3 fee when you pre-book a taxi rather than hailing one or taking it from a rank.
- App fees are separate. If you book a taxi on an app, you may be charged separate fees for the booking service, and TFI encourages passengers to shop around.
- Extras exist. The estimator takes into account extras such as additional passenger fees, so a larger group in one taxi pays more than one person.
TFI's online taxi fare estimator gives an indicative fare for any route, and it is a good way to budget before you travel.
Dublin Airport taxi ranks
Dublin Airport says taxis are ready at all times outside both terminals, Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, with taxi dispatchers outside both to help. Its own estimates for typical trips, at rates of €1.32 to €2.20 per kilometre depending on the time and day:
| From Dublin Airport to | Airport's estimate | Routed distance and clear-road drive |
|---|---|---|
| Dublin city | €30 to €45 | about 18 km to St Stephen's Green, about 27 min |
| Heuston Station | €40 to €50 | about 14 km, about 22 min |
| Busáras (central bus station) | €25 to €40 | - |
The routed distances are our estimates from the public OSRM routing service; a taxi's route may differ, because taxis can use bus lanes. The airport also lists passengers' entitlements: a taxi for journeys up to 30 km, a fare calculated on the meter, a taximeter receipt and a clean vehicle, with the driver's licence and the fare information displayed.
Arriving from North America. Overnight flights from the US and Canada tend to land early in the morning, when the rank can be busy. If you are two adults with a case each, the rank is quick and fair. If you are a family with four cases, a stroller and children who need seats, the rank queue and a car that may not fit everything are the reasons people pre-book.
Taxis around the city: ranks, hailing and booking
In Ireland, a taxi is a vehicle that can be hailed on the street, taken from a taxi rank or pre-booked, and it must carry the prescribed branding, a taximeter, a printer and a roof sign, according to Transport for Ireland's guide to taxi travel. Taxis may use bus lanes while working, which helps at rush hour.
At a rank, you do not have to take the first taxi in the queue. TFI is clear that a passenger may choose a taxi other than the one at the head of the rank, which is useful if you need a larger vehicle for luggage or a wheelchair-accessible taxi.
Hackneys and limousines are different licences. Both can only be pre-booked, the fare must be agreed before the journey, and neither may use bus lanes or needs a taximeter. A pre-booked chauffeur service such as Elly8.net works on that agreed-price model, with the price fixed when you book.
Your rights as a passenger
Transport for Ireland sets out what a taxi passenger can expect, and it is worth knowing before you ride:
- The meter, or less. You pay the total metered fare or a lesser agreed fare. A pre-agreed fare should be recorded in writing before the journey starts.
- A printed receipt. The driver must offer one at the end of every journey.
- Help with luggage. Drivers must offer reasonable assistance with bags.
- Your route. Drivers should follow any route the passenger chooses.
- Guide dogs and mobility aids travel at no extra charge.
A driver may reasonably refuse some trips, including journeys of more than 30 km, eating or drinking in the vehicle, and passengers who are disorderly or likely to damage the car. That 30 km rule matters for day trips: Glendalough in the Wicklow Mountains is about 50 km from St Stephen's Green on our routing, beyond what a taxi has to accept.
Check the licence. The free TFI Driver Check app lets you confirm that a driver is licensed and share the details with a friend, and the NTA keeps a public online register of vehicle, driver and dispatch licences.
If you think you were overcharged, pay the fare shown, keep the receipt, and check that the licence number, registration, times, total and distance are correct. If they are not, TFI suggests contacting An Garda Síochána or the NTA's consumer information line, 0818 064 000.
When a taxi is the right choice
We would take a Dublin taxi, not a pre-booked car, for:
- Short trips in the centre, such as Temple Bar to the Docklands for dinner.
- One or two people with light bags from the airport at an off-peak time.
- Spontaneous plans, when you need a car now.
The meter is regulated, the driver is licensed and the receipt protects you. For these trips, a chauffeur is more than you need.
When a pre-booked car wins
Families and groups from the airport. Elly8.net's Dublin Airport fares are fixed per vehicle and the same in both directions:
| Vehicle | Seats / bags | Dublin Airport to St Stephen's Green | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Sedan | 3 / 2 | US$120 | US$230 |
| Business SUV | 6 / 6 | US$160 | US$305 |
| First Class SUV | 6 / 6 | US$195 | US$375 |
| First Class Sedan | 3 / 2 | US$210 | US$400 |
| Executive Sprinter | 12 / 12 | US$315 | US$600 |
Prices include the chauffeur, taxes, standard gratuity and meet and greet; tolls, such as the Port Tunnel and the M50, and parking are billed at cost. For a group of nine, one Executive Sprinter at US$315 is US$35 each, for comparison only; the price is charged per vehicle.
Early arrivals and meetings. A chauffeur tracks your flight, waits inside arrivals with a name board and absorbs a slow passport queue with complimentary waiting after a tracked landing. For a 9am meeting in the Docklands, that certainty is the point. See airport transfers and meet and greet.
Day trips beyond 30 km. The Powerscourt and Wicklow Mountains day trip is a 6-hour package from US$470 in a business sedan to US$940 in an Executive Sprinter, with the chauffeur waiting all day. A full-day chauffeur for longer drives costs from US$630.
Match days and concert nights. At the Aviva Stadium, Croke Park and the 3Arena, a whole crowd looks for a ride at once. The evening out and event night package, from US$425 in a business sedan to US$850 in a Sprinter, keeps a car at an agreed pickup point. See sports event transportation.
A fixed budget. Night and Sunday rates, the €3 booking fee and extras for passengers all change a metered fare. A pre-booked price is agreed in US dollars before you leave home.
A day of meetings or sightseeing: taxis or one car by the hour
A taxi is priced per journey, so a day with five stops means five fares, five waits at the kerb and five receipts. If you are seeing Trinity College, Dublin Castle and St James's Gate in a day, or moving between meetings in the IFSC, Ballsbridge and the Grand Canal Dock area, one car by the hour is often simpler.
Dublin car service by the hour costs US$85 an hour in a business sedan, US$110 in a business SUV, US$130 in a First Class SUV, US$140 in a First Class Sedan and US$170 in an Executive Sprinter, with a 3-hour minimum. The chauffeur waits at each stop, the bags or shopping stay in the car, and the price is known in advance. See hourly chauffeur service, and for a set route around the sights, the private city tours page; the highlights tour costs from US$340 in a business sedan. For a wedding party or a team, see group transportation.
Travelling on to the Continent? In Prague, for comparison, the airport's official taxi is ordered through an app with a PIN; our guide to Uber at Prague Airport explains how that works.
Getting to the airport for your flight home
From the city centre, the airport is about 18 km on our routing. If you take a taxi, book it the night before and allow for the €3 pre-booking fee; at premium hours the meter runs at the higher rate. For US flights, Dublin Airport recommends arriving three hours before a long-haul departure, and US flights clear US preclearance in Terminal 2 before boarding. Our desk usually suggests a city-centre pickup about three and a half hours before a US departure. The Elly8.net fare is the same fixed price in this direction, from US$120 in a business sedan.
How to book a Dublin car
- Enter Dublin Airport with your flight number, or any address, and the destination.
- Choose the vehicle for your group and bags.
- Reserve now at the fixed fare and pay in US dollars by card, or use the web booker for any other route. Confirmation arrives by email.
Cancellation is free more than 72 hours before pickup; 10% at 72 hours or less; 50% at 48 hours or less; 100% at 24 hours or less or for a no-show, refunded to the original card.
For how app bookings work in Ireland, read our guide to Uber in Dublin. Our chauffeur vs taxi and chauffeur vs Uber and Lyft comparisons cover the same trade-offs worldwide, and the Dublin car service page has every fare. Elly8.net is a member of LimousineWorldwide.Directory, LimousineAssociation.International, HotelsWorldwide.Directory and VacationsWorldwide.Directory.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a taxi from Dublin Airport to the city centre?
Dublin Airport estimates €30 to €45 to Dublin city by metered taxi, depending on the time and day, €40 to €50 to Heuston Station and €25 to €40 to Busáras. A fixed Elly8.net transfer to St Stephen's Green costs from US$120 in a business sedan, per vehicle.
What are the taxi rates in Dublin at night?
From 8pm to 8am Monday to Saturday, and all day Sunday and public holidays, the premium rate applies: €5.40 initial charge, then €1.81 per km, rising to €2.20 per km. A special rate of €2.20 per km applies from midnight to 4am on Saturday and Sunday mornings and over Christmas and New Year.
Do I have to take the first taxi at the rank?
No. Transport for Ireland says a passenger at a taxi rank may choose a taxi other than the one at the front of the queue. That is useful if you need a larger car for luggage or a wheelchair-accessible taxi.
Can a Dublin taxi refuse a long trip?
Yes. A taxi driver may reasonably refuse a journey of more than 30 km. Glendalough, for example, is about 50 km from the city centre on our routing. For day trips, book a car that waits all day, such as the 6-hour Powerscourt package from US$470.
How do I know a Dublin taxi is licensed?
Taxis carry prescribed branding, a roof sign, a meter and a printer. The free TFI Driver Check app confirms that the driver is licensed, and the NTA's online register lists vehicle and driver licences. Your printed receipt should show the taxi licence number from the roof sign.
Is there an extra charge to pre-book a taxi?
Yes. Transport for Ireland's fare estimator adds a €3 fee for pre-booking, and app services may charge their own booking fees on top. An Elly8.net pre-booked car has one fixed price per vehicle, agreed in US dollars before you travel.
