A Key West taxi from the airport costs at most US$9 per person to Old Town under the regulated zone fares the airport publishes, and a single passenger pays a meter that starts at US$3.95. App rides such as Uber and Lyft pick up at a marked curb and price by demand. The city's Key West Rides on-demand bus costs US$2 a ride. An Elly8.net private car costs more, from US$130 in a business sedan from the airport to Old Town, and is the right choice for a narrower set of trips.
That is the honest summary, and it is unusual for a car service to say it. Key West is compact, Old Town is walkable, and the cheapest option is often the best one. Rides in Key West 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 lays out every option with verified figures, then goes trip by trip: when to take the taxi, when an app ride makes sense, when to walk or ride the bus, and when a booked chauffeur genuinely wins.
How much is a taxi in Key West?
From Key West International Airport, groups pay a regulated maximum zone fare per person: US$9 to areas west of White Street, which covers most of Old Town, US$8 or US$7 to the eastern zones and US$8 to Stock Island. A single passenger pays the meter: US$3.95 to start and US$0.70 per additional fifth of a mile.
The rates come from the airport's taxi page, which also sets out the rules: meters must be running for single passengers, all rates must be disclosed before departure, drivers must accept cash and credit cards, and wheelchair-accessible taxis cost no extra. Waiting time on the meter is charged at US$0.70 per 50 seconds.
See Key West prices and reserve
Put into trips, using simple arithmetic on those published rates:
- Two people, airport to Old Town: up to US$18 at the Zone 1 rate.
- Four people, airport to Old Town: up to US$36.
- One person, airport to the Mallory Square area, about 6 km (3.7 mi) by road: roughly US$16 on the meter, before any waiting time.
For rides around town, apply the same rule the airport sets for its taxis: confirm the fare before you set off.
The options side by side
| Option | Typical cost | How you get it | Strengths | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taxi | US$9 per person zone maximum from EYW to Old Town; meter from US$3.95 for one | Taxi line outside EYW baggage claim, or call | Regulated, cash or card, accessible cabs | Separate cars for big groups, no child seats arranged |
| App ride (Uber, Lyft) | Demand-based, not published | Blue curb outside EYW arrivals, or anywhere by app | Easy for short hops | Price and wait rise at busy times |
| Key West Rides bus | US$2 per ride (city fare) | App or phone, shared, stop to stop | Cheapest, covers Key West and Stock Island | 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. only, shared, not for heavy luggage |
| Walking, cycling, pedicabs | Free to modest | On the street | Best way to see Old Town | Heat, rain, distance beyond Old Town |
| Elly8.net private car | From US$130 sedan, EYW to Old Town; from US$100 an hour | Booked ahead, chauffeur inside arrivals | Fixed price, one vehicle for the group, child seats | Costs more for simple trips |
For app rides, the airport's ride share page says pickups are along the blue curb outside and to the right of the arrivals and baggage claim area. Prices are set by the apps at the moment you request and change with demand, which in Key West means weekend evenings, sunset and festival weeks.
Key West Rides and the city buses
The city runs Key West Rides, a shared, on-demand bus booked through an app or by phone. It picks up and drops off at bus stops in a zone covering Key West and Stock Island, from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, with no service on Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year's Day, according to the City of Key West. The city says Key West Rides keeps the city fare.
The city's bus fares page lists that fare at US$2 one way, US$4 for a one-day pass and US$8 for seven days, with children five and under free with a fare-paying adult. For trips up the Keys, the Lower Keys Shuttle charges the Keys fare of US$4 one way and runs between Key West and Marathon, according to the city's schedules page.
For daytime trips around the island, Key West Rides is the cheapest option by a wide margin, and the right one for many visitors once they have checked in.
Trip by trip: what to use
Arriving with ordinary luggage in daylight
Use the taxi. Two people pay up to US$18 to Old Town, the line is outside baggage claim, and the drive is about 8 minutes. An app ride from the blue curb can also work. A private car at US$130 only makes sense if the arrival itself matters, such as a honeymoon or a client.
Arriving as a family with young children
Book a car. A taxi for five to Old Town is up to US$45, but child seats are your responsibility and five people with luggage may not fit one cab. An Elly8.net business SUV, US$170 to Old Town, seats six with six bags and arrives with child seats fitted on request, with the chauffeur waiting inside. The Key West airport car service guide explains the arrival step by step.
Arriving as a wedding party or group
Book the Sprinter. Twelve people at the US$9 zone rate is up to US$108, but in several taxis arriving at different times. One Executive Sprinter, US$340 to Old Town, carries 12 passengers and 12 bags in one vehicle. Divided twelve ways, that is about US$28 each, arithmetic for comparison only, since the fare is per vehicle. See our group transportation page.
Getting around Old Town by day
Walk, cycle or take Key West Rides. Old Town is compact, and the Florida Keys tourism council notes that walking, biking, pedicabs, taxis and app rides are all popular ways around. A US$2 bus ride or a short taxi hop beats any booked car here.
Sunset at Mallory Square and dinner
Usually a taxi or app ride; a car for occasions. Sunset is the busiest time around Mallory Square, and short rides are cheap on the meter. A booked car makes sense for an anniversary dinner, a group, or guests with limited mobility. The evening out and event night package runs from US$500 in a business sedan to US$1,000 in an Executive Sprinter, with the chauffeur waiting.
A late dinner on Stock Island
Taxi or app ride for two; consider a car for a group. Key West Rides stops at 8 p.m., so the late return needs a taxi, an app ride or a booked car. For a couple, the meter both ways is the cheaper choice. For eight people, one Executive Sprinter on the hourly rate, US$200 an hour with a 3-hour minimum, keeps the group together.
Guests who use a wheelchair
Ask for an accessible taxi. The airport states that wheelchair-accessible taxis are available at no extra charge. The Elly8.net fleet list is sedans, SUVs, Sprinters and limousines and does not include wheelchair-accessible vans, so a guest who stays seated in a wheelchair is better served by an accessible taxi. Guests who can transfer to a car seat may prefer a booked chauffeur who handles the door, the bags and a folding chair, with the car already waiting.
Heading back to the airport
Taxi for a light, flexible departure; a booked car for a fixed time. The drive is short either way. A booked car costs the same fixed fare in both directions, US$130 in a business sedan, and is worth it when a group must leave together, when the flight is early in the morning, or when the departure falls in a festival week.
The wedding day itself
Book chauffeured cars. Ceremony, sunset photos and reception run to a timeline, and the couple, parents and wedding party need to be in the right place at the right minute. A full-day chauffeur runs from US$740 in a business sedan to US$1,475 in an Executive Sprinter. Our wedding limousine page explains how cars and guest loops work together.
A day up the Keys
Bus for the budget, car for comfort. The Lower Keys Shuttle, US$4 one way, reaches Bahia Honda and Marathon. A private driver, US$100 an hour in a business sedan or US$740 for an 8-hour day, lets you stop where you like. For the long drive to the mainland, read the Miami to Key West guide.
Festival weeks and busy nights
Fantasy Fest takes over Old Town every October, and street events can close parts of the district to traffic. On those nights, and on busy weekends in season, app prices can rise and taxis are in demand. If you have a fixed time to keep, such as an airport departure or a dinner reservation, a booked car with an agreed meeting point just outside the closures is the predictable option. Book airport transfers early for festival weeks.
The verdict
| Situation | Best choice |
|---|---|
| One or two travellers, light bags, daytime | Taxi or app ride |
| Getting around Old Town | Walking, cycling or Key West Rides |
| Family with young children and luggage | Elly8.net business SUV |
| Wedding party or group landing together | Elly8.net Executive Sprinter |
| Late arrival, fixed timeline or VIP meeting | Elly8.net private car |
| Day trip up the Keys on a budget | Lower Keys Shuttle |
| Day trip up the Keys at your own pace | Elly8.net hourly or full day |
Our chauffeur vs taxi and chauffeur vs Uber and Lyft pages compare the models in general, and the Key West car service page has every fixed price.
Booking a car when you need one
- Enter the pickup and drop-off, with your flight number for EYW, in the web booker or from the price list.
- Choose the vehicle by passengers and bags.
- Press Reserve now or confirm in the booker. Confirmation arrives by email.
Every Elly8.net fare includes the chauffeur, the vehicle, taxes, standard gratuity and meet and greet; parking and waiting beyond the included time are billed at cost. Cancellation is free more than 72 hours before pickup, 10% at 72 hours or less, 50% at 48 hours or less, and 100% at 24 hours or less or for a no-show.
Elly8.net is a member of LimousineWorldwide.Directory, LimousineAssociation.International, HotelsWorldwide.Directory and VacationsWorldwide.Directory; our travel partner for flights and hotels is BookingWorldwide.net. Also in South Florida: Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Naples, Florida.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a taxi from Key West airport to Duval Street?
For two or more passengers, the regulated maximum is US$9 per person to areas west of White Street, which covers most of Old Town and Duval Street. A single passenger pays the meter, starting at US$3.95 plus US$0.70 per additional fifth of a mile. Rates must be disclosed before the ride starts.
Is Uber or a taxi cheaper in Key West?
There is no fixed answer, because app prices are set by demand at the moment you request. For a group of two to four from the airport, the regulated taxi zone fare is easy to predict. At busy times, such as weekend evenings and festival weeks, app prices tend to rise, while the taxi maximums stay the same.
Where do Uber and Lyft pick up at Key West airport?
At the passenger pickup area along the blue curb, outside and to the right of the arrivals and baggage claim area, according to the airport. Hotel courtesy shuttles use the same blue curb. Taxis wait in their own line outside baggage claim, to the left near the rental car desks.
Is there a cheap way to get around Key West?
Yes. Key West Rides, the city's shared on-demand bus, costs the US$2 city fare and serves stops across Key West and Stock Island from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. Old Town is also easy to explore on foot or by bike, and pedicabs are a popular option.
When is a private car worth it in Key West?
For families needing child seats, wedding parties and groups who want one vehicle, late arrivals after the bus stops, guests with limited mobility, VIP and client arrivals, and timelines that cannot slip. For one or two people on a short daytime trip, a taxi, an app ride or the bus is the better value.
Do Key West taxis take credit cards?
Yes. According to the airport's published taxi rules, all taxi drivers are required to accept both cash and credit cards. Wheelchair-accessible taxis are available at no extra charge, meters must be running for single passengers, and all rates must be disclosed before departure.
