TAXI FARES ACROSS the country have increased by 9% as of 1 December, which the National Transport Authority says is to reflect the ‘rising costs’ of operating a taxi service. 

The fee for pre-booking a taxi – including through an app – will increase by one euro, moving from €2 to €3 from now. 

A “special rate” that is applied to weekend nights between midnight and 4am will see taxi prices rise to €2.20 per kilometre.

This rate also applies to taxi journeys taken on Christmas Eve, from 8pm to 8am on St Stephen’s Day, and during the same time from New Year Eve to New Year’s Day.

There is an initial charge of €5.40 on “special rate” taxi fares. Standard rates, which apply Monday to Saturday from 8am to 8pm, are set at €1.32 per kilometre. There is a €3 booking charge in place for all taxis booked online and over the phone. 

A number of representatives of various taxi companies, including Uber and FreeNow, have criticised the increase.

Uber has said that the move will impact the night-time economy and fails to address an ongoing taxi shortage. 

“The NTA’s decision to increase pre-booking fees and extend peak-time rates will significantly increase the cost of taxi journeys, particularly for those who rely on taxis to get home safely at night,” the company said.

“This will disproportionately affect workers in the hospitality, entertainment, and nightlife sectors.”

Head of Uber Ireland, Kieran Harte said, “Raising taxi fares will have significant negative consequences for night-time economy workers who depend on taxis for safe transportation. Being the only door-to-door public transport service, taxis are a vital part of Ireland’s transport network, especially at night.”

Harte said that the decision will discourage people from going out at night and harm businesses that rely on late-night trade.

FreeNow Ireland general manager, Danny O’Gorman, said that more than fare increases were needed to support taxi drivers. 

“Increased safety concerns mean drivers are becoming less willing to work certain hours,” he said, adding that this was an issue industry representatives had brought up with election candidates.

He said that they were looking for a number of measures: “a dedicated Garda Helpline for drivers, ensuring Ireland’s regulatory standards and safety protocols are upheld, and requiring operators to invoice drivers from within Ireland to avoid VAT liabilities.”