Taxi areas, meters and fares
The Northern Territory (NT) Government regulates maximum fares and charges for taxis in the NT. This applies to areas declared for taxi operation.
Taxi fares may vary depending on the:
- area you're travelling in
- type of travel - for example, high occupancy service.
While operators can offer lower fares to passengers at their discretion, passengers can't be charged more than the maximum set fare.
Where taxis can operate
A taxi can only operate in the area specified in the licence issued to that vehicle.
There are 3 main journeys that can take place in and around a taxi area.
Each has individual rules on how a taximeter is used and what fares can be charged.
Operate only within a declared taxi area
The driver must operate the taximeter on the correct rate for the entire journey.
A passenger can't be charged more than the fare displayed.
Operate partly in a declared taxi area
The driver must operate the taximeter for the portion of the journey inside the area.
They can either:
- negotiate a fare with the passenger for the rest of the journey outside the taxi area or
- choose to use the taximeter for the entire journey and charge the metered fare at the end.
Operate outside the declared taxi area
The NT Government doesn't regulate fares for travel outside the declared taxi area. This means drivers may choose not to operate the taxi meter.
They can either:
- negotiate a fare with the passenger before the start of the journey or
- choose to use the taximeter and charge the metered fare at the end.
Maps of declared taxi and minibus areas
Find out the taxi and minibus areas for the region you live in.
- Alice Springs taxi and minibus area PDF (375.1 KB)
- Darwin and Palmerston taxi and minibus area PDF (339.5 KB)
- Gove taxi and minibus area PDF (318.3 KB)
- Katherine taxi and minibus area PDF (120.5 KB)
- Tennant Creek taxi and minibus area PDF (114.0 KB)
Fares and charges
Taxi fares are subject to change based on:
- the time of day
- weekends
- public holidays
- type of travel.
High occupancy rate
Groups of 5 or more people can be charged a high occupancy rate. This rate only applies to taxis that are designed and licensed to carry more than 5 passengers.
The rate changes depending on what time and day of the week you're travelling. They will increase further if you travel:
- between 6pm and 6am, Monday to Friday
- on weekends
- on public holidays.
Read below to find out the flagfall and rates for your location.
Darwin and Palmerston
| Flagfall | Rate per kilometre | Waiting time | High occupancy (5 or more) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6am - 6pm Monday - Friday | $5.70 | $1.66 | 10 cents for every 6 seconds | Standard fare + 83 cents per km |
| 6pm - 6am Monday - Friday All day Saturday, Sunday and public holidays | $6.90 | $2.04 | 10 cents for every 6 seconds | Standard fare + $1.01 per km |
Alice Springs
| Flagfall | Rate per kilometre | Waiting time | High occupancy (5 or more) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6am - 6pm Monday - Friday | $5.30 | $2.09 | 10 cents for every 6.1 seconds | Standard fare + $1.05 per km |
| 6pm - 6am Monday - Friday All day Saturday, Sunday and public holidays | $6.60 | $2.48 | 10 cents for every 6.1 seconds | Standard fare + $1.24 per km |
Katherine
| Flagfall | Rate per kilometre | Waiting time | High occupancy (5 or more) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6am - 6pm Monday - Friday | $4.90 | $2.04 | 10 cents for every 7.4 seconds | Standard fare + $1.03 per km |
| 6pm - 6am Monday - Friday All day Saturday, Sunday and public holidays | $5.90 | $2.56 | 10 cents for every 7.4 seconds | Standard fare + $1.27 per km |
Tennant Creek
| Flagfall | Rate per kilometre | Waiting time | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6am - 6pm Monday - Friday | N/A | $11.10 | N/A |
| 6pm - 6am Monday - Friday All day Saturday, Sunday and public holidays | $4.10 | $2.01 | 10 cents for every 4.7 seconds |
In Tennant Creek special journeys are charged at:
- $52.80 for the first hour
- $25.80 for each following hour or part of that.
Gove
| Flagfall | Rate per kilometre | Waiting time | High occupancy (5 or more) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6am - 6pm Monday - Friday | $7.20 | $2.17 | 10 cents for every 6.3 seconds | Standard fare + $1.08 per km |
| 6pm - 6am Monday - Friday All day Saturday, Sunday and public holidays | $8.60 | $2.65 | 10 cents for every 6.3 seconds | Standard fare + $1.21 per km |
In Gove special journeys are charged at:
- $54.30 for the first hour
- $26.00 for each following hour or part of that.
Prepaid fares
On Fridays and Saturdays, between 10pm and 5am, taxi drivers have the right to request their passengers prepay their estimated taxi fare.
For more information about prepaid fares, read the CPV20 information bulletin PDF (708.4 KB).
A schedule of estimated prepaid fares is available for each declared taxi area. You can use it to calculate an estimate on your prepaid fare. The schedules are also available in each taxi.
Darwin and Palmerston
| Distance | Estimated fare for up to 4 passengers | Estimated fare for 5 or more passengers |
|---|---|---|
| 5km | $16.20 | $21.25 |
| 10km | $26.40 | $36.50 |
| 15km | $36.60 | $51.75 |
| 20km | $46.80 | $67.00 |
| 25km | $57.00 | $82.25 |
| 30km | $67.20 | $97.50 |
| 35km | $77.40 | $112.75 |
| 40km | $87.60 | $128.00 |
Get a printable version of the Darwin and Palmerston prepaid fares PDF (424.9 KB).
Alice Springs
| Distance | Estimated fare for up to 4 passengers | Estimated fare for 5 or more passengers |
|---|---|---|
| 5km | $18.50 | $24.70 |
| 10km | $30.90 | $43.30 |
| 15km | $43.30 | $61.90 |
| 20km | $55.70 | $80.50 |
| 25km | $68.10 | $99.10 |
| 30km | $80.50 | $117.70 |
| 35km | $92.90 | $136.30 |
| 40km | $105.30 | $154.90 |
Get a printable version of the Alice Springs prepaid fares PDF (424.3 KB).
Katherine
| Distance | Estimated fare for up to 4 passengers | Estimated fare for 5 or more passengers |
|---|---|---|
| 5km | $20.20 | $26.55 |
| 10km | $33.00 | $45.70 |
| 15km | $45.80 | $64.85 |
| 20km | $58.60 | $84.00 |
| 25km | $71.40 | $103.15 |
| 30km | $84.20 | $122.30 |
| 35km | $97.00 | $141.45 |
| 40km | $109.80 | $160.60 |
Get a printable version of the Katherine prepaid fares PDF (424.6 KB).
Tennant Creek
| Distance | Estimated fare for up to 4 passengers |
|---|---|
| 5km | $14.75 |
| 10km | $24.80 |
| 15km | $34.85 |
| 20km | $44.90 |
| 25km | $54.95 |
| 30km | $65.00 |
| 35km | $75.05 |
| 40km | $85.10 |
Get a printable version of the Tennant Creek prepaid fares PDF (423.2 KB).
Gove
| Distance | Estimated fare for up to 4 passengers | Estimated fare for 5 or more passengers |
|---|---|---|
| 5km | $19.55 | $25.60 |
| 10km | $32.80 | $44.90 |
| 15km | $46.05 | $64.20 |
| 20km | $59.30 | $83.50 |
| 25km | $72.55 | $102.80 |
| 30km | $85.80 | $122.10 |
| 35km | $99.05 | $141.40 |
| 40km | $112.30 | $160.70 |
Get a printable version of the Gove prepaid fares PDF (424.5 KB).
Other fees, conditions and exemptions
The following may also apply:
- You may have to pay for an exit toll when leaving the airport. This toll is charged by the airport and is not part of the metered taxi fare.
- Taxi drivers may add a 5% surcharge on payments made with a debit or credit card.
- If you soil a taxi, the driver can charge you a $50 cleaning fee.
- If you're a member of the NT Transport Subsidy Scheme, you don't have to prepay.
Last updated: 30 September 2022
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