ACT · Australian Capital Territory
Canberrataxi & cab fares · 2026
Canberra taxi fares are regulated by Access Canberra with day, night, and Friday/Saturday late-night tariffs. The ACT is treated as a single zone — no regional vs urban split — which makes it the simplest fare structure in Australia: one set of numbers covers every trip in the territory.
In Canberra, "cab" and "taxi" refer to the same regulated vehicle — same Access Canberra meter, same maximum tariff. The calculator below applies the 2026 schedule for sedan, maxi (5+ passengers) and wheelchair-accessible trips, and detects Uber-comparison scenarios automatically.
How much is a taxi in Canberra?
A typical metered taxi in Canberra costs about A$19 for a short 5 km trip and around A$38 for a 12 km cross-town run on the Australian Capital Territory daytime meter, which starts with a A$6.15 flagfall. After hours the night tariff lifts the same 5 km trip to about A$21. These are the regulated maximum rates set by Access Canberra; use the calculator below for an exact fare on your route.
Popular Canberra taxi fares
| Route | Distance | Est. day fare |
|---|---|---|
| Canberra Airport → Civic | 7 km | A$24.70 |
| Canberra Airport → Parliament House | 9 km | A$30.00 |
| Civic → Manuka | 4 km | A$16.75 |
| Civic → Belconnen | 11 km | A$35.30 |
| Civic → Tuggeranong | 24 km | A$69.75 |
| Civic → Russell Offices | 3 km | A$14.10 |
Estimated day-rate meter fares for a 1–4 passenger sedan, computed from the regulated Access Canberra tariff for a typical daytime trip. Excludes tolls, airport access fees and any card surcharge; night, weekend and public-holiday rates are higher. Tap a route to price it exactly. Source: Access Canberra, last verified .
Canberra Airport (CBR)
Canberra Airport (CBR) is about 7 km — a 10-to-12-minute run — from Civic, the shortest airport-to-CBD trip of any capital, so the metered fare is only around A$25. The ACT has no airport terminal fee, though a driver who has paid the airport access toll may pass on a A$3 charge. A single rank sits outside arrivals; expect a short wait outside peak hours.
How much is a taxi from Canberra Airport to Canberra CBD?
A metered Canberra taxi from Canberra Airport to the Canberra CBD is typically A$24 – A$38 on the day rate (typical A$29), running on the regulated Australian Capital Territory meter set by Access Canberra. The night, late-night and public-holiday tariffs add to that figure; tolls and airport access fees are passed through on top.
Night, weekend & peak rates in Canberra
Canberra applies the same A$6.15 flagfall on every tariff. The weekday day rate (6am–9pm) charges A$2.65/km; the weekday night rate (9pm–6am), the all-day weekend rate and the public-holiday rate all charge A$2.95/km. There are no per-trip surcharges beyond that higher weekend/night per-kilometre rate.
Where to find a Canberra taxi rank
- 01City Walk (Civic) — primary CBD rank
- 02Garema Place — secondary Civic rank, often shorter queue than City Walk
- 03Manuka — Franklin Street rank, useful for restaurants
- 04Belconnen Westfield — shopping centre rank
- 05Tuggeranong & Gungahlin — limited ranks; pre-book for late-night
What's different in ACT
The ACT is the simplest fare regime in the country: a single A$6.15 flagfall, one territory-wide zone and no tolls on ordinary trips. The one quirk is that the higher per-kilometre rate covers all of Saturday and Sunday — daytime included — not just late nights.
Canberra taxi fares · frequently asked
How much is a taxi from Canberra Airport to Civic?
About A$25 on the day meter for the ~7 km trip — one of the shortest airport-to-CBD runs in Australia. The ACT has no airport terminal fee, though a driver who has paid the airport access toll may pass on a A$3 charge. On the night rate the meter runs to about A$27.
How much is a taxi from Canberra Airport to Parliament House?
About A$30 on the day meter for the ~9 km trip, rising to roughly A$33 on the night rate. There are no toll roads on the route and no airport surcharge beyond the optional A$3 access-toll pass-through.
How much is a taxi from Civic to Belconnen?
A taxi from Civic to Belconnen is about A$35 on the day meter for the ~11 km trip, rising to roughly A$39 on the night/weekend rate.
Does Canberra add a public-holiday taxi surcharge?
The higher A$2.95/km rate applies for the full 24 hours of any public holiday — the same rate that covers weeknights after 9pm and the whole of Saturday and Sunday. The A$6.15 flagfall does not change; only the per-kilometre charge steps up.
Is Canberra the cheapest capital for taxis?
Canberra has the simplest fare regime in Australia — one territory-wide zone, a single A$6.15 flagfall and no tolls on ordinary trips. Per-kilometre rates sit near the national median; overall trip cost is low mainly because Canberra distances are short.
Is Uber cheaper than a taxi in Canberra?
A rank or hailed Canberra taxi charges the regulated meter — about A$25 for the airport run and A$14–A$35 for most trips across the city. Uber and DiDi use surge pricing, so they are often cheaper off-peak but can climb above the taxi meter late on weekend nights when driver supply is thin in the ACT.