How to book a Taxi in Paris ?
A little guide for foreigners willing to book a Cab in Paris
Taxis and minicabs in Paris
In Paris, there are two types of vehicles allowed to carry people in a "taxi-like" service :
- Taxis are the French equivalent of NewYork's yellow taxis or London's black cabs. They do not have a distinct color as per in those two cities, but can be recognized thanks to the taxi sign on top of the car
- "VTC" (stands for Véhicule de Tourisme avec Chauffeur) are the equivalent of Uber, Lyft or Addison Lee minicabs. They do not have a distinct sign as taxis, but the must hold a licence to operate as private drivers. This licence must be visible on the windshield.
There are c. 18 000 taxis and 25 000 VTC in Paris and suburban area. As a client, you can order a Taxi or a VTC if you require a ride.
Taxi roof sign
Taxi roof sign color and letter will indicate availability and price (see below)
VTC Licence
Private drivers must hold such a licence to operate
Taxis in Paris
There are around 18 000 taxi drivers in Paris. For many years, taxis have enjoyed a monopoly on passenger transport. Taxis as we know them came into being in 1937, with the introduction of a numerus clausus and the introduction of regulated prices.
Indeed, unlike the VTC, taxi prices are decided by the state via a prefectural order. In the vehicle, it is the horokilometric meter that determines the price of the ride :
- Pick-up : € 2.60
- Price per kilometer from Monday to Saturday between 10:00 and 17:00 : 1,06 € + 32,10 € / h
- Price per kilometer from Monday to Saturday between 17h00 and 10h00 : 1,32 € + 39,02 € / h
- Price per kilometer on Sunday night and public holidays : 1,56 € + 35,80 € / h
- Supplement for a 4th passenger : 3 €.
- Extra charge for one piece of luggage : 1 €.
How to order a cab in Paris ?
In Paris, you can simply hail a cab. This is the most convenient way. Just find a taxi with a green roof sign and hail it !
Once in the car, ask the driver to put the meter on (be firm about it). The meter looks like a taxi meter, a specific device fixed on the car dashboard. If the meter is an app on the driver's phone, beware, this can be a scam for tourists.
There are fixed price for airports. Between Roissy and Paris it costs €50-€55, and between Orly and Paris it costs between €30 and €35.
Second option, you can order a cab thanks to a taxi app. Please be aware that additional cost may incur for approach (between €4 and €7 in Paris, more in suburb). In Paris, the mot popular app for Taxis is G7.
How to read the Taxi roof sign ?
Unlike VTC, taxis can be hailed in the street in Paris like almost anywhere in the world. Nevertheless, one should look at the Taxi roof sign before hailing a cab. Basically : the roof signs provides two informations : Price, and availability.
Price information
The four letters below the sign gives you the price of the ride. Basically, taxi prices depend on the time of the day and the day of the week. In Paris, there are 3 prices :
Letter A : €1.06/km + 32,10 €/h when iddle. This is the cheapest price, usually from monday to friday between 7am and 7pm.
Letter B : €1,32/km + 39,02 €/h when iddle. This is the intermediary price, usually from monday to friday before 7am and after 7pm.
Letter C : €1,56/km + 35,80 €/h when iddle. This price applies on sundays or public holiday.
So before getting in the car, check the sign on the roof : it indicates the current price.
Availability information
This one is easy : if the roof sign is green, the taxi is available and you can hail it. If it is red, then somebody is already in the car or the taxi is on his way to pickup a customer.
Beware no taxi is allowed to pickup clients in immediate vicinity of stations or airports. There is a queue for that. If you hail a cab in front of a station, it will not stop.
Which one is the cheapest : Uber or the Taxi ?
You may want to know whether it is cheaper to order an Uber or to hail a regular cab. Both have changing prices, here is a very simple (yet approximate) tip to determine which one is the cheapest :
Taxi with A letter Price = Uber with no surge pricing
Taxi with B letter Price = Uber with 1.25 surge pricing
Taxi with C letter Price = Uber with 1.5 surge pricing
So just remind taking an Uber or a regular cab in then street (no pre booked) costs roughly the same price when both are at the lowest price.
Where to find a taxi in Paris ?
In Paris there are three ways to find a cab :
- Find one in the street. Go to main streets, ideally crossings to improve your chances.
- Go to Taxi Stations. Some taxi might be waiting here
- Call a cab. Here are the two main operators in Paris : Taxi G7 and Alpha Taxis. Additionnal costs may apply. Always prefer the taxi hailed in the street if you want to pay less.