Planning a Taxi Trip in Melbourne: What to Have Ready Before You Book

Hailing a cab works well enough in the city at lunchtime. It works a lot less well at five in the morning in the suburbs, with a baby seat needed, or with eight people and their luggage standing on the footpath. That is when booking ahead earns its keep: the right car is allocated before you need it, the fare is estimated before you commit, and anything special is sorted before the driver sets off.

This guide walks through the ways to book a taxi in Melbourne, what to have ready, how far ahead to book, how the fare is estimated, and the extras that only work when they are asked for in advance.

Two Ways to Book

Online

Our booking form asks for the pickup and drop off, the date and time, and the car you want. A fare estimate appears before you confirm, so you see the likely cost before anything is booked. It is the quickest way to book a trip for later today, tomorrow or next week.

By Phone

Call 0449 076 826 and read the trip to a person. Phone is the better choice when the trip is complicated: several pickups, a wedding run sheet, a standing weekly booking, or a date that is coming up fast and you want to know there and then that a car is available.

What to Have Ready

A booking only goes as smoothly as the details in it. Before you start, have these to hand:

• The full pickup address, including the unit number, the building entrance or the gate code if the driver will need it.
• The destination, or the first stop if there are several.
• The date and pickup time. For a flight, add the flight number so the timing follows the plane.
• How many people are travelling and how many bags, including prams, golf bags or anything bulky.
• Any children, and their ages, if a child seat is needed.
• The name and mobile of the person travelling, if that is not you.
• How you plan to pay, particularly if it is Cabcharge.

How Far Ahead to Book

There is no single right answer, but a few rules of thumb hold:

• Everyday trips: a few hours ahead is usually plenty, and the night before is better for anything in the early morning.
• Airport runs: book the night before at the latest for an early flight. Allow two hours between pickup and a domestic departure and three for international.
• Maxis, silver service and child seats: as early as you can. They are the first cars to be booked out on a Friday or Saturday.
• Weddings and events: as soon as the venue and timings are set. If the date is inside a fortnight, ring rather than booking online so availability can be checked while you are on the phone.

How the Fare Is Estimated

Taxi meters in Victoria start with a flag fall, then charge on either distance or time, never both at once. The rate depends on the time of day, with a day rate, an evening and overnight rate, and a higher rate late on Friday and Saturday nights and on public holidays. Tolls are added when the route uses one, an airport fee applies to pickups at Tullamarine, and larger or premium cars carry a surcharge.

Our estimate works all of that out from the Safe Transport Victoria maximum rates, using the real route and drive time for your trip. A booked trip in Victoria is not capped by the rank and street maximums in the same way, but the booking service must give you an estimate or a fixed fare on request before you travel. The online figure is an estimate, and the meter on the day is the final word. If you would rather have a fixed price, ask for a quote by phone before you travel.

The fares page lists every tariff and the hours it applies, with a calculator for your exact trip.

Extras That Need Asking For

These are the parts of a booking a driver cannot sort out at the kerb, so they need to be in the booking:

• Child seats. Taxis in Victoria do not have to carry them. Tick the option and give the child’s age, and a capsule, a harnessed seat or a booster is fitted before the car arrives. Our child seat page explains the choices.
• A bigger car. A maxi taxi seats up to eleven, and an SUV or wagon takes more luggage than a sedan.
• A premium car. Silver service is a late model premium sedan with a suited driver, still on the meter.
• Bulky items. Prams, golf clubs, instruments and boxes all travel, as long as the driver knows to plan for them.
• Cabcharge. Choose it as the payment option so the driver knows before arriving. Our Cabcharge page covers cards, digital passes and eTickets.

Paying at the End of the Trip

Nothing is charged when you book, and there is no deposit for a normal trip. At the end you pay by Cabcharge, credit card or American Express, or pay the driver in the car. Businesses that book regularly can set up an account and receive one invoice instead of collecting receipts. Our corporate travel page explains how.

Regular Trips, Booked Once

If you make the same trip every week, to work, to school, or to a course of treatment, it can be set up once as a standing booking rather than booked fresh each time. Call with the days and times and the trips are allocated in advance. If your travel is funded through TAC, WorkSafe or the NDIS, those pages explain how we can help.

Booking From Your Suburb

Every suburb page on our site shows estimates for local trips and the run to Tullamarine, so you can check a figure before you book. A few to start with are the Melbourne CBD, St Kilda, Box Hill, Dandenong, Point Cook and Werribee. The full list is on our areas page.

Questions People Ask

Can I book a taxi in Melbourne the night before?

Yes, and for an early start it is the best time to do it. Book online or by phone with the pickup time, and add a flight number if you are heading to the airport.

Do I pay anything when I book?

No. Nothing is charged at booking and there is no deposit. You pay at the end of the trip by Cabcharge, card or in the car.

Can I book a taxi for someone else?

Yes. Put their name and mobile on the booking so the driver can contact them directly, along with anything the driver needs to find them.

What if my plans change after I book?

Call as soon as you know. A changed time or address is far easier to sort out an hour before the pickup than when the car is already at the door.