A taxi from Edinburgh Airport to the city centre runs on a metered fare set by the City of Edinburgh Council, with one important extra: Edinburgh Airport currently charges £8.50 to use its terminal Pick-up and Drop-off zone, added separately on top of the metered fare. All told, expect roughly £32.50-£38.50 during weekday daytime hours. The route itself is around 8-9 miles via the A8, typically 20–30 minutes.
Edinburgh Airport operates from a single terminal. The official taxi rank, run by Capital Cars, is a short walk from arrivals at the East Terminus.
Enter your actual pickup and drop-off addresses for a rough fare estimate based on distance. Actual fares depend on traffic, tariff timing and route taken — this is a guide only, not a guaranteed price.
Map © OpenStreetMap contributors
Tariff effective from 25 July 2026 (City of Edinburgh Council). Fare estimates on this page last reviewed: September 2026.
How Edinburgh Taxi Fares Actually Work
The official tariff
The City of Edinburgh Council publishes an official Fare Table for Taxis, most recently updated with effect from 25 July 2026. Tariff 1 covers Monday to Friday, 6am to 6pm. Tariff 2 covers everything else on a weekday evening or night — and, distinctively, the entire weekend, from 6am Saturday through to 6am Monday. There’s no separate “weekend day” rate the way some cities structure it; once Saturday morning arrives, the higher tariff runs continuously until Monday.
What’s less obvious: the per-distance rate is identical between Tariff 1 and Tariff 2 — both charge £0.30 for the same additional-distance increment once the initial hire is used up. The difference between the two tariffs is almost entirely front-loaded into the initial hiring charge instead: £3.60 on Tariff 1 versus £4.80 on Tariff 2.
The separate £8.50 airport charge
The council’s own fare table doesn’t specify an amount for the airport charge — it simply says “the prevailing Edinburgh Airport drop-off or pick-up charge” applies, because Edinburgh Airport sets and collects this fee itself, independently of the council. As of 18 May 2026, that charge is £8.50 for up to 10 minutes in the charged Pick-up and Drop-off zone (in the multi-storey car park opposite the terminal), with £1 for each additional minute. Because the airport sets this independently, it can change without any corresponding change to the council’s metered tariff — worth a quick check before you travel if it’s been a while since this page was last reviewed.
If you’d rather avoid the charge entirely, Edinburgh Airport also operates a free drop-off and pickup area in the Long Stay car park, with up to 30 minutes free — it’s further from the terminal building, so you’d need to walk the last stretch yourself.
Taxi vs Uber vs Tram vs Bus
Edinburgh Airport is unusual among UK airports in having its own tram stop right at the terminal. The Edinburgh Tram runs directly into the city centre (and on to Leith and Newhaven) in about 30 minutes, every 7-10 minutes. An Adult Airport Single costs £7.90 (£7.50 if you pre-purchase online), or £9.50 for an Adult Airport Open Return. It’s a genuinely good option — but it doesn’t run all night: first tram is 06:30, last tram 22:52. Outside those hours, the Airlink 100 express bus fills the gap, running 24 hours a day to Waverley Bridge in around 30 minutes for about £6, roughly every 10 minutes.
What about Uber?
Uber operates at Edinburgh Airport and lists an average UberX price of around £24 for this route on its own site, though the actual price shown in the app varies with demand and time of day. The same £8.50 airport pickup/drop-off charge applies to Uber and other private-hire pickups here, not just licensed taxis — Uber’s own UK surcharge documentation lists the identical Edinburgh Airport fee. The main practical difference is how you’re quoted: a licensed taxi runs on the council’s meter as you go, while Uber gives you an upfront app price before you get in. Edinburgh Airport’s official taxi rank is run exclusively by Capital Cars, but Uber and other private-hire operators can still pick up and drop off via the airport’s facilities.
| Option | Cost | Time | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed taxi (Tariff 1) | £32.50–£38.50 all-in | 20–30 mins | Taxi rank, luggage, door-to-door |
| Licensed taxi (Tariff 2) | £33.50–£39.50 all-in | 20–30 mins | Evenings, nights, any time at the weekend |
| UberX | ~£24 average + £8.50 airport fee | 20–30 mins | Upfront app pricing, door-to-door |
| Edinburgh Tram | £7.90 single | ~30 mins | Solo travel, daytime/evening (before 22:52) |
| Airlink 100 bus | ~£6 single | ~30 mins | 24-hour coverage, budget option |
A taxi earns its cost here for late-night arrivals after the tram has stopped for the day, and for heavy luggage the tram’s limited space doesn’t suit well at busy times. On pure ticket price a group splitting a taxi doesn’t necessarily beat several tram fares — four adults pay £31.60 on the tram versus roughly £32.50-£38.50 for a taxi (note the council’s tariff covers up to three passengers before a small per-head extra applies) — but a taxi becomes the more practical choice once you factor in travelling directly to a hotel or specific address rather than the tram’s fixed stops.
Popular Edinburgh Airport Taxi Fare Guides
Browse individual route guides below, or use the calculator above for your exact journey.
Other London airport taxi guides:
Heathrow • Gatwick • Stansted • Luton • London City
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is a taxi from Edinburgh Airport to the city centre?
Expect roughly £32.50-£38.50 in total during weekday daytime hours, based on an estimated £24-£30 metered fare (Tariff 1) plus Edinburgh Airport’s current £8.50 Pick-up and Drop-off charge. Evening, night and weekend journeys are slightly higher, at roughly £33.50-£39.50, because Tariff 2 starts with a higher initial charge.
Is the tram cheaper than a taxi?
Yes, for a solo traveller — £7.90 versus roughly £32.50 or more all-in for a taxi. The gap narrows for two or more people splitting a taxi fare, and the tram stops running just before 11pm, so it isn’t an option for late-night arrivals.
Is Uber cheaper than a taxi from Edinburgh Airport?
It can be, but not always. Uber currently lists an average UberX price of around £24 from Edinburgh Airport to Edinburgh, while a licensed taxi is metered under the council’s tariff. Uber’s prices vary with demand and time of day, so it’s worth checking the live app price when you land. The same £8.50 airport pickup charge can apply to either option.
Why does the airport charge extra on top of the meter?
The Pick-up and Drop-off Zone charge is set and collected by Edinburgh Airport itself for the convenience of a dedicated taxi zone right at the terminal — it’s separate from, and in addition to, the council-regulated meter fare. Using the airport’s free zone further from the building avoids it, at the cost of a longer walk.
Does traffic affect the fare?
Yes — the meter runs on both time and distance, so slower traffic on the A8 adds to the fare even though the distance stays the same.