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Taxi fares, how the costs are calculated and what the variable components are

Anyone who ever has took a Taxi you must have asked yourself “How much will I spend at the end of the race?“. It is not a trivial question, given that – unlike buses or metro – we cannot know the final amount in advance. A “spannometric” rule for making a rough estimate is to double the number of kilometers travelled: a 5 km run will cost us something around 10 euros. In reality it is much more complex than that: in fact, calculating the cost of a taxi ride is particularly complicated, because the rate of taxi service (regulated by framework law n. 21/1992) is composed of one fixed fee which varies from Municipality to Municipality to which one is added variable part hey supplements which may depend on the specific situation.

The fixed component to calculate the cost of the taxi

When we board a taxi we can notice how the taximeter never start from the value “0”. This is because there is always one fixed component which amounts to a few euros and which is established by each individual municipality. TO Turin, just to give an example, this quota on weekdays amounts to €3.50; to Milan is equal to €4.10 while a Rome And €3.
Be careful though, this fixed part can vary depending on the days holidays or time nightwith one increase which fluctuates on average between 1 and 3 € (depending on the Municipality).

The variable component that affects the price of a ride

There component variable that grows both atincrease the kilometers travelled that of time taken to reach the destination. Usually we talk about a value that goes from 40 cents at €1.20 per kilometer travelledto which is added the hourly rate in case of reduced speed, usually below 20 km/h. This is inserted to compensate for the possible traffic and oscillates between 20 to 50 euros per hour. But it’s not over: after a certain number of km travelled change the rate value (regulated by each Municipality) and the same applies to hourly component or tocrossing extra-urban areas.

In short, the very close dependence on the total km and travel time makes the taxi fare extremely complicated to calculate upstream.
What you can do is go to the websites of the various taxi companies and (if available) try to simulate a tripso as to have at least an approximate idea of ​​the final amount.

Furthermore, it is possible that a customer decides to make a Particularly short taxi ridein terms of an amount slightly higher than the fixed fee: in this case most municipalities provide – regardless – for a minimum rate.

Surcharges that increase the taxi fare

In addition to everything we have seen so far, there are possible calculations to be made supplements which can be known upstream. It is, for example, about supplements for animals on board or for the transport of luggage in the trunk: each Municipality also in this case has its own regulation which provides for increases in the order of a few euros for each “extra” item.