Dubai Introduces New Taxi Fares

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has introduced a new dynamic fare structure for taxis booked via partner apps. The update applies to Careem (Hala), S’hail, Bolt, Zed, and the DTC Smart App.

Street-hail taxi fares remain unchanged. Only app-based bookings are affected.

How the new pricing works

Minimum fare for app bookings: now Dh13 (up from Dh12).
Booking fee: time-based, from Dh4.00 (off-peak) to Dh7.50 (peak).
Flat booking fees of Dh10 and Dh12: discontinued.
Base fare (flagfall): unchanged at Dh5.00 in peak hours and Dh5.50 at night.

Defined time slots

Monday–Thursday:

Peak: 8:00–10:00 AM and 4:00–8:00 PM
Off-peak: 10:00 AM–4:00 PM and 8:00–10:00 PM
Night: 10:00 PM–6:00 AM

Friday:

Peak: 4:00 PM–12:00 AM (midnight)

What dynamic pricing means

Prices align with demand.
Higher booking fees during rush hours help bring more drivers online.
Lower fees during quiet times encourage riders to book through apps.
The model improves transparency and matches global ride-hailing practices.

Street-hail taxi fares (unchanged)

Base fare: Dh5.00 (day, 6:00 AM–10:00 PM), Dh5.50 (night, 10:00 PM–6:00 AM).
Minimum fare: Dh12.
Per-km rate: typically Dh2.14–Dh2.26, adjusted monthly with fuel prices.

Airport and event fares

Trips from DXB: higher flagfall of Dh25; per-km roughly Dh2.14–Dh2.33.
Major events (Expo City, Global Village, DWTC): special starting fares, often Dh20–25, to reflect demand.

Other standard charges

Salik tolls: Dh4 per gate.
Waiting time: Dh0.50 per minute when stationary.
Per-km rates: vary slightly each month with RTA’s fuel price index.
Example: A 20 km DXB–Dubai Marina trip with one or two Salik gates typically costs Dh60–70, depending on time and traffic.