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Netherlands

Amsterdam

A bicycle city ringed by fan-shaped canals. Trams spread out from Centraal station across town.

Taxis and ride-hailing apps

Only city-licensed taxis may pick up at ranks or in the street - look for the roof light, permit card and blue plate. Licensed cabs meter under a national cap; Uber and Bolt sit outside it but quote a price up front.

Updated on August 2, 2026

How to ride

  1. 1
    At a rank or street hail, check the permit marks
    Board only cars with all three - a roof light naming the operator, a Taxxxi permit card low on the windscreen, and a blue plate.
  2. 2
    Check the app's estimate before you book
    Uber and Bolt show an estimate before you book. The cap does not apply, and the final fare moves with actual time and distance.
  3. 3
    Check the meter is on and visible
    Rank and street taxis must run the meter where the passenger can see it. If it is not running, say so before you set off.
  4. 4
    Say how you will pay before setting off
    Tell the driver up front. Cash always works in a licensed taxi; whether the car has a card terminal varies from car to car.
  5. 5
    Always get the ritbon receipt
    Handed over in a rank or street taxi; for a booked ride it may arrive by app or email. It is your evidence if you complain.

Typical costs

How the meter adds up4

Starting rate, rank or street hail (legal maximum)
The legal ceiling. Once moving, up to €3.17 per km and €0.52 per minute are added on top
4.31 EUR ≈ $5
A 7 km, 15-minute ride (at the maximum tariff)
The government's own worked example at the ceiling - real fares are often lower than this
34.3 EUR ≈ $40
Starting rate when five or more actually travel (legal maximum)
This scale applies only when five or more actually travel - then up to €4.00 per km and €0.59 per minute
8.77 EUR ≈ $10
Waiting time, per hour (legal maximum)
Chargeable only if agreed before the ride starts - if you never asked the cab to wait, it does not apply
59.41 EUR ≈ $69

Estimates use exchange rates as of September 5, 2026

Take one at a rank, hail one, or book by app - but a booked car counts as a pre-ordered taxi, priced by prior agreement rather than the legal cap.

Payment

Tap to ride
Agree the payment method before you set off; not every car carries a terminal
App tickets
Uber and Bolt quote an estimate up front and charge your card in the app
Cash
Rank and street taxis take cash - carrying change is a driver's duty

Tap for where to get the app

Quick facts

Fares from
4.31 EUR+

Heads-up

  • No roof light or permit card means not a licensed taxi

    Never get into a car without an operator roof light and a Taxxxi permit card in the windscreen. City-wide, only council-licensed taxis may pick up at ranks or on the street; a car that approaches you without those marks has no meter, no receipt and no complaints desk behind it.

Timetable

Typical duration Canals and one-way streets slow cars down - over short hops a bike or tram is often quicker
Check the official site for the latest times and service status