How does a taximeter work?
Opening fare, per-kilometre rate and waiting charge explained step by step, using Istanbul's current yellow-taxi tariff.
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The number climbing on the meter during a taxi ride is not arbitrary: the taximeter applies a tariff approved by the municipality, built from three separate components. This article explains those three — the opening fare, the distance rate and the waiting charge — using the current figures from Istanbul’s yellow-taxi tariff.
What does a taximeter measure?
A taximeter tracks two things at once: the distance travelled and the time elapsed. While the car is moving, the distance counter runs; while it is stationary (traffic lights, congestion, a stop requested by the passenger), the time counter runs instead. The amount on the display is the opening fare plus whatever those two counters have accumulated.
What is the opening fare?
The opening fare is the fixed amount written to the display the moment the meter is started. It is charged even before the vehicle moves, covering the hailing and allocation of the car. In Istanbul, the opening fare for yellow taxis is 71.94 ₺.
How is the distance rate applied?
On top of the opening fare, a unit rate is added for every kilometre travelled. Istanbul yellow taxis charge 47.92 ₺ per kilometre. The meter does not wait for a full kilometre before adding it — it counts in short increments of a hundred metres or so, which is why the displayed amount rises in small steps.
When does the waiting charge apply?
When the vehicle stops, the distance counter pauses and the time counter takes over. For Istanbul yellow taxis the waiting (time) rate is 598.90 ₺ per hour — roughly 10 ₺ a minute. This is why the fare keeps rising in heavy traffic even though you have barely moved.
The minimum fare rule
On short trips, if the calculated amount stays below a certain threshold, you pay the minimum fare instead of the figure on the meter. In Istanbul the minimum fare for yellow taxis is 230.00 ₺. So on a two-kilometre trip, even if the meter shows less, the amount due is 230 ₺.
A worked example
Take a ten-kilometre trip with no waiting time:
- Opening fare: 71.94 ₺
- Distance: 10 × 47.92 ₺ = 479.20 ₺
- Total: 551.14 ₺
Since the result is above the minimum fare (230 ₺), the meter reading applies. Ten minutes of waiting on the same trip would have added roughly 100 ₺ more. Bridge, motorway and tunnel tolls are not part of the tariff; they are added separately at the end of the journey.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a night tariff in Istanbul?
No. Istanbul does not apply separate day and night tariffs. The same opening, distance and waiting rates are valid every day of the week and at every hour.
Does the fare keep rising while stuck in traffic?
Yes. When the vehicle stops, the distance counter pauses but the time counter runs, and the fare continues to accrue at the hourly waiting rate.
Who pays bridge and motorway tolls?
Tolls fall outside the taximeter tariff and are paid by the passenger. They do not appear on the meter and are added to the total at the end of the ride.
What if the driver does not start the meter?
Ask for the meter to be started before the ride begins. If it is not, you are not obliged to continue the journey; note the licence plate and report it to the municipality’s transport inspection unit.