Frequently Asked Questions
How are taxi fares calculated?
How should I travel to St Andrews?

Taxi Fares
Taxi fares usually consist of two basic elements - a minimum charge (the 'flagfall') which applies up to a specified distance and a distance related charge thereafter.  This flagfall is determined by Fife Council and changes periodically. Between 10pm and 6am, fares are roughly 25% higher (and this rate also applies to hirings to and outwith Fife) and there are additional charges at Christmas and New Year.

Another major element is 'waiting time' which in Fife is set by Fife Council Other charges in Fife include 'Toll Bridge Charges' and 'Soiling Charges'.

The fare structure and rates varies between local authorities - although the basic flagfall and distance charge are fairly universal, variations include fixed unsocial hour charges (unlike the percentage increase in Fife), charges for each additional passenger and charges for each item of luggage.

A couple of points are worth noting:
- Unless the taxi is stationary, the fare increments depend on distance only - the driver cannot therefore increase the fare by travelling more slowly
- The specified fares are maximum charges - the driver can charge anything below these rates.  In practice, drivers generally charge the set fares on shorter trips while being more willing to negotiate for longer hires.  For example, at Club Cars our fare to Edinburgh Airport is well below Fife Council taxi  rates.

The above is intended as a rough guide.

Travelling to St Andrews
Your optimal method of travelling to St Andrews will depend on many factors such as your budget, your own personal preferences and the amount of people in your party.

Edinburgh is the nearest major airport to St Andrews but lies almost 50 miles away.  Many travellers then choose to travel to St Andrews by train, but this will involve a bus/taxi journey to the station and a similar journey from Leuchars station, which is situated five miles from St Andrews, and this may be particularly onerous with lots of luggage.  Many travellers therefore choose to travel by taxi from the airport and indeed this can work out cheaper than the bus/taxi-train-bus/taxi option for larger parties.  Another option is a hire car from the airport, but this can also work out more expensive than travelling by taxi, with the length of stay and the need for a hire car while in St Andrews being factors to consider, not to mention the difficulty of driving in an unfamiliar environment.

Similar considerations apply to the other airports, but travelling from some may entail changing trains en route.

If you have decided to travel as far as possible by rail then you will then have the choice of bus or taxi for the final five or so miles to your destination in St Andrews, but please remember that you may need another bus or taxi on arrival in St Andrews.

Please visit our airports and railways page for further information on how we can assist you.