How the Kingston taxi fare is calculated
The current Kingston taxi schedule starts at $4.50 for the first 135 metres or part thereof. That amount includes a $0.25 access fee. Each additional 135 metres or part adds $0.30, and waiting while under engagement is $0.30 for each 25 seconds. The published schedule is inclusive of HST. TaxiRates models the road distance in the same 135-metre increments instead of converting the meter to a perfectly smooth per-kilometre formula that could understate short trips.
The tariff also lists charges that depend on trip circumstances, such as an additional passenger charge, trunk use and specific van requests. The standard calculator does not assume those extras because the route form does not establish whether they apply. It focuses on the core meter fare. For trips that clearly end more than five kilometres beyond the regulated area, the rules allow a pre-arranged flat fare, so TaxiRates does not blindly continue the city meter across a long out-of-area journey.
What changes on October 1, 2026
Until the transition, local taxi regulation is associated with the Kingston Area Taxi Commission. The City of Kingston has announced that it assumes responsibility for administration, licensing and enforcement on October 1, 2026, under Passenger Transportation Services By-law 2026-86. The City says taxi operations will continue without interruption. The new City tariff page publishes the same $4.50 first 135 metres and $0.30 additional 135-metre increments used in the current schedule.
That means the important change for a fare calculator is attribution, not a sudden new dollar amount. A trip dated September 30 should identify the KATC schedule; a trip dated October 1 or later should identify the City of Kingston by-law. TaxiRates v15.24 makes that switch automatically. If the City changes the tariff later, the fare data can be updated without losing the date-aware authority model.
Taxi service at Kingston Airport
Kingston Airport’s official transportation page lists Amey’s Greenwood Taxi and Modern City Taxi, and also notes that Uber is available. Kingston Transit does not currently serve the airport terminal directly; the closest listed transit stop is at Days Road and Front Road. For travellers arriving with luggage or travelling at hours that do not fit transit, a taxi remains a straightforward local connection.
YGK is addressed within Kingston and is handled as part of the supported local market. TaxiRates can therefore calculate airport-to-Kingston trips with the same core meter schedule, while still applying the rule that holds long out-of-area destinations for a pre-arranged fare. The airport page is separate from the city page so search users can get the terminal-specific ground-transport information without losing the fare formula.
How to use the Kingston estimate
Enter full street addresses whenever possible. The route service supplies the road distance and TaxiRates applies the incremental tariff. Because actual taxi waiting charges depend on how the vehicle is operating while engaged, v15.24 does not simply add all predicted traffic delay to the distance fare. The displayed amount is a planning estimate based primarily on the verified distance schedule; the actual meter remains the final record for a normal metered ride.
If you select a future date on or after October 1, the result source changes from the KATC framework to the City of Kingston framework automatically. That is useful for bookings made during the transition period. The concise answer is: Kingston’s core taxi meter is $4.50 for the first 135 metres plus $0.30 per additional 135 metres, HST included; the City becomes the regulator October 1, 2026; and YGK lists two local taxi companies for airport transportation.
Questions travellers ask
What is the Kingston taxi starting fare?
$4.50 for the first 135 metres or part thereof, including the access fee.
When does the City of Kingston take over taxi regulation?
October 1, 2026.
Does the fare change automatically on October 1?
The published core meter amounts remain the same; TaxiRates changes the regulatory authority shown for the trip.
Which taxis are listed at YGK?
Kingston Airport lists Amey’s Greenwood Taxi and Modern City Taxi.
Kingston Airport (YGK)
The airport guide explains terminal pickup details and how the local tariff applies to YGK.