Guide
Taxi Prices in Sweden
Learn how taxi prices work in Sweden, how to read the comparison price and what to check before accepting a taxi journey.
How taxi pricing works in Sweden
Sweden has free pricing for taxi journeys. In practical terms, this means that taxi companies can set different fares and that there is no general national ceiling on what a taxi journey may cost. Fares can also vary by time and day.
This makes the information displayed before the journey particularly important. A taxi fare can be high without being unlawful simply because it is high. The useful question for a passenger is therefore not only “Is this allowed?” but also “What am I being offered, and is this price acceptable to me?”
Where a fare is calculated using tariffs, the price structure must allow the passenger to assess the price before the journey. The tariff cannot be designed so that the basis for calculating the price changes during the journey.
What is the comparison price?
The Swedish jämförpris, or comparison price, gives different taxis a common reference point. It is defined as the price in Swedish kronor, including VAT and any basic charge, for a journey of 10 kilometres lasting 15 minutes.
Think of it as a standardised price label rather than the expected price of your own trip. Your actual fare can be lower or higher because your journey may be shorter, longer, faster or slower, and the applicable tariff may depend on the time or day.
Visual example: two taxis, two price levels
These fictional examples show how the same standardised comparison journey can be displayed at very different tariff levels.
Example 1 — highest comparison price SEK 395
Example 2 — highest comparison price SEK 911
What this tells you: both figures refer to the same standardised 10 km / 15 minute comparison journey. SEK 911 therefore represents a substantially higher displayed tariff level than SEK 395. Neither figure is a quote for your actual journey.
Illustrative examples. The taxi companies and tariffs shown are fictional. The graphics are based on the Swedish taxi price-information format and are designed to help visitors recognise and understand the information displayed on a taxi. They do not represent the current fares of any real taxi operator.
Where several tariffs apply, a comparison price is stated for each relevant tariff. The vehicle's highest comparison price must be particularly prominent on the price information.
Why checking the price matters
Sweden has used free taxi pricing for many years, and older Swedish reporting documented how widely displayed taxi prices could differ between vehicles. The reports below are historical, so they should not be read as evidence of today's exact price levels. They are useful because they illustrate why checking the displayed price information before choosing a taxi has long mattered in Sweden.
Sveriges Radio, 27 October 2013: “Unreasonably high taxi fares spark outrage” reported substantial differences in taxi prices and discussed the consequences of Sweden's free-pricing system.
Svenska Dagbladet, historical reporting: “Taxichaufför: Inte en enda kund kollar priserna” highlighted the practical risk of passengers getting into a taxi without first checking the displayed price information.
The legal rules and current figures elsewhere on this page are based on current official sources. These older articles are included only as historical context showing why price awareness is an important part of choosing a taxi in Sweden.
Where to find the price information
Taxi vehicles using the ordinary price-information system must display price information clearly both outside and inside the vehicle. Comparison prices are shown in Swedish kronor, and the highest comparison price is designed to stand out on the official price display.
Check this information before you get into the taxi. At a taxi rank, you are not required to take the first taxi in the queue; you can choose another taxi if its price or service suits you better.
Metered fare or fixed price
A journey can be charged according to a tariff calculated during the trip or at a price agreed in advance. If you want a fixed price, ask before the journey starts whether the company offers one.
For a taxi using a taximeter, if the price has been agreed in advance it must be registered in the taximeter when the journey begins. If no price has been agreed beforehand, the taximeter is used to calculate the fare.
A fixed price means an amount established in advance for a journey that has also been defined in advance. When a fixed price applies, the special maximum-price statement described below is not required.
Very high comparison prices and the maximum-price statement
For taximeter-equipped taxis, Swedish law provides an extra protection when the comparison price is above a specified threshold. The threshold is not permanently fixed in kronor: since 2025 it is tied to 1.2% of the annual Swedish price base amount, rounded down to the nearest SEK 10.
The official price base amount for 2026 is SEK 59,200. Applying the statutory formula gives a threshold of SEK 710 for journeys ordered in 2026.
For a taximeter-equipped taxi, if the applicable comparison price is above SEK 710, the customer must be given a binding price quote when the journey is ordered. It must state the maximum price for that specific journey. An Evidence of price must then be provided to the passenger before the journey. This requirement does not apply when a fixed price is used.
Before you accept the journey
- Look at the price information before getting in.
- Find the highest comparison price and use it to understand the taxi's general tariff level.
- Ask whether the journey will be metered or fixed-price if this is not already clear.
- If you want price certainty, ask for a fixed price where one is offered.
- For a taximeter-equipped taxi, if the comparison price is above SEK 710 in 2026, make sure you receive the required Evidence of price before departure unless a fixed price applies.
- After the journey, keep your receipt. It contains information that can be important if you later need to identify the vehicle, driver or taxi company.
For the shorter, action-first version of this process, see Choosing a Taxi in Sweden.