Prague scraps taxi fare caps, reviving fears of notorious tourist scams

Prague has abolished price caps for metered taxis from Oct. 1, removing a passenger safeguard in a city with a long history of taxi overcharging—and prompting its transport deputy mayor to seek a reversal.

The change, highlighted by Zdopravy.cz on Oct. 9, follows the cancellation of the city’s previous pricing order. That order had only taken effect Aug. 1, setting maximum charges of CZK 70 for the initial fare, CZK 42 per kilometer and CZK 7 per minute of waiting.

For international residents and visitors, the immediate consequence is that the former limits can no longer be treated as a ceiling for a metered journey. Prices may vary more widely, making it especially important to check the tariff before boarding.

Who authorized the change is now contested. The city’s published repeal notice attributes it to a decision by Prague’s leadership, but Deputy Mayor for Transport Jaromír Beránek disputes that a final political agreement was reached.

According to Zdopravy.cz, city spokesman Vít Hofman initially said Beránek had instructed the relevant department to cancel the pricing order. Beránek’s team subsequently said his letter requested preparation of a proposal for discussion in city commissions and committees, rather than its immediate implementation.

However, the outlet also reported that the letter referred to a leadership decision to end regulation. That leaves competing accounts of how the administrative action followed the political discussions.

Beránek told ČTK that coalition partners had not reached a unified position after talks with taxi representatives in the spring. He said the Department of Taxes, Fees and Prices had proceeded to repeal the regulation, a step he opposed and wanted reviewed promptly.

The uncertainty does not restore the old caps: the repeal has taken effect, while reversal remains an intention.

Tomáš Prouza, president of the Czech Confederation of Commerce and Tourism, warned that deregulation could enable excessive fares and damage Prague’s reputation. His prediction that journeys costing tens of thousands of crowns could emerge is a warning, rather than evidence of new incidents following the repeal.

App-booked services operate differently. Hofman told ČTK that price regulation for services such as Uber and Bolt had already been removed by the Finance Ministry at the beginning of 2025.

Prague’s reputation for taxi scams predates smartphone booking. In 2005, then-Mayor Pavel Bém disguised himself as a tourist and was charged several times the official rate during a journey to Prague Castle.

The city also tried designated “Fair Place” taxi stands, introduced in 2002 to help passengers find trustworthy services. By 2019, it was abandoning the scheme after concluding that the stands did not reliably protect customers.

As Expats.cz reported at the time, officials said only five of 24 mystery-shopping journeys from one stand near Wenceslas Square avoided deliberate overcharging. Those checks concerned a particular location and period, rather than the entire taxi industry.

Removing a price ceiling changes how passengers assess an expensive fare. A charge above the former maximum no longer, by itself, demonstrates a breach of that pricing order. It also gives operators greater freedom to set tariffs. Whether competition restrains prices or complaints increase will require evidence from journeys made under the new rules.

The repeal concerns pricing, rather than abolishing taxi regulation altogether. The Transport Ministry’s explanation of taxi rules describes separate requirements for registered vehicles, drivers, metered journeys and electronically booked rides.

There is also a communication problem: at the time of checking, Prague City Tourism’s English guidance still displayed older maximum fares, predating both August’s increase and October’s repeal. Passengers should therefore avoid relying on familiar figures in older guides.

Before taking a metered taxi, check the starting, distance and waiting charges and ask for an estimated total. For an app booking, review the quoted price before confirming. Keep the receipt and vehicle details if a dispute arises; Prague Airport’s complaint guidance directs passengers to taxi@praha.eu and recommends including the route, date, registration number and supporting documents.