If your journey goes through central London, the car you are travelling in may have to pay the Congestion Charge, and possibly the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) charge as well. With a minicab, the passenger does not pay these charges directly, but they can affect the fare. This guide explains which charges apply, what changed in 2026, and how to make sure you know the full price before you travel.
The Congestion Charge in 2026
The Congestion Charge covers central London, including the City, the West End and the area around Westminster. According to Transport for London (TfL), the charge applies from 7am to 6pm Monday to Friday, and from 12 noon to 6pm at weekends and on bank holidays. There is no charge between Christmas Day and the New Year’s Day bank holiday.
From 2 January 2026 the daily charge rose to £18 if paid on the day or in advance, or £21 if paid within three days of travel. It is a daily charge, so a car that enters the zone several times in one day pays once.
Do minicabs pay the Congestion Charge?
Yes. Licensed private hire vehicles, which is what minicabs are, lost their exemption in 2019. A minicab that enters the zone during charging hours pays the daily charge like any other car.
The only exception is a private hire vehicle licensed as wheelchair accessible, which is exempt when carrying out a booking for a TfL-licensed operator.
Electric cars used to be exempt too, but the 100% Cleaner Vehicle Discount ended on 25 December 2025. Since January 2026, electric cars pay a reduced charge of £13.50 a day if they are registered for TfL’s Auto Pay. So an electric minicab now pays as well, just less.
Do black cabs pay it?
No. London’s licensed taxis, the black cabs, are exempt from the Congestion Charge while they are licensed by TfL. That is one of the differences between black cabs and minicabs, and it is one reason the two are priced differently for central London journeys.
What about ULEZ?
The Ultra Low Emission Zone covers all of Greater London and runs 24 hours a day, every day except Christmas Day. Cars that do not meet its emissions standards pay £12.50 a day. ULEZ is separate from the Congestion Charge, so a non-compliant car in central London would pay both.
In practice, licensed minicabs in London are almost always ULEZ-compliant, because the vehicles used for private hire are newer, cleaner cars. If you are booking a minicab, ULEZ is unlikely to affect your fare.
How the charges affect your fare
Because the minicab, not the passenger, pays the Congestion Charge, operators deal with it in different ways:
- some include it in a fixed fare quoted when you book
- some add it as a separate line when the journey enters the zone during charging hours
- some include it only for journeys that start or end inside the zone
None of these is wrong, but you should know which applies before you travel. When you book a journey that passes through central London on a weekday, or a weekend afternoon, ask whether the quoted fare includes the Congestion Charge.
Timing can make a difference too. A journey that enters the zone at 6.30pm, or before 7am on a weekday, does not trigger the charge at all.
Journeys where it often comes up
- Airport transfers through central London. A route from north London to Gatwick, for example, may pass through the zone depending on the route the driver takes.
- Business journeys in the City and West End. Regular account travel in the zone is worth discussing with the operator, so charges are handled consistently on invoices.
- Station transfers. King’s Cross, St Pancras, Euston, Paddington, Waterloo and Liverpool Street are all in or on the edge of the zone.
Fixed fares with Abetta
Abetta quotes fixed fares with no hidden charges, so the price you are given when you book is the price you pay. You can book online, through the Abetta app or by phone on 020 8445 1111. See our London minicab services, and for regular business travel, our business accounts.
