Ever been slugged an outrageous fare when travelling from Sydney Airport to the CBD by taxi? This journalist has, with a trip last month from the airport to a downtown hotel to attend a conference resulting in a bill of over $90 for the 13km ride.

Turns out I’m not alone in being overcharged, with the NSW Point to Point Commission (P2PC) receiving frequent complaints of taxi drivers taking advantage of travellers.

In a bid to help protect travellers and the reputation of Sydney as Australia’s most populous and popular capital city to visit, the NSW Government recently announced it will introduce a 12-month trial of a flat rate taxi fare of $60 for the airport-CBD journey.

The move, which will commence on November 3, comes following a recommendation by the pricing watchdog, the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal, in its report into taxi fares in May. The trial will be assessed and made permanent if deemed a success.

Up to 5000 taxis queue daily to collect visitors from the international and domestic terminals, the government said in a statement.

Hotel concierges have reported their guests being slugged wildly overpriced fares of more than $150, and the practice of overcharging and refusing to use meters has even led to drivers reportedly touting for business inside the arrivals hall at the airport.

Minister for Transport John Graham said many visitors to Sydney have not received a fair go and it was time for change.

“One bad experience for tourists can ricochet around the world in 2025 and we must be vigilant about maintaining the good image Sydney has earned over decades,” Minister Graham said.

“It’s time for a fair fare, every time.”

The P2PC Commissioner has issued more than 1100 fines to taxi drivers since the introduction of the Taxi Fare Hotline in November 2022, including a $2000 fine this year to a Sydney cabbie for refusing to use the meter and slugging an overseas family with a $188.76 fare from the international terminal to a CBD hotel.

In my case, while I didn’t complain to the P2PC I did raise a fare query with the taxi firm, providing details from my receipt. This resulted in a quick response from the company that I’d been overcharged and a refund of $30 was payable. The driver was reportedly also reprimanded.

P2PC Commissioner Anthony Wing said the trial was about building trust in taxi services.

“The fixed fare trial puts Sydney on par with cities like New York and Paris and is an important step in improving the passenger experience for travellers to our city,” he said.

“More than 40 million people pass through Sydney Airport every year, and, for many, their first experience of Australia is when they get into a taxi. Knowing how much they will pay to get to the city is a positive step.”

The NSW taxi industry and Sydney Airport operators support a flat fare structure, which is used extensively overseas including at New York’s JFK Airport.

NSW Taxi Council CEO Nick Abrahim welcomed the announcement.

“We believe set fares will provide certainty and confidence for passengers when travelling in a taxi from the airport,” he said.

“Pending the success of the trial, we would like to see the set fares extended to other locations across Sydney, as well as reciprocated for trips coming back to the airport,” he concluded.