Argyll & Bute Council tariff · effective 22 April 2025
Rates & fare tariffs
Every fare on this site is quoted from the Argyll & Bute Council taxi tariff. Below is the full breakdown — council meter (T1/T2/T3), vehicle rate mapping, all surcharges and example fares for common Helensburgh routes.
Council metered tariff
Initial charge covers the first 860 yards. After that, every fraction of the tariff's subsequent-yard step adds £0.25 to the meter.
| Tariff | When it applies | Initial | Then £0.25 per |
|---|---|---|---|
| T1Tariff 1 — Day | 07:00–22:00, Mon–Sat (standard daytime hire) | £3.80 | 176 yards |
| T2Tariff 2 — Night / Sunday & Bank Holiday | 22:00–07:00 any day, plus all day Sunday and public holidays | £4.55 | 150 yards |
| T3Tariff 3 — Christmas & New Year | 18:00 24 Dec → 06:00 27 Dec, and 18:00 31 Dec → 06:00 2 Jan | £5.31 | 120 yards |
Vehicle rate mapping
Which council tariff each vehicle type is charged at.
| Vehicle | Seats | Council tariff | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saloon | Up to 4 | Saloon meter (T1 / T2 / T3) | Standard council metered fare for the applicable time window. |
| Estate | Up to 4 | Saloon meter (T1 / T2 / T3) | Saloon-equivalent — extra luggage capacity at no fare uplift. |
| Executive saloon | Up to 4 | Saloon meter (T1 / T2 / T3) | Premium vehicle at the standard saloon tariff. |
| 6-seater | Up to 6 | Large mini-bus tariff | Always charged at the council large mini-bus rate — see the large mini-bus rules below. |
| 8-seater MPV / mini-bus | Up to 8 | Large mini-bus tariff | Always large mini-bus rate. Local Helensburgh hires: +100% on the saloon meter. Distance hires: council scale-up one tariff step. |
| WAV — LTI TX4 / Mercedes Vito | Up to 7 | ≤ 4 passengers → saloon · > 4 → minibus | Wheelchair accessibility is free of charge. Passenger count decides which council tariff branch applies. |
Surcharges & adjustments
Applied on top of the council meter where relevant.
Pre-booking / phone-hire surcharge
£0.40Every quote — all our journeys are pre-booked (council tariff).
Airport pickup / drop-off fee
£10When either endpoint of the journey is an airport.
Airport meet & greet
£25Optional add-on on airport jobs — driver waits inside arrivals with a name board.
8-seater / MPV local Helensburgh doubling
+100%8-seater MPV or 6-seater on a LOCAL Helensburgh & Lomond hire (both pickup and dropoff inside the local area). Saloon meter is doubled.
Large mini-bus distance scale-up
Bumped one tariff step8-seater / 6-seater on a DISTANCE hire. T1 → T2 rates, T2 → T3 rates. In a T3 window the meter stays at T3 and a small flat uplift applies.
Example fares
Indicative fares for common Helensburgh routes. Final quote confirmed before your journey via the instant fare estimator.
| Route | Vehicle | From | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Helensburgh ↔ Glasgow Airport | Saloon (up to 4) | £50 | Plus £10 airport pickup/drop fee. Add £25 for meet & greet. |
| Helensburgh ↔ Glasgow Airport | 8-seater MPV | £95 | Distance hire — large mini-bus scale-up applied. Plus £10 airport fee. |
| Helensburgh ↔ Edinburgh Airport | Saloon (up to 4) | £110 | Plus £10 airport pickup/drop fee. £25 optional meet & greet. |
| Helensburgh ↔ Loch Lomond (Luss / Balloch) | Saloon (up to 4) | £25 | Distance hire — no local doubling applies. |
| Local Helensburgh, Rhu, Cardross short hop | Saloon (up to 4) | £6 | Council meter from £3.80 initial (T1) plus distance run. |
| Local Helensburgh area | 8-seater MPV / 6-seater | £12 | Local hire — saloon meter is doubled (+100%). |
| Helensburgh ↔ Oban | Saloon (up to 4) | £180 | Distance hire — quoted on council meter for the run. |
| Helensburgh ↔ Campbeltown | Saloon (up to 4) | £230 | Long distance — pre-booked only. Return quotes available. |