Auckland 23rd most expensive city to taxi from CBD to airport

Taxis at Auckland Airport. New Zealand Herald Photograph by Brett Phibbs

Auckland is the 23rd most expensive city in the world to catch a cab from the CBD to the airport, according to a new survey.

But while many people baulk at the US$45.62 (NZ$60.83) cost for the 20km ride, spare a thought for the Japanese, who top the survey and pay US$189.91 (NZ$253.21) for the 71km taxi ride from downtown Tokyo to Narita Airport.

The next most expensive cities for taxi rides from the airport to the city are Milan US$101.62 (NZ$138.8) , Munich US$81.06 (NZ$110.72), Geneva US$79.44 (NZ$108.51), Nice US$72.45 (NZ$98.96), London US$72.31(NZ$96.41) and New York US$71.18 (NZ$94.90), according to the survey, conducted by Carspring, an online used car sales business based in the United Kingdom.

"Nothing beats the relief of hopping into a comfortable taxi," says Carspring chief executive Maximilian Vollenbroich, who acknowledges that in some cities taxis are unaffordable and in other cities tourists are at risk of being overcharged.

"We hope our research helps travellers prepare for safe, fun and budget-friendly travel in whatever ride best suits them," he said.

Herald research shows its costs from less than NZ$50 by Uber to more than NZ$80 by taxi to travel from the CBD to the airport. SkyBus costs from NZ$17 one-way and NZ$30 return. Auckland does not have rail to the airport.

The Carspring figures were based on averaging the cost at peak and off-peak times using a popular model of car. In Auckland's case, it was a Holden Commodore.

It is more expensive to travel from Auckland to the airport than it does in Sydney US$38.22 (NZ$50.96), but Sydney Airport is 9km south of the city, compared to 20km in Auckland.

A better comparison is Melbourne, a distance of 22km, where the cost of a taxi from the city to the airport is US$35.62 (NZ$47.49).

Many third world countries have cheap taxi rides from the city to the airport. Cairo is the cheapest US$0.55 cents (NZ$0.73 cents), followed by Mumbai US$1.40 (NZ$1.91) and Tunis US$1.62 (NZ$2.21).

The Carspring survey was done in US dollars and NZ figures have been converted by the Herald using current exchange rates.