The Macau government has announced it will increase taxi fares from this Thursday 7 February, raising the starting taxi-rate to MOP$21 and reducing the travel distance on taximeters to 220 meters.
This follows a member of the Macau taxi industry recently revealing to local media that it intended to increase the starting fare of taxis during the new year. The Macau Transport Consultative Committee discussed the subject last Friday although Director of the Transportation Bureau, Lam Hin San, had stated there was no timetable for the taxi-fare increase to be finalized.
However, the Macau Government announced in the Official Gazette on Wednesday that fares would rise from Thursday.
Under the new fate system, the starting fare will rise from MOP$19 to MOP$21, while reducing the travel distance on taximeters from 240 meters to 220 meters and the taxi waiting time from 60 seconds to 55 seconds.
The surcharge for rides from Macau Airport, Taipa Ferry Terminal, the HZMB Zhuhai-Macau Boundary Crossing and the Hengqin Boundary Crossing will also increase from MOP$5 to MOP$8.
Regarding this fare increase, the Transportation Bureau said, “After listening to the taxi industry’s demands and proposed options, and with reference to the 2017 taxi fare adjustment, and after balancing factors such as residents’ affordability and the taxi trade’s pressures on operating costs, the Transportation Bureau proposed to make adjustments to the cab fares after discussing them with the Macau Transport Consultative Committee.”
The last time Macau raised taxi fares was in July 2017, when the starting fare was raised from MOP$17 to MOP$19.
Nevertheless, it is unlikely such a rise will be received well by the public given the well-known dissatisfaction over taxi availability and service. According to 2023 taxi malpractice data, there were 168 cases of taxis refusing hire, 34 cases of overcharging and 96 complaints of impoliteness.
In the January issue of IAG’s monthly magazine, IAG asked tourists for their views on taxis, with many dissatisfied over waiting times.
