Delhi Airport Prepaid Taxi vs Uber: Cost & Pickup
Prepaid taxi or Uber/Ola from Delhi Airport? Fixed tariff vs app fares, where each picks up at T1, T2 and T3, and which is easier by day and late at night.
Prepaid taxi wins on price certainty, Uber/Ola usually win on daytime price and comfort. A prepaid cab to Connaught Place costs a little over ₹300 plus baggage and night charges on the fixed police tariff; Uber Go runs ₹600–950 off-peak but surges past ₹1,000 after midnight. Metro at ₹60 beats both when it is running — see the full airport transfer comparison.
Cost: Fixed Tariff vs App Fare
Prepaid (Delhi Traffic Police tariff): non-AC ₹40 first km + ₹17 per km after; AC ₹20 per km; +25% at night (11 PM–5 AM); ₹15 per bag; ₹15 service charge; tolls extra. The counter calculates it and prints a slip — traffic jams don't change it. The current sheet lives at traffic.delhipolice.gov.in.
Uber/Ola: quoted in-app. Off-peak T3→CP typically ₹600–950; 11 PM–2 AM surge pushes ₹1,050–1,400, and the quote bundles ~₹150 airport parking/entry plus small fees. No haggling, but no ceiling either.
Rule of thumb: off-peak day arrival with light bags → app cab is often cheaper and nicer. Midnight arrival, peak-hour jam, or no working SIM → prepaid slip wins on certainty.
Pickup Locations by Terminal
| Terminal | Prepaid counter | App-cab pickup |
|---|---|---|
| T3 | Inside arrivals hall, before the exit — pay, take the printed slip, hand it to the driver outside | Multi-level car park / across-the-road pickup zone — follow the in-app directions to the help desk, not anyone shouting "Uber" inside |
| T1 | Outside arrivals zone | Outside arrivals zone — DIAL lists app cabs, prepaid and rentals 24/7 |
| T2 | Outside arrivals zone | Outside arrivals zone, same setup as T1 |
Two scripts to reject: "your cab is upstairs at departures" (app pickups are at arrivals, never departures) and any driver asking you to cancel the app trip for a "direct better price" — cancel that driver and rebook. Full scripts in the airport taxi scams guide.
Which Is Easier, by Situation
- First trip, daytime, family + suitcases: prepaid — one counter, one slip, no app or OTP needed, driver assigned on the spot.
- Solo, daytime, working SIM: Uber/Ola — live tracking, shareable trip, usually cheaper off-peak.
- After 11:30 PM: prepaid for certainty or app cab from the signed bay with plate + OTP verified. Never follow anyone to departures. See the late-night arrival guide.
- 5–8 PM peak: both sit in the same jam — if the metro runs your route, the ₹60 Airport Express beats a ₹900 cab that takes twice as long.
- No Indian SIM / no UPI: prepaid — it takes cash and needs no phone beyond showing your hotel address.
“Landing Delhi T3 at 1 AM with two suitcases, hotel in CP. Prepaid taxi or Uber — what fare and where exactly do I go?”
FAQ
How much is a taxi from Delhi Airport to Connaught Place? Prepaid: a little over ₹300 non-AC plus bags/service/night charges on the police tariff. Uber Go: roughly ₹600–950 off-peak, more at night.
Where is Uber pickup at Delhi Airport T3? The marked pickup zone across the road / multi-level car park — follow the app's directions to the help desk after exiting arrivals.
Is prepaid taxi safe at Delhi Airport? Yes when bought at the counter inside the terminal — fixed slip, recorded driver. See are prepaid taxis safe.
Does Uber surge at Delhi Airport at night? Yes — 11 PM–2 AM commonly runs 1.6–2x. Prepaid's fixed slip is immune.
Sources
- Delhi Traffic Police — prepaid taxi fare chart, IGI T2/T3 (PDF)
- DIAL — cab and taxi services at T1/T2/T3
- Uber — Delhi Airport pickup directions
Last verified: 2026-09-18. Tariffs revise periodically — glance at the police chart linked above before you fly.
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