The final price you've paid depends on the type of trip you booked with FREE NOW. The price you pay is itemized in the trip section of your app, and on your booking invoice, which you'll receive via email shortly after the completion of your trip.
Ride (PHV) Bookings
If you book a 'Ride' (PHV), your fare is fixed, meaning the base fare is not subject to change. However, this price is then subject to additional fees and surge pricing. These include:
- Cancellation fees - to compensate drivers for cancelled bookings (Sections A & B)
- Waiting fees - to compensate drivers for time spent waiting at the pickup point (Section C)
- Airport fees - to cover the cost of drop-off or pick-up at an airport (Section D)
- Central London Fee - applied to trips within the Central London congestion charge zone (Section D)
- Surge pricing - applied when there is high demand in a specific area and there aren't enough drivers to fulfil this demand. FREE NOW use surge pricing to attract more drivers to this area in order to minimize waiting time for passengers requesting trips
- Operating fee - to make sure we can continue to provide fast, safe and quality services and to cover regulatory costs. This is a variable fee which will be based on the distance, duration, user demand and other relevant factors of the passenger’s trip.
Ride Comfort
For the same distance and duration, your price will be 20% above regular rides, excluding all additional fees and tolls (Central London fee, Airport fees, etc.).
Taxi (Black Cab) Bookings
Taxi (Black Cab) booked via the FREE NOW app are subject to the metered in-cab fare, in line with the requirements of the local authority or regulatory body.
The estimates given in the app are an approximate fare, to give you a rough idea of the cost. These are just estimated as the final fare may vary depending on a number of factors such as the actual final destination, length of trip, weather, traffic, road closures, unforeseen conditions etc. The fare on the metre at the end of the trip is the correct and final fare.
For more details on the breakdown of a metered fare, tap here.
If you still don't understand the price you've paid or would like to speak to someone, reach out to our Passenger Care Team directly. They'll be happy to help!