Hamburg under scrutiny: How much flexibility is coming to the collective bargaining corridor?

In the first year, a uniform fixed price will apply, composed of the base fare, the per‑kilometer rate, an average waiting‑time surcharge of around 12% and a rounding‑up factor to whole euros. This gives passengers price certainty – and taxi operators can plan for reliable revenues. But it won’t stop at a fixed price alone. In the second year, the plan is to become flexible – via a fare corridor. That means surcharges are possible – initially only up to 20% upwards, later also up to 20% downwards. According to the authority, three variants are on the table:

• Fixed price without corridor
• Fixed price with upward‑only corridor
• Fixed price with corridor downward and upward

Research partners Statistikamt Nord, Nuts One and Prof. Andreas Knie will analyze how these variants affect demand, shift and hourly revenues. Dirk Ritter from the authority emphasizes that the corridor is not intended as a vehicle for price dumping, but as a future model for demand‑responsive pricing by taxi companies and intermediaries.

With this, Hamburg is opening up to market mechanisms—without carelessly relinquishing control over fares. Transparency is preserved, because all deviations must be clearly documented and communicated. And the corridor is initially to allow only surcharges—only after a successful trial will there, if applicable, be scope to go downward.

For taxi operators, this means: observe, help shape, respond

The fixed prices are being introduced with QR codes in the taxi, digital price information, and a clearly communicated base tariff (€4.50 base fare, €2.70/km up to 9 km, above that €2.00/km). The grace minute is eliminated, making waiting times visibly more expensive for the passenger—and equally more calculable for the operator.

In the first year, the focus is on smooth implementation. Platforms, dispatchers and operators must learn to program the fixed price correctly into the taximeter—whether manually or automatically. Those who are flexible can later offer targeted add-on services (e.g., wheelchair-accessible vehicles or particularly quiet rides) for a surcharge—provided this is documented transparently and in a verifiable way.

Hamburg sees the price corridor as a way to break away from the rigid tariff and meet future requirements. For taxi operators who respond flexibly and make use of data feedback, a new playing field could open up – for example for special transport requests or to maximize utilization during off-peak hours. Whether that actually works remains to be seen – at the latest after the research group has evaluated the data.

The rigid tariff can no longer meet the needs of taxi operators with different business models, explains Dirk Ritter, head of the transport trade supervision authority of the Hanseatic city:

“In future, taxi companies, together with their dispatchers - as with almost all other services - will, within limits, have to set prices themselves, but will also be able to do so.”