Prepaid Taxi Service

Rs 500 on the slip means you pay Rs 500, period

At Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL), the Prepaid Taxi Service runs from official counters in the arrivals halls of T1, T2, and T3, where you pay a fixed fare up front before getting into the cab. The counter staff quote from a government-approved chart, so a run into central Delhi (Connaught Place area) typically lands around Rs 400–600 depending on time and car type. You pay at the counter, get a printed slip with the amount and taxi number, and hand that to the driver outside.

The counters sit inside the terminal, just after customs in T3 and near baggage belts in T1 and T2, with boards listing zones and fares by area name and PIN code. They operate 24/7 to match late-night international banks into T3 and the early-morning domestic banks in T1. You can usually choose between non-AC and AC options; AC cabs cost roughly 15–20% more, but in May at 40°C that’s money well spent.

Payment is mostly cash in Indian rupees, and many counters accept cards, though the POS terminals have a reputation for being patchy after midnight. Expect a base minimum fare in the Rs 150–200 range even for very short hops, rising by distance band. Once you’ve paid, the clerk prints a slip showing origin (e.g., “IGI T3”), destination (like “Karol Bagh”), and total amount, which you keep until you reach your hotel or apartment.

The taxi line itself starts just outside arrivals at each terminal, usually in Lane 2 in front of T3 and the signed “Prepaid Taxi” area near the domestic stands at T1 and T2. Hand the slip to the dispatcher, who matches you with a cab by number plate, then give only the smaller customer copy to the driver at the end of the ride. Tipping is low-key here; rounding up Rs 20–50 on a Rs 500 fare is standard, not 10–15%.

Watch out for anyone inside or just outside arrivals trying to walk you away from the official counters to a “friend’s taxi” and quoting “meter rates” or “government taxi” without showing the prepaid slip; if the sign above the counter doesn’t list Delhi Traffic Police or Delhi Government with a license number, skip it. For late-night landings after 23:00 into T3, queues at the counter can stretch 10–15 minutes, so factor that in if you still have a 40–60 minute drive into town ahead.

One simple tip: before you leave the counter, take a quick photo of your prepaid slip and the taxi number printed on it so if you drop the paper in a 35°C parking lot, you still have every detail you need.