Taxi fares in St. Thomas are charged per person, not per vehicle. That one fact catches out more visitors than anything else about getting around the island, because a fare quoted for a destination is what one passenger pays, not what a family of four pays between them.
Rates are set by the Virgin Islands Taxicab Commission and approved by the Virgin Islands Legislature. Taxis are not metered. There is no Uber or Lyft on St. Thomas.
How St. Thomas Taxi Fares Work
Fares are fixed by destination and published as an official tariff. Every licensed taxi must display the rate card, titled Island of St. Thomas Motor Vehicles For Hire Official Minimum/Maximum Rates, where passengers can see it.
The per-person rate falls when two or more people travel together, and the difference is large enough to matter on a family arrival. Work out the total for your own party before you agree to anything.
Most airport taxis are shared multi-destination vans carrying eight to twelve passengers. Sharing is the standard arrangement here rather than a cheaper option you ask for, and it means the van may drop other passengers before it reaches you.
A taxi exclusively for your own party is priced separately in the tariff and costs considerably more. Agree it before you set off.
Destinations not named in the tariff are priced from the nearest listed destination.
Operators who charge above or below the official tariff can be cited by the Commission’s enforcement officers, so the card is the rate and there is nothing to haggle over.
Where to Find the Official Rates
The rate card inside the vehicle is the authority. Ask the driver for it if it is not displayed where you can read it.
Fare tables published on travel websites, this one included, go out of date between tariff revisions and are worth nothing in a dispute at the other end. A figure you read online is a rough expectation. The card is the price.
For the current schedule or to check a fare in advance, contact the Virgin Islands Taxicab Commission on 340-774-0828. The office is open Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 17:00.
On a longer stay with several journeys a day, run the per-person arithmetic against a week of car rental before assuming taxis are the cheaper option. For two people making one transfer each way they usually are. For four people moving around the island daily they usually are not.
Where to Find a Taxi at the Airport
Taxi stands sit directly outside the terminal doors, past baggage claim. Follow the signs for taxis. The airport map shows the rank in relation to the exits, and the terminal guide covers the building itself.
A coordinator works the rank and directs arriving passengers to the right vehicle, because vans fill by destination rather than by queue position. Waiting your turn in line is not always how you board.
Taxis meet scheduled arrivals rather than running to a timetable, so a vehicle is normally waiting when a mainland flight lands. Late-evening arrivals thin out along with the schedule.
Give the driver the full address. If you are staying in a villa or apartment, have it written down. Some driveways on the island are too narrow for a van, and the driver may set you down at the nearest point a vehicle can reach. The hotels page covers where the main accommodation areas sit.
What to Check Before You Get In
Confirm the total fare for everyone in your party before the bags go in. This is the Port Authority’s own advice and it is the single thing that prevents an argument at the other end.
Look for a dome light and the letters TP on the licence plate. Those mark an officially licensed taxi. Vehicles without them are not covered by the tariff and may charge whatever they like.
Carry cash in small notes. Card acceptance is inconsistent and a good number of drivers take cash only.
A per-bag charge applies for luggage on top of the fare. Ask for it at the same time as the fare rather than discovering it on arrival. Note the driver’s identification or licence number from the dashboard. That is what you will need if something is left in the vehicle. Tipping is customary rather than required, at roughly 10 to 15 percent.
Booking Ahead
Booking a private transfer in advance fixes the price, puts a driver at the door on arrival and removes the queue at the rank. It costs more than a shared van, which is the trade.
When booking, supply the arrival date and flight time, the number of passengers, the number of bags, the full destination address and the vehicle type. Sedans take one to three passengers, minivans four to six, and safari vehicles handle larger groups and tours.
Taxi Contacts
Virgin Islands Taxi Association, the airport operator: 340-774-4550
East End Taxi: 340-775-6974
Complaints, with the licence plate number, go to the Virgin Islands Taxicab Commission on 340-693-4211.
Frequently Asked Questions
Per person. The Virgin Islands Taxicab Commission sets a per-passenger rate for each destination, and that rate drops when two or more people travel together. Reading a quoted fare as a total for the whole party is the most common mistake visitors make. Requesting a taxi exclusively for your group is priced separately and costs more.
No. Neither Uber nor Lyft operates on St. Thomas. Ground transport is licensed taxis working to a fixed government tariff, mostly shared multi-destination vans, plus rental cars and pre-booked private transfers. Fares are agreed before the journey rather than calculated by an app or a meter.
On the rate card displayed inside every licensed taxi, titled Island of St. Thomas Motor Vehicles For Hire Official Minimum/Maximum Rates. Ask the driver if it is not visible. The Virgin Islands Taxicab Commission sets the schedule and can be reached on 340-774-0828 during office hours.
Some do, but many are cash only. Carry US dollars in small notes, particularly for short runs where a driver may not have change for a large bill. Card acceptance varies by operator rather than being standard, so ask before the journey rather than at the destination.