The cost of the same taxi ride during the day can vary by hundreds of hryvnias. Rates most often increase during rush hours, adverse weather, transportation disruptions, and after mass events. Previously, Uklon explained price spikes due to a shortage of available cars. This is reported by Novyny.LIVE.
When Taxi is Most Expensive During the Day
There is no single hour when a taxi is guaranteed to be the most expensive. Services use dynamic pricing: the algorithm takes into account the number of orders and available cars in a particular area.
The highest demand is usually observed from 07:00 to 10:00, when people are commuting to work, school, and train stations. The second risky interval is approximately from 16:30 to 19:30, when the evening rush hour begins.
The fare can increase sharply after concerts, football matches, and other mass events. Hundreds of people try to leave one area simultaneously, while the number of available drivers remains limited.
A similar situation arises during heavy rain, snowfall, or icy conditions. Demand for cars increases, while some drivers may refuse to work due to difficult driving conditions.
Another factor is public transport disruptions. When the metro, buses, or trolleys temporarily stop operating, some passengers switch to taxis. During power outages in the capital, fares have already risen to 637 UAH on certain routes.
The Price Difference for One Ride Can Exceed 250 UAH
A notable comparison is the taxi rates in Kyiv in June 2025. An Uklon ride from Pozniaky to Khreshchatyk in the morning cost 388 UAH, while the same route in the opposite direction around 17:30 was already valued at 642 UAH.
The difference was 254 UAH, or about 65%. Meanwhile, Uber and Bolt on the same route showed a different trend. Thus, the claim that a specific service is always more expensive in the evening is incorrect.
In January 2026, during transportation issues in Kyiv, the route from Livoberezhna to Sophiivska Borshchahivka cost from 914 UAH in Uklon and from 1094 UAH in Bolt.
Even sharper price spikes are possible during emergencies. Previously, in Kyiv, during air raids, taxis became several times more expensive: on certain routes, the price exceeded 1500 UAH.
How to Pay Less for a Taxi
The main reason for the difference is dynamic pricing. When there are more orders than available drivers, the algorithm increases the fare. This is meant to incentivize more drivers to accept orders or come to areas with high demand.
Therefore, it should not be relied upon that yesterday's fare will be similar today. Before ordering, it is better to check the current rate in several services. Algorithms operate independently, so differences between apps can be significant.
If the trip is not urgent, you can update the price after a few minutes. When demand decreases or nearby available cars appear, the surge pricing may disappear.
After a concert or match, it may also be advantageous to wait a bit or move away from the most crowded areas. However, during air raids, bad weather, or other emergencies, delaying an important trip just to save money is not advisable.