European cities are still the most expensive cities to just jump into a taxi straight from the airport, according to a new report.

For millions of Brits heading off this summer to holiday destinations around the world, or for those who go on regular weekend breaks to mainland Europe, taking a taxi from the airport to a city centre hotel could be one of the biggest expenses of the holiday.

Research from travel money specialist Moneycorp looked at the cost of a taxi ride – not booked in advance – from some of the major international airports in Europe and the rest of the world, to the city centre.

The results revealed huge differences in price, even within mainland Europe, with taxi fares potentially adding hundreds of pounds onto the cost of a holiday or weekend break.

European destinations came out as the most expensive to just hail a cab from the airport to the city centre, with six out of top seven being in Europe and Copenhagen being the most expensive.

But top of the pile is Tokyo, Japan. A taxi ride from Tokyo Narita airport to the centre of the city, 66 km away, will set tourists back almost £200, or a cost per km of £2.90.

That’s in spite of sterling strengthening against the yen since last summer by more than 24%. Take a taxi both ways, and you could be looking at an eye-watering £400 additional expense on top of all your other holiday costs.

Tracey Tivnan, head of marketing for travel money at Moneycorp, said: “For those arriving late at night in unfamiliar territory, the last thing any of us want to do is navigate foreign transport systems. We want to get to our hotel as quickly as possible, with no hassle.

“This extra cost could make a large dent in your holiday budget if you’re not careful or prepared. If the airport to city centre taxi ride is particularly expensive, like in Tokyo, then taking the bus or train may be the only option – so it’s worth checking out the local transport system in advance.

“Alternatively, you might be able to book a taxi before you travel, which could be significantly cheaper than flagging down a taxi outside the airport.”

See below for a list of the most expensive and the cheapest airports to hail a taxi from…

The most expensive taxi rides, ranked by cost per km, from international airports to capital or major city centres:

AND the cheapest, by cost per km: 

source: moneycorp