Kolkata Yellow Taxi

হলুদ ট্যাক্সি

Also known as The Ambassador taxi.

The yellow Ambassador cab, as much a symbol of the city as Howrah Bridge.

About Kolkata Yellow Taxi

For more than sixty years the yellow taxi has been the colour of Kolkata’s streets. The cars are Hindustan Ambassadors, built at Uttarpara just across the river on the lines of a 1950s British saloon: round, roomy, with a bench seat in front and a meter on the bonnet. The Ambassador went out of production in 2014, and the rule that commercial vehicles must retire at fifteen years is taking the old cabs off the road in large numbers, so every year there are fewer. The state has kept the yellow colour alive on newer cars, but a ride in an original Ambassador is becoming a rare thing.

Why visit

A ride in a piece of living history that may not be on the road much longer.

What to see and do

The curved bonnet, bench seat and old mechanical meter
A slow ride down Red Road or across Howrah Bridge
Rows of yellow cabs at the Howrah station and Esplanade stands

Plan your visit

Area: Esplanade & New Market, Central Kolkata
Nearest landmark: Taxi stands at Esplanade, Howrah station and Sealdah station
Best time: Morning, evening or night. October to March is the most comfortable time of year.
Time needed: About 30 minutes
Cost: Usually under ₹500 a head
Entry: Open to everyone: a street, ghat, market or park you can walk into. Public metered taxis, hailed on the street or at stands. Fares are set by the state and revised from time to time: the current fare is not currently verified.
Metro: Esplanade (Blue and Green Lines)
Walking: Little walking
Photography: Good for photography. Ask the driver before photographing him or the inside of the cab.

Tip

Ask the driver to go by the meter, or use the prepaid taxi booth at Howrah or Sealdah station. For photographs, ask the driver first.

Nearby and related places

Kolkata Tram: The last tramway in India, running since 1873.
Howrah Bridge: The cantilever bridge that is the city’s emblem.
The Maidan: The great open ground at the centre of the city.
Dacres Lane: The office district’s lunch alley.
New Market (Hogg Market): A Victorian market hall of 1874 with a clock tower.
Nizam’s: The restaurant credited with inventing the kathi roll.

More guides

Last checked on 2026-10-02. Each place was checked to exist and its position confirmed. Timings, closing days and ticket prices are shown only where known and can change: confirm before you travel.