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Munich Administrative Court Overturns Minimum Fares for Ride-Sharing Services
Munich, October 8, 2026 – The Administrative Court of Munich has overturned the minimum fare regulations for ride-sharing services like Uber and Bolt in the Bavarian capital. The court issued five preliminary injunctions, ruling that several companies are not required to adhere to the minimum prices set by the City of Munich via a general decree. The main proceedings are still pending.
The general decree, which came into effect in July, stipulated that prices for ride-sharing services should be based on the taxi tariff established by the City of Munich. This tariff, applicable even for journeys originating or ending outside the city area, currently includes a basic fare of 5.90 Euros, plus 2.70 Euros per kilometer. Prior to this, the average cost for ride-sharing services was approximately 40 percent lower than taxi fares.
Court: General Decree ‘Likely Unlawful Overall’
“The responsible chamber concluded, based on the standards applicable in preliminary injunction proceedings, that the general decree is likely unlawful overall because the state capital issued it for an area outside its jurisdiction and the unlawful part is not separable,” the court announced. The minimum fares applied to journeys that started or ended outside the Munich city area.
One of the reasons for the initial introduction of the minimum fares was the findings of the main customs office in Munich, which reported that ride-sharing providers “almost universally violated labor and social security regulations.” The minimum wage law was also regularly disregarded. This led to protests by taxi drivers, who demanded fair competition and minimum prices.
The Bundesverband wirfahren, which represents the interests of taxi and ride-sharing platforms, welcomed the decision. “As a similar decision regarding minimum prices in Cologne has already shown, municipalities exceed their competencies when they want to set minimum prices for journeys outside their city area,” the association stated. Uber also felt vindicated, asserting that minimum price regulations are not legally sustainable and calling on the City of Munich to completely withdraw the general decree.
Bolt: Market in Munich Collapsed
According to ride-sharing provider Bolt, demand plummeted by 44 percent in the month following the new regulation. “Within a few weeks, almost an entire year of market growth was wiped out,” the company stated. “At the same time, around 40,000 journeys simply no longer took place – an indication that many people completely forewent this mobility option due to the higher prices.”
The Munich District Administrative Department (KVR) conducted spot checks to ensure compliance with the new regulation but did not disclose the results due to ongoing legal proceedings. According to a “market observation” by taxi broker Freenow, “around 50 percent of the offered rides did not adhere to the legal minimum price and illegally undercut it.” There were significant differences between providers.
However, taxi companies informed the city that the effects of the minimum fares were “slightly noticeable for taxi companies,” according to the KVR. Taxi broker Freenow, on the other hand, spoke of a “clear, positive effect on the traditional taxi business.”
Wirfahren Association Welcomes Decision
The wirfahren association criticized the introduction of minimum prices in general: “They create considerable legal uncertainty, thereby endangering jobs and entrepreneurial livelihoods in the rental car industry. Furthermore, citizens would be burdened.” The City of Munich should use the decision as an opportunity to re-engage in discussions about solutions for urban traffic challenges, rather than resorting to invasive market interventions like minimum prices.
Similar lawsuits against restrictions for ride-sharing services, such as those in Munich, have already been filed in Leipzig and Cologne.
Source: dpa
