Zeli Rides
Taxi in Bonaire, with the price shown first.
Book a ride anywhere on the island from your phone. You see the fare before you confirm, you can pay by card or cash, and you can watch the car come to you on the map. No phone calls, no haggling at the kerb, no wondering what it should have cost.
What a ride costs
Every fare is a base fee plus a rate per kilometre, with a minimum for very short trips. These are the live rates — the same numbers the app quotes you.
| Vehicle | Base | Per km | Minimum | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EconomyEveryday rides around town | $8.00 | $3.00 | $10.50 | 4 |
| ComfortMore space and a smoother ride | $9.00 | $3.25 | $14.00 | 4 |
| PremiumThe nicest car available | $12.00 | $3.50 | $20.00 | 4 |
| XLGroups, dive gear and luggage | $15.00 | $4.25 | $24.00 | 10 |
A $1.50 platform fee is added to every ride. Paying cash adds $0.50; paying by card adds nothing. An extra stop on the way is $2.50.
A worked example. Kralendijk to Flamingo International Airport is about 2.55 km. In an Economy car that is $17.15 by card, before any time-of-day rate below.
When the rate changes
A few windows cost more, because that is when drivers are hardest to find. Whatever applies is already included in the price you are shown before you confirm — nothing is added afterwards.
- Peak HoursFare × 1.50
- Cruise Ship Mode+ $5.00 on the fare
- Night ModeFare × 1.20
Verified residents can apply for the Locals Discount, which takes 5% off the ride fare and exempts it from the cruise-day surcharge.
How to book
Open Zeli, drop your pickup pin and your destination, and pick a vehicle. You get the fare and the car type before you confirm. Once a driver accepts you can see their name, their car and where they are on the map, and you can message or call them without sharing your number.
Where Zeli goes
The whole island. Kralendijk and the cruise terminal, Flamingo International Airport, the hotel and dive-resort strip along the west coast, Rincon in the north, and Sorobon and Lac Bay in the east. Fares are worked out from distance, so anywhere is reachable — it simply costs what the distance costs.
Paying
Card in the app, or cash to the driver. Card is the cheaper of the two by $0.50, and it means there is nothing to settle at the end of the ride. Prices are in US dollars, which is the currency of the Caribbean Netherlands.
Arriving by air or sea
Landing at Flamingo? The airport transfer page explains where to meet your driver. Cruise passengers can book from the terminal the same way as anyone else.
Getting around Bonaire: common questions
- How much does a taxi cost in Bonaire?
- A Zeli Economy ride starts at $8.00 plus $3.00 per kilometre, with a minimum fare of $10.50. A typical Kralendijk-to-airport trip of about 2.55 km comes to roughly $17.15 including the platform fee. The exact price is shown before you confirm the booking.
- Is there Uber in Bonaire?
- No. Uber, Lyft and Bolt do not operate in Bonaire, which is why visitors often arrive expecting to open an app and find nothing there. Zeli is the island’s own ride app and works the same way: set your pickup and destination, see the fare before you confirm, pay by card or cash, and watch the car come to you on the map.
- How do I get from Flamingo International Airport to Kralendijk?
- It is about 2.55 km, roughly 9 minutes by road. Booking a Zeli car from the terminal costs about $17.15 in an Economy vehicle, and you can book it before you land so the driver is waiting when you clear the door.
- Can I book a taxi in Bonaire in advance?
- Yes. A ride can be scheduled from 30 minutes ahead up to 90 days out, which covers an early flight, a dive boat or a dinner reservation. You are quoted the fare at the time you book it.
- Can I pay a Bonaire taxi by card?
- Yes. Zeli takes card in the app or cash to the driver. Cash rides carry a $0.50 handling fee; card rides do not. Prices are in US dollars, the currency of the Caribbean Netherlands.
- How do you get around Bonaire without renting a car?
- Most of Kralendijk is walkable, and everything beyond it — the resorts along the west coast, Rincon in the north, Sorobon and Lac Bay in the east — is a short drive. Public transport on the island is limited, so visitors who are not renting a car generally move by taxi. Zeli prices those trips by distance and shows the fare before you book, so a run to the far end of the island is a known number rather than a negotiation.
- Does Zeli cover the whole island?
- Yes — Kralendijk, the cruise terminal, Flamingo International Airport, the hotel strip, Rincon, Sorobon, Lac Bay and the dive sites along the west coast. Fares are distance-based, so a longer trip simply costs more.
Landing or sailing in? The Bonaire airport transfer page covers meeting your driver at Flamingo International. Hungry once you get there? Zeli also runs food delivery and takeaway in Bonaire.