Should I Charge Separately for Travel?

Charge separately for travel when distance varies enough to materially change the cost of a booking. If most work is local, include a clearly defined radius in the package and add a transparent charge outside it. The method matters less than recovering the real cost consistently.

Travel costs more than fuel

Fuel is only one part of travel. A business vehicle also incurs servicing, tyres, insurance, depreciation and repairs. Event work can add parking, tolls, ferries, congestion charges, overnight stays and paid travel time for staff.

For the 2026 to 2027 tax year, HMRC’s approved mileage amount for cars and vans is 55p per mile for the first 10,000 business miles and 25p thereafter. That is a tax benchmark, not a compulsory customer price and not proof of your actual vehicle cost. Calculate the rate your business needs.

Calculate the complete journey

Use round-trip mileage, not the distance shown in a one-way venue search. Add collection or warehouse travel if it forms part of the job. Then add parking and paid staff travel time.

Choose a pricing method

A local-radius model is easy for customers to understand: travel included within 25 or 35 miles, then a stated rate or quote beyond it. Zone pricing is also simple, such as local, regional and extended travel. Exact mileage pricing is more accurate but requires the address before the total is known.

For distant or unusual venues, provide a bespoke travel figure. Ferry timetables, city-centre parking, accommodation and long staff days do not fit neatly into a mileage-only rule.

Keep the customer price clear

If a travel charge is mandatory and can be calculated before booking, disclose it with the total rather than introducing it after the customer has committed. UK price-transparency guidance requires businesses to avoid hiding unavoidable charges until late in the purchase process.

A clear statement might say: “Package prices include travel within 35 miles of Greenock. We will confirm any additional travel charge before you book.” The final quote should then show the applicable amount and total.

Know when to include travel in the package

Including average local travel can make pricing simpler and reduce small calculations. It works when your service area is compact and journey costs do not vary much. It is less suitable when jobs range from ten miles away to two hundred miles away.

Whichever method you choose, track travel cost and travel revenue separately. If long-distance work has a lower margin than local work, the data will tell you whether to increase the charge, narrow the area or set a higher minimum booking value. How much should I charge for a photo booth shows where travel sits in the overall price, and how much profit per event shows what it leaves behind.

Use the CalcProfits photo booth pricing and profit calculator to combine round-trip mileage, parking, staff travel time and venue-specific costs.