The price of the taxi was to be only five euros. (6.9 Ce plaindre)

The price of the taxi was to be only five euros.

Shouldn't it be "the price of the fare or ride was to be only five euros". Is it another one of those "relaxed" conversational style? To me the statement clearly said that the price of the taxi (car) is 5 euros. 

Hmm...maybe it's a regional thing, but for me, it doesn't pose a rupture to say "the cost of a cab ride/fare" or just "the cost of a cab/taxi". But you have a good point, if I'm talking about cab rides, it's usually in an informal context. :)

I thought the taxi driver is not a familiar person so the conversation should be more formal and not informal, and then of course the regional differences as you pointed out.

In San Francisco before GPS I was told to "hang a right or left" where as in the New England area we said to bear right or left. If it was a 90 degree turn then both coasts would say "turn". 

I have never bothered to ask about the fare at all if I was in a city, any city in the world; they have meters as the driver in the lesson pointed out,  "c'est au compteur". I live in a small town; taxis don't have meters, just a "livery plate" so they charged me differently for the same distance. I would pay regardless of course but I liked to know so when I hopped into the car I asked the driver, "What is the fare (from the railroad station) to (my house) address?" I can't think of any other way to ask.  Another I am NOT thinking in French yet moment :(

Oh, I see. In this case, you can use «langage courant» (everyday). It just needs to be "respectful" (using vous), not necessarily «langage soutenue» (formal).

You could just ask: Bonjour, pour aller à ..., c'est combien, plus ou moins ?

Oops, «soutenu» (langage is masculine). Sucks not being able to edit. :(

I use addendum now that we can't edit. 

Thanks again for your clarification on nuance. I learned 2 new vocab and their distinctions. 

merci mille fois