Haggling or negotiating are one of the key skills that makes one a good traveler. It could be haggling while buying a souvenir in some touristy destination. It could also be negotiating for a hotel room price. The point is that the moment you feel that you were overcharged for any experience during your trip, it is going to tarnish your overall experience. You are going to feel bad, you are going to feel cheated, you will feel that world is unfair, and the locals of that destination are just good at one thing that is to rip you off your money. To avoid any such thoughts, it’s better to take charge, and pay the amount for services that you feel right to be.
Commuting in your travel destination is one of the key areas where lots of scamming happens, and it requires travelers to be apt with negotiating skills. Right from taking taxis to reach your hotel from the airport, to booking a taxi for city tour, you are going to need these modes of transportation. The catch is, that if you are not cautious, then you will end up paying more in most of the times.
In this blog, we are going to list some tips to get you the best fare from taxi drivers while travelling. Make note of these and you will be a one happy traveler.
1 – Research local taxi prices
Getting dressed up, munching a bite, and then storming out of your hotel to take the first ride that you see, while believing that everything is fair in this world, is something that is done by amateur travelers. If you are not aware about local taxi price, then be assured that the man behind the wheels is going to charge you more. The point is to always research about the local taxi prices.
You can do this easily by searching on Google. It is a high possibility that you will not get direct fares from one point to another, but then we assure you that you will least get tariffs about per kilometers in that destination. This should be enough. Rest you can easily calculate average distance from any point of the destination to another point, and then do some Mathematics to calculate the fair applied. This way you will know the average price it takes from your hotel to that touristy spot. This is a kind of hard work that you will have to do before catching any ride, but it truly is worth it.
2 – Prepaid Taxi at Airports or Stations
The perks of travelling to a developed nation or a popular touristy destination are that you will always find a Prepaid Taxi Counters over there. These prepaid taxi counters are run by the government bodies in collaboration with taxi unions. If you are unsure about how much to pay for a taxi to reach your hotel, then this is the counter you should be headed to. The man behind the counter will ask you about the destination, and will tell you a fare that applies. This fair is the final price and you need not to pay anything extra to the taxi driver. It is as simple as that.
You can trust on the fares of these prepaid counters, and take a comfortable ride. Another plus point of taking these prepaid taxis is that you will be in safe hands. There will be a documentation of your trip, and if any unforeseen event happens, you can take action against the taxi driver with help the of these booths.
3 – Discuss the brief stops beforehand
It is a very normal thing to have brief stops while you are commuting in a taxi. It could be to buy a bottle of water, or it could be to use any ATM machine for quick cash. There could be many reasons that might compel you to take a brief stop. In cases when you already know about these stops, discuss this with the taxi driver before you start the trip, or else be prepared for the chances that the Taxi driver would add up a significant amount to your fare after he drops you.
This doesn’t happens always, but it is better to be prepared in advance. The good guys would not mind taking a brief stop of a minute or two, but the rippers will leave no chance to add up your fare.
4 – Don’t panic in mid of many drivers
The moment you step out of airport, or a station, or even if you approach a taxi stand near your hotel, there are chances that many taxi drivers are going to surround you to take their ride. The thing about this mob attack is that they want you to quickly take a decision and get in the taxi at the rates they are asking. In most of the times, these rates are going to be inflated ones. In situations like these, keep calm, and learn to say a polite no, if you think you are being over charged.
Simply walk few steps, and ask the fares from taxi drivers whom you think are going to give you a good price. This will keep you in charge of the situation, and chances are that you will find a good bargained fare. In here, patience is the key, which will unlock right prices for you.
5 – Taxis in motion are a good pick
In cases when you are in the mid of the city, and want a taxi, your first instinct is going to tell you to head to a nearest taxi stand, for a quick ride, or head towards the place where you will first spot many taxis standing together. It is normal. But let me tell you a secret, that instead to heading to a group of taxis, wait by the road, and stop a taxi which is in motion. The chances are that the taxi driver who is moving will quote you a lesser price than those who are standing and waiting for customers. Try this and you will know that we are right about it.
Another takeaway is that when trying to stop a taxi in motion, stand on the side of street that heads towards your destination, and not the opposite one. This might involve you crossing the street, but eventually there are more chances that you will get a ride quickly with an even better fare.
6 – Go by the meter
In most of the developed countries, Taxis charge you as per their meter. The meter runs as per the distance covered and the stops you need to make during traffic. If your Taxi driver is using the meter, then you can trust the fare the meter is going to provide you. It is the safest means of travelling in the city with peace of mind. But in cases when there is no meter in the taxi, always fix the price before hand. Travelling in a taxi by meter also has a downside, which is travelling extra kilometers which was not needed, by taking a longer route. Nowadays it happens less, but still we have a mechanism to deal with it.
At the moment the trip starts, open your Map Application on the device. As the taxi will move you will also see what route you are taking. In cases when the driver is deviating from the route, point him to the map, and he will understand that you are a cautious customer.
7 – Hotel Taxis are expensive affairs
In cities that are known for touristy sites, chances are very high that the hotel you are staying in will have a taxi service of their own. Travelers who are seeking peace of mind, comfort and leisure, do not need to think before taking taxis from the hotels. They are safe, they are reliable, and their service will be at par with what you get in hotels. But if you are a traveler who believes in saving a buck or two, then avoid using Taxis from hotels.
Instead, head out and grab a taxi by your own. If you are staying in a place that has many hotels around, then that place is also going to have counters of many taxi service providers, reach out to them. If your hotel surroundings doesn’t have those establishments, then use internet and start dialing numbers of taxi service providers.
8 – Taxi Apps are there in every country
Tech savvy people, do not need to worry, because in present times every country on the radars of travelers has one or the other Taxi Apps. The most popular one and the international one is Uber, but you will also find local alternatives to these. All you need to do is just do a quick search on internet and you will get to know what Taxi App works best in the destination you are.
Taxi Apps are the most legit ways to get the best fare. You will never be cheated, and the technology will not be going to treat you like a tourist, but just another user. While using these Taxi apps, be cautious of choosing your payment mode. In many cases your card might not be listed as your payment option in the app, so the safest way is to choose the cash payment mode. This is the only mode of commuting which will not require your haggling skills, as you will always get the best price on the app.
9 – Pick Non Peak Hours while catching Taxis
Just because you are on a trip, and in a destination to enjoy your holidays, that doesn’t means people of the destination do not have their own day to day life. Just around you, there will be people that need to reach offices, there will be people who need to visit the super market, and there will be people running their errands. To get the best fares choose taxi picking times that doesn’t coincides with the timing of local people activities.
During day time, try taking taxis in early hours, or somewhere around noon, or somewhere between noon and evening. Chances are that you will get the best fares. In night, pick taxis before the rush ceases to exist, if you do not want the taxi drivers to apply late charges and return charges to your fare.
A taxi is a spaceship navigating the city’s galaxies!
