graraps
Jul 19, 09, 3:13 pm
(mods: I think this should become a sticky, as there are all sorts of kinds of urban myths about MEX taxis)
After being forced to take a taxi off the street during the rain yesterday, I did a bit of "field research" on taxis in DF. As happens often, misconceptions abound, so I took to the streets and asked around, and here's a list of every kind of taxi you're likely to encounter in MEX, listing from most expensive to cheapest (though I guess prices can vary a bit). Prices in pesos (please don't get a heart attack because of the $ sign!).
1) Hotel taxi. Price: Very high (maybe not as high as taxis in Scandinavia, but still...)- expect to pay around $200 from Reforma to T2. Identification: Hard to identify, usually US/Japanese recent-model mid-to-upper size cars without markings. Will often have a taxi-designated plate. Security: Very good.
2) Prepaid airport/bus station taxi. Price: High- I paid $152 from T2 to Reforma. Identification: Usually a white car with another (yellow?) colour on the doors and a plane sign. Haven't managed to look at their plates, maybe I'll catch a glimpse tomorrow before flying out. Security: Exceptional- prepaid coupons, formalised complaints procedures etc.
3) Radio-taxi (usually registered to a taxi stand called "sitio") which you can reserve over the phone (or maybe internet). Price: Medium-to-high- $125 from Reforma to T1. Identification: usually white with some corporate colours/markings. Often without official taxi plates. Security: Very good- my driver hadn't even been told the destination when he turned up to pick me up from the hotel.
4) Legal street taxi. The most common species on the streets of Mexico. Price: Low- $70 from Reforma to T2. Metered (the flag's at $6.40 currently and I think you get charged about $4 per km; most journeys within the city should be well below $40). Identification: Many of these taxis are Nissan Tsuru (like a Bluebird from the early 1990s...you can still buy it new!), but there are all sorts of cars, including VW Beetles. Golden colour above the cheatlines, mauve/wine-red below. However, pirate taxis are often painted the same way, so you need to pay some attention to the numberplates. The plate number should be in the format: A-##-### (e.g. A-76-322) or B-##-### (e.g. B-00-689), and NOT ###-XXX (e.g. 325-DRE), which is the norm for private cars (which is what pirate taxis are classified as). The lower part of the plate has a little red "fringe" with "TAXI" written in white letters. For those who are unable/unwilling to check the plates themselves, the DF authorities have done a superb job in requiring that the plate number is plastered all over the place. Expect to find it on doors on both sides, on the back side of the cab, on the dashboard, in stickers stuck to one or more windows, and even on the outside of the roof! Don't be paranoid about looking for all of them, as some of the marks are missing from some taxis (e.g. the one I took this afternoon had it on the doors but not on the dashboard). Some drivers put their phone number on the right-hand-side C pillar, but this is not obligatory. Pictures of all that will be posted as soon as I upload them.
Security: Good- there are so many ID marks, and the plate numbers are quite easy to remember. The rumours about such taxis being dangerous are way overblown. However, I would still be a bit cautious (e.g. I won't stop a cab on the street if it's got seriously tinted windows).
5) Pirate taxi. Price: Varies...can be metered or not. Identification: Can be any make/model, lots of Tsurus and quite a few "Chevrolet" Corsas. Usually painted in the same way as a legal taxi, sometimes even including the identification marks on the doors/dashboard etc. Format of plate is ###-XXX.
Security: Poor. I'm sure that most journeys in such cabs are uneventful, but IMHO it's a bad idea to ride in these, as they are registered as PRIVATE CARS. This means that you're unlikely to be insured, and, of course, the risk of an unlicensed cabbie being a "bad apple" is a lot higher than with a licensed one.
6) Velotaxi (essentially a crossover between a bicycle and a rickshaw). Only to be found around the Zocalo and maybe in some other very touristy areas. Security: Very good- you can always jump off. :p I am not sure about price, but I don't think I would like to ride in one- too much sun (or, worse, rain!) getting in!
After being forced to take a taxi off the street during the rain yesterday, I did a bit of "field research" on taxis in DF. As happens often, misconceptions abound, so I took to the streets and asked around, and here's a list of every kind of taxi you're likely to encounter in MEX, listing from most expensive to cheapest (though I guess prices can vary a bit). Prices in pesos (please don't get a heart attack because of the $ sign!).
1) Hotel taxi. Price: Very high (maybe not as high as taxis in Scandinavia, but still...)- expect to pay around $200 from Reforma to T2. Identification: Hard to identify, usually US/Japanese recent-model mid-to-upper size cars without markings. Will often have a taxi-designated plate. Security: Very good.
2) Prepaid airport/bus station taxi. Price: High- I paid $152 from T2 to Reforma. Identification: Usually a white car with another (yellow?) colour on the doors and a plane sign. Haven't managed to look at their plates, maybe I'll catch a glimpse tomorrow before flying out. Security: Exceptional- prepaid coupons, formalised complaints procedures etc.
3) Radio-taxi (usually registered to a taxi stand called "sitio") which you can reserve over the phone (or maybe internet). Price: Medium-to-high- $125 from Reforma to T1. Identification: usually white with some corporate colours/markings. Often without official taxi plates. Security: Very good- my driver hadn't even been told the destination when he turned up to pick me up from the hotel.
4) Legal street taxi. The most common species on the streets of Mexico. Price: Low- $70 from Reforma to T2. Metered (the flag's at $6.40 currently and I think you get charged about $4 per km; most journeys within the city should be well below $40). Identification: Many of these taxis are Nissan Tsuru (like a Bluebird from the early 1990s...you can still buy it new!), but there are all sorts of cars, including VW Beetles. Golden colour above the cheatlines, mauve/wine-red below. However, pirate taxis are often painted the same way, so you need to pay some attention to the numberplates. The plate number should be in the format: A-##-### (e.g. A-76-322) or B-##-### (e.g. B-00-689), and NOT ###-XXX (e.g. 325-DRE), which is the norm for private cars (which is what pirate taxis are classified as). The lower part of the plate has a little red "fringe" with "TAXI" written in white letters. For those who are unable/unwilling to check the plates themselves, the DF authorities have done a superb job in requiring that the plate number is plastered all over the place. Expect to find it on doors on both sides, on the back side of the cab, on the dashboard, in stickers stuck to one or more windows, and even on the outside of the roof! Don't be paranoid about looking for all of them, as some of the marks are missing from some taxis (e.g. the one I took this afternoon had it on the doors but not on the dashboard). Some drivers put their phone number on the right-hand-side C pillar, but this is not obligatory. Pictures of all that will be posted as soon as I upload them.
Security: Good- there are so many ID marks, and the plate numbers are quite easy to remember. The rumours about such taxis being dangerous are way overblown. However, I would still be a bit cautious (e.g. I won't stop a cab on the street if it's got seriously tinted windows).
5) Pirate taxi. Price: Varies...can be metered or not. Identification: Can be any make/model, lots of Tsurus and quite a few "Chevrolet" Corsas. Usually painted in the same way as a legal taxi, sometimes even including the identification marks on the doors/dashboard etc. Format of plate is ###-XXX.
Security: Poor. I'm sure that most journeys in such cabs are uneventful, but IMHO it's a bad idea to ride in these, as they are registered as PRIVATE CARS. This means that you're unlikely to be insured, and, of course, the risk of an unlicensed cabbie being a "bad apple" is a lot higher than with a licensed one.
6) Velotaxi (essentially a crossover between a bicycle and a rickshaw). Only to be found around the Zocalo and maybe in some other very touristy areas. Security: Very good- you can always jump off. :p I am not sure about price, but I don't think I would like to ride in one- too much sun (or, worse, rain!) getting in!