rjh

What are the current best practices for arranging a non-rip off price on a taxi into Ho Chi Minh city from the airport? Usually the taxi fares quoted in 3rd world settings are pretty ridiculous.

My usual practice in similar places is to wave off the touts and find a cab cruising for a fare, somewhat away from the airport mafia, but everyplace has its own little ways. Advice welcome.
Thanks.
Rich

jpatokal

Grab a taxi that has just dropped off some passengers. Or take any taxi you like and insist that they use the meter, this is generally not a problem in HCMC (which is at least 2.5th world in my book).

MegatopLover

Tan Son Nhut has no greeters hall. Once you clear immigration (a long process even if the lines seem short, thanks to the scrutiny applied to all pax), collect your luggage, and clear customs, you've got about thirty feet of the terminal building remaining before you're out on the curb with throngs of family members awaiting arrivals alongside the taxi pushers. IIRC, a taxi from the airport into Zone 1 of the city shouldn't cost more than $10 or $15 at most. BUT, the pushers are agressive, are likely to speak only Vietnamese, and could take you for a ride to places you don't want to go. The most direct roads into Zone 1 are choked with traffic at the best times and very confusing to navigate. Even with a terrific sense of direction and a map in had, it would be very difficult to know your whereabouts. For all that, I opted for a pricey ($28) transfer via hotel limousine complete with English-speaking greeter who chatted us up, pointed out sights along the road, and offered us tea and water. It was a very comforting way to arrive in a foreign country I'd never been to. We took a taxi back to Tan Son Nhut without incident from the hotel upon departure.

Following my experience in Saigon, an official hotel transfer has become my prefered method when arriving in a foreign city I've never visited if I have any level of concern about getting lost, getting taken for a ride, etc. In Singapore, I took a cab. Elsewhere, I'll overpay for the transfer or bargain to get it included in the room rate. Even if you're not as skittish as I am, Saigon is a place where I'd recommend the hotel transfer method.

Chapel Hill Guy

This is my preferred method as well for first-time visits, particularly to Asia since I've probably been traveling for 20+ hours and arriving (typically) very late in the evening or early morning. Even if I've been in first or business and have slept well, there's a certain amount of disorientation and jet lag that conspire to make me a potential victim.

Of course on a recent limo transfer in Rome I had real concerns about becoming a victim as the driver was an absolute speed lunatic.

rjh

Thanks for the advice. I'm sure I'll have fun, starting in the terminal.

Maybe we should start a thread about taxis in relatively undeveloped Asian cities, just for calibration. My experience, for instance, is something like, off the top of my head:

Vientiane: asking: $5/person or some such nonsense; will take (easily) $3 for car
Luang Prabang: ridiculous asking price, easy to get for $3/load, though you can probably walk in 30 minutes
Yangon: cartel sets price at $3, though some hope of going outside and getting a ride for $1 or $2
Phnom Penh: ask $3-5, though you can probably get your hotel to do a free pickup, if you arrange in advance (I mean cheapo US$20 hotels)
Siem Reap: mafia squared. Don't believe any price asked. Just get a moto for $1 or $2. Have them let you off at a cafe so the hotel/guesthouse doesn't have to pay commission. Other possibility is to get a car from the airport and check out 3 or so places to stay, then pay the guy off. Arrange for moto transport separately.
Denpasar: cartel based on distance. I don't even know what rational rates are here, since I've linked up with a guy I like. Perama bus is possible, as are bemos.
Beijing: is the airport bus for the masses still running? I think it costs < $1. Don't try this in winter, folks.

Of course for Bangkok, just go to the outside queue, not the more expensive desk inside the terminal, "highway ok." Singapore, just get in any cab in the queue. Don't bother with the S$7 share ride, which always lets you out last. MRT is a pain and takes forever. In HKG, the Airport Express is ok, but if it's not raining the airport bus is fine and you might get a view across the Tsing Ma bridge. Don't bother with the cheapo bus alternative with transfer to the MRT unless you're staying in the Northern part of Kowloon, well away from TST.

Well, that leaves out a lot of 2nd & 3rd tier places, I guess, where you just have to use your Asian taxi warrior skills. (And don't bother arguing about 20 baht.)
Rich

blueDC

Since I don't think either SIN/HKG qualifies as "relatively undeveloped" , thought I'd chime in about KUL.

KUL: If only 1 person, take the KLIA Express (RM35/$9) to Sentral and then metered-cab/subway to destination in downtown KL (cheap). If more than 1, it's more convenient and cheaper to take taxi (RM65/$17) directly to destination in downtown KL.

As for SGN, I opted for pre-arranged transportation ($4/pp) as opposed to figuring out the cab situation. Turns out, there are no highways in SGN and the 30-45min journey (for less than 5mi!) was congested, polluted and slow-going. A/C solves everything, of course

In HAN, cabs are $10 flat-rate into the city which seems like a rip-off compared to SGN but then again, HAN is 45-60 minutes (28mi) from the city - most of which is travelling 50mph on a dual carriageway (of sorts).

I have found that metered taxis are the way to go for airport transfers and getting around town except for when the taxi rates are not standardized i.e. different companies charging different rates like in Vietnam (also depending on the size of the car). Even then, with a little bit of research, taxis can be super-convenient and ultra-cheap!

rjh

I didn't mean to imply that S'pore and HKG (or BKK) were undeveloped such as one might say of, I don't know, Vientiane, home of the baggage conveyor that dumps bags on the ground when full, as a way of handling overflow. I was just running though some SE Asian regional spots that came to mind (and I appreciate the info on KL).
Rich

Scandalous

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MAN Flyer

A taxi from SGN to District 1 should be no more than US$5. If you choose to be grabbed by one of the taxi guys waiting for you outside arrivals (usually in the middle of the crowd awaiting family members (don't go just before TET )) then they will generally quote you US$10. They will usually just smile when you inform them its US$5. Either way, it's hardly bank breaking stuff.

Enjoy SGN, a truly great City ^ .

rjh

Ok, just to close the loop on this. $10 asked, $4 paid after some bargaining on the way in to District 1.

$5 prepaid by hotel on way out back to SGN. (Ok, ok, the hotel people were nice. I liked them. And they arranged for a 4am pickup so I figured their $1 fee was ok.)

On the return trip the taxi driver wanted to be paid on arrival so, for pre paid taxi, you may want to make sure the hotel people tell the driver the fare had already been paid.
Rich