FFlash

Okay, not a big sum of money, but ranting just for the principle of it, being scammed by taxi in France which is not normal I hope. I don't drive a lot taxis anyway (exactly for the reason that they are all bummers liars and rippers), even less in France so I don't know if they are cowboys or gentlemen in France.

My ride to airport cost me 33.28€ which I thought sounded high. At home I look now on the receipt in more details and it says 11.7km ride, while the exact route the taxi driver took is 7.8km on googlemaps and he rode exactly that way (I followed up). Then there seems to be "Bagages 1" fee of 0.88 and I did not have baggage. Receipt says Tarif B used 8.50€ and Tarif D 23.90€, no idea where they come from. Start time says 5:23 and end time 5:46, while I think the ride took 10 mins or 15 at max.
I had ordered the taxi for 5:30 and it arrived at that time I think, so I conclude he took extra amount for arriving in to pick me up.
Is this OK and normal? If so, then my rant is invalid.

Stewie Mac

normal, I believe - I am pretty sure that French taxis start the meter from when they get the call to collect you, so the difference in time and distance (and therefore fare) is the part of his journey when you weren't actually on board...

Although the bagages part might be a teeny ripoff

MSPeconomist

France is one of the countries where if you order a taxi (rather than getting one at a taxi rank or hailing it from the street), the meter starts when the taxi comes to fetch you rather than when you get in the vehicle. Could this be the discrepancy? There sometimes is an additional fee for calling the taxi.

To me, 33 Euro for a taxi to the airport is low for France (or most of Europe) and isn't Paris to CDG, but you don't give any information about the location. The Nice airport, for example, is quite close to the city with some hotels along the coast being even closer.

Often1

I would suggest doing the research and pose the question before making a broad brush accusation about taxi drivers in general and about what to expect in France.

If these sorts of issue are of grave concern, do the research as to when the meter starts, which tariffs apply and when and whether there is a minimum baggage charge for the airport.

Then, if you have a question, raise it with the driver in case there is an error.

FFlash

OK. Very clear answers. Lesson learned, I was wrong and the taxi driver was right and I was just used to other countries where the taximeter starts from on the spot. Ayway, <8km for 33€ is steep and I continue with public transport or walk. Each to their own

MSPeconomist

Also, if you're leaving from a hotel, ask the concierge what should be the approximate taxi fare for your time of day. Or ask locals what a taxi ride to the airport tends to cost.

FFlash

Aha. You are totally right, sir. I did not realise my thread was so much of nuisance.

Nevermind. Please close the thread.

Yahillwe

You don't say what city it was.

Paris started having a set rate, actually 2 set rates....to each airport.

And in Paris, they always tag on if you put something in the trunk, no matter what.

Tamino

Impossible to say, the information you provided is incomplete.

Exactly where where you picked up and at what airport where you dropped off? A 15 minute ride would rule out Paris to CDG. Interestingly, a 05h23 pickup with a zone B fare would have to be Paris unless this was in some other French city entirely. Such a ride could have possibly been from the 14th arrondissement to ORY.

The D fare is not necessarily a Parisian fare. It is indicative of a one way journey with the taxi returning empty.

Did you call for immediate pickup or did you make an earlier call for pickup at a later time?

nk15

Typical metered taxi fare airport to downtown (and vice versa) is 60-65 euros. Everything you touch in this city you will be ripped off.

MSPeconomist

What city? Paris? If so, do you mean from CDG or Orly?

We still don't know where the OP was or what airport was involved.

jerry a. laska

Also see:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/franc...set-start.html

Tamino

As of March 1st of this year, almost all of the taxi information contained in the above link and elsewhere is obsolete. The course d´approche or approach fee is eliminated for all Taxis Parisiens. The new fares are as follows:

• The meter starts when passengers are picked up.
• For taxis called in advance, the meter starts at the pickup time or when passengers are boarded, which ever is first.
• For taxis called in advance and the taxi arrives late, the meter starts when passengers are boarded.

There are also new fares between Paris and the airports:

• CDG to/from Paris Right Bank - 50€
• CDG to/from Paris Left Bank - 55€
• ORY to/from Paris Right Bank - 35€
• ORY to/from Paris Left Bank - 30€

Some fees have been changed or eliminated:

• Baggage fees are eliminated
• Calls for immediate pickup - 4€
• Calls for pickup at a later time - 7€
• Fees for a 4th passenger are eliminated
• The fee for a 5th and for each subsequent passenger is 4€.
• The meter starts at 3.83€
• The minimum fare of 7€ is not changed.

Taxi drivers are generally not tipped.

A summary of these changes may be found here.

FFlash

Oh I see this thread keeps circulating. Bordeaux. Let's move on.

paul00

Thanks for the updated information, Tamino. Very useful ^