Originally Posted by anacapamalibu
I have taken hundreds of taxis in China, black cars, metered taxis, touts from the airport... just about everything except a rickshaw. Some drivers do legitimately get lost as the streets are not always marked the best and there is so much new construction that things change on a daily basis.
The cost for the taxis is so cheap compared to the US even if they do jack you a bit on the price its not a big deal. I don't believe they try to gouge foreigners in particular as I have often asked the locals what they paid and its usually about the same.
MagLev/Long Yang station to the railway station closest to Heng Feng Rd (i.e., the railway station closest to the Holiday Inn Downtown Shanghai) for 320 CNY isn't a big rip-off? (It should be about 50 CNY, but certainly less than 75.) The MagLev station must have at least some bad cabbies working there, for I've heard about a few foreigners being fleeced for around the same amount with the same M.O. We happened to catch one in action. License plate DW3730 or something like that.
Most are completely honest, but there are a select group that do play games, expensive ones at that.