Taxis in Sweden
Oct 8, 2014, 9:18 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Piedmont, Italy; Cheshire, UK
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Taxis in Sweden
I'm travelling to Sweden about once a week and am still struggling with how the taxis work.
How do I know if there's a fixed price and if there is, how do I check this?
How do I know if there's a supplement if the journey commences at an airport or station?
Should I always ask the price at the beginning of the journey?
When do I need to negotiate a price?
Can I ever trust a taxi driver who insists on using the meter? (A few weeks ago I saw the driver add around 40SEK to the fare shown on the meter mid-journey.)
Many years ago at Arlanda I was advised only to take the 'good' taxis and always to avoid the 'bad' taxis. Is there still such an issue in Stockholm, and if so what does one need to do to be sure of getting a 'good' one.
I remember that when I first visited Sweden around 18 years ago, standing in a queue for a taxi at Arlanda, I heard a fellow traveller remark that Sweden was a bastion of civility – yet barely minutes after having stepped foot in the country you risk getting fleeced by the taxi sharks.
Any advice from experienced FT'ers much appreciated.
How do I know if there's a fixed price and if there is, how do I check this?
How do I know if there's a supplement if the journey commences at an airport or station?
Should I always ask the price at the beginning of the journey?
When do I need to negotiate a price?
Can I ever trust a taxi driver who insists on using the meter? (A few weeks ago I saw the driver add around 40SEK to the fare shown on the meter mid-journey.)
Many years ago at Arlanda I was advised only to take the 'good' taxis and always to avoid the 'bad' taxis. Is there still such an issue in Stockholm, and if so what does one need to do to be sure of getting a 'good' one.
I remember that when I first visited Sweden around 18 years ago, standing in a queue for a taxi at Arlanda, I heard a fellow traveller remark that Sweden was a bastion of civility – yet barely minutes after having stepped foot in the country you risk getting fleeced by the taxi sharks.
Any advice from experienced FT'ers much appreciated.
Oct 9, 2014, 3:36 am
#2
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Piedmont, Italy; Cheshire, UK
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So it happened again today:
In recent weeks I've never paid more than 410SEK from Gothenburg city to the airport. This morning, the driver put 495SEK on the meter, and when I questioned him he told me that it was the fixed price. I pointed out that I understood that the fixed price was around 410SEK, and he argued that it was a different taxi company with a different fixed price. I started to take details of his permit number, and he quickly discounted the fixed price to 450SEK.
Advice FT'ers please.
In recent weeks I've never paid more than 410SEK from Gothenburg city to the airport. This morning, the driver put 495SEK on the meter, and when I questioned him he told me that it was the fixed price. I pointed out that I understood that the fixed price was around 410SEK, and he argued that it was a different taxi company with a different fixed price. I started to take details of his permit number, and he quickly discounted the fixed price to 450SEK.
Advice FT'ers please.
Oct 9, 2014, 8:37 pm
#3
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So it happened again today:
In recent weeks I've never paid more than 410SEK from Gothenburg city to the airport. This morning, the driver put 495SEK on the meter, and when I questioned him he told me that it was the fixed price. I pointed out that I understood that the fixed price was around 410SEK, and he argued that it was a different taxi company with a different fixed price. I started to take details of his permit number, and he quickly discounted the fixed price to 450SEK.
Advice FT'ers please.
In recent weeks I've never paid more than 410SEK from Gothenburg city to the airport. This morning, the driver put 495SEK on the meter, and when I questioned him he told me that it was the fixed price. I pointed out that I understood that the fixed price was around 410SEK, and he argued that it was a different taxi company with a different fixed price. I started to take details of his permit number, and he quickly discounted the fixed price to 450SEK.
Advice FT'ers please.
For taxis from Arlanda to the central Stockholm, I've asked about the price and been quoted anything from 389SEK to 889SEK before the trip in the taxi starts. They can get away with it and do.
Oct 10, 2014, 2:16 am
#4
Join Date: Jan 2003
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Exactly as GUWonder writes: Taxis are allowed to charge whatever they want, as long as the rate (starting, hourly & per km) is displayed in the window. All taxis have a comparison price ("Jämförelsepris") for a typical journey listed in the window:
.
Generally, avoid any taxis that have a price above 375 SEK listed (for normal-sized cars) and don't be surprised if you see taxis with a price of 9999kr listed. They are the ones who are looking for unaware tourists whom they can legally charge exorbitant prices.
So when getting a taxi, you don't have to take the first one waiting in line but go for the one with the best price or you find trustworthy.
. Generally, avoid any taxis that have a price above 375 SEK listed (for normal-sized cars) and don't be surprised if you see taxis with a price of 9999kr listed. They are the ones who are looking for unaware tourists whom they can legally charge exorbitant prices.
So when getting a taxi, you don't have to take the first one waiting in line but go for the one with the best price or you find trustworthy.
Oct 10, 2014, 3:12 am
#5
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Cab fares are not strictly regulated -- they are barely, if at all, regulated -- in Sweden. The cabbies can charge whatever they want as long as the price calculation and/or price calculation method is indicated prior to the trip and followed. Negotiate the fare before the trip starts, or at least verify the price and/or how the price is going to be calculated before the trip starts.
For taxis from Arlanda to the central Stockholm, I've asked about the price and been quoted anything from 389SEK to 889SEK before the trip in the taxi starts. They can get away with it and do.
For taxis from Arlanda to the central Stockholm, I've asked about the price and been quoted anything from 389SEK to 889SEK before the trip in the taxi starts. They can get away with it and do.
So the trick is to have a pretty good idea of the fare before asking. It's like the Wild West!
Oct 11, 2014, 5:26 am
#7
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Well, I'm answering my own question here, but I found this site:
http://www.taxifarefinder.com/se
It seems to reflect what I've paid in recent months for the 'honest' taxis I've taken in Sweden, so unless anything better comes up I'll use this as a guide to give me confidence when negotiating with these 'free market birds of prey'.
http://www.taxifarefinder.com/se
It seems to reflect what I've paid in recent months for the 'honest' taxis I've taken in Sweden, so unless anything better comes up I'll use this as a guide to give me confidence when negotiating with these 'free market birds of prey'.
Oct 11, 2014, 10:37 pm
#9
Join Date: Aug 2002
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Just stick to the big three, Taxi Stockholm, 020, and Taxi Kurir. Well, this assumes you are in Stockholm.
If you are more adventurous then try Taxi Solna for example and you will save 100 SEK to the airport.
I once heard that there was a shady operator called "Taxi i Stockholm".
If you are there on business working or consulting for a big company then it will have a corporate discount with a company. I use that when I am in Skåne.
I think foreigners are afraid to pick any car from a cab rank. You will always find an aggressive guy (invariably an immigrant) at the front pressuring you to enter his ripoffmobile.
If you are more adventurous then try Taxi Solna for example and you will save 100 SEK to the airport.
I once heard that there was a shady operator called "Taxi i Stockholm".
If you are there on business working or consulting for a big company then it will have a corporate discount with a company. I use that when I am in Skåne.
I think foreigners are afraid to pick any car from a cab rank. You will always find an aggressive guy (invariably an immigrant) at the front pressuring you to enter his ripoffmobile.
Oct 14, 2014, 5:33 am
#10
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There is a bus from Gothenburg to the city. Runs twice an hour and costs about 100SEK.
Sweden is generally a civil place, but the taxi drivers live in a different version of the country.
Sweden is generally a civil place, but the taxi drivers live in a different version of the country.
Oct 14, 2014, 10:34 pm
#11
Join Date: Aug 2002
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Well, I'm answering my own question here, but I found this site:
http://www.taxifarefinder.com/se
It seems to reflect what I've paid in recent months for the 'honest' taxis I've taken in Sweden, so unless anything better comes up I'll use this as a guide to give me confidence when negotiating with these 'free market birds of prey'.
http://www.taxifarefinder.com/se
It seems to reflect what I've paid in recent months for the 'honest' taxis I've taken in Sweden, so unless anything better comes up I'll use this as a guide to give me confidence when negotiating with these 'free market birds of prey'.
Aug 5, 2019, 2:24 pm
#12
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 2
Lavatera ab taxi warning!!
I took a taxi in the morning, 1.8 2019 from Cityterminalen to Skavsta airport as I had missed my bus. I was kicking myself but the (bosnian) driver seemed very compassionate, reassuring me that it is going to be ok and that he is able to cut a fair deal (staff at Cityterminalen told me that it would be 1000-1500 krones). However, the he could not tell me the price beforehand even if I insisted in knowing, just kept repeating that it is going to be ok. We were half way down and I was getting really worried and finally he said that the journey can be up to 3000 krones! Anyway, at the end it turned out that the journey was his "special price" 3768 krones! He got really defensive and rude, and even had the nerve to say that he had just given me 1000 SEK discount! This was just included one person, no luggage, almost no traffic at 8-9 am.
Aug 5, 2019, 6:03 pm
#13
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I took a taxi in the morning, 1.8 2019 from Cityterminalen to Skavsta airport as I had missed my bus. I was kicking myself but the (bosnian) driver seemed very compassionate, reassuring me that it is going to be ok and that he is able to cut a fair deal (staff at Cityterminalen told me that it would be 1000-1500 krones). However, the he could not tell me the price beforehand even if I insisted in knowing, just kept repeating that it is going to be ok. We were half way down and I was getting really worried and finally he said that the journey can be up to 3000 krones! Anyway, at the end it turned out that the journey was his "special price" 3768 krones! He got really defensive and rude, and even had the nerve to say that he had just given me 1000 SEK discount! This was just included one person, no luggage, almost no traffic at 8-9 am.
3800 SEK for a 70-80 minute ride sounds like a lot for a ride, but it’s really out of the way for most Stockholm taxi drivers and thus is more akin to being a 140-160 minute drive for the driver. I don’t find 3800 SEK that unexpectedly high for a 140-160 minute drive in a high labor cost country for taxi rides and gas too; but I would have tried to negotiate a fixed fee at a taxi stand and get it in writing from the driver before the start, all because of the rip-off chances.
UberX would have probably cost as little as c. 1200 SEK, while UberBlack is probably c. 2200 SEK. But a taxi peak demand hours, the prices are probably higher since most taxi and chauffeur services do a lot of their fares during the morning rush hours, summer being a bit of an exception since locals are still largely off.
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Last edited by GUWonder; Aug 5, 2019 at 6:09 pm
Aug 6, 2019, 4:10 am
#14
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 2
Did you miss the 7:20am bus? You may have saved money if you had rented a car or taken Uber when you can’t wait for the next bus.
3800 SEK for a 70-80 minute ride sounds like a lot for a ride, but it’s really out of the way for most Stockholm taxi drivers and thus is more akin to being a 140-160 minute drive for the driver. I don’t find 3800 SEK that unexpectedly high for a 140-160 minute drive in a high labor cost country for taxi rides and gas too; but I would have tried to negotiate a fixed fee at a taxi stand and get it in writing from the driver before the start, all because of the rip-off chances.
UberX would have probably cost as little as c. 1200 SEK, while UberBlack is probably c. 2200 SEK. But a taxi peak demand hours, the prices are probably higher since most taxi and chauffeur services do a lot of their fares during the morning rush hours, summer being a bit of an exception since locals are still largely off.
Well, the drive was only 58 minutes long as there was hardly any traffic (perhaps as you suggested, it was holiday time). I asked my cousin about this (he is a Stockholmer and travels all the time). He said that a proper taxi company would have charged appr. 1000 SEK and some smaller company perhaps 1500 SEK, and summed it up - that in my case this was simply "bedrägeri". I just can not see how anyone could justify almost 4000 SEK. That would mean that the base price per fifteen minutes would be nearly 1000 SEK. It was 490 kr per 15 minutes in the sign. Moreover, am I supposed to pay his way back to city as well? Surely with these special prices people will be queing in flocks at the airport.
Aug 6, 2019, 4:52 am
#15
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TaxiStockholm —one of the most legitimate taxi companies in the city — has charged way more than 1400 SEK for the 100km drive, so I don’t know what to make of your cousin’s expectation that it should be around 1000 SEK. TaxiStockholm charges even more than 1000 SEK for some c 60km trips.
You definitely seem to have been made to overpay by a lot, but look at these prices from a big taxi company:
https://www.taxistockholm.se/sv/hjal...riser/budpris/
You definitely seem to have been made to overpay by a lot, but look at these prices from a big taxi company:
https://www.taxistockholm.se/sv/hjal...riser/budpris/
Last edited by GUWonder; Aug 6, 2019 at 4:58 am