"Safe" cabs in Lima?
 

We're heading to Lima with our children and have heard various stories regarding which cabs to use to get to and from the airport. Is there a general recommendation?

Also, from those who have been there recently, is it generally considered safe to hail a cab on the street? If so, is there anything in particular we should be looking for (i.e., a brand of cabs)?

Taxi Verde has a stand and flat rates to several destinations. We then chatted up the driver and got his personal card for our return to LIM airport.

The simple answer is to just take Taxi Green (Taxi Verde) from the airport. So as not to repeat any info, here's an existing thread you might wish to read: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/peru/...ty-issues.html

To the airport, have your hotel call a radio taxi.

It's not completely safe to hail a taxi on the street, because anyone can hang a shingle on their car and call it a taxi. Best to have your hotel or restaurant call you a taxi.

We felt fairly comfortable hailing on the street. Walking out in front of the Sheraton hotel to the street for a regular taxi we had no less than 15 cars drive up to us. Stick with the ones with their taxi numbers painted on the side. And I would avoid any two door taxis...yes we saw at least one !:)

Taking an unauthorized taxi from the airport is riskier than taking one elsewhere (although I still recommend taking authorized taxis whenever possible to avoid problems).

As has already been suggested, I would also recommmend taking Taxi Green from the airport.

Actually, don't take any taxis outside from the airport. There's a story of an American couple who went against advice and were subsequently kidnapped and robbed for a good 5 days. Don't let this happen to you.

We all know we are most vulnerable when travelling, airports, bus stations, because we have all our valuables with us then. Funny, thieves know this too. Anywhere in the world. Taking a taxi is just as risky as taking a mototaxi, taking a bus, or even walking. IMHO the risks of taking a taxi to or from LIM are being overstated here.

Regardless, there is nothing stopping a Green Taxi driver from arranging to be robbed. Green Taxi drivers can deny finding your lost cell phone in their cab, just as easily as any other cab. Green taxis are no more immune from having a window smashed than any other taxi... well, maybe more risky because thieves may well know a Green Taxi likely has a pax carrying all his valuables. My rule is never take a taxi when it has been waiting at the airport or bus station for a fare – too much time to plan, especially while knowing his next fare may well be carrying all his valuables.

Here's my advice to those hoping to save a few soles by taking street taxis in Lima:

1) If you don't speak decent Spanish, don't do it.
2) Don't hail them from the airport. Callao is a nasty part of town. As other posters have suggested, if your budget is limited try Green Taxi.
3) Hail them only in the better parts of town---San Isidro, Miraflores, San Borja, Surco, for instance.
4) Negotiate the price before you get in, and if you don't have exact change for the fare, confirm with the driver that he/she has change.
5) Know the best routes to your destination, and if the driver starts to stray from them, start asking questions. It also helps if you have a good sense of direction in the city---something which, given the size of Lima, its complex road network and frequent cloudy conditions, is not something easily acquired by visitors.

I have followed these rules for many years when living in Lima and visiting, and I have never had trouble.

OK.....

So as someone who travels to Lima a lot, what DO you recommend? Sorry, but the above is not very helpful.

Thank you, everyone, for your comments. Much appreciated!

My wife and I were just in Lima and used unmarked street taxis without issue. My wife is a blonde, model-type that draws a lot of attention, but yet, no problems. I feel the issue is over-stated. Lima is extremely safe compared to, say Rio.

More simply, I'll add to Siempre Viajando's 5 good suggestions:

1. use a taxi who just dropped off a pax, avoid standing taxis
2. ignore drivers who aggressively honk at you
3. use older drivers
4. assess the driver while negotiating (takes some practice)
5. walk away from any ridiculously low fare (takes some knowledge)
6. taxi with a cage to protect driver is a positive
7. use the trunk
8. lock the doors
9. leave windows down a bit to make smashing more difficult
10. sit behind the driver
11. call (or fake a call) telling your friend the taxi number
12. listen in to his cell calls, or better, tell him it is prohibited from using a cell phone while driving

I am not disagreeing with the recommendation a first timer should just simply take a Taxi Green, you should. In fact, do not take just any Green Taxi driver pestering you – go to the Taxi Green counter and get logged in and driver recorded, tariff paid.

I am disagreeing with the general tone of the dangers of taxis to and from LIM in this thread, it is not as bad as some suggest. I have taken taxis to and from the airport over 100 times (or more) this past year and not yet kidnapped or robbed... except if I had used Taxi Green who charge me twice the rate I normally pay. I use taxis almost daily in Lima, and, like Siempre Viajando, never had a problem. Except once I broke one of his suggestions (didn't negatiate fare ahead) and had a quite heated discussion with the driver after - but I know how to argue in Peruvian.:cool:

So you're optimistic that it will happen to you soon? ;)

I think this is the crux of the argument: people who are fluent (or at least comfortable) in Spanish will have fewer problems, not only because it makes negotiating a lower price much easier, but also because it's less likely to make them a mark as a clueless tourist. For those of us gringos who aren't comfortable navigating in Spanish, we're simply trying to balance cost and safety.

Nothing wrong with that! I can only imagine how badly I would be fleeced in Russia if I wasn't traveling with my Russian wife. It would be ugggggly!

Agree with bingo and I'll add 2 things

You can download an app called easy taxi and order a taxi through there so everything is registered. The app will show you a pic of the driver and his plate number. I don't personally use it but a friend does and the taxis always arrive within a couple minutes and normally won't cost more than 2-3 soles extra.

If I get a taxi off the street for a visiting friend/family member going to the airport, I let the driver see me taking a pic of the plate with my phone. I do it sometimes too late at night if a girl is getting into a taxi solo.

Occasionally there is a problem with lima taxis, but its not that common and the danger is exaggerated.

Here's a video of what it's like when you walk past immigration and head out of the airport. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fb5Cn1sSLOI

The above is for international arrivals. Here is a video of domestic arrivals:

being bothered by taxi drivers at Lima airport
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daL3RQIZQqc

and 2 others

mother being bothered
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhKS1hwcDQI

driving them back with a billy club
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyVUhQjiL0o

Authorized taxis at LIM? Hmm. LAP (LIM Airport Partners) is paid by Taxi Verde to “authorize” them to have a counter inside the airport (only a counter, not to wander the airport harassing pax). Otherwise Taxi Verde is no different, and no safer, than any other licenced taxi company in Lima. They just pay to be inside the airport (and hence cost more). Equally, the taxi drivers in brown shirts just outside waving their placard in your face are “authorized” to be there as well. They are authorized by District of Callao. They are supposed to stay on the other side of the first road (which is Callao, not LIM), but often do not. Taxi Verde wants its monopoly inside the airport, Callao taxis want their monopoly just outside the airport doors. Beyond these two rings are more taxi drivers, they may well be part of a legitimate licenced taxi company, but just not “authorized” to be inside or close to the door, maybe they just dropped off a pax and want a return fare. Here also you will find the pirate drivers, but they are pushed back some imaginary distance so as not to compete with Callao drivers. This distance is about 8 metres at domestic arrivals and the other side of the internal road at international arrivals.

Taxi Verde will say use them because they are safe, which is not demonstratively true, they only pay to be authorized to harass you inside the airport. LIM makes no guarantees of safety by authorizing them. They are no safer than the Callao taxis who are authorized to harass you outside the airport doors and who will tell you they are safer then taxis on the street. But, of course, they are no safer than any licenced taxi company on the street.

On the street outside the airport, any and all taxi drivers can be found, but the police try to enforce a no stopping zone on Av Faucett. They do this by ensuring taxi drivers have a Callao licence (Callao forces any taxi driver using Callao streets to attend a special training course and have papers to prove it.)

To get to the airport you will find some drivers refuse because they do not have the Callao papers mentioned above. Some will take you to outside the airport because they do not have the correct papers and know that when entering the airport there is a police stop checking papers.

Little did you know the complexities of the pecking order of taxis at LIM and the microcosm it represents! But none of the above is enforceable. More like a gentleman's agreement. Although the police wander around blowing their whistles and driving the taxi drivers back to the pecking order, the drivers just ignore them if there is even a semi-interested prey nearby. This is because most of the drivers work for someone else who owns the taxi. The police know that giving a ticket to the driver who is not the owner will not be enforceable, but the drivers showing respect will move back a few steps when the police whistle at them, then move forward when he wanders away. The only exception is when the police boss arrives, then everyone immediately moves to the correct spot. I think again in respect to the poor schmuck foot patrol policeman with whom they interact with daily and who allows them some latitude – they don't want him into get into trouble with the boss.

Regardless, taxi drivers in Peru believe they have a divine right to harass thousands of people anytime anywhere daily. They will claim they are just offering a service or, if pushed deeper, just trying to feed their families. Peruvians seem to grudgingly accept this, but, if pushed deeper, they too will admit they do not like being harassed by taxi drivers.

LOL, great writeup!

I would like to point out that as a culture, the Peruvians are really not that pushy or aggressive. I've seen far, far worse in other parts of the world. Overall, traveling thru Peru, I was very impressed at their politeness, even when hawking all manner of products and services.

Most of them are doing just that: trying to feed their families. And it ain't easy, on the pittance that most of them earn. Street cab fares may be sufficient to (barely) provide for a family but they aren't enough to pay for maintenance and upkeep of the taxi itself, which explains why so many of them are in such poor shape.

That "divine right" is really nothing more than quiet desperation.

I tried the service on several occasions, and have to say it's pretty efficient - often got a taxi very fast, and I certainly appreciate the features adding to security: picture of the driver, plate, gps etc. I haven't tried them to/from the airport as I'm generally picked up by family, but they are probably the ones I would choose if I needed so.

A competitor (though the app is less "impressive") is satelital, which can also be called from a smartphone quite quickly.

On the rest, from my experience (I'm peruvian, but definitely do not look like one), i'd agree with what most people said: it's fine to take street taxis IF you know the way, IF you can communicate with them, and IF you know the precautions needed. I'd add that taking a taxi close to rough neighborhoods (callao being one of them) adds a bit of danger.

Finally, i'd add that, in recent years, both the efficiency (read: how fast they come when you call them) and the price of company taxis have improved; meaning that, while I used to take a lot of street taxis for convenience, I've done it a lot less in recent years.

I used Easy Taxi a few times in Lima, and it was pretty straightforward. The drivers have a book provided by the company that has fixed prices in it, so no haggling necessary if you don't speak Spanish. I would agree that it seemed like you paid 2-3 soles extra, but the cars were generally nicer than the few times we hailed a cab off the street.

Also, walking around Cuzco last night I saw a poster for Peruvian Shuttle. I have no experience with them, but their rates to Miraflores and San Isidro looked to be similar to Taxi Verde's walkup rates, and it might be slightly less time-consuming to pre-book instead of wait in line at the airport.

Did you mean Lima?

Nope, was hanging among a bunch of posters outside a travel agency on Calle Plateros.

I've taken many taxis in Peru (mainly Lima) with VERY limited Spanish and English as my second language and never had any problem hailing from the street.

As in most countries it's certainly better to know in advance how much the ride should approximately cost and confirm before the run starts.

Sorry for reviving an old thread, but adding my two cents. I just took Taxi Green from the airport - their desk is right after baggage claims when you exit the area (avoid the ones next to the car rental desks).

To Miraflores, the cost was S.50. The car was clean, the driver was a safe driver, so it was a good ride.

With any taxi driver worldwide, there might be rogue ones so there is always the risk of getting robbed.

One alternative is maybe to take an Uber, if you can get roaming data on your phone. There is Uber in Lima, and with something like Uber, if you ever get robbed or have issues, at least Uber has a track of who the driver was.

Around Lima, I have taken Uber as well as gotten my hotel/restaurant/museum to call EasyTaxi, which is like their local version of Uber. You have to pay in cash though, but the fare is sort-of fixed in advance. The cars have all been very clean, and they drive much safer than the crazy official taxi drivers in Lima, and cheaper too.

We have a trip planned for April next year and lots of folks recommended Easy Taxi. Unfortunately the app will not download as "It is not available in your country". I see that Canada is not available but strange that it will not let me download for when we travel. I'll try again when we're next in the US and see if I have better luck.

I've used taxidatum.com a few times for airport arrival to Miraflores and found them to be very clean and reliable. I'd certainly use them again.

By far, the most popular for locals (judging by the number of folks holding up signs at the airport) is Satelitel. Also recommended on the local forums.

http://3555555satelital.com/

I would personally suggest using Uber in Lima. Works perfectly, and rates are not bad.

Uber operates in Lima. The cost for Uber black/whatever the high end car service is, is worth it. I think the typical ride cost around town was about $7 for the two weeks I was in Peru and I used 2-4/times a day.

could someone advise how to get from and back to the airport from downtown without having a smartphone to access uber etc..
im concerned about how to get a safe taxi...
thanks

From the airport, you could take an official taxi - some messages mentioned that Green Taxi is not 100% safe, but it's not the only one if i'm correct.

From the city:
Do you have a smartphone without reception, or no smartphone at all? In the first case, i'd recommend going to some place with wi fi (many cafes, restaurants, hotels have it), as having reception once in the Uber/Easytaxi is not an issue.

If not, asking someone to order an Uber/Easytaxi is an option, or you could ask a hotel or restaurant to call a taxi for you.

Personally, I found very little difference between UberX vs. UberBlack in terms of service. When I ordered an UBlack, I'd normally just get a black, Korean sedan. Half the time when I ordered an UberX, I got a black, Korean sedan; other half I got a regular Japanese or Korean sedan.

For me, the biggest incentive to get UberX is the fare structure. Given the terrible traffic in Lima, I preferred UberX, which only has the base fare + price per km. There's no additional charge based on duration of ride! (UberBlack does have a small charge per minute.)

I used Uber 2-4 times a day and had great experiences. Drivers were courteous, made sure the car was at a comfortable temperature, and all had clean vehicles with functional seatbelts.

I have gone to Lima 3 times in last 4 years(4th trip next month). It's best to call for a taxi(radio dispatched) if you are out and about in Lima and make sure to agree on price before hand. I agree with all the other comments below. You can walk up to the counter right after leaving customs( you will be mobbed after that, outside), I think verde taxi is one of the companies.

There have been report that "Taxi Green" (that's the actual name of the company) is not 100% safe. That's why I recommend taking an Uber. Just for reference, the price for an Uber to Miraflores is 50 soles, which comes to be around 15 US Dollars.

So Uber cannot be booked in advance. This means that tourists need to find a wifi signal to book Uber, and the only option is to head to the Starbucks, wait out 10-15mins, and then leave the airport once Uber arrives...is this correct?

The airport has WiFi. The first 15 minutes per day are free. After that, you select 'pay with PayPal', wait a couple secs, go to your browser and voilá. Free internet for another 15 mins. Unlimited.

Bingo...thank you very much for the clarification. Friend's flying in tomorrow, so will let him know.

I Ubered all over Lima for 3 days. No issues at all - cars always clean, drivers always friendly. I was impressed: the cars were always compact Kias and such, but definitely nicer than the typical taxi.

I had no problem getting cell service throughout Lima using my U.S. multiband device...it was just slow. It was sufficient to get the Uber requested and confirmed, but viewing real-time maps and such didn't really work.

As for safety, there were at least a dozen times where I was certain we were about to get T-boned in the middle of an intersection. But of course it never happened...somewhat these drivers manage to navigate their way around town without killing each other, which hardly seems possible.

Funny thing is that United was sending me emails with Hertz offers for Lima: I don't see how a foreigner could possibly drive here. You'd have to be from Cairo or Delhi to find this traffic mellow.