Singapore Taxis - What's with the surcharges?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: BIL
Programs: Delta FO
Posts: 786
Singapore Taxis - What's with the surcharges?
Yesterday, I took a very short (2KM) taxi ride to 28HongKong St. Fare on the meter was around $5.40, but when dropping me off, the driver hit a button and the fair went to $11.60. This was at 7:15 PM. He told me it was a rush hour surcharge.
This morning, the trip to the airport at 3:30 AM metered at $21, but again, a button was pushed and it went to $27.
Is this standard?
This morning, the trip to the airport at 3:30 AM metered at $21, but again, a button was pushed and it went to $27.
Is this standard?
#2
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: LHR
Programs: Accor PLT,Thai Silver, HH Dia, SPG Titanium (LT Gold), Aegean Gold, BA Silver
Posts: 5,115
#3
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Left
Programs: FT
Posts: 7,285
#5
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: sometimes SIN, sometimes JFK/LGA
Programs: UA 1K, 1.6MM bis
Posts: 767
It can happen. The base fare is what it is, but the add ons can include extras for:
- ERP, a toll for going into the Central Business District at peak hours. On your trip to Hong Kong Street, at the time you took this cab, it is likely this would have been charged unless your entire trip was within the zone.
- Booking fee. Did you hail the cab to the airport off the street or did someone call for you? If the latter, this is another add on.
- City zone, for trips starting in the CBD
- Midnight charge, which almost certain got added to your ride to the airport
- And yes, a peak (not rush) hour surcharge.
There are others but these are the ones that I suspect have caused you angst. We who live here can't make heads or tails of the charges either, it's confusing for us too, unfortunately they're legit.
- ERP, a toll for going into the Central Business District at peak hours. On your trip to Hong Kong Street, at the time you took this cab, it is likely this would have been charged unless your entire trip was within the zone.
- Booking fee. Did you hail the cab to the airport off the street or did someone call for you? If the latter, this is another add on.
- City zone, for trips starting in the CBD
- Midnight charge, which almost certain got added to your ride to the airport
- And yes, a peak (not rush) hour surcharge.
There are others but these are the ones that I suspect have caused you angst. We who live here can't make heads or tails of the charges either, it's confusing for us too, unfortunately they're legit.
Last edited by dsgtc0408; Oct 22, 2014 at 10:28 pm
#6
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: SIN
Programs: SQ TPP, UA 1K MM
Posts: 518
It's called "peak hour surcharge," and it is on the list. The surcharges vary by operator but are pretty consistent across most/all when you are trying to take a taxi at highest demand times ("peak hour"), originating in the CBD during those times, originating from the airport, or in the hours after midnight.
#7
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: BKK/SEL/YQG
Posts: 2,543
On top of ALL those, there's also non-airport origin fees! MBS has one. Fuji Xerox Towers another. Changi Expo another. I'm sure there are more as well.
Ah, can't forget the non-cash payment fees! A whopping 10% for Credit Cards, 30-50 cents for stored value cards.
Also, Singapore used to be terrible to get a taxi off the street, and since the launch of Smartphone booking apps over the last 2 years, things have become even worse! Cabs will drive around "busy" waiting for a booking, which is anywhere from $2-8 depending on the app/time of day/advance booking. Also good luck getting a cab within 30-40 minutes of the "peak" fee hours. Again, they rather sit idle and pick up a passenger once the fees kick in.
Taxis can be affordable here if you do the fee gauntlet.
Ah, can't forget the non-cash payment fees! A whopping 10% for Credit Cards, 30-50 cents for stored value cards.
Also, Singapore used to be terrible to get a taxi off the street, and since the launch of Smartphone booking apps over the last 2 years, things have become even worse! Cabs will drive around "busy" waiting for a booking, which is anywhere from $2-8 depending on the app/time of day/advance booking. Also good luck getting a cab within 30-40 minutes of the "peak" fee hours. Again, they rather sit idle and pick up a passenger once the fees kick in.
Taxis can be affordable here if you do the fee gauntlet.
#9
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,158
Ask for a reciept, the surcharges are separetly listed and you can compare to the fee and surcharges displayed in the cab.
#10
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Virginia City Highlands
Programs: Nothing anymore after 20 years
Posts: 6,900
Honestly, I would prefer Singapore taxes regardless of pricing scheme to any city in the world.
- fee rules are written and you can make sense of them if you read in advance
- cabbies speak English, they are polite (I had only one grouchy cabbie over 3 years)
- you can do advance booking (yes, it is $8 more) and they will show up regardless of the situation outside (like rush hour and pouring rain)
- they do give you receipt
- they do ask you which road you want to take. A lot of (visiting) people are get confused by this but they ask it to find out if you want to take the fastest road (with ERP/added charged) or other way to minimize extra charges
Anyone complaining about Singapore taxi system - please try to take taxi from Shinjuku station to Haneda airport in Tokyo or try to get taxi and receipt in KL, Jakarta or Istambul.
- fee rules are written and you can make sense of them if you read in advance
- cabbies speak English, they are polite (I had only one grouchy cabbie over 3 years)
- you can do advance booking (yes, it is $8 more) and they will show up regardless of the situation outside (like rush hour and pouring rain)
- they do give you receipt
- they do ask you which road you want to take. A lot of (visiting) people are get confused by this but they ask it to find out if you want to take the fastest road (with ERP/added charged) or other way to minimize extra charges
Anyone complaining about Singapore taxi system - please try to take taxi from Shinjuku station to Haneda airport in Tokyo or try to get taxi and receipt in KL, Jakarta or Istambul.
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: BIL
Programs: Delta FO
Posts: 786
Agreed, taxis most everywhere are very challenging. In the USA, taxis are very predicable, but not so much in other parts of the world. Interestingly, my best taxi experiences have been gypsy cabs in Peru. Cheap, courteous and easy to find.
#12
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Terra Australis Cognita
Posts: 5,350
And why would that be a problem? Japanese cabbies won't speak much English, but "Haneda airport" is one destination where that shouldn't be an issue.
#13
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Virginia City Highlands
Programs: Nothing anymore after 20 years
Posts: 6,900
Do you know how much it would cost?
Today I spent $27 for a taxi from Changi to west coast, including several minutes wait time at one stop. Total trip was 31.5km and from there $3 was airport fee.
Anyone familiar with Tokyo cabs - could you tell how much would it cost to run 31.5km around the city during 1PM-2:30PM on weekdays?
Today I spent $27 for a taxi from Changi to west coast, including several minutes wait time at one stop. Total trip was 31.5km and from there $3 was airport fee.
Anyone familiar with Tokyo cabs - could you tell how much would it cost to run 31.5km around the city during 1PM-2:30PM on weekdays?
#14
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Left
Programs: FT
Posts: 7,285
Do you know how much it would cost?
Today I spent $27 for a taxi from Changi to west coast, including several minutes wait time at one stop. Total trip was 31.5km and from there $3 was airport fee.
Anyone familiar with Tokyo cabs - could you tell how much would it cost to run 31.5km around the city during 1PM-2:30PM on weekdays?
Today I spent $27 for a taxi from Changi to west coast, including several minutes wait time at one stop. Total trip was 31.5km and from there $3 was airport fee.
Anyone familiar with Tokyo cabs - could you tell how much would it cost to run 31.5km around the city during 1PM-2:30PM on weekdays?
#15
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: YYC/MNL
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy SE
Posts: 520
It's a smart way to push you to use their MRT. To be honest, you really wouldn't need a taxi. Everything is well connected.
Only time I used a taxi was from Lavender to Changi because I overslept and was vomiting in the wee hours of the morning. Curse you, ice kachang!
Overall, Singapore taxi system was top notch. Didn't feel like I was being gouged.
Only time I used a taxi was from Lavender to Changi because I overslept and was vomiting in the wee hours of the morning. Curse you, ice kachang!
Overall, Singapore taxi system was top notch. Didn't feel like I was being gouged.