I will be going to Prague in July. I've heard that one should be careful when taking a taxi in the city because foreigners are charged higher rates. Is it true? How can I tell what rates are OK?
It is true that foreign tourists may experience trouble when taking a taxi in Prague as some taxi drivers might want to take an advantage of the fact that foreigners do not know what rates are normal or do not pay much attention to the amounts they are paying. It is generally not a good idea to take a random taxi right on the street, unless the car is clearly marked with a name of a reputable company (AAA, Profi Taxi, Sedop, etc.). Be especially careful when taking a taxi at the airport as the rip-off might be quite significant. It is normally safe to order a taxi by phone. We recommend to call AAA (tel. 1080) since we have received good service from them and their rates are fixed and reasonable.
Forget the taxi. Use the public transportation system. The underground (subway) is very easy & clean. Get an all day pass & go all over the city. The metro (trollies) are great too. They fill-in the gaps left by the underground.
