Getting around Prague by public
transportation is easy and convenient and you may never need to use a taxi. Taking a taxi is a good idea when you
are traveling with a lot of luggage, it is freezing
cold, you need to get to a distant part of Prague,
or you need to travel at night when the subway isn't
running and the trams and buses run less frequently.
Unfortunately for Prague, its taxi drivers have become a scar on its reputation for overcharging and dishonesty. Based on a July 2012 undercover test, only one out of five Prague taxi drivers took the correct route from point A to point B, charged the correct amount, and printed a receipt. These were all taxis taken on the street, not booked over the phone. There are fortunately
a number of reputable Prague taxi companies that you can rely
on for good service and fair rates.
Here are some tips that might save you headaches
and a few hundred crowns:
• Don't get into a taxi that
is parked in front of the train station or at a tourist site.
These are often waiting for unsuspecting tourists
and are known to charge rates several
times higher.
• If you need to catch a taxi
on the street, make sure it is a real, registered taxi.
The yellow roof lamp must be permanently
installed and must say TAXI in black letters on both
sides. The driver's name, license number
and rates should
be printed on both front doors.
• Try to
find out beforehand how much your ride should cost. If
you're stopping a taxi on the street, you can ask the
driver before getting in and even pay in advance
if the amount sounds reasonable. If you're ordering
a taxi by phone, which is always a good idea, you can get a price
estimate or even the exact fare from the dispatcher.
• Once in the car, make sure
that the rate on the taximeter corresponds to the price
list posted in the car. If it doesn't,
bring it to the driver's attention or have
him stop the car, so you can get off.
• The driver should offer a printed receipt. If he doesn't, you have the right to request one or refuse to pay the fare.
• Be smart and order a taxi
by phone from one of these reliable and courteous taxi
companies:
• Try to
find out beforehand how much your ride should cost. If
you're stopping a taxi on the street, you can ask the
driver before getting in and even pay in advance
if the amount sounds reasonable. If you're ordering
a taxi by phone, which is always a good idea, you can get a price
estimate or even the exact fare from the dispatcher.
