cabs
 

Can I use a credit card for pay for a taxi in London and Paris?

yes, sometimes

Always ask before you get inside the taxi.
In Paris, taxis are "required" to have credit card machines, but they don't always work, for some unknown reason...

'for some unknown reason...'

I like that one. But when the machine doesn't work and you ask for a receipt, sometimes they finally work...

Taxis Parisiens are required to accept credit cards unless they have a sign, visible from outside the cab, explaining that they are not able to do so.

Mostly yes, sometimes no . . . But iMO one should always have a little cash on them - certainly enough that would cover a taxi fare.

sarastro - we all know that "in the Perfect Parisian Phantasy", this would happen. But taxi drivers have all kinds of excuses, so it's best to ask, first.

All taxis in France are required to accept cards by law. (Visa, Mastercard -- not necessarily the other cards)

Some of them will give an excuse for not doing so. If you write down their license number and report them, the situation is sure to improve quickly.

All of the information for doing this is posted in the passenger area of the taxi -- either on the back of the front seat or on the door.