paperbag

from your travel experiences in europe, in general, did you pay just the meter amount or extra according to how many passengers were in the taxi? thx

nona1

Taxi rules vary from country to country. There is no overall rule for 'Europe'.
In the UK you just pay what is on the meter.

flanneruk

In my experience virtually the only worldwide travel practice is that the amount shown on the meter (plus whatever the local tipping customs is) is what you pay.

There's an almost-universal rule, that taxidrivers will try to persuade gullible foreigners different.

I don't think I've ever encountered a taxi meter charging per person. Only on what we call jitneys and the Turks call whatever's the plural of dolmus (??dolmuslar) does this happen - and I've never seen one with a meter.

Mucky

Taxi drivers are leaches and will try to get every penny out of the unsuspecting passenger.
I very very rarely get taxis and if I have to I never ever tip.

Horrible creatures, in the same non human category as wheel clampers,traffic wardens and dentists.



muck

nibblette

Taxis almost universally charge the meter price for the trip. But depending on where you are they may take on an extra charge for any person above x number (usually 2-4). But this is usually a flat rate per extra person charge.

You do have to watch out for places where you have a forced share (taxis can pick up other passengers to fill up the car). In this case the payment gets muddy. Have been in countries with forced shares, but luckily we had enough to fill the car so no experience.

In many countries, taxis charge a per luggage piece charge. Look into this before you go so you know which countries' taxis do and which don't, for the reasons mentionned by mucky.

If you are talking about a shuttle service and not a true metered taxi, they do usually charge per person.

kappa

Don't forget in some countries like Switzerland, there is an additional charge per piece of luggage. Otherwise it never is per person (never say never?).

Gretchen

What others have said (except Mucky). In France, it is the price on the meter with small surcharges for pickup at a gare, for each piece of luggage and for passengers over 3 persons. Don't forget the tip.

GoAway

I might add that if you are going to use taxis, it's a good idea to find out what 'typical' charges are before you go. For example, it should only cost you 15 Euros to get from the airport to the hotel. That way, you do know when you're being taken. (I think Mucky's a little overboard in assessing taxi drivers. But I do agree that some will really clean up on gullible travellers, so don't be one.)

lucielou

I have always only paid the meter price plus a tip.

nytraveler

Rules vary country by country - and you need to learn each if you don;t want to feel cheated.

Every place I have been the fare on the meter is for all the people in the cab - but I suppose there might be somewhere that more than 2 or 3 people are extra.

There are also often exra charges for luggage, airports, certain hours of the night and if you call for the cab in advance rather than hail on the streeet.

Each cab should have a list of these additional charges to show passengers.

And - by and large I have found taxi drivers worldwide no more likely to cheat you than people in any other walk of life - 90% honest and 10% out for anything they can get.

Perhaps Mucky has so much trouble with cabs because he's too cheap to tip - and enters the cab with an attitude.

Mucky

;-)


Muck