Taxi searchers can use all the help they can get
Rather than be taken for a ride when traveling abroad, wouldn't it be nice to have some idea of the fare for moving around the city or heading off to the airport should really be.
Then have a look at World Taximeter.
Combining directions from Google Maps with local cab fares, it'll let you know how much the ride should cost using local rates by distance and time of day.
Depending on what country you're in, it'll also alert you to any additional charges, such as the cost of booking over the phone, or traveling on a weekend.
For anyone who's visiting a foreign country for the first time, the service might be a good way to figure out if your driver is trying to pad the fare.
The site can be accessed on the Web or on your mobile phone. Each city listing has two or more local cab numbers, which can be helpful if you don't know your way around.
Of course, what World Taximeter doesn't do is let you find an actual cab. For that, you'll need Cab4me. The app displays your location on a map and pulls up a list of local cab companies. Once the call is made, just stay in the same place and wait.
Or for the truly frugal, there’s Cab Match, a new app for the iPhone that pair travelers together so that they can split the expense of a cab into the city from the airport.
What's your secret when looking for a cab? Or is finding a taxi ever a problem to begin with?
By Gordon Powers, MSN Money
Posted by: vdg | Jan 5, 2022 1:26:46 PM
Yah right. Vancouver hotel to the airport only $21. But wait a minute $0 for waiting in traffic. Didn't know taxis were immune to the traffic!
Calculator good for nothing.
Posted by: jim | Jan 5, 2022 11:33:35 PM
So I just tested this with the last two cab rides I've had and it's pretty bang on. From one end of downtown Van to the other was within the dollar, and from burnaby to downtown within a buck or two. Both times I took these rides were late night so no traffic, but it's accurate! I can't imagine traffic adding more than a few dollars depending on the distance or wait time. Cool app. to have on your phone.