Getting around
For US travelers
Taxis and ride-hailing, country by country.
Written for travelers leaving the US, this is the calm version of a question every trip raises: is the taxi a rip-off, which app should I install, and how do I get from the airport into town without overpaying. The answer changes by country, so we write one up wherever the meter, the app, or the airport rank has a specific trick worth knowing. We name the official or cheapest safe route first, and we take nothing from any taxi or app company.
Taxi questions, country by country
Where a place has a specific taxi or ride-hailing wrinkle worth walking through, we have written it up. Each one lives in that country's guide.
ArgentinaStraightforwardTaxis in Argentina, and which apps workTaxis are cheap, plentiful and metered, and the money question is mostly about how you order one. An app or a radio taxi gives you a record and a price, which is why they are the better default here.ArubaA catch or twoGetting around Aruba: taxis, buses and carsShort answer: taxis run on fixed government rates rather than meters, there is no Uber, and a rental car or the cheap public bus fills the gaps. Here is how each works and what it costs.AustraliaStraightforwardTaxis in Australia, and the apps to useGetting around Australia is easy: Uber and its rivals are everywhere, taxis are metered and effectively cashless, and you do not tip. The one quirk is a small card surcharge. Here is how it works.AustriaStraightforwardTaxis in Austria, and the apps to useAustrian taxis are metered, honest and regulated, and in Vienna the apps make it easy. From the airport the train wins, and you tip by rounding up. Here is how it works.BahrainTaxis and ride-hailing in BahrainBahrain is the easy one for apps. Both Uber and Careem operate, both collect at the airport, and here the app is usually cheaper than the meter rather than dearer.BrazilA catch or twoTaxis in Brazil, and the apps to useIn Brazil, the ride apps are not just cheaper than street taxis, they are the safer choice, which is why locals lean on them. Install Uber and 99, and here is how to use them and leave the airport smoothly.CambodiaStraightforwardTaxis, tuk-tuks and ride apps in CambodiaThe tuk-tuk is how you get around here, and the apps have taken the negotiation out of it. Install one before you land and the fare stops being something you argue about on a hot street corner.CanadaStraightforwardTaxis, Uber and Lyft in Canada.Rideshare works in Canada's major cities much as it does at home, so getting around town is easy. The money question is the airport run, where a train or a fixed taxi fare often beats a surging Uber. Here is what to use where.ChinaA catch or twoGetting around China: Didi and the metroShort answer: Didi for taxis, a QR pass for the metro, and the train between cities. Here is how each works, and the one or two things to watch.ColombiaA catch or twoTaxi apps in Colombia, and the one rule that mattersIn Colombia the how-you-get-a-taxi matters more than which app. Here is the single rule to follow, the apps locals actually use, and how to leave Bogota's airport without the roadside gamble.Costa RicaA catch or twoTaxis in Costa Rica, and the apps to useCosta Rican taxis are cheap and metered, and ride apps make it easier still. The one habit to keep is insisting on the meter, called la maria. Here is how it works.CroatiaStraightforwardTaxis in Croatia, and the apps to useIn Croatia the ride apps are usually cheaper than a traditional taxi, especially on the coast in summer. Install Uber and Bolt, take an airport shuttle where it makes sense, and round up to tip. Here is how it works.CzechiaA catch or twoPrague taxis, the apps, and the airport scam to skipPrague's taxis had a bad name for years, but apps have quietly fixed most of it. Here is which one to install, the airport trick that still catches people, and how to get into the city cheaply.DenmarkStraightforwardTaxis in Denmark, and getting around CopenhagenEvery for-hire car in Denmark runs a fare meter, which is the law that pushed Uber out in 2017 and shaped what came back. Taxis are honest but pricey, tariffs are set company by company rather than fixed citywide, and in Copenhagen the Metro still does most of the work. Here is how it works.Dominican RepublicA catch or twoTaxis in the Dominican RepublicThe key thing in the Dominican Republic: taxis do not use meters, so you agree the fare before you get in. In the cities an app removes the guesswork, and for resorts a prebooked transfer is simplest. Here is how it works.EcuadorTake extra careTaxis and ride apps in Ecuador, done safelyGetting around Ecuador is cheap, but hailing a taxi off the street carries a real safety risk in the big cities. Here is which apps to use, how to handle the airport, and the habits that keep it simple.EgyptA catch or twoUber or Careem in Egypt, and the Cairo airport taxi trapEgypt is one of the places where an app quietly solves the problem. Here is which one to install, why the old street cabs are best skipped, and how to get out of Cairo airport without the invented fees.El SalvadorTaxis and ride-hailing in El SalvadorGetting around San Salvador is one of the places where an app is not just cheaper but genuinely simpler, because the alternative involves negotiating every fare from scratch.FranceStraightforwardParis taxis and Uber, and the CDG fixed fareParis gives you real choice, a hailable licensed taxi or a proper Uber, but the airport is where money is won or lost. Here is how the two compare, the fixed fare that protects you, and the tout trick to skip.GeorgiaA catch or twoTaxis and ride apps in GeorgiaGetting around Georgia's cities is cheap and easy once you have the right app. Here is what to install, how to handle a street taxi, and the way locals travel between towns.GermanyStraightforwardTaxis in Germany, and the FreeNow appGerman taxis are metered, regulated and honest, so there are no games to watch for. Install FreeNow, know that the S-Bahn usually beats a taxi from the airport, and round up to tip. Here is how it works.GreeceA catch or twoTaxis in Greece, and the Athens airport flat fareGreek taxis are cheap and useful, but a few meter games target visitors, especially at the port and on the islands. Here is which app to install, the airport fare fixed by law, and how to keep the meter honest.Hong KongStraightforwardTaxis in Hong Kong, and the color zonesHong Kong taxis are cheap, honest and everywhere, but two things trip up visitors: they come in colors by area, and many still take only cash. Here is how it works.HungaryStraightforwardTaxis in Hungary, and the apps to useUber is back in Budapest (run through Fotaxi), so Uber and Bolt both work, and every licensed taxi charges the same regulated rate. The main rule is simply to use licensed yellow cabs. Here is how it works.IcelandStraightforwardTaxis in Iceland, and why there is no UberThere is no widespread Uber here, which surprises people. Taxis are licensed, metered, card-friendly and expensive, and the usual way to get one is to book it rather than wave at the street.IndiaA catch or twoTaxi apps in India, and the airport touts to skipIndia's taxis are cheap, but the first hour at the airport is where the tricks cluster. Here is the app to install, how to tell the real prepaid taxi from the touts, and the small scams to know once you are moving.IndonesiaA catch or twoTaxi apps in Bali, and the pickup zones to knowBali has no trains and barely any public transport, so the apps matter, but a local taxi mafia complicates them in a few tourist spots. Here is which app to install, how to spot a fake Bluebird, and where the apps quietly stop working.IrelandStraightforwardTaxis in Ireland, and the FreeNow appIrish taxis are metered, honest and set by a national regulator, so there is nothing to haggle over. Install FreeNow, know that Dublin airport has no train, and round up to tip. Here is how it works.ItalyA catch or twoTaxis in Italy, and the airport fixed fareTaxis in Italy do not work the way most visitors expect: you cannot really flag one down, and Uber is not the cheap option it is at home. Here is how to get a cab, and the airport rule that saves you money.JamaicaTake extra careTaxis in Jamaica, and the red-plate ruleJamaica has no Uber, and the taxis are not reliably metered, so a couple of simple habits keep you safe and fairly priced. Here is the plate to look for, how to handle the fare, and the airport desk to use.JapanStraightforwardTaxis in Japan, and the GO appJapanese taxis are spotless, honest and metered, with doors that open for you and no tipping ever. They are also pricey, so from the airport the train usually wins. Here is how it works.KuwaitTaxis and ride-hailing in KuwaitThere is no metro, no tram and no domestic rail in Kuwait, so this is a road country. Careem is the reliable app, and there is one specific catch at the airport worth knowing before you land.LaosStraightforwardTaxis, tuk-tuks and ride apps in LaosMetered taxis barely exist here. Getting around means tuk-tuks, shared songthaews and, in the bigger towns, a local ride app that takes the negotiation out of it. One habit covers the rest: settle the fare first.MexicoA catch or twoUber and DiDi in Mexico, and the Cancun airport catchIn most of Mexico an app makes the whole thing easy, but the airports are where it gets complicated, and Cancun is its own world. Here is which app to install, what the Mexico City airport rules actually are, and how to leave Cancun airport without getting stung.MoroccoA catch or twoTaxis in Morocco, and the app that actually worksMorocco runs on two kinds of taxi and a set of ride apps that sit in a legal gray area, which is not what most visitors expect. Here is how the petit and grand taxis work, how to handle the meter, and which app to actually install.NamibiaA catch or twoTaxis and getting around NamibiaNamibia is a self-drive country first and foremost. If you are not renting a car, ride-hailing exists only in the main towns, and it is not the apps you know from home. Here is how it really works.NetherlandsA catch or twoTaxis in the Netherlands, and the Schiphol trainIn the Netherlands the train and the bike do most of the work, and when you do need a taxi, an app is the safe bet. Amsterdam street taxis have a reputation for overcharging, so here is how to avoid it.New ZealandStraightforwardTaxis in New Zealand, and the apps to useNew Zealand is easy to get around: Uber runs in the main cities, taxis are metered and effectively cashless, and you do not tip. Here is how it works, including the airport, where there is no train.NorwayStraightforwardTaxis in Norway, and checking the priceNorwegian taxis are among the priciest anywhere, and since deregulation their fares vary a lot between companies, so it pays to check before you ride. The train usually wins. Here is how it works.OmanTaxis and ride-hailing in OmanGetting around Muscat means taxis, because there is no metro and the city is strung out along 50 kilometers of coast. The apps are local, the meters are inconsistent, and the fix is simple.PhilippinesA catch or twoGetting around the Philippines: Grab and jeepneysShort answer: use Grab in the cities, carry coins and small bills for jeepneys and tricycles, and be firm about the meter with taxis. Here is how each works and what it costs.PolandStraightforwardTaxis in Poland, and the Bolt appPoland is cheap and easy to get around by app, with Bolt the local favorite. The main thing to sidestep is the old-school station or street taxi that overcharges tourists. Here is how.PortugalStraightforwardTaxis in Portugal, and the Bolt appPortuguese taxis are cheap and mostly honest, and ride apps are even cheaper, with Bolt the local favorite. The main thing to watch is the odd airport driver, so here is how to keep it simple.QatarTaxis, apps and the metro in DohaDoha has the cheapest airport-to-city ride of any Gulf capital and one common trap, which is assuming the app you used in Dubai still works here.Saudi ArabiaTaxis, apps and the metro in Saudi ArabiaSaudi cities are vast and built for cars, so getting around is mostly apps. Riyadh is the exception now, because its new metro is absurdly cheap and reaches the airport.SingaporeStraightforwardTaxis in Singapore, and the Grab appSingapore taxis are metered, honest and strictly regulated, and Grab makes booking effortless. The only thing to understand is the list of legitimate surcharges, not scams. Here is how it works.South AfricaA catch or twoTaxis in South Africa, and the airport e-hailing baysUber and Bolt make getting around South Africa's cities easy, but the airports have a pickup quirk and there is some turf tension worth understanding. Here is the app to use, where it collects you, and what to avoid.South KoreaStraightforwardTaxis in South Korea, and the Kakao T appKorean taxis are cheap, honest and metered, and the Kakao T app makes hailing one effortless even with no Korean. From Incheon the train usually wins, and you never tip. Here is how it works.SpainStraightforwardTaxis and apps in Spain.How you get a ride in Spain depends on the city. In Madrid the apps work like home; in Barcelona a new law has effectively pushed visitors back to the black-and-yellow taxi. Here is what works where, and the two airport fares to know.Sri LankaA catch or twoTaxis and tuk-tuks in Sri LankaThe tuk-tuk is how you will get around Sri Lankan towns, and the easy way to avoid overpaying is to let an app set the fare. Here is how, plus the airport and the traps.SwedenA catch or twoTaxis in Sweden, and the price stickerSweden deregulated taxis, so most are fine but a few rogue cabs charge wild rates, especially at the airport. The trick is the yellow comparison-price sticker, or just use an app. Here is how it works.SwitzerlandStraightforwardTaxis in Switzerland, and why to take the trainSwiss taxis are honest and metered, but among the most expensive anywhere, and the public transport is so good that you will rarely want one. Here is how it works.TaiwanStraightforwardTaxis in Taiwan, and the apps to useTaiwanese taxis are cheap, plentiful and honest, and an app clears the one hurdle, the language. From Taoyuan the Airport MRT is easy, and you never tip. Here is how it works.ThailandA catch or twoBangkok taxi meters, and the airport rank done rightThai taxis are cheap and mostly honest, but a few habits around tourists cost money, and the airport has a specific trap. Here is how the meter works, which app to keep as a backup, and the exact way to use the official taxi rank.The BahamasTaxis and ride-hailing in the BahamasThere is no Uber here, and no meter in the taxi either. That combination catches a lot of visitors out, so here are the going rates and the one habit that prevents every dispute.TurkeyA catch or twoIstanbul taxis, the meter, and the airport done rightIstanbul taxis are metered and mostly fine, but a handful of tricks target visitors, and the airport is a long way out. Here is which app to install, how the meter really works, and the calm way to get into town.United Arab EmiratesTaxis and ride-hailing in the United Arab EmiratesDubai taxis are metered, government-regulated and cheap by US standards, with no haggling and no meter games. Here is what the meter actually does, and where the extras come from.United KingdomStraightforwardLondon taxis, Uber, and the Heathrow transfer.London gives you real choice: a hailable black cab or a pre-booked Uber. But the money is made or lost on the airport run, where the train quietly beats a cab by fifty pounds or more. Here is how it all compares.VietnamStraightforwardWhich taxi app to use in Vietnam, and the airport scam to skipThe honest answer is that installing one app before you land makes most of the risk disappear. Here is the app to use, the fake-taxi trick to know, and how to get from the airport into town without the tourist markup.
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These are our own reads from experience and each country's guide, not official figures, and they are checked when we check the guide. Ride-hailing apps have no travel booking to sell, so we earn nothing here. For the fees behind a trip, see tourist taxes and entry fees, and for how each place pays, see cash or card. More on how we work is on our methodology page.
Compare a whole region
Weighing up where to go? See how the countries in a region stack up on cost, cash, tipping and getting around, with a clear pick for each.