Taxis Unfortunately, corrupt taxi drivers are one of the biggest problems commonly encountered by all visitors to Prague. In a recent experiment staged by the media, Prague mayor Pavel Bem, posing as an Italian tourist, took a taxi from Old Town Square to Wenceslas Square – and was charged five times the normal rate for what should have been a short trip! This is but one of many recent highly publicized campaigns to crack down on taxi driver scams. Never take a taxi from the street unless you absolutely have to – especially not taxis waiting for unsuspecting tourists at Wenceslas Square, Old Town Square, or any of the other popular tourist areas. All taxis are required to display their rates and are obliged to use their meters; they must also print out a valid receipt, should you request one. Besides the ever popular “broken meter” trick – one that can work towards your benefit, if you are able to agree on a fair price beforehand – some taxi drivers will set their meters to run at an incredibly fast speed. If the numbers seem to be rising at the speed of light, command the driver to stop immediately – you are being robbed. The starting rate should be around 25 CZK, then 20 CZK for each kilometer that follows. If you catch an honest taxi on the street, it will be a bit more expensive – starting at 34 CZK, followed by 25 CZK for each kilometer. From the city center, a ride to the airport should cost no more than 400 CZK. A short ride within the city center should cost around 130 CZK; to one of the surrounding districts, up to 200 CZK. Most taxis will have the name of the company, phone number, taxi number, and the driver’s name on the driver and passenger sides of the car – this information is there to protect you. Taxi drivers face stiff penalties for ripping off clients – one reported offense can cause them to permanently lose their license. If you or one of your traveling companions purposely make a show of writing down this information, you’re a lot less likely to be ripped off. My friend and I tried this once, and it worked to our advantage. As my friend sat in the front seat arguing with the taxi driver, who wanted to charge us twice the amount it would normally cost to get to our apartment from the Vinohrady neighborhood, I got out of the car and began entering the driver’s taxi number into my mobile phone. The driver was suddenly a lot more willing to listen to my friend’s arguments, and we paid the price we thought was fair. It’s a fact that most Czechs hate taxi drivers as much as they despise the police (that’s another story altogether.) Still, there are several reputable taxi companies in Prague that provide excellent service. Calling a taxi is the best way to avoid getting ripped off – after all, the driver knows you’ve got his number, and one phone call is all it takes for him to lose his job. The most reputable taxi company is probably AAA, whose operators speak English. Their phone number is 14 0 14, and they can even be ordered online at http://www.aaa.radiotaxi.cz/en/. Unless you call at an extremely busy time – which usually means Friday or Saturday night – the taxi will usually arrive within 5-10 minutes. If you’re having difficulty getting through, try City Taxi (www.citytaxi.cz) at 257 257 257, Halo Taxi (www.halotaxi.cz) at 244 11 44 11, or Profitaxi (www.profitaxi.cz) at 844 70 08 00.
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