Tips for traveling by taxi in Amsterdam
If you are on holiday in Amsterdam, the taxi can be a common means of transport. It is an easy and quick way to move you from your accommodation to a restaurant, the airport or to the city. But not all taxi drivers have the best for you. To prepare you, we’ve listed some helpful tips.
- Know your price before you get in
- Make sure you know where to go and how long it will take
- Every taxi must use a meter
- Be wary of the taxi driver
- You can choose the taxi company
Once arrived at the destination, you are obliged to pay and you no longer have a good negotiating position. That’s why its important to know the price in advanced. Ask the price when you get in to avoid any surprises.
Search the route via Google maps, Maps (Apple) or another route app. This way you can catch a driver that’s making an incredible detour. Amsterdam is a small city compared to London and Paris. Drivers must know a large part of Amsterdam by heart during their exam. If the driver can’t find a bus station of another well-known place? Then that is very remarkable and in this case the driver is not reliable.
The meter must always be on. If the meter is turned off and you are facing a far too high fare? Do not pay! Call the police if necessary. A driver who turns of his meter is in violation and is probably scamming you.
NOTE: There are some exceptions, some destinations like the airport have fixed prices. But these fare prices are communicated in advanced.
We are not saying that every driver lying, but be alert to it. Taxi drivers talk a lot and they do not always do that for fun. For instance, they may say that a certain hotel, restaurant or cafe no longer exists and will suggest another place that is ‘much better and cheaper’. In this case the driver is usually affiliated with the place and will receive a commission for each new customer.
If you are on the street and want to take a taxi, you often have to go to a taxi stand. A taxi stand is a place where taxis wait in long lines for customers. It may happen that taxi drivers refuse short taxi rides, because drivers have to join the back of the queue again and wait hours for there turn.
You are not obliged to take the first taxi in line. That was the case in the past, nowadays you can just choose any taxi, even if the taxi is at the back of the line.