Taking a taxi in Mexico

Taxis are a great way to get around and many times very economical.  Taxi prices are based per ride, not per passenger. Legally regular taxis can take up to 4 passengers.

Taxi drivers get a bad rap, most taxi drivers we have encountered in our many years of traveling in Mexico have been helpful, honest, hard working guys, and a few have become lifelong friends.

There are just a few things you should know about taking taxis in Mexico

1. Know the rates: If you are getting a taxi at a sitio, (an official taxi stand) there is normally a posted rate sign. Often, flagging a taxi down along the street who is not at a sitio can be less expensive, but you need to know the prices or at least an idea of how much it should cost for your ride.
2. If there is a posted sign of rates, snap a picture of it.
3.  Ask the rate before you get into a taxi and agree on the price.
4. Once in the taxi, hand the driver the agreed upon amount or as close to correct change as possible.
5.  Before getting in or when you get out of the taxi, take note, or as I do, take a picture of the taxi number.
6. Why are you taking a picture of the number? Because people lose things in taxis all the time! If you have the taxi number, you have a better chance of getting your items back, it’s usually a phone. In our case it was a very expensive Garmin GPS we used for mapping 😬 This is how we learned to follow our own advice!
7. Tipping a taxi driver, many say they always do, but it isn’t expected. We will always tip a taxi driver who is especially helpful and friendly or if he goes above his job, such as carrying luggage, waiting while you run into a store, etc.

Get a MapChick Map & Travel Guide, we always try to publish the most current taxi rates.