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Taxi Advice
If you don’t want to cram onto an overcrowded bus, perch on the back of a motorbike taxi (xe om), or go slow on a cycle-rickshaw, taxis are the only real option for tourists to get around in Vietnamese cities.
Taxis are plentiful in urban areas, so you shouldn’t have any trouble flagging one down until late at night, and they are much cheaper than in the west. Most are fine, but a minority do try to hoodwink tourists for a bit of extra cash.
Change for change’s sake
One tactic is for the driver to ‘not have’ change at the end of a journey. He will probably open his wallet to demonstrate this and hope you just get out. This is usually only a small amount of money – generally no more than 5,000 dong (US$0.25) – but if you choose to stand (or sit) your ground, he may miraculously find some spare cash.
Some foreigners’ complaints of this may be a case of misunderstanding, however. For very short journeys, many Vietnamese people pay at least 20,000 dong (US$1) despite the meter fare being less than this. So, a taxi driver’s reluctance to pay change may just be this practice.
The long way round
A second scam is for the driver to take a circuitous route to your destination. This may be to avoid traffic jams or due to one-way systems, but it can be just to boost the fare. Unless you’re armed with a GPS device and pay close attention, it’s difficult to avoid this happening until you know the best route.
Meters matter
Another underhand technique is to rig the meter to run faster than it should. Legitimate taxis should quote the charge per kilometre somewhere on or in the car, so keep an eye on the meter and ask the driver to stop if it seems to be running fast.
Other drivers will try to set a fare before you get in and not use the meter, which may even be hidden in the glove box. This will invariably be more expensive unless you’re going a long way, so insist on using the meter or find another cab.
Some good news
These scams do happen in Vietnam, but most drivers won’t employ these tactics. To help avoid such issues, however, it may be best for tourists to use one of the big taxi companies, which are more trustworthy. Details of four of these companies are below. These taxis are not the cheapest available, but the cars should display the driver’s identity and licence, which you can photograph if necessary. Also, a hotline number is often advertised that can be used for any complaints you may have.
Taxi Group
Taxi Group uses the brand names Hanoi Taxi, CP, and HanoiTourist and their cars are white with red stripes down the side. The company only operates in Hanoi and has a hotline for customer complaints.
Tel: (04) 38535353 (Hanoi Taxi) / (04) 38262626 (CP) / (04) 38565656 (HanoiTourist)
Hotline: (04) 37959801
Web: www.taxigroup.com.vn
ABC Taxis
ABC Taxis are white or silver with pink lettering and details. ABC Taxis are only found in Hanoi and the company has a hotline for customer complaints.
Tel: (04) 37191919
Hotline: 0983202719
Mai Linh
Mai Linh Group operates as Mai Linh in Hanoi, Saigon Taxi in Ho Chi Minh City, and M.Taxi in other parts of the country. Mai Linh Group taxis are white with green markings, or simply green, with the drivers wearing matching green ties. Mai Linh doesn’t have a dedicated hotline for customer complaints.
Tel: (04) 8222666 (Hanoi) / (08) 8222666 (HCMC)
Web: Mai Linh Group
Noi Bai Taxis
Noi Bai Taxis are a specialist company offering transfers between Hanoi and the city’s Noi Bai Airport. Their cars are white with yellow markings and the drivers wear yellow shirts. The company has a customer complaints hotline.
Tel: (04) 38868888 / (04) 62666000
Hotline: 01233110000
Web: www.noibaitaxi.com.vn
Note: If telephoning from outside Vietnam, use the country code +84 or 0084 and drop the leading zero.
This article was written by Horizon Viet Nam Travel
Viet Nam Travel agent : Viet Nam Tours - Laos Tour- Myanmar tour-Indochina tour- Ha Long Cruise
email: info@wayto-vietnamindochina.com
Hotline: (0084) 987 986 158
email:
If you don’t want to cram onto an overcrowded bus, perch on the back of a motorbike taxi (xe om), or go slow on a cycle-rickshaw, taxis are the only real option for tourists to get around in Vietnamese cities.
Taxis are plentiful in urban areas, so you shouldn’t have any trouble flagging one down until late at night, and they are much cheaper than in the west. Most are fine, but a minority do try to hoodwink tourists for a bit of extra cash.
Change for change’s sake
One tactic is for the driver to ‘not have’ change at the end of a journey. He will probably open his wallet to demonstrate this and hope you just get out. This is usually only a small amount of money – generally no more than 5,000 dong (US$0.25) – but if you choose to stand (or sit) your ground, he may miraculously find some spare cash.
Some foreigners’ complaints of this may be a case of misunderstanding, however. For very short journeys, many Vietnamese people pay at least 20,000 dong (US$1) despite the meter fare being less than this. So, a taxi driver’s reluctance to pay change may just be this practice.
The long way round
A second scam is for the driver to take a circuitous route to your destination. This may be to avoid traffic jams or due to one-way systems, but it can be just to boost the fare. Unless you’re armed with a GPS device and pay close attention, it’s difficult to avoid this happening until you know the best route.
Meters matter
Another underhand technique is to rig the meter to run faster than it should. Legitimate taxis should quote the charge per kilometre somewhere on or in the car, so keep an eye on the meter and ask the driver to stop if it seems to be running fast.
Other drivers will try to set a fare before you get in and not use the meter, which may even be hidden in the glove box. This will invariably be more expensive unless you’re going a long way, so insist on using the meter or find another cab.
Some good news
These scams do happen in Vietnam, but most drivers won’t employ these tactics. To help avoid such issues, however, it may be best for tourists to use one of the big taxi companies, which are more trustworthy. Details of four of these companies are below. These taxis are not the cheapest available, but the cars should display the driver’s identity and licence, which you can photograph if necessary. Also, a hotline number is often advertised that can be used for any complaints you may have.
Taxi Group
Taxi Group uses the brand names Hanoi Taxi, CP, and HanoiTourist and their cars are white with red stripes down the side. The company only operates in Hanoi and has a hotline for customer complaints.
Tel: (04) 38535353 (Hanoi Taxi) / (04) 38262626 (CP) / (04) 38565656 (HanoiTourist)
Hotline: (04) 37959801
Web: www.taxigroup.com.vn
ABC Taxis
ABC Taxis are white or silver with pink lettering and details. ABC Taxis are only found in Hanoi and the company has a hotline for customer complaints.
Tel: (04) 37191919
Hotline: 0983202719
Mai Linh
Mai Linh Group operates as Mai Linh in Hanoi, Saigon Taxi in Ho Chi Minh City, and M.Taxi in other parts of the country. Mai Linh Group taxis are white with green markings, or simply green, with the drivers wearing matching green ties. Mai Linh doesn’t have a dedicated hotline for customer complaints.
Tel: (04) 8222666 (Hanoi) / (08) 8222666 (HCMC)
Web: Mai Linh Group
Noi Bai Taxis
Noi Bai Taxis are a specialist company offering transfers between Hanoi and the city’s Noi Bai Airport. Their cars are white with yellow markings and the drivers wear yellow shirts. The company has a customer complaints hotline.
Tel: (04) 38868888 / (04) 62666000
Hotline: 01233110000
Web: www.noibaitaxi.com.vn
Note: If telephoning from outside Vietnam, use the country code +84 or 0084 and drop the leading zero.
This article was written by Horizon Viet Nam Travel
Viet Nam Travel agent : Viet Nam Tours - Laos Tour- Myanmar tour-Indochina tour- Ha Long Cruise
email: info@wayto-vietnamindochina.com
Hotline: (0084) 987 986 158
email:
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