I knew one thing was amiss when the taxi meter learn 10.50 euros as we pulled away from the Roma Termini practice station.
While negotiating the night rush hour site visitors and typing into a translation app on his cellular phone, the cab driver urged the beginning fare included a surcharge for all rides from Rome’s foremost practice station.
That was at most a half-truth and all of the affirmation I wanted to know that I had grow to be a statistic — one in every of hundreds of vacationers who’re scammed by taxi drivers in Italy yearly.
According to Rome’s tourism authority, the taxi meter ought to have began at 3 euros as with all rides between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. on weekdays, with one extra euro for the second piece of bags in the trunk.
Some journey websites counsel there’s an extra 2 euro surcharge for all taxi rides from Roma Termini, though that data will not be listed on official websites.
The 5 km journey from Roma Termini to my guesthouse in Trastevere got here up to 24 euros — about double the quantity that was urged by a Google search and a native taxi journey hailing app that I frantically downloaded in the course of the journey.
The fear is all the time in regards to the extent of the overcharges. But what to do — particularly as a helpless vacationer, locked contained in the again of a automotive in a overseas metropolis?
Here are three issues that can assist in your subsequent Italy vacation.
Download taxi apps
The strength of the taxi union and lobby in Italy has severely curtailed the expansion of ride-hailing apps reminiscent of Uber. That means Uber is just out there in main cities reminiscent of Rome and Milan — however even these have solely a restricted Uber Black fleet, which additionally means usually increased costs.
Before arriving in Italy, obtain taxi hailing apps related to the key Italian taxi firms, reminiscent of ItTaxi, FreeNow and Free Taxi. But not all apps work in all cities, significantly the smaller ones.
Taxi drivers holding a demonstration in Piazza del Campidoglio in response to the choice made by the Mayor of Rome, Roberto Gualtieri, and the Councilor for Mobility, Eugenio Patane, to situation new taxi licenses in alternate for fee. The occasion came about on Nov. 9, 2023, in Rome, Italy.
Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images
Apps enable for cashless fee, however they do not guarantee a set charge. When you ebook a taxi — through phone or via an app — fares should still run by the meter, they usually can begin the second drivers settle for a job. Some fares replicate a vary, with the high-end estimate a worst case situation.
Despite the dearth of mounted costs, it’s nonetheless prudent to obtain these apps since hailing a cab off the road is not straightforward.
Plus, you can solely board a taxi at designated stands in cities, or should you order one over the cellphone or through the app.
Do your analysis
Learn to acknowledge official white cabs and the varied metropolis emblems, and the place taxi drivers publish their taxi licenses and automobile registration numbers.
“Inform your self about tariffs earlier than paying for the service, particularly for journeys between airports and the town heart. Usually, these journeys have a mounted value,” mentioned Claudia Gualdi, journey intelligence knowledge lead at Riskline.
Taxis parked in entrance of the Duomo Cathedral in Milan, Italy.
Francesca Volpi | Bloomberg | Getty Images
In Rome, a cab journey to and from Fiumicino Airport from elements of the town within the Aurelian Walls — which covers the the town’s historic core and elements of Trastevere and the Vatican — ought to price a flat 50 euros every means.
Base fares additionally range from metropolis to metropolis. Meters begin at 3 euros in Rome from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays, however are barely increased (3.30 euros) in Florence.
Surcharge and progressive fare constructions additionally range between cities — data that isn’t all the time out there in the taxi itself.
Avoid taxis except completely essential
As for me, that taxi journey from Roma Termini to my visitor home turned out to be the primary and final taxi journey I took throughout my week-long go to to Rome.
I ultimately paid the doubtful quantity on the meter as a result of I used to be exhausted. I used to be additionally relieved that the quantity wasn’t increased.
The cab driver took offense at my request for a receipt and my makes an attempt to take a picture of his taxi license and automobile registration quantity.
He stopped the automobile on a busy highway, bought out and opened the again door, demanding I exit the automobile.
High-speed trains on the central railway station in Milan in July 2023.
Gabriel Bouys | AFP | Getty Images
I stepped out with all my belongings, pondering he was kicking me out of the cab. But he prevented me from opening the boot to take out my baggage, whereas telling me over the interpretation app to “settle down” and never to act rashly.
He ultimately nudged me again into the cab and drove me to my meant vacation spot throughout the Tiber river.
After that, I walked almost all over the place I went in Rome — together with a 45-minute stroll to Vatican City. When I bought drained, the town’s trams and buses have been straightforward since you can pay in your fares utilizing your bank card. There’s additionally the town’s underground metro.
The Leonardo Express practice to Fiumicino Airport from Roma Termini is a handy and reasonably priced means to get to the airport.
I made a decision to take a cab solely as a result of I assumed dealing with two items of bags on the bus and tram would be a massive trouble. Turns out taking the cab was maybe worse.