How to check the taximeter: No rip-offs on vacation: This way you will no longer be cheated while driving a taxi
Anyone traveling abroad by taxi should beware of windy businessmen. Often people try to rip off tourists here. Practical smartphone apps provide a remedy in no time and make life difficult for fraudsters in the future.
Driving a taxi on vacation can be quite expensive. You don’t have to take a taxi for a particularly long distance, because fare rip-offs are still common in many cities around the world. The tricks are always very similar, either there is talk of some kind of flat rate that only applies to tourists, or the taximeter is broken or is simply not switched on. A language barrier is then usually very helpful for the fraudsters. At the destination, the big surprise comes and the cash begins. The app taximeter helps to determine the correct fare.
Taximeter as an app on the mobile phone
Basically, you should find out about the taxi prices in the holiday destination in advance. You should also talk to the driver in advance about the costs and ask to switch on the taximeter, as this is mandatory in most countries. At the same time you can also use a Taximeter app run along.
There you first enter the current tariff and start the app with the taxi ride. The distance covered is tracked by GPS. As with a real taximeter, you can always see the current price in the app. At the end of the journey, you can compare the app’s calculations with the actual fare.
Attention: The free version of the taximeter app for iOS only allows five journeys to be recorded. That can be enough for a short vacation. If you want to record an unlimited number of trips, you can activate it via an in-app purchase for 7.99 euros. As a means against real taxi rip-offs, the around 8 euros are well invested.
Uber as an alternative
You can think what you want of Uber, but at least when it comes to prices, it’s clear. In countries where the driver service is active, for example in the USA, you don’t have to worry too much about rip-offs. For the private taxis you need them anyway Uber app, through which the entire journey is tracked via GPS. In the end, you don’t have to deal with cash either, payment is made by PayPal or credit card.
In Germany, Uber has a different business model. You can use the apps, but you will not be driven by private individuals; rather, Uber forwards driving requests to rental car and taxi companies.
Uber for Android: Get information now from CHIP and download it from the Google Play Store
Uber for iPhone / iPad: Get information now from CHIP and download it from the Google Play Store
Taxis, rental cars, e-scooters and more in one app
Of course, you can also install local taxi apps, but maybe it’s not about driving taxis while on vacation, but rather about basic mobility. the Free Now App is a good alternative because it works in over 100 European cities.
The highlight: The app describes itself as a multi-mobility app that can order taxis, book rental cars, rent e-scooters and e-scooters or bring car sharing under one hood. You book and pay for everything via one app. But be careful: passengers will be shown an approximate fare before the journey, but this may differ from the actual price. The actual fares are determined by the taxi tariff and calculated using the taximeter in the vehicle.
Free Now for Android: Get information now from CHIP and download it from the Google Play Store
Free Now for iPhone / iPad: Get information now from CHIP and download it from the Google Play Store
Good arguments via app
Wherever there is money to be made, there are fraudsters and tourists are unfortunately a grateful target. Who wants to spoil the best days of the year by fighting over a taxi ride? But it is also clear that if you arm yourself with the right apps, keep an eye on taxi tariffs and insist on switching on the taximeter, you are making life difficult for rip-offs.