Different taxi rates?

[Mike]

Are there taxi rates for tourists and taxi rates for locals?

If spend any time around the two big supermarkets you see a lot of locals arriving or taking a taxi to and from their homes and the super markets. I can't imagine locals paying $10.00 or more for a ride to and from the supermarket. Doesn't seem very affordable.

Is there a separate taxi rate for locals?

 

[stortecky]

I found rates were much cheaper if you were picked up a few blocks off the water. I am guessing they do have more expensive rates for tourist.

 

[sddiver]

The taxi rates are not by who is in the cab, but by where you start and end via a set of zones. But yes, the fares between typical tourist zones/destinations are much much more as compared to the back area local hoods. They charge us more to subsidize the cheaper fares for locals.

 

[deborahdelamar]

Taxi drivers do not use complicated arithmetic and exchange dollars at 10 to 1. If you pay in dollars, the fares are automatically very high. There are extra fees to take a taxi from a taxi stand (vs. hailing a cruising one), when you telephone dispatch for one, if you take one to or from the "tourist zone" (Calle 11 Sur north to Calle 10, Melgar east to Ave. 10) or onto the airport property, or have extra passengers. And yes, the fares are by zone. In most cases, published fares to many tourist locations -- hotels and attractions that locals don't regularly taxi to -- are higher than fares to places the locals frequent.

Best practice is to negotiate the fare before you get into the taxi, pay in pesos, and have exact change.

 

[diverkristi]

Taxi drivers do not use complicated arithmetic and exchange dollars at 10 to 1. If you pay in dollars, the fares are automatically very high. There are extra fees to take a taxi from a taxi stand (vs. hailing a cruising one), when you telephone dispatch for one, if you take one to or from the "tourist zone" (Calle 11 Sur north to Calle 10, Melgar east to Ave. 10) or onto the airport property, or have extra passengers. And yes, the fares are by zone. In most cases, published fares to many tourist locations -- hotels and attractions that locals don't regularly taxi to -- are higher than fares to places the locals frequent.

Best practice is to negotiate the fare before you get into the taxi, pay in pesos, and have exact change.

After a couple of visits for 10 plus days we found it helpful to check with our dive op as to what we should pay, then we just handed the driver that when we got out of the car. No problems that way.

 

[blue steal]

Best practice is to negotiate the fare before you get into the taxi, pay in pesos, and have exact change.

Could not agree more.

 

[requindiver]

I'm in Cozumel every month. The taxi drivers will usually accept a 12 to 1 exchange rate, you just need to clarify the price prior to departing. Worst case an 80 peso ride will cost you $7. I only bring US dollars and never have a problem. Life too short to worry about exchanging money, just to get hit when you change it back or end up coming home with useless pesos. The US dollar is currency in Mexico. Even though the Taxi Union is strong, I've sent one taxi away based on price just to have another come up and have no problem accepting what I will pay. Save your money for tipping the Divemasters, Boat Captains, and hotel wait staff.

 

[blue steal]

Lucky you,COZ every month...........
What the deal on tipping taxi drivers? Here in LA it's usually 10% of the fare.

 

[requindiver]

Lucky you,COZ every month...........
What the deal on tipping taxi drivers? Here in LA it's usually 10% of the fare.

It's not customary to tip taxi drivers in Mexico. However, I sometimes do put in an extra dollar.

 

[blue steal]

Oh poop....When I was in COZ, I tipped the taxi driver like $1.5 each time.....oh well..... next trip I'll know better.