I knew something was amiss when the taxi meter read 10.50 euros as we pulled away from the Roma Termini train station.
While negotiating the evening rush hour traffic and typing right into a translation app on his cellphone, the cab driver suggested the starting fare included a surcharge for all rides from Rome’s most important train station.
That was at most a half-truth and all of the confirmation I needed to know that I had change into a statistic — considered one of 1000’s of tourists who’re scammed by taxi drivers in Italy every 12 months.
In line with Rome’s tourism authority, the taxi meter must have began at 3 euros as with all rides between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. on weekdays, with one additional euro for the second piece of bags within the trunk.
Some travel sites suggest there’s an extra 2 euro surcharge for all taxi rides from Roma Termini, although that information shouldn’t be listed on official sites.
The 5 km ride from Roma Termini to my guesthouse in Trastevere got here as much as 24 euros — about double the quantity that was suggested by a Google search and a neighborhood taxi ride hailing app that I frantically downloaded in the course of the ride.
The fear is at all times concerning the extent of the overcharges. But what to do — especially as a helpless tourist, locked contained in the back of a automotive in a foreign city?
Listed here are three things that may also help in your next Italy holiday.
Download taxi apps
The strength of the taxi union and lobby in Italy has severely curtailed the expansion of ride-hailing apps similar to Uber. Meaning Uber is just available in major cities similar to Rome and Milan — but even those have only a limited Uber Black fleet, which also means generally higher prices.
Before arriving in Italy, download taxi hailing apps related to the key Italian taxi corporations, similar to ItTaxi, FreeNow and Free Taxi. But not all apps work in all cities, particularly the smaller ones.
Taxi drivers holding an illustration 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 issue latest taxi licenses in exchange for payment. The event took place on Nov. 9, 2023, in Rome, Italy.
Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images
Apps allow for cashless payment, but they do not ensure a set rate. Once you book a taxi — via telephone or through an app — fares should run by the meter, they usually can start the moment drivers accept a job. Some fares reflect a spread, with the high-end estimate a worst case scenario.
Despite the shortage of fixed prices, it’s still prudent to download these apps since hailing a cab off the road is not easy.
Plus, you’ll be able to only board a taxi at designated stands in cities, or in case you order one over the phone or via the app.
Do your research
Learn to acknowledge official white cabs and the assorted city emblems, and where taxi drivers post their taxi licenses and vehicle registration numbers.
“Inform yourself about tariffs before paying for the service, especially for journeys between airports and town center. Often, these journeys have a hard and fast price,” said Claudia Gualdi, travel intelligence data lead at Riskline.
Taxis parked in front of the Duomo Cathedral in Milan, Italy.
Francesca Volpi | Bloomberg | Getty Images
In Rome, a cab ride to and from Fiumicino Airport from parts of town throughout the Aurelian Partitions — which covers the town’s historical core and parts of Trastevere and the Vatican — should cost a flat 50 euros each way.
Base fares also vary from city to city. Meters start at 3 euros in Rome from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays, but are barely higher (3.30 euros) in Florence.
Surcharge and progressive fare structures also vary between cities — information that shouldn’t be at all times available within the taxi itself.
Avoid taxis unless absolutely crucial
As for me, that taxi ride from Roma Termini to my guest house turned out to be the primary and last taxi ride I took during my week-long visit to Rome.
I ultimately paid the dubious amount on the meter because I used to be exhausted. I used to be also relieved that the quantity wasn’t higher.
The cab driver took offense at my request for a receipt and my attempts to take a photograph of his taxi license and vehicle registration number.
He stopped the vehicle on a busy road, got out and opened the back door, demanding I exit the vehicle.
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, considering he was kicking me out of the cab. But he prevented me from opening the boot to take out my luggage, while telling me over the interpretation app to “calm down” and never to act rashly.
He eventually nudged me back into the cab and drove me to my intended destination across the Tiber river.
After that, I walked nearly in every single place I went in Rome — including a 45-minute walk to Vatican City. After I got drained, town’s trams and buses were easy because you’ll be able to pay to your fares using your bank card. There’s also town’s underground metro.
The Leonardo Express train to Fiumicino Airport from Roma Termini is a convenient and reasonably priced solution to get to the airport.
I made a decision to take a cab only because I assumed handling two pieces of bags on the bus and tram can be a giant hassle. Seems taking the cab was perhaps worse.
