Prague Taxis
Many tourist guidebooks and TV documentaries warn that Prague taxi drivers are ruthless and will try to rip you off whenever they can.
The situation has improved, but you should still be cautious when using taxis in Prague. A dedicated taxi police team was set up to tackle overcharging and restore trust in Prague's taxis, and taxi scams have become less common as a result. However, some drivers still use legal tactics to inflate fares, such as taking longer routes, charging in euros instead of Czech crowns, and manipulating exchange rates.
How serious the problem is shows in the fact that even locals, whose trust in Prague's taxi drivers is at an all-time low, avoid public taxis at the airport or train station. Instead, they choose reliable transport from a reputable taxi company or book a private car through a trusted app.
Most visitors stay in Prague too briefly to learn how to avoid being overcharged. Many find out only by mistake, or compare prices with other capitals such as London or Paris, where prices are much higher, and do not realise they have been cheated. Luckily, Prague Airport Transfers makes your transport worry-free, with guaranteed fixed prices.
Outrageous Overcharging
Disguised as an "Italian", the mayor took a cab for the 3 km (1.8 miles) journey to Prague Castle. The taxi had a rigged meter, and he was charged the equivalent of 26 euros (£18 / $34) for a trip that should typically cost 4.3 euros. "Disguised the way I was, I was certainly expecting to be charged a higher price, but not to such an outrageous extent," Mr Bem said. Drivers caught overcharging face a fine or could lose their licence. "The driver deserves to be severely punished – I am putting the matter into the hands of officials at city hall." He added that the cabbie could face a fine of up to 33,000 euros ($43,000) and risked losing his permit if caught reoffending. In another taxi, Mr Bem saw his fare shoot up by 200% when he asked whether he could pay in euros rather than koruna. He said more town hall staff would go undercover to find cab drivers flouting the rules. Prague taxis have regulated meters, but some drivers have installed devices that speed up the meters to increase the fare. Last year a German parliamentarian complained that she had been overcharged during a visit, while most locals use only reputable minicab operators booked by phone. Officials fear the city's notorious cabbies could put off some of the millions of tourists who flock to Prague each year, bringing valuable income. In the meantime, Mr Bem advises visitors to agree on a fare before getting into a taxi.
A BBC correspondent in Prague says stories about dishonest taxi drivers have become part of local folklore. There are even stories of drivers wiring up passenger seats to give customers an electric shock if they object to the price. (Source: BBC)
Read more sad taxi stories here, or see a recent article in The Telegraph (Czech journalist threatened for lifting lid on Prague taxis 'ripping off' tourists)
Prague's Mayor Has Had the Chance to See for Himself Whether the Many Stories of City Taxi Drivers Ripping Off Unsuspecting Tourists Are True
Posing as an Italian visitor in a fake moustache and sunglasses, Pavel Bem hailed a taxi for a short ride – and was promptly overcharged by some 500%. Mr Bem said he was shocked by the extent of the problem and vowed to step up controls on taxi drivers. The undercover operation in the Czech capital was a newspaper's idea. The daily Dnes, which has been campaigning against overcharging, persuaded Mr Bem to dye his hair black, slick it back and put on a moustache, a goatee and a pair of expensive sunglasses as his disguise.
Taxi Drivers Overcharging for the Journey from Prague Airport – Up to 5000 CZK
From mid-January 2010, Prague police carried out random checks of taxi drivers at the airport. By 23 February, police had checked 355 cabs and issued fines totalling 66,000 CZK. In addition, 50 drivers were reported to the municipal administrative department and risked losing their licences for breaking the rules. Police focused on airport cabbies because of frequent passenger complaints about overcharging. According to the official price list, a taxi ride to Prague city centre should cost about 600 CZK, but some corrupt drivers did not hesitate to ask for as much as 5000 CZK.
Extract from the Czech press, February 2010
Complaints About Taxi Drivers
Another serious case at Prague Ruzyně Airport dates from November 2009, when an "illegal" cab driver swindled passengers who were undercover officers from Prague City Hall. He charged them 2,140 CZK for a 10-kilometre trip from Prague Ruzyně Airport to the Hotel Diplomat (about five times the regular fare). Another surprise came when the police asked to see his driving licence: he was driving without one, and he had already been arrested once before for the same offence.
Source: Blesk newspaper, November 2009