It is one of the biggest concern for tourists to find a cab that takes you to your hotel from the airport and then the following itinerary, especially when they are traveling from abroad. Because most of the time, the flight lands at evening hours, which is the time for the taxi drivers to wind-up the existing trip and return home.
So, the result is the taxis or cabs that are available charge more than usual and sometimes you need to compromise with your vehicle. But we cannot stop traveling; neither can we change our itinerary since the flights don’t obey the taxi drivers time, right?
Here are 5 tips to consider while booking a tourist cab or airport taxi in India in order to minimize your hassle.
#1 Select the vehicle and book the cab in advance
Just like we book our air or train tickets much before our journey, we can book the cab too at least a week before our departure. This will free you from the worries of finding the right cab.
According to your requirement, you can choose the type of vehicle. For example, if you are traveling with children, you will have more luggage, so you can choose sedan or SUV. If you are backpacking and traveling a short distance, compacts cars are just fine.
#2 Book cab from trusted companies
These days, you can see a number of companies and tour operators providing tourist cabs or outstation taxis in India. Ola, Uber, Gozo are the main players in this sector. Before booking, check the following points-
- They have the type of vehicle you are looking for.
- 24 X 7 customer support service.
- If they provide a clear description of pricing (toll prices, parking charges, etc).
Uber has a benefit that you can book the cab with the same app, no matter which country you are traveling. But it sometimes plays unfair in terms of pricing. So, you can shop around, get price quotes from leading travel companies in India and book accordingly.
#3 Check for the service quality of the tourist cab
Make sure that the car you are booking has AC, GPS, comfortable leg space, luggage space, and a well-behaved driver. It is a bit difficult to find out, but you can check user reviews on the company’s website or travel sites like TripAdvisor, Google reviews, etc.
However, this should not be the only clue for judging the company’s services because mostly those customers who have a bitter experience, post the review. Still, you can figure out the pros and cons of the company’s services through reviews.
#4 Feel free to make special requests
If you have special request like dark shields on windows, a driver with knowledge of the language of the region, English speaking driver, etc. feel free to ask the company before confirming the booking.
Again you can choose the taxi company which adheres to your requests.
#5 Check if the company gives airport pick-up services
Many times, the driver or tourist cab company may ask you to meet at a certain distance from the airport. This is because the airport is a high traffic zone and some may take chance to save airport parking charges.
While booking, make clear that airport pick-up is in your itinerary, followed by the rest of the tour.
Folks, your comfort and safety should be the priority while traveling. It is also a good practice to share your “where-about” frequently with friends and family. So that in case of emergency, your near and dear ones are aware where you are.