Mariah RobinsonGetting from point A to point B can become quite complex if you are in a foreign country, don’t you agree? Not to mention that the situation when you don’t know the language will just add to the suspense you can experience.
It immediately comes to mind that using taxi services will help you navigate through the city much easier. If you’re about to visit Den Haag, be sure to click here. However, using a taxi service in a foreign country can be quite a negative experience.
We all know the stories about people who have experienced something bad during these trips. Thankfully, you can prevent these from happening. To make this process much simpler and more enjoyable for you, we want to provide you with a couple of tips for using a taxi service in a foreign country. Let’s check them out.
1. Research, Research, Research
You should conduct a thorough research about what you can expect in the city you’re visiting before the travel even starts. One of the factors you should take a look at is how high are the taxi fares.
By doing that, you will know exactly how much you will need to pay for a ride from the airport to the hotel, and around the city. Sure, you can check these on Google Maps. Still, it is important to know it first-hand.
For you to do that properly, make sure you take a look at some online reviews posted by tourists. That way, you will have a rough image of what you can expect when it comes to fares. Besides that, find a couple of taxi services in that particular city, just so you can have a couple of options in front of you.
2. Create a Plan
Whenever you are about to visit a place you haven’t been to before, it is a must to have some sort of plan, right? So, there is no reason whatsoever not to include taxi services in your plan. For instance, you will know where you’ll stay, what are places you want to visit, and how much time is required to do it.
All of these factors will provide you with an idea about how much money you’ll need for it. Naturally, there is always a chance for a little detour, especially when you are about to visit a big city, filled with numerous cultural sites, museums, bars, and restaurants.
Nevertheless, creating a plan will provide you with many benefits, with saving some money in the process being the most important.
3. Pre-Booking
Pre-booking every time you need a taxi should be one of the priorities for you. It is always possible to come across an independent driver, who has some correlations with scammers. In most cases, these scams will be hidden from you, and you will notice something’s wrong a couple of hours after the incident has occurred.
After that, any reaction you have will be to no avail. Just think about it, both drivers and scammers are locals, so you will not have any chance to find them. Thankfully, there are many solutions you can use in this day and age.
For instance, use an app of a certain taxi service to book these. That way you can see who is the driver, when will the vehicle arrive, and how much the fare will cost you. Be sure to use these when you have the chance.
4. Roll-Up Windows
Another thing we want to discuss is keeping the windows rolled up in every situation. That way, there will be no risk that someone can snatch your belongings from you. It might look like a silly thing to say, but believe us, this is something that happens often, especially when you are driving through the city where the streets and sidewalks tend to be pretty narrow.
Besides that, always have the phone number of the local police. If something bad happens to you, reporting this incident is something that can influence the resolution of this problem much faster.
Not to mention that the driver will behave much better when he or she sees that you have armed yourself with a couple of layers of protection. Rolling up your windows in just one of these.
5. Report any Problems
If something unpleasant happens during the time you spend in a taxi, you should report it immediately. For instance, you may lose your passport or wallet. Without having your identification documents near you can cause a lot of problems in a foreign country.
Not to mention that you’ll need to wait for a long time before the embassy of your country can react. For that reason, it is a must to report any of these problems.
Do not hesitate to cooperate with local police, no matter how untrustworthy the officer may seem to you. When you think about it, there is no other way to get your belongings back in proper condition.
6. Remain Sober
The final piece of advice we want to provide you with is not getting into a taxi intoxicated. We all know that alcohol can have a negative influence on your judgment. So, chances of you being scammed will increase significantly.
To be honest, taxi drivers cannot resist scamming foreigners, who are not on point when it comes to focusing. Besides, it can easily happen that you can get asleep during the drive. If you are in that state, then it would be good for you to have a sober partner, who can pay attention to all the potential problems that can arise.
That way, you will minimize the chances of getting scammed during the drive. There are even worse things that can happen in this process when you’re not focused.
The Bottom Line
Finding a taxi in a foreign country is not as easy as it may appear. Here, you can take a look at a couple of tips that will make you much safer during this process. Check them out, and see which one of them will serve your needs the best.
Hugh Hay
Jaime Hay
