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i am flying into mexico city next week. i´ll arrive in the evening. from what i found out from earlier posts on tt is, that there are taxis one should take and taxis one should not take. my hostel is near the american embassy on Río Lerma #130, on their webside they say people should take a "autorizados" from the airport for 150 pesos.
whats the deal with these "autorizados" ? are they pre-paid ? are there many companies ? which one to take ?
anything to avoid for being dangerous or a scam ??
I disagree with #1. On MANY occasions I have been "hustled" by taxi drivers (or their representatives) offering taxi service. I insist I want the "taxistas seguros" and if the hustler doesn't get out of my way (at times they have been aggressive), I tap a traveler on the shoulder and ask directions to the taxi kiosk. One time the "hustler" wanted $90 USD to take me to a hotel near the zocalo -- Chicago or N.Y. prices.
I don’t see anything in #1 to disagree with, either—it is all consistent with my experience.
I've heard (but never experienced) that they will give you the expensive option as a default Yes, I experienced this few times recently and have friends who experienced that as well. I posted a thread re this few months back. The difference was at the time, for zone 4, MP 285 for a minivan (that fits 7) that they call "ejecutivo" vs MP 170 for a regular car that they call "sedan".
Also, your hostel is near the Metro station in the Zona Rosa just across La Reforma from where you are staying. The Metro gets you everywhere.
Just last week, they tried it in CAPU, the central bus station in Puebla, and they did it right in front of the sales booth. I just wave my finger in the Mexican sign language for "no" and they do not push any further.
It has also happened in TAPO in DF.
But, if it hasn't happened to individuals, that is simply because they can't possibly hit on everyone. It is common for unauthorized taxi drivers to try to avoid paying the commission to the sales people.
And, yes, there is much less security with these birds. They are proving they are lawless, avoiding laws and rules restricting who can supply service. Not a good person to do business with.
I am not suggesting all unauthorizeds will rob you. I am saying, JUST DON'T.
All in all, a very unpleasant experience. At TAPO, much easier to just go over to the pre-paid booth.
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taxi mexico city
hello,i am flying into mexico city next week. i´ll arrive in the evening. from what i found out from earlier posts on tt is, that there are taxis one should take and taxis one should not take. my hostel is near the american embassy on Río Lerma #130, on their webside they say people should take a "autorizados" from the airport for 150 pesos.
whats the deal with these "autorizados" ? are they pre-paid ? are there many companies ? which one to take ?
anything to avoid for being dangerous or a scam ??
1
When you arrive, you will see multiple different booths of several Taxi companies throughout the terminal. I have used Nueva Imágen and Sitio 300, both prices and level of service seem identical. Fare to colonia Cuauhtémoc will be more like 200 pesos than 150. So you go to any of the booths and buy a ticket for a sedan to your destination and pay for it right there. There is a more expensive servicio ejecutivo but you probably don't need it. They will tell you which door to exit to find the taxi. You will hand the ticket to the dispatcher who will direct you to the taxi waiting for you there. If you are at a stop of a wrong company they will respectfully direct you to the correct one from which you bought the ticket. You get to keep portion of the ticket, the other one goes to the driver. The process is quite civilized and easy to follow, you are unlikely to face any unsolicited offers, other than booth staff waving at you when you walk by some booths. The drivers are very courteous, usually know the route, and will help you load/unload luggage at both ends of the journey. I usually tip them 10-20 pesos but it may not be necessary.2
The only ‘scam’ to watch out for is that they don’t oblige you to take a van (executive service, as Yose01 mentioned). You want a regular car (“sedan”). You can tell which it is by the prices. The price is based on distance from the airport, by zone. Some of the booths have a poster up with the list of prices. There is one set of prices for regular car service, and a set of higher prices for van service.3
#2 is correct. Prices should be posted by zone.I disagree with #1. On MANY occasions I have been "hustled" by taxi drivers (or their representatives) offering taxi service. I insist I want the "taxistas seguros" and if the hustler doesn't get out of my way (at times they have been aggressive), I tap a traveler on the shoulder and ask directions to the taxi kiosk. One time the "hustler" wanted $90 USD to take me to a hotel near the zocalo -- Chicago or N.Y. prices.
4
To make it clearer what #3 said about “directions to the taxi kiosk”, there are dozens of taxi booths in the airport. There are clusters of taxi booths near each of the main exits at the ends of the terminals.I don’t see anything in #1 to disagree with, either—it is all consistent with my experience.
6
I have taken a taxi from the airport to different parts of the city at least a dozen times in the last few years, both domestic and international, both terminals, and not once was I approached with a ride solicitation. Maybe it has something to do with me walking quickly and confidently to a ticket booth or the metro entrance. Regardless, even in much worse airports in Mexico (usually in the coastal resort towns) saying "No gracias" seems to be very effective. Even if they exist in the MC airport, they are not very visible, and they must keep very low profile because they are probably targeted by the airport police. I think OP does not need to worry about picking up a "wrong" kind of taxi from the airport.7
I too have never been "hustled" for a ride at Benito Juarez... There are tonnes of authorized booths in arrivals so you'll find one quickly enough. I've heard (but never experienced) that they will give you the expensive option as a default so I always just specify that I would like a sedan for X zone. And I've never had anything other than friendly and helpful radio or authorized taxi drivers.9
What Yose01 says in #1 and #6. I used to be hassled in late 90s but things changed - haven't been hassled once in few years going back and force. Agree that OP does not need to worry about picking up a "wrong" kind of taxi from the airport, that process is easy and straightforward and that drivers are professional and courteous (though, most speak Spanish only).I've heard (but never experienced) that they will give you the expensive option as a default Yes, I experienced this few times recently and have friends who experienced that as well. I posted a thread re this few months back. The difference was at the time, for zone 4, MP 285 for a minivan (that fits 7) that they call "ejecutivo" vs MP 170 for a regular car that they call "sedan".
10
Your hostel is in the Colonia Cuauhtemoc, a very safe area. Ask the hostel manager to call for a taxi seguro. When out and about, buy taxi tickets from the sitio, or taxi stands, or use the radio dispatched taxis. Always good to make sure the taxi has the licensing placard on the dash and has current license plates.Also, your hostel is near the Metro station in the Zona Rosa just across La Reforma from where you are staying. The Metro gets you everywhere.
12
I have come to Mexico for 29 years, and I have been unsuccessfully "hustled" by unauthorized taxis. It is true, the more vigorously you approach the official kiosks, the less likely to be hustled.Just last week, they tried it in CAPU, the central bus station in Puebla, and they did it right in front of the sales booth. I just wave my finger in the Mexican sign language for "no" and they do not push any further.
It has also happened in TAPO in DF.
But, if it hasn't happened to individuals, that is simply because they can't possibly hit on everyone. It is common for unauthorized taxi drivers to try to avoid paying the commission to the sales people.
And, yes, there is much less security with these birds. They are proving they are lawless, avoiding laws and rules restricting who can supply service. Not a good person to do business with.
I am not suggesting all unauthorizeds will rob you. I am saying, JUST DON'T.
13
Several years ago, I gave in to being hustled at TAPO. coming into DF on an overnight bus, then heading over to the airport. Not really knowing my way around, once I was in the cab and realized what had happened, had a white-knuckle ride to, what I hoped would be, the airport. I seem to recall some disagreement about fare as well when I got to the airport, and he was in a heck of a rush to get out of there, probably because he shouldn't have been there.All in all, a very unpleasant experience. At TAPO, much easier to just go over to the pre-paid booth.
