1

do an advanced seaqrch and you will get info on coupon taxis, yellow airport taxis and regular taxis. By now expect to pay 450 in a coupon, a bit less in a yellow and less in a white one at arrivals but to save the cost of a coffee in starbucks is it worth it ?

2

The security guards up at arrivals only let taxis stop long enough to let their passengers get out of the car, they are then moved on and not allowed to hang around for a fare. If you want to save money your only option is to get out of the airport complex onto the main road and flag a normal metre taxi. But to be honest if this is your first time in Manila I'd say for you to just get an airport taxi as you will probably be ripped off by a normal metre taxi on the main road and it will save a lot of hassle!

3

The escalator going up to departure is already blocked.

4

yea the escalator has been blocked for quite awhile but you can still use the elevator, tell the guard you want to go up and get a taxi, they have always been happy to oblige, i went through there couple months ago and didn't have a problem going up and getting one that had dropped off costumers

5

I would get a coupon taxi, as it is safer. A metre taxi maybe not much cheaper depends on the traffic and which route he takes, the traffic cannot be bad early morning and evenings and after rain everything seems to grind to a halt. Get your suitcase out of the boot before paying him.

6

i tell you from all the years of fighting with manila taxi drivers i have never once had a problem with any of the ones i have taken from the airport by going up to the departing area. I think its due to them being thankful for having a fare right back to the city, never an issue about using the meter or anything. You should be able to get to ermita for about p100 though i am a very generous tipper my first taxi ride each time in the PI.

7

It is quite a risk taking a non-airport taxi for a first timer. Most taxis will not use meter and will ask for more than what you will pay for a metered airport taxi or the coupon taxi.

8

Agree with Bounty. Not a problem getting an arriving regular metered taxi upstairs, and they will turn on the meter. Should be perfectly safe. However, if you walk out to the road, that's where you'll run into the crooked metered taxis - they inevitably won't turn on their meters and try to charge a premium. Also keep in mind that the location of the arriving taxis (ie, the departures area) depends on what terminal you fly into. Yes, it's upstairs at the regular old international terminal I (where the escalator is blocked) but it might not be blocked off at terminal 1 or 3 (I haven't checked).

All that said, your best bet is a yellow airport metered taxi from the arrivals area. These might cost P200 to Malate, just a tad more than a regular metered. They are safe and always use the meter (although one driver tried to charge me P500 to go to Mall of Asia recently; I asked for his ID and said I'd be calling his boss and he quickly changed his mind).

9

actually just yesterday i took a yellow one in from the airport, p200 to ermita, that was fine with me, just didn't tip as well as i normally do

10

I definitely agree that the coupon system is there to protect the travelers arriving to Manila which means that there are valid reasons to have this "system" in place i.e. unscrupulous drivers elsewhere. The only drawback is the higher starting level of the meters but for convenience and ease of getting away from the airport with the least hassle via a taxi, go with the coupon. Other options are available since many hotels/guesthouses etc. provide free airport pickup :)

11

I'm surprised how easy folks in Manila accept those official rip-offs. The plain fact that they block the escalator going up trying to force people taking an overpriced coupon taxi makes me angry - and it makes certain that I will not take their rip-off coupon taxis.
I rather walk off the ramp even with luggage, it's only about 150m walk to the road, flag down a regular cabbie, if he doesn't want to use the meter, wave him off and get the next one.
Or go upstairs using the elevator as mentioned above.

Same way I never use the rip-off overexpensive airport limousine here in Bangkok (albeit you get a nicer car in comparison to a regular metered cab) - but at least here there are signs leading you to the public taxi stand where you pay the meter (plus 50 baht airport surcharge, plus highway toll fees if needed). Even here at public taxi stand you get a piece of paper with phone numbers to complain if something goes wrong.

Why can't they get done something like this in Manila? Why do people not complain more, stop using their overpriced cabs? Why do people in the RP so easily accept those rip-offs?

I'm wondering as well why the coupon taxis are supposedly 'safer'? I never had any problems with regular taxis from the airport to town nor from town to airport - apart from that they don't want to use the meter; as said wave him off and take the next one.
Of course that won't happen to you in coupon taxi, you already agreed not using a meter and paying 450php instead of 120php or so...
Offer 450php to a metered cabbie on the road and he will agree immediately, btw...and he will tell at home that he found an idiot paying him more than triple of the regular fare...
No wonder those coupon guys don't argue about fares...
+++++

12

i do not think they blocked the escalator to try and force you to take a coupon taxi. I believe its blocked because it quit working. They have always been perfectly happy to take me up the elevator.

13

• I believe its blocked because it quit working.

??????????

Some 10yrs ago?
And they never fixed it?
Might there be a reason not to fix it?

The point is that this escalator is right in front of you before you exit - unlike the elevator which is out of view to the side...

You really good in helping them finding excuses????
++++++

14

I'm afraid I have to agree with tools here...the transport situation at Manila airport really p*sses us off and just screams rip off...whenever we can we avoid using Manila to fly to. Why aren't there buses (like every other airport in SE Asia?), why are the coupon taxis so bloody expensive? are two questions we always ask. We always walk out onto the road and flag a taxi or get a jeepney...but this isn't easy if you don't know what you are doing or if you don't know Manila. Regular metred taxis are always told to put the metre on and if they don't then we get another one.

The same as at terminal 3 they have put that huge wire fence up 'for security' around the car park perimetre...hmmm more like to stop arriving passengers taking a more direct route to the road to get a regular metred taxi?! Yep, very cynical of us but we can't help it!