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In the peak hours of arrival, the taxi queue at Paddington (connecting for the Heathrow Express) can be quite sizable. Don't forget that there is a taxi share service that runs from the station so you can get to where you are going and save money if you share a taxi. London is split into different zones and there should be an agent at the station to help you.
Taxis here are very cheap, very efficient, and don't expect tips.
Taxi queues at Central Station main exit may be very long at times. Try the dropping-off area one floor higher where many more taxis are available.
It’s quicker to take the S-Bahn rail service from Terminal 1 at Frankfurt airport than to bother with a taxi. It’s cheaper, too. You can get a day pass that includes the airport trip for around €6.85 and the journey is just 11 minutes into town. A taxi, on the other hand, will take you half an hour and cost about €30.
There are plenty of taxis outside the airports and, for those who were brought up watching 'To The Manor Born', you can book a limo to whisk you to your 5-star hotel suite in comfort (as in most US cities, Carey are the best provider). But public transport is probably your best ticket. Chicago is in fact, very unusually for the US, thoroughly served by public networks of buses and trains. The El Al, a rather spiffing elevated train, is the quickest and cheapest mode of transportation between O’Hare, Midway and The Loop.
It is quicker and cheaper to prebook a town car or limo to get from the airport to downtown. Some taxi drivers charge up to $80 while a town car costs only $55.
Nightstar limos is a good one. www.nightstarlimo.com
Safer, as generally taxi drivers are a bit dodgy, and means that you aren't carrying cash around. They are also more likely to speak English and actually take you where you want to go.
Taxi queues at Central Station main exit may be very long at times. Try the dropping-off area one floor higher where many more taxis are available.
Paris taxi drivers seem to have a problem with carrying more than three people. We were surcharged for a family of three adults and one child with various excuses given, including an additional charge for luggage! Use the Metro whenever possible, and buy a carnet of 10 tickets for both adults and children (1/2 price).
I've used the fixed fare taxi system (a shared minibus) every time I have visited Budapest - ask for the return fare. They will come and collect you from your hotel and take you back to the airport.
NB: you have to ring 24 hrs before and confirm collection.
They offer individual and group transfers from Budapest Ferihegy airport to any hotel in the city for a fixed price to avoid any local rip off taxis.
Buenos Aires is one of the most remarkable places I have ever been. It's clean, classy, safe, and dirt cheap. The leather bags are at least 400 pounds cheaper than what you would buy on the high street.
Also they have miles and miles of shops on Florida and Avenida Santa Fe where you can buy anything for one third of the price in the US or UK.
We stayed at the art hotel in Recoleta which was a boutique hotel with contemporary art in the foyer, free internet access, great rooms and wet room bathrooms.
Beware the fake taxis in Buenos Aires. Because we'd been there for four days we realised that if they don't have a proper meter in the right hand corner and photographic id on the back of the driver's seat then don't get in. We used a taxi which charged us three times the price of a journey from the airport. We refused to pay and threatened to call the Policia!
If this happens to you get to your hotel and ask the concierge to translate... avoid at all costs.
Otherwise, BA is one of the safest cities in the world and the people are very nice. Palermo is great and so is Recoleta. Avoid San Telmo if you have to. Use taxis rather than buses as they are very cheap and the metro is great for getting around centrally. In taxis from the Newbery internal airport it should cost you no more than $14 and to the international around $50.
Try and go to the best steak restaurant in the Palermo area called La Cabrera, it's economical but BOOK AHEAD as it gets very busy.
Various.. please email me if you want any tips neillhenderson@hotmail.com(no spam)
For wheelchair users, simply riding on a double decker bus is an excellent and cheap alternative to a special disabled tour. If you learn the routes and get a day pass, you can ride anywhere.
Additionally, in many taxis, you can just wheel in and go. The underground has many wheelchair-friendly stations and links to airports and the Chunnel, if you want a new and exciting way to explore the continent!
Contact any tourist info booth in London for details, or ask at the stations.
www.bluechairbook.com
North America's Disabled Adventurer
Because of a deregulation of the taxi branch there are a lot of bad taxi drivers around. Although the city of Amsterdam is working on making things better there are a few things you can do to avoid getting a taxi that will charge you a high fare price.
Pre-book your transportation from and to the airport through the internet with either TCA (the largest taxi organisation in Amsterdam) or Ambassador Services (a smaller taxi company). Also beware of hotel porters who sell your transportation to the airport for a commission (guess who will be paying this commission in the end?). You can book this yourself in advance at a set rate. The companies mentioned will give you a quote if you ask them.
In the streets of Amsterdam don't just hail a taxi, but ask your restaurant, bar or shop to call one for you. This way you always can trace the taxi that transported you and you're not just taking one of the 'cowboy-taxis'.
TCA: www.tca-amsterdam.nl
Ambassador Services: www.ambassador.demon.nl
If you take a taxi to the Atlas Mountains (and why not, it's the best way to get there) check out the taxi's ability to climb hills. Ours conked out and rolled back into a ditch when faced with a steep hill...
...mind you the other option was the ravine, so we were lucky.
Grace of New Jambo Taxis is a female taxi driver; as a woman travelling alone she made me feel safe and was very helpful generally.
She has an office at the airport, but give her a call and she'll pick you up.
Office at JKI Airport, International Arrivals
PO Box 00514989
Tel +254-722-700127/ +254 20822011 Email gracewanderi@yahoo.com
This tip can be used for any airport. When you arrive find the price of the taxi at the departure hall. Then go to the arrivals hall and grab a taxi that is setting down but not allowed to pick up and you will get the best deal possible on the taxi fare.
At peak times avoid long waiting times for your taxi - pre-arrange a transfer with a local taxi company prior to your arrival. Some may only pick up from just outside the terminal.
Look them up on Google or call directory.
Hotels and apartments in Simferopol, vacation rentals by the sea and in the countryside, interpreter service, guided tours.
Upon arriving at the Gare Du Nord - don't get in the largest taxi queue in Europe! Walk across the road - have a coffee in a bar and ask them to get a taxi for you, far far quicker and refreshing too!
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