In the Czech Republic you will find licensed taxis, unlicensed “black” taxis and app-based services such as Uber, Bolt and Liftago. Some drivers are quite honest, but others use well-known Prague taxi scams to cheat unsuspecting tourists. They overcharge visitors, and some even go as far as taking a longer route to charge more when they could have taken a shorter one, setting the taximeter to “turbo” so that it runs faster, or simply not turning the meter on and demanding a higher fare.
Many visitors find it much safer to use apps like Uber, Bolt or Liftago for shorter rides in the city, or a private airport transfer company, rather than risk a taxi from a less reputable company. Since July 2020 the app services operate legally under the Czech road transport law, and their drivers must hold a taxi driver licence just like any other taxi driver. In the app you see the price before you order, and that price is fixed. For customers with luggage or travelling from or to the airport or train station, Prague Airport Transfers sro is the best choice.
If you arrive at Prague Airport and want a taxi, the official airport taxi service is Uber Airport – see our guide to taxi transport from Prague Airport. Its cars wait in front of the arrival halls of Terminals 1 and 2, and you can book in the Uber app, at a kiosk (card) or at the counter (card or cash), with the price fixed before the ride. Ignore anyone who approaches you in the arrival hall offering a taxi, even if he wears a vest saying “Official Airport Taxi”. These touts take passengers to overpriced cars.
Another problem with Prague taxis is punctuality. Some of them arrive late, which can be a real problem, especially when a visitor arrives at night or needs to get to the airport or train station on time. Some taxi drivers are very dishonest if you just flag them down in the street, so you need to be very careful with them.
To avoid falling into any of these situations, follow the tips below and our Prague taxi safety tips. Once you know them, it will be difficult for anyone to cheat you.
Check that the taxi is licensed
First, make sure that any taxi you want to take is a licensed one. A licensed taxi with a meter must have a yellow roof lamp with the word “TAXI” on its front and back, and the name of the company or driver that operates it must be shown on the car, so that you can read it before you talk to the driver. The car must also carry the official taxi registration sticker issued for that car.
You might want to write down the company name and the car’s registration number in case you need them later. It is a good idea to write the information down while the driver is watching. There is a reason for that. If he complains or objects, don’t take the taxi. It is a sign that he is not 100 percent honest. Remember, a company name on the car does not mean that he can’t take you by a longer route to make you pay more. It is just that such a situation is less likely with registered, respected taxi companies.
Another reason to let him see you is that it often makes a driver behave at his best. Drivers usually drop their plans when they see that you have taken down all their details.
Ask the price before you get in
To avoid an argument, ask exactly how much the trip will cost before you get in. Better still, do some research online before you even arrive, so you have an idea of how much a taxi from a particular station or the airport to your destination is likely to cost. In Prague, a metered ride that starts and ends within the city may cost no more than 70 Kč for boarding, 42 Kč per kilometre and 7 Kč per minute of waiting, VAT included, and no surcharges are allowed (see official Prague taxi prices). A ride from the airport to the city centre (about 17 km) comes to roughly 800-950 Kč at the maximum rate, and a ride from the Old Town to Prague Castle to about 200-300 Kč. So, when the taxi driver gives you a figure that is much higher, you know what to do. Rides outside Prague are not capped, and app rides at a price accepted in advance are not covered by the cap either, but there you see the price before you order.
You could tell him the price you found. When you say that you were told a taxi costs around a certain amount, he will lower his figure if he had planned to cheat you. However, this can also backfire. If the real fare is a little lower than the figure you have in mind, he will simply accept your figure. After all, you came up with it.
Watch out for a fast or “turbo” taximeter
When the car starts moving, pay attention to the taximeter. It must be switched on, and its display must be readable from your seat. In Prague it should start at no more than 70 Kč and must not count more than 42 Kč per kilometre. If it does not, or if it runs suspiciously fast, the meter has probably been set to a higher rate – our story Don’t Even Trust Taxi Meters shows how it is done. When you notice this, tell the driver to stop the car immediately.
Once you have discovered this, get out and don’t pay for a ride on a rigged meter. Some drivers may try their luck by asking you to pay for the distance already covered. You can counter that by telling him to take you back to the exact place where he picked you up. To avoid this kind of argument, it is better to check the taximeter as soon as the car starts moving.
Insist on a receipt and pay in crowns
Always ask for a receipt, even if you don’t need it for anything. The driver of a metered taxi must give you a receipt printed by the taximeter if you ask for it, and it confirms that you have not been short-changed. A driver who has cheated you is often unwilling to issue one. Some will tell you that the printer has just broken or run out of paper, and some will tell you straight to your face that they will not give you a receipt. At this point, make it very clear that without a receipt you are not paying a single crown. He will usually print the receipt, sometimes with the right fare. If the amount on the receipt is lower than what he asked for, it means he was trying to cheat you. Don’t waste your time arguing with him. Just pay the amount on the receipt and leave.
One pound, euro or dollar is worth much more than one Czech crown, but some taxi drivers hope you don’t know that. They try to make you believe that the fare is the same number whether you pay it in pounds, dollars or Czech crowns (Kč) – read how taxi drivers ask for euros instead of crowns. Taxi fares in Prague are in Kč, and if a driver accepts other currencies, he sets his own exchange rate. This is why you should always check the current exchange rate when you arrive or even before your trip.
