Taxis (Dubai)
Taxis (Dubai)
Taxis (Dubai) — official taxis are well maintained, air conditioned and metered. The minimum fare is AED 12 with an additional AED 1.75 per kilometer. The biggest taxi companies are:
Arabia Taxi: +971 04 285 5111
Cars Taxi: +971 04 269 3344
Dubai Transport: +971 04 208 0808
Metro Taxis: +971 04 267 3222
National Taxis: +971 04 339 0002
Taxi drivers usually have a reasonable grasp of English, and it’s best to identify your destination by a particular landmark rather than the street address.
Expats rarely trust booking a taxi, but if you do, as a rule of thumb, if your cab hasn’t arrived within 15 minutes, it isn’t coming. If you’re a regular taxi user, you might find it useful to take down the phone numbers from a couple of drivers. Many will be happy to make an arrangement with you, for example, if you need a ride to and from work on a daily basis.
To hail cabs from the street, raise your arm. Vacant taxis have their yellow light on and must stop if free. However, many don’t, and if they do, will ask where you’re going before letting you in the car. Again, they’re not allowed to do this, and can be reported to the RTA (800 9090). To ensure you actually get in, you could tell them you’re heading somewhere that’s an appealing fare (long distance, limited traffic) and then ‘change your mind’ once in. Where hotels and malls have long taxi lines, you’re often better off walking for 15 minutes to a roadside spot. The other negative is that taxi drivers can be very aggressive on the roads. Don’t be afraid to ask them to slow down, and if they refuse, take down their taxi number and report them.