Imagine, you know that you have to get to the airport by 7 am, because you have a flight to catch. You can leave earlier, trust the universe, stand at the curb and wait for a taxi to catch. The planners would call https://jiji.ng/141-taxi-services while making morning coffee and ask for a taxi to be sent over at 6:15am. Or call the service a day before and have everything arranged beforehand.
London, United Kingdom
London’s hackney cabs are as British as their unique red phone booths. The old models with a high roof and courteous chauffeurs are still at service. By the way, a high ceiling was conceived so that the passenger could get into the car without removing the hat-cylinder. The drivers can brighten up the trip with an interesting excursion: they learn the geography of the city for almost two years and take the exam at the end of their studies. For budget trips, the British choose ordinary taxis – mini-cabs, which are 20-30% cheaper.
Paris, France
Being a taxi driver in Paris is a privilege. The thing is that according to the law, only limited number of taxi drivers can work in one city. Paris has a quota of 19000 drivers. There are usually two types of taxis: private and municipal. In Paris, a municipal taxi can be recognized by the inscription Parisien on the box. Such taxis accept credit/debit cards payments, while private services accept payments only in cash. The level of competence of taxi drivers is approximately the same, and the cost of travel in all services is calculated according to the officially established tariffs. Tips are optional. You can either call for a taxi, or go to the nearest taxi spot.
Mumbai, India
The interiors of Mumbai’s famous Premier Padroni cabs are as famous as the taxi itself. They have been around since the 70s, but a recent government order slowly phasing them out. Painted black and yellow on the outside, drivers are able to bring out their personality and sense of style by personalizing their cab interiors inside.
Tokyo, Japan
The Japanese are not only notoriously polite, but extremely tidy people. So no wonder that their cars are clean and tidy as well. Cab drivers wear chauffeur’s hats, freshly white collar shirts and white gloves. You also do not need to open or close the doors yourself, the driver will open/close for you with a hand crank device, which is pretty cool. They do not accept tips.
Bangkok, Thailand
Tuk-tuk have become one of Bangkok’s most recognizable transportation features and serves multiple roles. They carry passengers, they are also used to deliver fresh produced goods/groceries. They might not be the fastest, cosiest or most comfortable mode of transport, but they are cool in the way to getting from point A to point B. Sometimes it would cost the same, or even cheaper, to take a cab to the same destination, but it will go a lot faster.