Your experience is not unusual. Most taxi drivers are demanding approx double what the fare should really be this season. For many, Rs100 is now the minimum fare, instead of Rs50. For a journey from Baga to Candolim many are charging Rs200, instead of Rs100.

Hmm, i think if we go again we will boycot the taxis, and just walk, or catch the bus if we want to go somewhere during the day.

We only really use taxis in the evenings, as we usually end up in a hotel close to the beach/shops etc.

All this stuff about "is this a good price?" or "what is the right price?" could be solved if the government would enforce the law and make them fit meters.

It has been a mandatory requirement for a couple of years now; to have meters in taxis.

:tur folks the bus is 4 rupees and you can get the bus right up to 7 at night dont use the taxis and they wont be long bringing down the price .............

Thats a very good idea Irishcolleen!!! We should all do that.

the taxi drivers have suffered this year, mostly because of the visa fiasco!! but that doesn't mean they have the right to rip off the ones of us that persivered (i don't s'pos i spelt that right) and actually went to goa. because a lot went to different destinations!!
so if they don't charge the proper price, DON'T USE THEM!!! they will soon get the message.
bob

HERE HERE BOB

Exactly, they are making their money too easily. Personally I'd be getting the map out and working out exactly how many km they had driven and pay the stated rate if they are going to rip people off. They are good at making a song or dance when it comes to money so if they are greedy and say 'how much you pay' just work it out in km and pay the rate displayed on the window. They are just chancing their arm and have been doing so for too long.

I know Rob has a exellent guidline price chart on HT but what prices for single journeys have forum members actually acheived this year or last.

Prices paid JAN 07

VAGATOR TO CANDOLIM 300R
ARPORA TO VAGATOR 200R
ARPORA TO CALANGUTE 70R
ARPORA TO CANDOLIM 150R
BAGA TO MAPSUI 150R
ARPORA PANJIM 270R
ARPORA TO BOX BRIDGE BAGA 70R
ARPORA TO AIRPORT 700R

Taxi

Hi In jan we were paying
100rps from the MD Apora to Baga beach of a day and mostly 150 of a night return to Apora(they were all saying they had a night rate)

150rps to the first roundabout in Calangute but 170 further down by Daytrippers.

250rps to by the Elephant shop in Candolim

One night we walked from the second roundabout going to Souyemans Kitchen (thinking it wasn't that far) we got almost by it,however we were not sure where we were, so we got a cab who charged us 150rps to go about 1/2 a Km I told him keep on ripping people off and people will start thinking twice about spending their money in Goa.

bobthebus wrote:

the taxi drivers have suffered this year, mostly because of the visa fiasco!! but that doesn't mean they have the right to rip off the ones of us that persivered (i don't s'pos i spelt that right) and actually went to goa. because a lot went to different destinations!!
so if they don't charge the proper price, DON'T USE THEM!!! they will soon get the message.
bob :rage

Forgive the ignorance, but what was the Visa Fiasco??

We used to stay in accomodation at the foot of Holiday St in Calangute for several years, after an eight week stay two seasons ago, they hiked the room prices 40% so like lots of others we moved on. They ran a couple of taxis and when the downturn in business hit them they decided to sell one of the owners cars, and put two more taxis on to recoup losses. I'd occasion in Dec. to make a couple of journeys to and from one of the Hospitals in Mapsa, knowing the driver well from other years at the end of the trips, i asked him what he was being made to ask for the journeys, and he shamefacetly told me 500rps per journey. Needless to say we no longer give the owners our custom. Their answer to hard times is charge more, this results in further loss of trade. I'ts worth keeping in mind most of the taxidrivers are simply following the taxi owners instructions as to what they charge, having said that it's no excuse for the attitude most of them now display towards their customers Alan

hi outsidespottys
the fiasco was, the indian high commision decided that they would no longer issue visa by post anymore. instead you had to go through a travel agent off a list of agents that the high commission had chosen to act for them. the normal cost of the visa is £30 but when you went through one of thier travel agents, it cost an EXTRA £10 to £30.you had to send all your stuff remittance, passports, and completed forms to the travel agent, then they would take them to the high commission of india.then they would go back to the travel agent, who would then send them back to you!!!
when you look at the price the agents were charging for the sevice, you can see that some were just rip off merchants. most were situated nearish to the commission(hci) they were taken by hand. and we were charged anything from £10 BY the honest ones, to £30 for those trying to make a quick buck.
the biggest problem though, was probably that a lot of people wern't aware of this new "system", and i use that word loosely.
hope this explains the visa fiasco adequatly.
BOB

OH, and welcome to holiday truths.

Also to add to Bobthebus' post, some people's visa were taking weeks and weeks to come to them (via certain agents) some were literally getting them back days before they travelled. Also, HCI London was even busier than usual (if that is possible) as everyone was in panic mode.

We have used the same tuk tuk driver forthe past 6 years, but this year after just two trips with him we had enough, he really over charged us, 450 rps for a trip to Mapusa, we were only in Mapusa for 20 minutes we went to order some material that I wanted, the second time 250 to Calangute, he is always stationed at the top of beach road, and this year, he often saw us standing outside the Candolim market, waiting for a bus, he asked us why we didn't use him any more and we told him point blank LOOK AT YOUR PRICES, it is cheaper using the buses, and we have more fun, the tuk tuk prices are cheaper in Calungute and panjim.

Seems like buses are the way to go at the moment, there could be a good business opportunity for the bus companies here by laying on few extra ` tourist buses` to visit all the resorts, then again I think the prices would be highly inflated and us tourists get hit in the pocket again.

They need to operate Dolmuses (think thats how it's spelt ) like they have in Turkey. They are cheap local mini buses that you flag on the road and the cost pennies, that would sort out the greedy cabbies

In goa you just flag the bus down anywhere you dont have to be at a bus stop just put your arm out and he will stop for you ...not sure everyone knows that ......colleen