A taxi is the one part of travel where the price is decided while you are moving. Say four things clearly — where, how, how much, and where exactly to stop — and there is nothing left to argue about.
1. Finding the right queue
Nour: Excuse me, where's the taxi rank?
Staff: Outside door three, on the right.
Nour: Are those cars by the door official?
Staff: Use the rank. The ones by the door charge double.
Nour: Good to know. Thank you.
2. Agreeing how it is charged
Peter: River Street, please. Could you use the meter?
Driver: Meter's on. It's about twenty minutes.
Peter: Is there a surcharge from the airport?
Driver: Four euros. It shows at the end.
Peter: That's fine. Let's go.
3. Fixing a price first
Driver: No meter here. Two hundred to the old town.
Amara: How much is the fare normally?
Driver: One fifty, maybe.
Amara: One fifty and I'll take it.
Driver: One fifty. Get in.
Amara: Thank you. That's settled, then.
4. Bags in the back
Driver: Two bags? I'll open the trunk.
Kim: Thanks. This one's heavy.
Driver: I've got it. Sit in the back.
Kim: Is there room for a third?
Driver: On the seat beside you. No problem.
5. Ordering on the phone
Ella: I've booked it on the ride-hailing app.
Friend: What does it say?
Ella: White car, four minutes, plate ending 42.
Friend: Where's it picking you up?
Ella: The corner, not the door. The app moved the pin.
Friend: I'll walk down with you.
6. The long way round
Ivan: This isn't the way I came this morning.
Driver: There's a march in the centre. I'm taking a detour.
Ivan: Does that cost more?
Driver: A little. It's still faster than sitting still.
Ivan: Makes sense. Carry on.
7. Stopping where you want
Lea: Could you drop me off here, before the lights?
Driver: Here's fine. Watch the bikes.
Lea: I will. How much is that?
Driver: Eighteen fifty on the meter.
Lea: Twenty. Keep the change as a tip.
Driver: Very kind. Have a good evening.
8. Asking for the receipt
Mark: Could I have a receipt, please?
Driver: Printed or on the app?
Mark: Printed, if you can. It's for work.
Driver: Here you are. The fare's at the bottom.
Mark: That's what I needed. Thanks a lot.
Words to know
| taxi rank | The official line of taxis waiting outside a station or terminal. Safer, and usually cheaper, than the cars by the door. Excuse me, where's the taxi rank? |
| meter | The small machine that counts the price up as you drive. River Street, please. Could you use the meter? |
| surcharge | An extra amount added on top, for the airport, for night rides, or for bags. Is there a surcharge from the airport? |
| fare | The price of one journey by taxi, bus or train. How much is the fare normally? |
| trunk | The luggage space at the back of a car. British English calls it the boot. Two bags? I'll open the trunk. |
| ride-hailing app | A phone app that sends a car to you and shows the price before you get in. I've booked it on the ride-hailing app. |
| detour | A longer way round, taken because the direct road is closed or blocked. There's a march in the centre. I'm taking a detour. |
| tip | A small extra amount you give the driver. Expected in some countries, not in others. Twenty. Keep the change as a tip. |
Quick practice
Complete each line with a word or phrase from this lesson.
1. You are looking for the official line of taxis outside the terminal.
“Excuse me, where's the ________?”
2. You want the price counted by the machine, not fixed by the driver.
“River Street, please. Could you use the ________?”
3. You want to know whether the airport adds something extra.
“Is there a ________ from the airport?”
4. You want to know the usual price of the journey.
“How much is the ________ normally?”
5. The road ahead is closed and the driver is going another way.
“There's a march in the centre. I'm taking a ________.”
6. You are giving the driver a little extra on top of the fare.
“Twenty. Keep the change as a ________.”
Show the answers
1. taxi rank 2. meter 3. surcharge 4. fare 5. detour 6. tip
Common mistakes
Not: Please stop me here.
Say: Could you drop me off here?
Stop me sounds like you want the driver to physically hold you back. Drop me off is the phrase for letting a passenger out.
Not: How much is the price?
Say: How much is the fare?
Price is what a shop puts on a thing. The cost of one journey has its own word, and taxi drivers use it: fare.
Not: Please use the counter.
Say: Could you use the meter?
A counter is the surface you pay at in a shop. The machine that counts up the cost of a ride is a meter.
Your turn
Say these out loud. Use a real street name and a real amount of money, then say the same lines again with different numbers.
- Ask where the taxi rank is, and ask whether the cars waiting by the door are official.
- Give your destination and ask the driver to use the meter.
- There is no meter. Ask the usual price and agree on a lower one politely.
- Explain that you have two heavy bags and ask where to put them.
- Ask to be dropped off before the traffic lights, pay, and leave a tip.
Quick review
Say four things and a taxi ride holds no surprises. Where: River Street, please. How it is charged: Could you use the meter? What is added: Is there a surcharge? Where exactly to stop: Could you drop me off here? Ask the price before you get in whenever there is no meter — after the door shuts, you have lost the argument.