Around Town Transportation – Taxis

 

The base fare for every taxi in Shanghai is 11RMB. For this amount, you will get virtually anywhere within one or two districts in the city – if you never have to wait at in traffic, the fare will not increase for the first 3 Kilometers.  However, the stand-still time will affect the fare, so if you are stuck in traffic the fare will still increase faster than 3K.  The base fare rises to 14RMB after 11pm.

 

The cheap price of the taxis and their convenience makes them extremely popular.  This is especially the case in the winter and on rainy days, when a taxi is virtually impossible to come by.  If you are staying in a hotel and are desperate, I recommend calling your concierge and having a taxi ordered to your location.  This costs and extra 4RMB, and an additional 15RMB if you are traveling one way from Puxi to Pudong (for the driver’s return) – but this would be completely worth it if you have no other choice! Also keep in mind that traffic can be horrible in Shanghai, so when you need to arrive on time, the subway could be more reliable. 

 

There are several taxi companies in town, with Dazhong (designated by its blue taxis) as the overwhelming favorite amongst locals and tourists.  If you are given the choice, jump in a blue one over say a maroon colored one (my least favorite – almost every driver I have had has been rude).  The city has also given each taxi driver a number and a ranking.  The number tells you how long the driver has been with the taxi company,  anything above 230,000 and you should expect to have some difficulty getting where you want to go; be it a little more swerving, honking, or a few wrong turns.  The ranking system apparently indicates a number of things, and it is said that one of the most important is the driver’s English knowledge. Also the overwhelming majority of drivers are honest, metres which tick over a bit faster or more scenic routes are not unheard of but are still uncommon. The only taxi’s you should definately avoid are the drivers who don’t queue at the rank at either the airports or the railway station.

 

Two very important things to remember: One, ALWAYS carry a card with your hotel address written in Chinese on it.  Even if you think you can say the name correctly, the driver most likely will not understand.  Second, despite the fact that it looks like there are no road rules in Shanghai, you are really very safe.  There is some unspoken rule among drivers on the road that makes just about everything work.  So just sit back and try to relax…

 

 

For an idea of average fares:

From one end of the French Concession to the other: 11RMB

From Puxi to Pudong: 30RMB