Avoid These Cities’ Overpriced Taxis

When arriving in an unknown city without the time or forethought to research the myriad of transit options from the airport to the city center, the majority of travelers rely on the default transportation option: the old-fashioned taxi cab. Although taxi prices are considerably higher than other methods of movement, sometimes the convenience can’t be beat, especially when your vacation has left you beat and you just want to get to your final destination as soon as possible. But if you plan to visit one of the locations below, make an effort to research alternative connections to avoid the notoriously high taxi fares.

U.K.-based used car company Carspring conducted a study and formulated a Taxi Price Index that reveals the costs for taxi rides in 80 cities. The comprehensive list includes the location’s standard taxi vehicle (e.g., Hyundai Elantra or Toyota Corolla), the price for a one-way journey from the airport to the center of the city, the price per kilometer traveled and whether Uber is available as an alternative.

At the top of the list is Zurich, Switzerland, where Mercedes-Benz taxis transport travelers to the city center for a whopping $70. Rounding out the top five most expensive taxi rides are Geneva, Switzerland; Tokyo, Japan; Copenhagen, Denmark; and Helsinki, Finland. The first U.S. city to appear on the list is San Francisco at No. 25 with an average airport-to-city cost of $53.16 in Ford Fusion hybrids.

The cheapest cities on the list? Cairo, Egypt, comes in on top at $4.20; followed by Mumbai, India, at $4.44; Jakarta, Indonesia at $10.31; Bucharest, Romania at $16.53; and finally Mexico City at $11.06.