Taxi in Italy is not cheap and is considered to be one of the most expensive in Europe. Moreover, tariffs in various cities of Italy sometimes do not just differ, but differ very dramatically. For this reason, and also in order not to further confuse the reader, we tried to bypass the topic of taxi on BlogoItaliano, and if touched, then casually. However, now the situation has changed. At least with regard to ordering a taxi online from the largest airports in Italy.
Taxi in Italy: features of local color
As we already said, taxi fares in Italy can vary quite dramatically depending on the region. But this is not the only feature. In Italy, and especially in tourist areas, drivers often try to bring down a tourist price that is much higher than the official rate. Sometimes, to make it easier to fool the hapless traveler, an Italian driver can pretend not to know English, although often he really does not speak it.
In order not to fall into such situations, the authorities recommend that tourists avoid private carriers and use the services of official taxis, although this also does not give a 100% guarantee. A few years ago, in an attempt to eradicate the arbitrariness of carriers, the authorities even launched a large-scale campaign to combat such behavior, which seriously affects the reputation of tourism in Italy. Licensing controls were tightened, fixed fares for popular routes were introduced, drivers were fined without official permission to take them, however, although the situation has improved, there are still frequent cases of outright muggling by taxi drivers.
Official taxis in Italy have meters and there is a sign with tariffs in several languages
With official taxis in Italy it's easier. They have meters installed, and there is also a sign with tariffs in several languages. In addition, at the request of the passenger, the driver must present a printout of the tariffs without undue questioning. You can recognize the cars of official taxis in Italy by checkers, the inscription “Servizo Pablico”, as well as the number on the sides of the car.
Sitting in a taxi, it is worth stocking up on small money. After all, the lack of change is also often used by the driver as an excuse to snatch excess. It makes sense to write the required address on a piece of paper, preferably in Italian, because, as noted above, most taxi drivers in Italy are at odds with English.
As for the tariff features, due to their differences between cities, it is not easy to bring a single grid. But you need to take into account the following generally accepted nuances:
- A trip at night (from 22:00 to 7:00 in the morning) is 30% more expensive, and travel on weekends and holidays is also more expensive
- Downtime in traffic is included in the fare
- Calling a taxi by phone will increase your check by 1-2 Euro
- On average, boarding a car and the first few kilometers will cost 2.3 Euros, the next kilometers will have to be paid for "by the piece" at a price of about 0.5 Euros.
- In the evening (from 22:00 to 2:00), single women are entitled to a discount of 10%, but often the driver should be reminded of this separately.
- Often a separate low baggage charge applies.
- The driver decided to leave a tip in the amount of 10% of the fare.
Taxi in Italy online
In the early summer of 2013, on our Greek site - Grekoblog.com - I experimented by setting up a taxi booking form online. This idea was suggested to me by one Greek travel agency, regularly ordering a transfer in this way for its clients arriving at the airports of Crete. The service was extremely convenient and in demand among tourists.
You can pre-order a taxi in Italy via the Internet, which is often used by many European travel agencies
Since the transfer issue is relevant for Italy, as well as taking into account the fact that the service is primarily focused on servicing routes from the largest airports in Europe to nearby cities and hotels, we decided to offer it to BlogoItaliano, judging that its advantages may be to your taste to readers.
How to order a taxi in Italy online
You can pre-order a taxi in Italy via the Internet and make it very simple even without any help. Especially, given the fact that the service exists in several language versions, among which is Russian.
By the way, he is actively used by many European travel agencies, when there is a need to order a taxi for a client from the airport, and you don’t want to bother with this yourself. Of course, in this case, the client will pay a little more, because the agency often makes an extra charge in the order, but, on the other hand, it is convenient for everyone and removes many questions.
Transfer in Italy is carried out from all major airports: Fiumicino in Rome, Malpensa in Milan, Marco Polo and Treviso in Venice, etc.
In addition to the availability of the Russian version, there are other advantages in the service:
- Transfer is carried out from most major airports in Italy, including Fiumicino in Rome, Malpensa in Milan, Marco Polo and Treviso in Venice and many others.
- When booking the place of departure and arrival, the client immediately receives accurate calculation of the amount payable and estimated travel time. The amount is accurate to the cent and covers ALL SERVICES, including possible waiting for a flight delay and tips to the driver.
- The order service took into account that tourists can travel with children. In this case, you can order a pre-installation of a child seat in the car that meets. One such seat is provided by the service absolutely free.
- When traveling with large luggage, you can also separately indicate the need for a large trunk in a meeting car.
- All tourist cars are air-conditioned.
Unlike travel agencies that establish booking forms for themselves on office PCs and order taxi services through their managers, BlogoItaliano cannot order a taxi for its readers on its own. Therefore, having contacted the service, we asked to integrate the order form in the site itself, so that readers, if necessary, could make a reservation on their own. What we did can look at online taxi order form in Italy.
Frequently asked questions about the service
- I have completed booking a taxi online. What's next?
Check your e-mail address indicated on the booking form. Immediately after the completion of the order, a confirmation should come to her with a description of the details of the meeting with the driver. In the received e-mail, make sure to enter all the information correctly and write in support if you find an error. If you provided incorrect information about your trip, such as a flight, contacts, etc., the service will not respond that the driver did not find you.
Taxi driver holding a tablet with the name of the client expects him at the starting point of travel
It is also necessary to print and keep the received order confirmation with you, as it may be necessary on the spot. In addition, the received e-mail will contain a support phone number in case of unforeseen circumstances.
- I did not find a confirmation letter in my inbox. Is it possible?
- Check the SPAM folders, junk mail, etc.: the e-mail with the reservation confirmation is sent by the system automatically, and therefore can be qualified as SPAM by your mail.
- Do I need to pay extra on the spot?
- No, when ordering taxi in Italy through the reservation service you pay the full cost of the trip. If you decide to cancel the reservation or make additions to it, then a separate fee / penalty may be charged for this. But even in this case, you do not need to pay anything to the driver on the spot. Whether to leave a tip to the driver or not is up to you.
- What car and driver will meet us at the airport?
- The service only cooperates with transport companies that have a taxi license and are accredited by local government agencies in the field of private transport. All vehicles involved in servicing orders are in perfect technical condition and equipped with climate control or air conditioning systems. There are also strict requirements for drivers: professional, licensed, non-smokers, etc.
“Where will the driver be waiting for me, and how do we get to know each other?”
The driver will be waiting for you at the starting point of the trip, and you will receive an indication of the exact location in the confirmation letter, which will be sent to you by e-mail. In addition, the driver will have a sign in your name, as you indicated on the booking form. All flights are tracked (including delays, etc.), and therefore there are practically no cases of inconsistencies with a service representative on the spot.
Nevertheless, if for some reason you did not find the person meeting, you should call the number indicated in the confirmation letter. In addition, if there is a discrepancy with the driver without objective reasons, the service representative will also try to dial you by the phone number that you entered on the order form.
Italian authorities recommend that tourists avoid private carriers and use official taxi services
How to behave in case of flight delay?
First of all, you should not worry. The service constantly monitors all changes in the schedule and is aware of possible delays. Thus, your car will be waiting for you at the airport, regardless of the time of the flight delay. However, for greater safety, in case of changing the schedule of your flight, it is recommended to notify the service about this.
- Can possible strikes by taxi drivers affect my order?
As a rule, even in cases of strikes, this does not affect the conditions of transfer. However, if the strike caused the service to be refused, the money is returned to the client’s account.
- How long before departure can I still book a transfer?
In order to avoid problems, it is better to order at least 10-12 hours before the expected arrival time.
When ordering a taxi online there are no restrictions on the size and weight of luggage, however, you should warn about the "big luggage" in advance
- Do you install child car seats if we are traveling with a child?
For most areas, it is possible to install child seats. If you have the option of pre-installing a child seat on the order form, then YES. Baby car seats are installed in the car before meeting at the airport.
- We travel with lots of luggage. How to be in this case?
The service does not introduce any restrictions on the size, volume and weight of baggage that you can carry. However, you should really look at things and take into account that the trunk capacity of an average passenger car is limited. If your things do not enter the trunk, then there will be a real need to replace the car, which is reflected in both loss of time and additional costs. In order to avoid such force majeure, it is recommended to mark the option "large baggage" in the booking form in advance. Then the company will take into account your wishes and provide a more spacious car at an adjusted cost.
