Travel Safe, Travel Happy: 10 Things You Need to Know About Taking Taxis in Lima

An estimated 330,000 taxis operate in Lima, a third of which are registered. Despite this alarming figure, you’re certain to take a taxi or two during your visit to Lima, especially from the airport, which is located in a dangerous neighborhood where there aren’t any other secure transport options (Callao). You’ll meet many friendly and helpful people throughout your visit, and most areas of tourist interest (Miraflores, Barranco, the city center) are quite safe, but it’s always wise to take precautions.

1. Sign up for Lima’s iPerú traveler safety app at the airport

Mincetur (Peru’s Tourism and Foreign Commerce Ministry) has developed an app that you can download at the airport’s iPerú stand or from a QR code. Once activated, it allows you to be monitored on public safety monitors and an integrated communication system, provides emergency telephone numbers and other safety information, and informs you about travel destinations and attractions. You can also quickly record and send license plate numbers to security forces in the event of distress.

2. Learn to Distinguish a Registered Taxi

From the airport, most opt for the green registered taxis, whose formally dressed drivers wear IDs around their necks. Throughout the rest of the city, most of the registered taxis are yellow, but there are white or black ones as well. One easy way to tell if a taxi is registered is to look for a white license plate with a yellow strip above the number. You should see a taxi sign and an official sticker on the windshield from the administrative authority that regulates taxis, Setame. Some taxi drivers have an official ID hanging on the rear view mirror, while others can produce it if requested. If there’s a phone number prominently displayed on the taxi’s side or atop it, it probably participates in one of the taxi call services.

3. Call a taxi service, or request that your hostel receptionist or restaurant host do so.

The taxi service will radio their drivers to see who is nearest to your location, so you generally don’t ever wait ten minutes. This is the safest option, and beats trying to hail a taxi in the rain at the same time as everyone else. (Alo Taxi, 217-7777; Women’s Peru, 727-6805; Taxi Móvil, 422-3322; Taxi Son Borja, 225-8600; Andina Taxi, 444-2892; Easy Taxi; Cabtech; and at the airport Mitsui Taxi Remisse and Taxi Remisse CMV) Taxi Real is affordable in downtown Lima, but expensive once you leave the city center, while Taxi Satelital and Alo Taxi have some of the lowest prices outside the city center, but are expensive downtown.

The drivers for Solo Para Ellas (Just for Her, 016-600-600) have undergone psychological testing and rigorous training in order to provide a comfortable and safe ride for women passengers, and is the choice of parents who want to make sure that their daughters don’t accidently get in the car with a drunk driver. Taxi Para Nosotras (Taxi for Us, 981-188-440) is similar, but is a completely female operation. Be aware that there’s not that many cars and they operate fixed hours. If you are male and are accompanying a group of women, or a mother who wants her son picked up, you can use these two services as well.

4. Take note of the License Plate Number

Writing down the number or taking a quick photo (if you are in an area where you’re comfortable taking out your camera or iphone) is always a good idea in the event that you are robbed or otherwise mistreated.

5. Know your taxi prices

Taxis in Lima don’t use meters, and many times it is prudent to negotiate the price before entering. Almost all drivers adhere to the same general prices for different routes, but this can change throughout the day, due to early morning traffic or late-night demand. Weekends and public holidays mean higher prices as well. Just ask about your destination (Plaza Mayor? Aeropuerto?) and he will tell you if he’s willing to go there and how much the price is. Bargaining is acceptable, but be realistic- taxi prices rise alongside gas prices, and your guidebook prices may already be out of date. Ask at your hotel, restaurant, etc how much you can expect to pay, and use this as a guideline. Tipping is uncommon and not expected, but a nice gesture for an especially obliging bag-carrying driver.

6. If your bags are in the trunk, exit the taxi after your driver does.

This simple precaution protects against the most simple taxi robberies: drivers who speed away with your belongings.

7. Let no one enter the taxi after you have

Should the driver stop to pick up a “friend”, step out immediately and refuse to continue.

8. Know your bill, and watch your driver handle it.

Look at your bill before you hand it off to a vendor or driver, and watch them as they handle it. Sometimes, the bill is switched. When they return it to you claiming it’s counterfeit, anyone else you ask will confirm that it is, but that doesn’t mean it’s the bill you gave them!

9. Wave on any car whose aspect you don’t like

The ticos are small compact two-door vehicles, generally quite old. They tend to get completely crushed in car accidents, so avoid them if you can. If you notice a lack of seatbelts in the back of the car, are worried by cracked windshields or duct-taped doors, or simply get a bad vibe, wave the taxi on. The rickety choice won’t charge you any less. Plus, you’ll probably find another in a matter of seconds, and arrive at your destination in comfort and with peace of mind.

10. Beware of Snatch Theft

Even if you have a good driver, snatch theft is a possibility in a traffic jam. For this reason, keep a grip on your belongings (perhaps by wrapping the strap of your bag around your arm or leg or some other simple method like this) and open the window slightly in order to make it harder to smash.