Taxis are very expensive

unfortunately ...they are
i'm a college student and my college is 30 km far away from my home
and i suffer everyday to go and comeback home
so need to go very early or after 9;30 am after the rush hours...

i know that if i took a taxi with his taxi meter on...it'll cost minimum 35 SR...to save me money i need to make him a deal of 20 riyals ...some might refuse...but i always find one in the end

my point is....

see how much time does it take to arrive your destination,
if less than 30 minutes...try make it 20 riyals - 25 most



of course what's better than all of what i said ..is to deal with a taxi driver for daily work, college, etc....calculate how much you'll spend if you take a regular taxi in a month then halve it or reduce it by 200 riyals to deal with that one taxi driver

in short..it's all a matter of deal or no deal

dr.sword wrote:

Of course what's better than all of what i said ..is to deal with a taxi driver for daily work, college, etc....calculate how much you'll spend if you take a regular taxi in a month then halve it or reduce it by 200 riyals to deal with that one taxi driver

Very well said. And I guess that's the best bet for ladies who have to travel alone frequently. Just make sure that the driver is trustworthy; preferably of old age (that's what most people do).

The other solution is to join the ongoing ladies-must-drive campaign
I'm a strong supporter by the way.

dr.sword wrote:

unfortunately ...they are
i'm a college student and my college is 30 km far away from my home
and i suffer everyday to go and comeback home
so need to go very early or after 9;30 am after the rush hours...

i know that if i took a taxi with his taxi meter on...it'll cost minimum 35 SR...to save me money i need to make him a deal of 20 riyals ...some might refuse...but i always find one in the end

my point is....

see how much time does it take to arrive your destination,
if less than 30 minutes...try make it 20 riyals - 25 most



of course what's better than all of what i said ..is to deal with a taxi driver for daily work, college, etc....calculate how much you'll spend if you take a regular taxi in a month then halve it or reduce it by 200 riyals to deal with that one taxi driver

in short..it's all a matter of deal or no deal

Brilliant !

Sorry to know that you don't have someone from your family to help you.
Hate seeing women suffer from taxi issues.

@sunitek, as the doctor said either you adapt to a negotiation, or find a one month driver.
Yesterday heard a story about a Saudi lady made a deal with a taxi driver to take and bring her 3 daughters, two working in military hospital and the third study at dental college in king Abdul Aziz hospital near to them.
And they live far west of Riyadh. All of that with 1800 per month. Which is somehow accepted due to the distance. I remember, one of my friends made a deal with one taxi, just taking him in the morning a 30 min distance for 200 per month (20 working day). The taxi came for a while and later disappeared with 75 sr.
Crazy!

Another thing possible is hiring a privet driver, sure it would cost more, but it is more convenient for a family with school children.

If you are working, I suggest you allay with other colleagues that live near. So you share the expenses as many teachers, nurses,.. do.

But if not working and just for regular outings, try to negotiate those greed drivers and save some money for you. If it was different country and good service provided, I would say the opposite and leave a tip for a respectful driver.

Wish you the best.

By the way, if taxi know that you are westerner, he will be more greed and ask too much.
Negotiate in Urdu or try Learn few Arabic words.

Am new here my hubby works I don't.  So I need to be out and about exploring malls.  Otherwise I will die of boredom.  I can speak Urdu, but the other day I was negotiating with a driver who was asian, and to my astonishment when we got to our destination he was yelling at us saying we had to pay more as there was traffic on the way.  I was taken back with this kind of behavior.  Me and my daughter got scared, and ended up giving this driver extra cash just because there were traffic.  Both of us were petrified of his bad behavior. 

We are looking for a good nature driver  who can take us around while we sort out a car. 

Regards
Sunitek

Thank you for your response

Am trying to learn Arabic now I can speak Urdu

At the moment we don't have a car, as we are still waiting for our iquama to come through.  We have been here only 3 months.  Slow process but hopefully we shall have it by the the end of this month.    I hate to travel by taxis they are very expensive.  Many times I negotiate prices but it never seem to work with me.  Maybe am missing a trick somewhere.

Regards
Sunitek

Sunitek21 wrote:

.. but the other day I was negotiating with a driver who was asian, and to my astonishment when we got to our destination he was yelling at us saying we had to pay more as there was traffic on the way.  I was taken back with this kind of behavior.  Me and my daughter got scared, and ended up giving this driver extra cash just because there were traffic.  Both of us were petrified of his bad behavior.

Ahh, sorry to hear this, I can imagine how bad feeling you both felt in that day.

Most of the taxi drivers are not educated and not respectful.

This incident and the other ones that you did not succeed in paying them exactly what the trip is valued because they noticed something told them that you are new here or something that let them think you don't care paying a lot of money plus that you are a woman (no offense meant) as that ladies can be scared.

Many times I noticed something that happens to many persons when they needed a taxi for some reasons, If the passenger wears a suit for example, drivers increase the price of the trip and might accept slight decrease. But if the passenger looked regular
they will start decreasing dramatically.

It happened with me once, a driver asked me 35 sr for a trip that normally will cost 15 sr or less and refused to go lower than 30 as I was wearing a suit. I left him simply.

will give you a hint dear Sunitek, let them feel they need to serve you and you can find a billion taxi.

Sunitek21 wrote:

We are looking for a good nature driver  who can take us around while we sort out a car. 

Regards
Sunitek

They are rare but hope you find what you are looking for till your husband get a car and he free you from the taxi headache.
Also, If I found something will let you know.

Sunitek21 wrote:

Thank you for your response

You are welcome.
Have a nice day and never be scared form anything

Thank you for your kind gesture.  I will just wait for hubby's iquama to come through.  I don't think I can tolerate another bad behavior it's put me off taxis for a while.

Best regards
Sunitek

One thing I missed, your husband can rent a car till the iqama issued and the employer should facilitate renting it.

The delay I guess because passports & civil affairs have heavy load as it was the correction period and still have a lot in the current days.

Sunitek21 wrote:

Am new here my hubby works I don't.  So I need to be out and about exploring malls.  Otherwise I will die of boredom.  I can speak Urdu, but the other day I was negotiating with a driver who was asian, and to my astonishment when we got to our destination he was yelling at us saying we had to pay more as there was traffic on the way.  I was taken back with this kind of behavior.  Me and my daughter got scared, and ended up giving this driver extra cash just because there were traffic.  Both of us were petrified of his bad behavior. 

Sunitek

sorry to hear that

but for me.....once i got deal with him, i tell him no turning back, if you don't like the price....even if it was "ZAHMA" or traffic jam, then you shouldn't let me in in the first place..a deal is a deal

If you know the price you want to pay, why not put only that amount in a visible part of your purse or wallet. When you get there, if the taxi driver changes his mind on the price say you are happy to pay but need to visit a bank first.

Pay what you have, then get out and find security.

Its always better to negotiate and agree on a price before you start the journey. Once you reach the destination and if the taxi driver is asking for more, stand your ground and do not pay more. He cannot afford to stay longer and fight, neither can he follow you around if you are a female. You just have to stick to what was agreed.

HRGuru wrote:

Its always better to negotiate and agree on a price before you start the journey. Once you reach the destination and if the taxi driver is asking for more, stand your ground and do not pay more. He cannot afford to stay longer and fight, neither can he follow you around if you are a female. You just have to stick to what was agreed.

I totally agree with this--be firm.  Such a thing has never happened to me in KSA but it has in India.  I stated screaming for the police lol  the driver was 'ok, ok' and I tossed him the money as I exited the vehicle.

In Riyadh, I generally used Hala Limo. They have set prices, usually the same price (or cheaper) than cabs, polite drivers, clean cars.

Here's a link with some numbers you might find useful:

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=170134

and good luck!

Taxi here are much cheaper than other counties in middle east. May be for you they are expensive when compared with your country. But you will experience expensive taxis if you travel in UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar. Earlier i used to think in the same way, but once i traveled then realized saudi taxis are way cheaper than others.

Sunitek21 wrote:

Thank you for your kind gesture.  I will just wait for hubby's iquama to come through.  I don't think I can tolerate another bad behavior it's put me off taxis for a while.

Best regards
Sunitek

Next time when you are on a cab and the driver intimates you, keep calm and look for a Police car around you.

Make sure you tell the cabbie you will not pay him even the agreed the amount till Policeman sorts him out.

Speak as much hindi/urdu you can with cabbies. In case of any stupid scenario dont be afraid to call 999. To an extend the emergency call center staff can communicate in English.

sh3hryar wrote:

Make sure you tell the cabbie you will not pay him even the agreed the amount till Policeman sorts him out.

Speak as much hindi/urdu you can with cabbies. In case of any stupid scenario dont be afraid to call 999. To an extend the emergency call center staff can communicate in English.

The ugly language barrier is being overlooked here. Apparently, the English skills of the law enforcement agency reps: Sorry. Terrible!

Hi there, just wanted to make a small point, which is taxis in Riyadh are actually the cheapest when compared to their counterparts in the GCC.

If you look at Dubai for example, taxi fares there are much higher than Riyadh!

Syzygy wrote:

Hi there, just wanted to make a small point, which is taxis in Riyadh are actually the cheapest when compared to their counterparts in the GCC.

If you look at Dubai for example, taxi fares there are much higher than Riyadh!

Isn't that what suribhai already said?

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.p … 91#1588709

suribhai wrote:

Taxi here are much cheaper than other counties in middle east. May be for you they are expensive when compared with your country. But you will experience expensive taxis if you travel in UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar. Earlier i used to think in the same way, but once i traveled then realized saudi taxis are way cheaper than others.

The problem is not about being cheap or expensive. The real trouble is ABSENCE of any discipline or system in taxis.

Meters are terribly tampered, you can't ask them to run it. You have to negotiate & sometimes even after negotiation, you come to know later that you were overcharged.

Alliecat wrote:

Syzygy wrote:

Hi there, just wanted to make a small point, which is taxis in Riyadh are actually the cheapest when compared to their counterparts in the GCC.

If you look at Dubai for example, taxi fares there are much higher than Riyadh!

Isn't that what suribhai already said?

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.p … 91#1588709

I wish people could see what had happened in the thread before they wished to contribute. They just jump in and start over.

@Thelegendleads, what you said is true, there are several problems with the taxis. Coz in other places most of the taxis belong to government and they are always monitored well. So customer satisfaction levels r higher there. But here taxis belong to private management of Saudis and they do not care what taxis or the drivers are dealing with, they just care their everyday money of 100-200 SAR. So overall the system need to change and which is highly impossible here. In some ways you are benefited, coz you can negotiate for your journey, in other ways it is leading to dissatisfaction of some customers. Most Drivers are not well educated to follow rules or respect people. So for that taxi companies need to take action. Once i experienced the same shit dosent mean i will get it again, so have to move on with these people and taxis.

I take taxis from time to time and seriously, I negotiate sometimes to the point that they are disgusted and give up and agree LOL  but I've never had a problem EXCEPT for, sometimes, dirty cabs and drivers who haven't bathed in a week. And it's always the stinky  drivers who refuse to turn on the air-conditioning!

@suribhai,
Exactly! The daily wages kind of outsourcing system is the root cause I guess.

@Allie,
I ask them, "How much?". They respond, "How much will you pay?".
I ask, "Take me to Blah Blah". They enquire,"Do you know the place?".
Doesn't that happen to you?

Anyway, I don't have to take taxis more than a couple of times in a year. So, no worries

A taxi driver can make 2000-3000 per month, after paying his daily rent for taxi to the owner. But in dubai they make 5000-6000 AED, coz they get 30% from the total and commission in addition. If anyone complain against the diriver, then he would be fined 400AED. So you can imagine every driver would be polite and friendly. He would even drop you in places where he dosent want to go. But here there is nothing like that, so the system need to be changed.

TheLegendLeads wrote:

@suribhai,
Exactly! The daily wages kind of outsourcing system is the root cause I guess.

@Allie,
I ask them, "How much?". They respond, "How much will you pay?".
I ask, "Take me to Blah Blah". They enquire,"Do you know the place?".
Doesn't that happen to you?

Anyway, I don't have to take taxis more than a couple of times in a year. So, no worries

I'll say 'Euromarche,' for example, and hold up 10SAR.  If they shake their head or ask for more, I just walk away.  They either call me back OR the next guy accepts!

Alliecat wrote:

I'll say 'Euromarche,' for example, and hold up 10SAR.  If they shake their head or ask for more, I just walk away.  They either call me back OR the next guy accepts!

This is a good idea and I'll try it on my next trip!

Good idea , I will next time

Thanks

U know I did negotiate with the taxi driver he said it was fine.  That is why we sat in his car.

But I think what happened we started to talk in English without realizing that he was listening, and he must of thought well I can charge more.  I don't know but I was not happy bunny. 

Oh well you learn from experience.

Alliecat wrote:

I'll say 'Euromarche,' for example, and hold up 10SAR.  If they shake their head or ask for more, I just walk away.  They either call me back OR the next guy accepts!

Great Cat, you see Sunitek.
She made them run after her to serve her and take her to the desired place.

Sunitek21 wrote:

..we started to talk in English without realizing that he was listening..

You got the idea .

Everyday, we are learning

I wish they can have the same system here in Saudi as well, drivers being polite, and friendly to passagers without bitting our heads off.

Thank you for that advice,

@Allie,
I ask them, "How much?". They respond, "How much will you pay?".
I ask, "Take me to Blah Blah". They enquire,"Do you know the place?".
Doesn't that happen to you?


Oh gosh! that happened to me on the third day of our arrival here in Riyadh.  I had to take my daughter to school.  As hubby got really busy at work.  So I was running around sorting out school for my girl. 

I said , "do u know where this particular school is?"  driver , no I don't  know but do u? " I said no I don't I just got here.  Okay wait I will ring my friend.  So he is ringing his friend and gets all the directions from him.  That will be 35 riyals.  I said okay let's go. 

Anyway we drove around probably for at least 1 hour, he asked others drivers they didn't know.  It was like this school never existed.  It did, but they didn't have a clue. 

Eventually I got frustrated just told him to just drop us back please.  Yes he charged us.

Sunitek21 wrote:

Anyway we drove around probably for at least 1 hour, he asked others drivers they didn't know.  It was like this school never existed.  It did, but they didn't have a clue.

Do you have a GPS on your phone?  Use it.  If not, google the school (or call them) and find out the closest well known place and get directions from THAT POINT.  Have the driver go to the well known place and then direct him.

In KSA (actually in a lot of places--India, for example), you have to figure things aren't going to go smoothly, whatever it is you want to do, and so you have to think proactively.  Yeah, it's a PITA but ... I'll tell you, it does make you a better thinker and planner.

Good luck!

Alliecat wrote:

Do you have a GPS on your phone?  Use it.

hehehehe! That's another ordeal. No offence but honestly, I have seen just a few females in my life who know how to read maps correctly. I know a few who confuse left with right and vice versa

TheLegendLeads wrote:

Alliecat wrote:

Do you have a GPS on your phone?  Use it.

hehehehe! That's another ordeal. No offence but honestly, I have seen just a few females in my life who know how to read maps correctly. I know a few who confuse left with right and vice versa

You DO deserve the hammer--for not thinking!  I meant to give the DRIVER the GPS to read the map   It won't do her any good since she is new to the city but HE should be able to read it.

(And for your information, map reading is one of my [few] highly developed skills!)

Alliecat wrote:

TheLegendLeads wrote:

Alliecat wrote:

Do you have a GPS on your phone?  Use it.

hehehehe! That's another ordeal. No offence but honestly, I have seen just a few females in my life who know how to read maps correctly. I know a few who confuse left with right and vice versa

You DO deserve the hammer--for not thinking!  I meant to give the DRIVER the GPS to read the map   It won't do her any good since she is new to the city but HE should be able to read it.

(And for your information, map reading is one of my [few] highly developed skills!)

And expect that the cabbies here must be so good at that

I know you are exceptional, Allie. In a different perspective: the exception that proves the existence of the rule

You need to know the route to your destination.  These guys take advantage of you by using long draai so that they can charge you more.  Secondly tell them before hand where you are going and insists on the amount before hand.  You can also use the buses which are much more cheaper than taxis.  They charge SAR2 from Olaya to Al Batha.

Masese,

Former expat and not back in SA