Taxi Options in Dubai
Taxis in the city are clean, well-maintained, air-conditioned and metered. Women are expected to sit in the back unless the driver is female. If they do not, their intentions may be misconstrued. Drivers speak some English although they may not know the way to locations that are off the beaten track. It is important that you know the nearest landmark to your destination.
Fares are AED 1.6 per kilometer on top of an AED 3 – 7 cover charge. The cover charge from the airport is AED 20. Taxis are exempt from the ‘salik’ road tolls that operate on Sheikh Zayed Road, Maktoum Bridge and Garhoud Bridge. Tipping is at the discretion of the passenger with some nationalities tending to tip more than others.
Taxis can be hailed from the street. They are easy to spot as they are all beige in color, with different colored roofs to indicate the different companies. If a taxi is unoccupied, it will have a yellow light on top; if it is not available, it will have a red light. However, at busy times it is better to book in advance. You can order a taxi by phoning one of the main taxi companies or by booking online at http://www.dtc.gov.ae/webtaxi/login.aspx?ReturnUrl=/webtaxi/default.aspx. You can also specify the size of taxi you require and women may order pink taxis from Dubai Transport which will have a female driver.
Dubai Transport
Tel: 04 208 0808
National Taxi
Tel: 04 339 0002
Metro Taxi
Tel: 04 2673222
Cars Taxi
Tel: 04 2693344
There is also the Safer Driver service which will supply a driver to drive your own car for you.
Tel: 04 2688797
http://www.saferdriver.ae
