The taxis in Bengaluru are very convenient and comfortable. Most of the vehicles are Maruti Omni Vans, Tata Indica cars or Mahindra Logan cars, which are much safer than Auto rickshaws, and the drivers are polite. If you are alone or going to an unknown destination, you are strongly advised to choose this option, even though the rates will be double that of an auto. Most taxi companies will charge a flat rate of Rs 150 for a pick-up and drop from anywhere to anywhere within city limits. Waiting or return trips will be charged extra, as will a lot of heavy luggage.
Unlike many other countries, taxis are not marked with 'TAXI' signs on the top. Instead, the cars will be marked with the logo of the fleet operator or taxi company on the sides of the car. Some companies have a yellow sign with a identification number (usually an alphabet followed by two digits) on the top. Keep in mind that these taxis cannot be hailed from the street, but have to be called by telephone. When you call, you must give the operator your location, destination as well as phone number, who will in turn tell you the charge (or will inform you that you must go by the meter) as well as the taxi number. The taxi will come pick you up, and call you when they are close. When you go out on the street, look at the license plate for the number they gave you -- it will be the last four digits of the license plate. Alternatively, look for the yellow board atop the car with the taxi's identification number.
The license plate number is usually in the format "KA" followed by 01 to 05, followed by two alphabets, followed by a four digit number. Taxis generally have yellow license plates with black letters.
Be prepared to book a taxi a couple of hours in advance if required on weekdays, especially during rush hours, as a huge demand for the taxis, coupled with massive traffic jams during rush hours will ensure that it would be difficult for a taxi to reach you in time. Private taxis are generally more reliable during this time as in many cases, radio cabs (run by Meru, EasyCabs, KSTDC and others) will be overbooked and you might be unfortunate to be informed that your booking has been scrapped.
Although it can be hard for non-Indians to grasp at first, the system is actually very effective. If in doubt, ask a member of your hotel staff to help you, and when your taxi comes be sure to tip them Rs 35-Rs 40 for the assistance.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Bangalore
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Bangalore - updated May 2024
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Bangalore Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
