Taxi Tips for Panama That Will Save You Money!

HINTS ON TAKING A PANAMA TAXI

One of the most efficient modes of transportation in Panama City is a taxi. They are cheap and fast, and, in my opinion, it is  far safer than gambling your life on Diablo Rojo or playing the Latin version of bumper cars in the city’s typical traffic. Moreover, taxis are everywhere. A taxi can be hailed on virtually every street corner and for a few bucks, take you directly to your destination.

The practice of taking a taxi in Panama has unique considerations. Largely an independent industry consisting of single owner drivers, taxi rates are not clocked on a meter. Therefore, rates are not uniform for either distances or passengers. For example, most taxi drivers will jack up the prices on foreigners. The result is that a Panama resident will pay $2 for a fare that Westerns will pay $10. Based on cab fares in the US this might seem both fair and not worth a fuzz, but if you take a cab frequently, then knowing how to reduce this exploitation will mean more dollars to spend on other things.

Following these tips can help reduce the taxi rates paid and increase personal safety:

 Avoid parked cabs in tourist areas. Cabs parked outside hotels, restaurants, and casinos are waiting for tourists and much more likely to charge higher rates because the tourist will not either no the city or question the rate. Instead go to a near-by corner and wave down a cab.

 Don’t ask the price. When you exit the cab, walk to the driver’s window and pay without asking “cuanto cuesta?” (How much?). After you have paid a fair price, walk away.

 Wait until after rush hour. Panama has some of the worst rush hour gridlock in the world between 5 to 7 PM, and cabs will charge premium fares at rush hour both because demand and because it mean few fares while tied up.

 Say you live in Panama. If asked how long you have been in Panama by the cab driver, answer that you have been to Panama many times or are living there. He is not asking because he cares or wants to chat, he is asking because he wants to know how savvy you are and how much he can get away with charging.

 Do not take cabs with another person in front seat. This has the potential to be a set up with the amigo able to rob foreign passengers. While the practice is not widespread, it is better as a safety precaution to avoid those cabs that have a second person in the front seat.

What are the fair rates? Use the following guidelines:
 Panama City to the Causeway, expect to pay $5 – $6.
 Panama City to the Canal, a fair rate is $5 – $6.
 Within the city, expect to pay $2-$3 as a good rate.
 Airport to Panama City will cost more. Airport cabs uniformly use a set rate of $28 per person. I recommend asking a couple of drivers to encourage them bidding against each other to lower this cost. Even better is walk upstairs and catch a cab dropping off passengers. They will not be expecting to return with anyone and will be much more likely to accept a $15 fare to the City including the toll charges.

Hiring all day taxi drivers is approximately $40 and varies on driving distance.

 Panama City to the Airport can be found for $15 including the tolls.

Utilizing Panama City cabs will go along way to navigate your way through the congestion of Panama City traffic. Try these tips and enjoy a cheap, convenient, and safe way to move around the city.

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