Real traveller intelligence on taxis, trains, ride-sharing and the touts waiting in arrivals. Built from Reddit threads, forum posts and the mistakes we already made — so you don't have to.
Quick briefings for the airport-to-city journeys where travellers most often get confused, overcharged or sent wandering around arrivals like a lost suitcase.
BEST OVERALL · Airport Rail Link to Phaya Thai, then BTS or 5-min Grab.
Touts inside arrivals offering 'taxi' at ฿800–฿1500 flat
BEST OVERALL · Havaist HVST-12 bus direct to Sultanahmet — runs 24/7, ~75 min.
Drivers 'rounding' the meter heavily on arrival
BEST OVERALL · Grab or Gojek booked in-app — meet at the designated lot outside Domestic Arrivals.
Airport taxi desk quoting 3× the real fare
BEST OVERALL · Pre-booked private transfer or Uber from the second floor — fixed price, no haggling.
Time-share reps in white shirts pretending to be 'transportation'
BEST OVERALL · Metro red line (Linha Vermelha) to Alameda, transfer to green for Baixa-Chiado.
Drivers refusing card despite the legal requirement
BEST OVERALL · Red Line metro to Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall station.
Limo counter inside arrivals upselling AED 200+ rides
Some airports are simple. Some are a full-contact sport. Start with the ones where a five-minute briefing can save you money, time and a nervous little cry by the taxi rank.
Benito Juárez International · Mexico
Warning · Men in suits inside arrivals offering taxis. Not authorised, no meter, often double or triple the rate.
Best exit · Order an Uber or Didi
READ GUIDENgurah Rai International · Indonesia
Warning · Taxi rank quotes Rp 400k+ for a Rp 120k trip and refuses meter.
Best exit · Walk out and book a Grab / Gojek
READ GUIDECairo International Airport · Egypt
Warning · Driver quotes EGP 700+ flat, refuses meter.
Best exit · Book an Uber or Careem
READ GUIDECancún International · Mexico
Warning · Aggressive salespeople in arrivals offering 'free' transport in exchange for a sales pitch.
Best exit · Pre-book a shared shuttle or private transfer online
READ GUIDENinoy Aquino International Airport · Philippines
Warning · Yellow 'airport' taxis quote ₱1,500–₱2,500 flat rate for trips that cost ₱400 by meter.
Best exit · Grab from the official Grab pickup zone
READ GUIDEIndira Gandhi International Airport · India
Warning · Driver claims your hotel is closed/relocated and takes you to a commission-paying alternative.
Best exit · Airport Express Metro to New Delhi Station
READ GUIDEThe exact lines touts use in arrivals, and how to walk past them.
What locals actually pay, and the number above which you're being had.
Door, level, lot. Where Uber actually picks up — not where Google says.
Taxi norms, ride-hailing rules and airport scams vary wildly by country. Check the country overview before you land.
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Short practical guides for avoiding airport taxi nonsense, finding official pickup points and knowing when cash, cards or apps will actually help.
Most airport taxi scams happen before you even reach the curb. Touts inside arrivals, fake 'official' counters, broken meters, and 'broken' card machines. The fix is always the same: walk past everyone, use the published taxi rank or ride-hailing app, and never agree a flat fare verbally.
READOfficial airport taxis have: a posted rank outside arrivals, a uniform colour/livery for that city, a visible meter, a posted tariff card, and a driver ID badge with a photo. If any of those are missing, take the next one.
READRide-hailing is allowed at most major airports but rarely from the arrivals curb. Designated pickup zones are usually a 3–10 minute walk away — and following the in-app instructions matters more than following signs.
READConnect to airport wi-fi or local data, get cash from a bank ATM inside the terminal, walk straight past the touts in arrivals, head for the published taxi rank or the in-app ride-hailing pickup zone. Don't accept help from anyone with a lanyard.
READPre-book a transfer where ride-hailing is unreliable after midnight. Use the OFFICIAL taxi rank — late-night touts are bolder and pricier. Avoid arriving at empty stations and bus stops. Pay in local currency only.
READSolo arrivals attract more attention from touts — not danger, just sales pressure. Move with purpose, look like you've done this before, get out of arrivals fast, and tell one person your route in real time.
READ“Rail Link to Phaya Thai then BTS is faster than any taxi at rush hour.”