Public Taxis

Public Taxis

Getting around the city on board a Parisian Taxi

Public Taxi

Are you in Paris and wanting to move from one famous attraction to another in the easiest possible way? Maybe it is night-time, you have been dining out and you need some means of transport because the metro has closed? Then the perfect solution is to book a Paris Taxi. In this article, we have made a summary of all the necessary information required in order to book a public taxi in Paris and move around the city.

The public transport network in Paris is extremely well organised and the various different lines stretch right across the city out into the suburbs and beyond. But, if you want to travel in a relaxed fashion without having to make any changes and without having to rely on luck and, most importantly, without any time limits, then the ideal solution is to book a public taxi, which is better known as a "Taxi Parisien."

How can you book a taxi

There are various different options: you can book by 'phone, (assuming you don't have any problems speaking French), via an App., directly at the taxi station or, if you're really lucky, you can just do what they do in the movies: wave your arms and wait for the first available taxi! This latter option is somewhat complicated in the capital of romance, but, in any event, you will be able to see immediately whether a taxi is free or already occupied by the illuminated sign which all the Paris taxis have. The"Taxi Parisien" illuminated sign will be green if the taxi is free and red in the event that the taxi is already occupied. In summary, this is very easy in theory but in practice, you will see more taxis with the illuminated red sign than you will the green. Our advice with regard to travelling around the city would be to down-load the free App., "Paris Taxi." This way, you can book the taxi that is closest to where you are, it isn't necessary to know French and you will also avoid calling costs, (from €0.15 per minute).

Parisian Taxi Charges

Many people say that the Parisian taxis are very expensive but in reality, they aren't much different to the rates that are charged in other European capitals such as Madrid, or Rome, for example. The totel cost of the service consists of some fixed charges and then the variable costs that depend on the area and the distance travelled.

Fixed Costs:

  • 2,40€ for the call;
  • 1€ for each suitcase;

Variable Costs:

The variable costs are calculated based on the area and the time at which the journey is to be undertaken. In other words, the variable costs will be calculated as a result of the area covered and the time of day. Then there are the costs corresponding to the city area, the day of the week and the time:

      • Rate 1: from 10:00 to 17:00 hours (normal working days) at €0.96 per kilometre;
      • Rate 2: during the week from 07:00 to 10:00 hours, Sundays and Holidays from 07:00 until midnight at €1.21 per kilometre;
      • Rate 3: Saturday night from midnight to 07:00 the next morning at €1.47 per kilometre.

The charge for the service starts from the time at which the call is received and because of this, the distance covered by the taxi to reach where you are located is also included in the price.

How to book a taxi at a fixed price?

The traffic in Paris is a real concern and if you aren't lucky enough to find an honest driver, quite often the cost can easily increase significantly with a public taxi. Isn't there a way of knowing in advance what the cost of the fare will be so as to avoid any nasty surprises at the end of the journey? Is there some way to book a taxi with a fixed price in Paris? Yes, absolutely! You will be able to know in advance what the total cost of the service will be if you book a private taxi. In fact, when it comes to journeys to and from the Parisian airports or attractions such as Versailles or Fontainebleau, it is possible to book a private taxi at a fixed price. In this case, you can make a booking by 'phone (without any costs for the call) or on-line. In order to avoid any problems due to the language barrier, Taxileader offers customers a service in English from Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 18:00 hours. Booking on-line is available 24 hours a day and is definitely the quickest and easiest way to book. The journey is at a fixed cost, that is to say, the price is locked in at the time of booking and will not change depending on the traffic.