Getting a taxi: Useful phrases to take a taxi in English
Useful phrases to take a taxi in English
When you are overseas in an English-speaking country, chances are you won’t have your own car with you. Getting around on public transport is great but there are times when it’s more convenient just to take a taxi. Use these useful phrases to take a taxi in English right from ordering it to getting to your destination.
Calling for a taxi
The most common way of booking a taxi is on the phone. When you call up the taxi company, you can ask to book a taxi at a certain time by saying “May I book a taxi at (time)?” or if you would like one right away, you can say “When is the soonest I could book a taxi for?” Next, you need to tell the taxi operator where you are by saying “I’m at (address)” or “Could you send the taxi to (address)?” and say where you want to go to “I’d like to go to (address)”. Make sure to ask “How much will that cost?” so you don’t get a surprise when you get to the destination.
In a hotel
You are staying at a hotel and would like to ask a hotel employee to organize a taxi for you. You ask the receptionist “Could you organize a taxi for me for this evening please? I need to be picked up at (time) to go to (place).” You could also ask the doorman “Excuse me, could you hail a taxi for me please?” and arrange the price and destination with the driver yourself.
Hailing a taxi
When you stop a taxi on the street and get in, it’s called ‘hailing’ a taxi. Before you get in the cab, ask the driver “Could you take me to (place)?” and either “How much will that cost?” or “Do you use a meter?” if you are somewhere where drivers charge by the mile.
In the cab
Cab drivers are often famous for being talkative. To practise your English in the cab, you could make conversation with the driver by asking about his day or whether he is from this city.
If you want to get to your destination quickly, you could say “I’m really in a hurry, so can you take the quickest route please?” If you have more time free and want to do some sightseeing, you could say “Can we drive past (famous place) on the way?”
When you get there
When you get to your destination, if you haven’t agreed a price in advance, you can ask “How much is the fare please?” or “How much do I owe you?” to find out how much you need to pay. If you feel the service was good and you want to give the taxi driver a tip you can say “Keep the change” or “Here’s a tip”.
Remember, taxi drivers deal with customers from all over the world so even if your English isn’t perfect they will probably understand you. The most important thing is to stay safe, be clear about where you want to go and the cost, then sit back and enjoy the ride.
Do you want to learn more vocabulary related to travel? Check out the following articles:
- 10 Essential travel English expressions for travelling by plane.
- Travel English: Holiday Accommodation.
Request Uber Taxi On Your Phone
The ride options on this page are a sample of Uber’s products, and some might not be available where you use the Uber app. If you check your city’s web page or look in the app, you’ll see what rides you can request.
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Introducing Taxi, the newest way to get a ride with Uber. Now you have the option to request a taxi using your Uber app.
How Taxi works
1. Request
Open the app and enter your destination in the “Where to?” box. Once you confirm that your pickup and destination addresses are correct, select Taxi.
After you’ve been matched with a driver, you’ll see their vehicle details and can track their arrival on the map.
2. Ride
Check that the vehicle details match what you see in the app before getting in the vehicle.
Your driver has your destination and directions for the fastest way to get there, but you can always request a specific route.
3. Hop out
You’ll be automatically charged through your payment method on file, so you can exit the vehicle as soon as you arrive.
Remember to rate your driver to help keep Uber safe and enjoyable for everyone. You can also consider tipping your driver.
Uber price estimator
Sample rider prices are estimates only and do not reflect variations due to discounts, geography, traffic delays, or other factors. Flat rates and minimum fees may apply. Actual prices for rides and scheduled rides may vary.
Why ride with Taxi
Choice
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Convenience
Request a taxi in minutes—whenever and wherever.
Upfront price
Pay the same price at the end of your ride that you saw up front.*
Professionalism
Fully licensed taxi drivers are ready to take you where you want to go.
Safety
Uber always puts your safety as a top priority.
More from Uber
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Uber Rent
Pick a car. See the price. Get moving.
Uber Reserve
Book a ride in advance
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As many stops as you need in one car
Affordable rides, all to yourself
UberX Saver
Wait to save. Limited availability
Uber Taxi
Local taxi cabs at the tap of a button
Uber Intercity
Go city to city
*The upfront price you’re shown may change if you add stops, update your destination, make significant changes to the route or duration of the trip, or pass through a toll that was not factored into your upfront price. In addition, you may incur wait-time fees for the time you take to get to the car at the pickup or fees for time spent at an on-trip stop.
The material provided on this web page is intended for informational purposes only and may not be applicable in your country, region, or city. It is subject to change and may be updated without notice.
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How to catch a taxi in…
Each city has its own flavor, unique culture and unique atmosphere.
Therefore, walking along the streets of the world, do not forget about the peculiarities of the temperament of local residents:
How to catch a taxi in Paris:
1. Stand by the road, showing with your whole appearance how late you are.
2. Hop in a white Peugeot.
3. Buckle up.
4. Don’t be surprised at anything. nine0009 5. Say you need to be at the airport in 4 minutes.
6. Don’t be surprised at anything.
7. Close your eyes.
8. Open your eyes.
9. Don’t be surprised at anything.
10. Get used to the idea that your plane will move slower.
How to get a taxi in London:
1. Stand by the road.
2. Raise your right hand.
3. Curse yourself, remember that there is a left-hand traffic in London.
nine0009 4. Turn around to face the opposite direction.
5. Raise your left hand.
6. Wait for the black cab to stop.
7. Sit carefully so as not to spill the tea in the driver’s hand.
8. State the address with dignity.
9. Serenely and imposingly, looking around the surroundings, in a leisurely conversation with the driver, drive to your destination.
How to get a taxi in Madrid:
1. Stand by the road.
2. Raise your right hand.
3. Wait until the end of the siesta.
4. Wait until the end of the Barcelona-Real match.
5. Wait until the end of the bullfight.
6. If you are still standing in the same place, stand closer to the bullfight.
7. Wear something red to make yourself more visible (for taxi drivers, of course).
8. When you see the first bulls, you will understand why you can travel faster on foot in Spain than in a taxi. nine0003
How to hail a taxi in New York:
1. Walk slowly along the road without raising either hand.
2. Of the thousands of yellow cars standing next to you, choose the one closest to the end of the traffic jam.
3. Make sure the car is driven by a rastaman in a red-yellow-green hat smoking a huge joint. Congratulations. You are definitely in New York.
4. Get in the car.
5. Wait for the vehicle to travel the first 20 meters and hit the fire hydrant. nine0009 6. Get out of the car in a puff of smoke, sneezing and coughing as you watch aliens land on the city, a giant asteroid flies and a volcano erupts.
7. Cross over to the other side of the road.
8. Dive underground and take the subway home.
How to catch a taxi in Yakutsk:
1. Stand somewhere.
2. Raise your right hand.
3. Lower quickly until the whip makes a loud click. nine0009 4. The reindeer have set off, you have set off.
5. After three days of reindeer travel, you may reach a place where they know what a taxi is.
How to catch a taxi in Moscow:
1. Do not be surprised at anything.
2. Remember that in Moscow traffic can be both right-hand and left-hand without any logic, at the request of the traffic inspector, as well as “while no one sees”.
3. Raise your self-esteem.
4. Wait until the end of the siesta, the Barcelona-Real match, the bullfights, as well as any form of transport that will stop.
5. If a deer in a red-yellow-green hat is driving a dirty Volga, this is normal.
6. What is the address.
7. Tell me where it is.
8. Promise to show me how to get there.
9. Promise to show me how to get out of there.
10. Name the amount.
11. If the deer begins to bargain, lower your hand sharply so that the whip in your hand makes a loud click.
12. Sit down carefully so as not to spill the vodka in the driver’s hands.
13. Close your eyes.
14. Get used to the idea that you’d be better off taking the subway.
How to hail a taxi
How to hail a taxi in Paris:
- Stand by the road showing how late you are.
- Jump into the white Peugeot that has arrived. nine0190
- Buckle up.
- Don’t be surprised by anything.
- Say you need to be at the airport in 4 minutes.
- Don’t be surprised by anything.
- Close your eyes.
- Open your eyes.
- Don’t be surprised by anything.
- Get used to the idea that your plane will move slower.
How to hail a taxi in London:
- Stand by the road.
- Raise your right hand.
- Curse yourself, remember that in London there is a left-hand traffic.
- Turn around to face the opposite direction.
- Raise your left hand.
- Wait for the black cab to stop.
- Sit carefully so as not to spill the tea in the driver’s hand.
- State the address with dignity.
- Gracefully and imposingly, examining the surroundings, in a leisurely conversation with the driver, drive to your destination. nine0190
How to hail a taxi in Madrid:
- Stand by the road.
- Raise your right hand.
- Wait until the end of the siesta.
- Wait until the end of the match between Barcelona and Real
- Wait until the end of the bullfight.
- If you are still standing in the same place, stand closer to the bullfight.
- To be more visible (for taxi drivers, of course), put on something red.
- When you see the first bulls, you will understand why you can move faster on foot in Spain than in a taxi. nine0190
How to hail a taxi in New York:
- Walk slowly along the road without raising either hand.
- From the thousands of yellow cars standing next to you, choose the one closest to the end of the traffic jam.
- Make sure the car is driven by a stoned rastaman in a red-yellow-green hat smoking a huge joint. Congratulations, you are definitely in New York.
- Get in the car.
- Wait for the vehicle to travel the first 20 meters and hit the fire hydrant. nine0190
- Get out of the car in a puff of smoke, sneezing and coughing as you watch aliens descend on the city, a giant asteroid flies and a volcano erupts.
- Without losing your temper, remember that you are Bruce Willis.
- Cross over to the other side of the road.
- Dive underground, take the subway home and wait until you let go.
How to catch a taxi in Yakutsk:
- Stand somewhere.
- Raise your right hand.
- Slowly lower the whip to make a loud click.
- The reindeer have set off, you have set off.
- After three days of reindeer travel, you will probably reach a place where they know what a taxi is.
How to catch a taxi in Moscow:
- Do not be surprised at anything.
- Remember that in Moscow the traffic can be both right-hand and left-hand without any logic, at the request of the traffic inspector, as well as “while no one sees.” nine0190
- Raise your self-esteem.
- Wait until the end of the siesta, the Barcelona-Real match, bullfights, and any form of transport that has stopped.
- If a stoned deer in a red-yellow-green hat is driving a dirty Volga, this is normal.
