Taiwan Travel Alert! Seriously, Pay Attention!
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Alright, all you who are planning to visit Taiwan, pay attention!
This is actually my third trip to Taiwan. I've heard many travel guides warning about the taxis (yes, I'm talking about that familiar taxi!) and advising passengers to be cautious, with some even suggesting to remember the license plate numbers. But, little did I know we'd actually experience something like that.
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We arrived on May 6th and planned to fly back to Singapore on May 16th. However, the last night of our trip proved to be quite different; we unintentionally spent a few hours at the police station
, poring over surveillance tapes in search of the alleged license plate number
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Let me tell you how it all happened:
- On the evening of May 15, from Rauthu Night Market (which is a hugely famous night market!), my family and I hailed a taxi by our street. We knew the ride was approximately fifteen minutes long, filled with jokes and conversation along the way.
- Upon reaching the hotel, I exited with my baby while my husband and mother-in-law paid the fare. Upon hearing my husband exclaim "What a rip-off! ", we realized it was 790 new Taiwan dollars (NTD) – this was astonishing since we only spent less than 300 NTD at the night market earlier that evening! When we later asked the hotel about why their taxi prices quadrupled at the mention of changing shifts, they responded that there was no known "shift change." Moreover, it was only nine o'clock in the evening by then!
- Immediately after entering our hotel room, my husband realized his phone had been left in the backseat of the cab. What a nightmare this scenario would become
! 
- We called the car owner over but didn't get through to them as we heard no response several times until the battery ran out and no calls could be returned anymore
. - It became necessary to seek help from our local hotel. They did everything they could, contacting taxi companies and suggesting we file a police report by calling 110 (the emergency number in Taiwan).
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The Police Station Experience:
- At the police station, we looked at the security footage carefully. Right after we arrived, two taxi cars immediately jumped out to us, but only the color and design were visible due to camera issues. Nonetheless, they happened to park exactly around the time we left the night market.
- But then one female officer came forward with an indifferent attitude and a poor sense of urgency (she was scrolling through her own phone all the while!
). We eventually gave up hope due to the lack of progress and patience. - However, when we were about to give up in despair, a male officer intervened and took charge of our issue. He reviewed the tapes and agreed that our suspicions were founded toward the suspicious taxies.
- After further inspection, both driver's registration number and facial image were finally revealed. He then acknowledged receiving the phone from us earlier. (I guess he didn't dare to deny anything considering all that had transpired thus far.)
- Although he initially refused bringing the phone directly to the office, we refused his offer since he lied about the fee in the first place, and asked for a set price, which he reluctantly accepted. Thus, we retrieved our belongings the next morning, leaving tiredly with our baby and elderly grandparent.
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So, friends planning a trip to Taiwan:
️ **Important Reminders:**️
- Always take a quick picture of your taxi driver's license (usually placed near the front passenger seat), in case you never know what can happen at the worst moments!
- When faced with unexpected fare increases, be sure to request a receipt🧾! These receipts contain vital information regarding the license plate number and trip timing — hence, solid documentation.
- Do not allow yourself to appear weak to these drivers! When problems arise, contact the relevant services or the local authorities.
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Personally, I usually go with either 55688 (Taiwan Taxi) or Uber. Taiwan Taxi drivers wear uniforms, their cars are cleaner and less smoky, and it's cheaper than Uber. I only use Uber if I can't get a Taiwan Taxi. I once tried Line Taxi when a friend hailed it, and it was also clean and pretty good
. Hailing a cab off the street is risky, as you might get an unlicensed or sketchy one. It's best to use an app to check the fare estimate first to avoid getting ripped off. Also, in more rural areas, fares often aren't metered; the driver will quote a price. If it seems too expensive, make sure to say so and agree on the fare before you get in. -
Good to know, thanks for sharing!
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Honestly, in Taiwan, I'd only recommend Uber. I'd rather wait for an Uber at the station than take one of the queued taxis. Many of those drivers have bad attitudes and try to rip you off with inflated fares, especially if they see you're not a local.
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That makes sense. I've learned my lesson now; I won't dare to randomly hail a yellow cab anymore.
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Nowadays, most people tend to use Uber. I'm not a big fan of the yellow cabs; the service quality isn't great, the cars can be dirty sometimes, and drivers might give you an earful if the ride is too short.
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Our chartered driver said the same thing. But actually, during our entire trip, things were fine, and the drivers we encountered were mostly good. We just had really bad luck on our last night.
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Lesson learned. We actually wanted to report him, but we had no proof at the time and couldn't really do anything. Plus, since he had the phone, we just decided to let it go. We didn't want to drag the kids and elderly folks through all that trouble.
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I absolutely hate hailing yellow cabs off the street. The quality is terrible; I've been yelled at by drivers several times, and many cars reek of smoke as soon as you get in. Uber or 55688 are so much better. Glad you guys found your phone.
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When we first arrived, our chartered driver also told us to download the 55688 app. We used Uber as well. It's just that sometimes, if we see a yellow cab right there, we feel too lazy to pull out our phones to book a ride.
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When I'm in Taiwan, I always use Uber. The cars generally feel nicer, and you're less likely to run into strange drivers.
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Thanks for sharing.
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From what I remember, if a driver has to return something to your original location, they do charge a fee. They're not obligated to use their own working time to bring it back to you. However, you can request they drop it off at the nearest police station or a similar place.
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Yeah, we understood that. Before we went to report it, we tried calling the phone. We figured if the driver answered and was willing to bring it back, we'd happily pay the fare for his trip and even give a tip. But after a few calls, the phone was turned off.
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Uber or 55688 are both highly recommended.
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Thanks for sharing.
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That's terrible. The police were already involved, and he still wasn't being honest.
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They used to be pretty good before Uber came along. Why have things become like this now?
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The competition is just too intense. The moment I step onto the street, it's flooded with yellow cabs.