Just a Little Taxi Talk (China Edition)

[Lena Oberbrunner]

Wow, friends! I've just returned from a three-day trip to Suzhou. The scenery there was amazing, but the experience of taking taxis was really not good at all. Here's a heads-up for those thinking of going:

• First Day's Misstep:

  • We didn't want to go to those "consumption spots" recommended by the drivers (places where drivers take tourists shopping and earn kickbacks). As a result, the driver simply stopped the car by the roadside and said, "I cannot take you any further," then forced our group out of the vehicle. This really angered us.

• Second Day: Circumnavigated:

  • For the same journey, the taxi cost 12 RMB when we went there, but coming back, another taxi driver took us on a detour costing 27 RMB!
  • We noticed something strange midway through, and when we asked why it wasn't taking the original route, he insisted stubbornly that “the original route is inaccessible!” (a blatant lie, as we had just used this route!)

• Third Day: Even Worse:

  • At that time, I was running a fever, feeling very uncomfortable, and even though the distance was only a little over one kilometer, I still wanted to take a taxi for the sake of speed. But the driver saw that it would not make enough money for such a short journey, so he directly refused to take me!
  • My father argued with him a bit, but the driver then unleashed a floodgate of profanity at my father, saying things like “f***,” “old man,” etc.
  • My father was furious, demanding an apology, but the driver refused and even threatened to beat him down!
  • There was nothing else for us to do but call the police. After they arrived, the driver finally showed fear, apologized, and admitted his wrong behavior.

All these are real-life incidents I've experienced personally, with not an ounce of exaggeration! In these three days, we took over ten taxi trips, whether they were hailed roadside or booked through apps like those for “Ding-Ding Travel.” Almost all the drivers had a poor attitude (although, I must say fairly, there were one or two decent ones we met).

️ Key Takeaways for Friends Going to Suzhou ️:

• Be Cautious About “Recommends”: If a driver enthusiastically recommends you to go to some "specific" stores, restaurants, or scenic spots, and you don't want to visit them, simply reject it. If the driver gets upset about this or tries to kick you out of the car, record the license plate, and consider filing a complaint.
• Navigation Warnings: As soon as you get into the car, open your mobile map navigation app and keep track of the route. If you notice the driver is taking a deliberately longer path, ask politely if there's a reason for it. If the driver persists or makes up lame excuses, arrive at your destination and then appeal to the platform (if it's an app-based taxi service) or relevant authorities according to the normal route as shown by your navigation app within a reasonable fee and time framework.
• Short Trips: For shorter distances, some taxi drivers may feel it isn't worth their while to take them. In such cases, ride-hailing services (such as via Ding-Ding App) may be a better choice, because they have clear-pricing standards, and drivers generally won't refuse rides based on short distances.
• Handling Conflicts: In case of encountering a driver who is extremely rude, insults or even threatens, never get into a heated confrontation. Your personal safety is the most important thing. You can secretly record or video it as evidence, and then either report it to the police, or complaints can be filed afterwards towards the taxi company or tourism regulatory department.

May all of your trips to Suzhou be smooth sailing; hope you don't get as angry over taxis as I did!

[Mrs. Beverly Glover-Crist]

The starting fare in Suzhou is 13 yuan. Some roads near tourist attractions are one-way, so detours are sometimes necessary.

[Marc Price]

We wanted to go to the north entrance of Pingjiang Road, and the driver took us on a huge detour all the way to the train station.

[Terrence Beer]

The real question is, how did you even manage to get a taxi for 12 yuan on your way there? It's practically impossible for a Suzhou taxi fare to be 12 yuan. Taxis now have full video surveillance, and if a driver is caught taking a detour, a single complaint can get them suspended for a week.

[Rosemarie Sawayn PhD]

We took a Didi (ride-hailing) on the way there. Taxis are usually a bit more expensive than ride-hailing, but it shouldn't be more than double the price. We realized something was off halfway through and used our own navigation, so we're sure that driver took a detour.

[Guadalupe Barton]

Tourists should avoid taking taxis unless absolutely necessary. Buses and subways are very convenient, especially since most attractions are within the city. Taking a taxi is often unnecessary and you'll likely hit traffic. Honestly, you can just use Didi or Gaode (ride-hailing apps). There's really no need to put up with taxi drivers like that.

[Lorena Runolfsson]

I guess our hotel's location is a bit unique. The nearest subway station is 1.3km away, which is even farther than the distance from our hotel to the scenic spots. The main thing is I've never encountered such a terrible taxi experience before; I really didn't expect it...

[Karen Bruen]

In Suzhou, I only use ride-hailing apps.

[Hazel Brown-Stracke]

For the rest of our trip, the subway was indeed very convenient. We won't take a taxi next time, though we probably won't be visiting Suzhou again anyway.

[Misty Anderson DDS]

Just got back. On Monday, my family and I came from Qingdao to Jiangsu. To save trouble, we decided to take a taxi from the North Square of Suzhou Station to our hotel. It was only then that I realized the driver's initial indifferent attitude was because he thought our trip was too short. It was a 13 yuan fare. He was speeding the whole way. When we asked him to slow down, he first pretended not to hear. Then he said, 'The road is just like this, I can't help it.' He then muttered to himself, 'I waited for so long just to get this fare.' But it was his choice to queue at the train station for passengers, what does that have to do with us? If you choose to queue there, you should expect short fares, right? We didn't dare take a taxi for the rest of our trip. But this one person was enough to ruin our mood for several days.

[Anita Wiza]

Same here. It's terrible.