Just a Little Taxi Talk (China Edition)
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The starting fare in Suzhou is 13 yuan. Some roads near tourist attractions are one-way, so detours are sometimes necessary.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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...
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In Suzhou, I only use ride-hailing apps.
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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.
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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.
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Same here. It's terrible.