To all travellers (international and local), just short word of advice. There have been many reports recently on a popular city website (Sarajevo-x) with regards to the bad experiences with SarajevoTAXI Co and their rip-off charges. Unfortunately Sarajevo International Airport (SJJ) is not served by a public transport (bus, tram or similar) and many visitors/travellers relay on a taxi service to get to the city. There are may different taxi companies operating in the city (all private ventures), however one such company is known as the Sarajevo Taxi Co, which hold monopoly at the airport, and they are the only company to have a Taxi stand at the airport. There have been many reports over the last few weeks that they have been over-charging their customers (we are not taklking few cents, here but some ridiculous prices going up to $20-30 or €20) which is way, way over the true cost that you would expect to pay to get to the city, which is only few miles/kilometres away. The reports also state that the driver is very reluctant to switch the taxi metre on, which is illegal and try to negotiate the price on the arrival to the destination (meaning for sure that you will be ripped off). I am also talking from my own personal experience with the said Co, when they tried to rip me off for a short journey, saying that the meter wasn’t working that day, no way Hose… so take my advice, and advice of many DON’T USE SarajevoTAXI Co at the airport, or through the City, the competition is vast, and they are so many other companies, which are honest and very reliable. Other Co.s such as: yellow taxi, red taxi (yellow and red are always about, you might wait 3-5 minutes, they are never far away from you), samir %26amp; emir taxi (same waiting time as y and r), boss taxi, Holland taxi, kale taxi. Be aware of Paja Taxi Co, vehicles not the best, sometimes smelly, very odd drivers etc. Don’t take me wrong I am not attempting to advertising different companies here, I am trying to protect you from being ripped off by some idiots, which in fact do not give to the new visitor to the City a good impression, there is a massive petition in the city going around to stop this type of taxi rip-off behaviour, especially at the Airport.
ŽUTI TAXI (Yellow TAXI) – (033) 657 307, (033) 618 912
CRVENI TAXI (Red TAXI) – (033) 760 600, 061 760 600, 033 468 728, 061 468 728
SEMIR EMIR TAXI – 1516 (short No.), 033 667 681, 033 220 105
KALE TAXI - 033 570 900, 061 136 414
BOSS TAXI - 033 531 200
HOLAND TAXI – 1521 (short No.), 0800 202 34 (toll free number), 033, 431 111
These are telephone numbers of the above companies which will come to the airport and collect you and take you to the city without the fear of being ripped off (use common sense as you would use in your home town or elsewhere, note taxi number – yellow and red taxi’s are always numbered from outside, check that the meter is on and if you do not feel comfortable DO NOT GET IN), you are probably wondering; “how will I call a taxi from the airport if I don’t speak Bosnian”, there are usually many people there waiting to meet someone from the airplane, and I am sure that they will do you a favour and call the taxi from their mobile phone, honestly be very aware of the taxis just outside the airport building. If you have any questions regarding the Sarajevo, please do not hesitate to contact me and I will try to get you correct information. Enjoy Bosnia, Enjoy Sarajevo the Olympic City.
|||
The best is to get into a taxi with another Bosnian. Let her/him negotiate for you.
The second best. Get him to drive you to the first tram stop. It%26#39;s quite close to the aiport. From there take a tram for 1.75km to Bascarsija and you%26#39;re set.
Btw. the normal taxi price for airport %26gt; city centre is 20km/10 euro.
|||
apprentice,
Good ideas but...
The problem is that their price from airport to the center of the town (15 km apr.) or to the first tram stop (1,75 km) is the same, 10 - 20 €!
|||
Hi Sarajevo Travel Experts,
How about getting a taxi from the Departure Hall where passengers in the taxi would have got off?
voxz
|||
The problem of Sarajevo Taxi has been a subject of many disputes and even some fights in the last couple of years. For those of you who wonder how it%26#39;s possible that something like this is not solved I have just one advice you should remember: Bosnia and logic don%26#39;t go together, so if you want to have a good time here, forget the logic. I have to say this to myself everyday not to go mad. :)
So, on the subject of taxis, my recommendation is to call Red Taxi (Crveni Taxi) because they have taxi stand very close to the airport and will be there in a matter of seconds.
The voxz%26#39;s idea is also a very good one (I have to admitt I never thought of it, but I%26#39;ll recommend it from now on, thank you voxz :)), especially since Sarajevo has a small airport with just one entrance and one exit, which are only a few meters away.
***
You can also give your contribution to local efforts to put and end to this monopolly if you make an official complaint if they try (or succeed for that matter) to ripp you off. Take a note of all the facts, if you have some witnesses even better and send them to the company and to the local media. I realize this is not something that you plan to do as a traveller, but it%26#39;s what you can do to help us and maybe some future travellers.
I wish you all a nice and nervous-free experience here. :)
Jasmina
|||
Having read this thread I emailed the hotel we were staying at (Hotel Michele) and asked their advice. They offered to book us a taxi to meet us off the plane.
The driver was there when we arrived and took us straight to the car (and helped with luggage). The cost was 13Euros.
We used the same taxi driver for the return trip, and paid in local currency to use up the last of the change, and were charged 25KM.
|||
Good news - on 12 October 2009 started the public bus transfer Airport - City - Airport!
Taxi driver are expected now to switch the taxi metre and stop over-charging their customers.
Regards,
Jadranka
No comments:
Post a Comment