Paris Taxis

With the delights of walking in Paris, and the excellent Métro and bus system, there is little reason to resort to taxis.  However, if you want a taxi, there are about 16,000 of them in Paris and three ways to get one:

• Walk to a Taxi Stand
• There are more than 470 taxi stands in Paris, marked by blue signs with the word TAXI written in white.  You will find them on street corners, outside railway stations, at airports and other locations.  Michelin maps for Paris show the location of taxi stands as a blue circle with the letter "T" inside.  Take the taxi at the head of the line.  
• Hail a Taxi in the Street
• You can tell if a taxi is available by checking the lighted sign on the roof.  If the sign is on, the taxi is available.  If one of the white, orange or blue fare lights is on, correspondign to taxi rates A,B, or C, the taxi is occupied.
• Call a Taxi
• If you call a taxi, you will be charged starting from the time that the taxi is dispatched.  Therefore, when the taxi arrives, there will already be some charges on the meter.
• Paris Taxi Rates
• There are three Paris taxi rates.
• Rate A is charged inside Paris from 10 am to 5 pm, Monday to Saturday.
• Rate B is charged inside Paris from 5 pm to 10 am, Monday to Saturday; from 7 am to midnight on Sundays; all hours on holidays; and for trips to the suburbs from 7 am to 7 pm.
• Rate C applies Sundays from midnight to 7 am in central Paris; and from 7 pm to 7 am for trips to the suburbs.
• Fares Charged
• The actual fare charged is computed by the taximeter which combines fractional measures of time and distance as follows.

• Waiting time applies at the applicable rate when the taxi is stopped, or moving at the following speeds:

• Rate A:	under 31.34 kilometers per hour
  Rate B:	under 28.68 kilometers per hour
  Rate C:	under 21.95 lilometers

  Plus distance traveled at the following applicable rate:

• Waiting time per hour—Rate A	€27.90
  Waiting time per hour—Rate B	€32.70
  Waiting time per hour—Rate C	€30.30
  Fare per kilometer—Rate A	€0.89
  Fare per kilometer—Rate B	€1.14
  Fare per kilometer—Rate C	€1.38

• There is an initial charge for each taxi ride of €2.20 and a minimum fare of €6.00.

• There is also an additional charge of €2.95 for fourth and fifth passengers, and an extra charge of €1.00 for each piece of luggage weighing more than 5 Kg., and for bulky items such as baby strollers.
• The fare from Charles de Gaulle Airport to central Paris is about €50, depending upon traffic.
• A tip to the driver of about 10% is normal.