The taxi is a common way of getting around cities in Ecuador. Ecuadoreans and foreigners all use them to get to a nearby destination quickly and efficiently. Even in small villages in the countryside you can now find yellow taxis on every street corner.

Will I get ripped off by the driver?

There's a good chance that will happen every now and then. When you've just arrived in the country and taken a taxi to your hotel from the airport, there is a good chance you will pay five times more than you should.

• If you know a few words of Spanish and can smooth talk the driver a little bit, you might get off paying what everybody else does. This alone makes Spanish classes a good investment if you are thinking about staying in the country for a while.
• Don't take the taxis parked directly outside airports. These people make a living by ripping fresh travellers off. You can pay 20% less just by crossing the street and getting a taxi there.
• Ask for them to use the meter. Meters are usually very reliable in Ecuador. Unfortunately meters never seem to work after eight in the evening when prices go up by 15 to 20 percent.
• Set a price before the taxidriver puts the taxi in second gear. It will avoid a bad discussion after arrival about the absurd amount he will ask from you.
• If a taxi driver is asking for a huge amount and doesn't want to lower it, just get out. There are plenty more taxis where he came from. Only do this before you start driving, as it will save you a lot of problems.

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