Taxi cabs

The all popular taxi cab exists in Costa Rica, like anywhere else, with a few minor variations.

Look for the red cars

Taxi cabs have to register at the Ministry of Transportation, and obtain a special permit before they can operate. They are required to undergo inspection and provide accident insurance for passengers. The fare is set by ARESEP (the government tariffs regulator) and cannot be altered, except under special circumstances (see below). 

Cabbies have to wear uniforms (or at least look half decent), and cannot mistreat or abuse passengers in any way. If a cabbie yells at you or throws you out before your ride is done, you can call the police and they'll be heavily fined. 

Taxis that meet requirements and are registered are marked differently from other vehicles on the road, so they can be easily recognized. By boarding official registered cabs, you're protecting your safety and ensuring you have a safe and pleasant trip.

So, how do you tell registered taxis from other cars?

• Color: registered taxis are red in color. No other colors are authorized. You might see a yellow or white taxi around town, these are not official cabs and can be trouble (see below). Caveat: all registered taxis are red, but not all red cars are registered taxis. Any regular old car can be red, so look for the rest of the distinctive markings before you board. Most people avoid painting their cars red, but some just like to be difficult.
• Triangles on doors: Registered taxis have a yellow triangle on their doors, with their serial number on it. All registered taxis have an assigned serial, and have this yellow triangle on their doors.
• License plate: the license plate for taxis is red on white. Blue on white is for regular vehicles. All registered taxis have a plate that starts with 2 or 3 letters, the last one is always a P: SJP, AP, HP, LP, CP, GP, PP. The letters are followed by their serial, which has to match what's written on their doors. If you see a taxi operating with a blue on white plate, skip it.
• Meter: all registered taxis have a meter, which must be in plain sight. If there's no meter, they can't operate. Remember to check that the meter is reset at the start of your journey. A taxi cannot charge you the distance to or from your pickup point, which means your journey starts with the meter at minimum, and you pay what the meter reads at your dropoff point. No more.
• Driver's license: taxi drivers have to obtain a special permit before they can drive registered taxis. Usually they'll display their license on the dash or sunguards. 

Fares

Taxis charge using the following rules:

• Minimum fare: all taxis have a minimum fare, which is clocked at the start of your journey. Currently this fare is 605 colones. Any trip below 1 Km, is 605 colones.
• Distance fare: after the first Km, 605 colones are added per km. If you're in a rural area, outside the city, the fare is 760 colones per Km.
• Slow driving conditions: while the cab is stuck in traffic or moving very slowly, the meter switches to another fare, that ticks away by time. The fare goes back to distance as soon as speed returns to normal.
• Wait time: there's set fares for wait time and delay time, that apply per hour, but you probably won't be seeing them used. Unless you specifically ask the driver to wait for you while you're doing something, they're not applicable. 

The fares are set independently of vehicle type, road conditions or traffic delays. It doesn't matter if you're on a deserted street or a packed highway, the fare is the same. If doesn't matter if you board a compact or a minivan, the fare is the same. Luggage or packages don't affect the fare in any way (unless you´re using an orange airport taxi van, see below). And of course, it doesn't matter if you're foreign or national, the fare is the same.

Taxis  are not allowed to charge additional fares if they pick you up at a hotel, motel, or wherever. Fares are the same on holidays. Certain unscrupulous drivers will sometimes try to use holidays or your pickup point as an excuse to charge more. Not valid.

Caveat: stated fares are as of February 13, 2014 and may vary with time. Check ARESEP's website for more information or current fares.

Going meterless

If you're making a normal trip around town, there's no reason why you shouldn't use the meter. If you're making a normal trip in a rural area, there's no reason why you shouldn't use the meter.

However, on trips that fall out of the normal scope, meters are optional. If you ask a cab in San Jose to take you to a far away province (say San Jose to Puntarenas), of if you're in a rural area and ask them to take you to a remote location for sightseeing, they may request to go meterless, for a fixed amount. Same if you ask the taxi driver to provide service for the whole day. 

Neither you or the driver are obligated to go meterless. However, in these unusual scenarios where you can't really predict how much distance or time it might take, you might be better off. Just remember to negotiate your price before you board, to avoid surprises later on.

Airport cabs

A special variety of cabs work the airports. These are orange in color and are called "Taxi Aeropuerto". They're no different from standard taxis, and also have to charge their fare with a meter. Before 2010, airport cabs were allowed to charge a fixed rate, which was usually around $15. However, now they are not allowed to do that, and must use a meter. Their fare is 850 colones minimum, and 850 per km after the first Km for vans, and 740 for sedans. 

Pirates, collective cabs and "cooperatives"

Several varieties of non-registered, clandestine cabs exist, and operate in different parts of the country. There's  pirate cabs, which are simply regular old cars that will stop and offer to take you to your destination. They have no distinctive markings, and use a blue on white license plate. 

Collective cabs are also regular vehicles, that work sort of like a bus, picking up different passengers along the way to their destination. Or they may just stop somewhere, wait until they're full, and take off.

"Cooperative" cabs or "Porteadores" are somewhere between registered and pirate. These are regular vehicles that don't meet the requirements to become registered, but operate using a loophole in the law. They may be red or not, and usually display decals with terminology such as "Permiso", "Cooperativa de Transporte", or "Servicio Privado". They'll gather in groups at fixed locations, where people can seek them out, since they're not allowed to cruise the streets picking up passengers. You can tell them from registered taxis because they won't have the "SJP", "HP", "AP" etc. license plate, or the triangular yellow decals on the doors. 

Neither of these clandestine services is authorized to operate as a taxi in Costa Rica. Cooperatives are the closest you get to authorized, but they still lack basic requirements and insurance necessary to guarantee your safety. You should avoid them at all times: why pay the same rate, for half a service, when you can get the real thing at the same price?

Don't be a victim

Remember to always be suspicious of vehicles that don't meet the registered taxi or airport cab requirements, and may offer to take you on tours or to your hotel. If your hotel has some kind of a shuttle service, make sure you know, and if not you should ask at the front desk when you arrive. Take note of the logos and distinctive markings that your hotel shuttle has, so that you can't confuse it with another one later on.

If you're doubtful about that shuttle service that's waiting for you, call your hotel. Or simply play it safe and don't board.

Where to get help

Always ask your hotel, or a knowledgeable person, for the numbers to some local cab dispatch centers. If you're on the street and can't find a cab, they can have one sent to pick you up. 

If you should have trouble with your cab beyond your comfort zone, dial 9-1-1. They can send the police over to help you sort things out. Caveat: always be sure you know more or less where you are at.

If you wish to file a complaint against a taxi service, be sure to note down their license plate. Then follow the directions on ARESEP's website .