In an effort to enhance the professionalism of taxis in Penang, many have started to use the meter - previously resisted by many of the taxis citing a wide range of reasons and excuses.
Always choose a taxi that uses a meter. You can find these with a sticker on their door (see picture).
Taxi stands are not as common as bus stops in Pulau Pinang. Also, taxis are not as ubiquitous on the streets in Pulau Pinang than they are in other major cities.
Georgetown Taxi: 04-2299467, 04-2617098
BJ Radio Taxi: 04-6430161 & 012 572 6487
Taxi Drivers Association: 04-2625721
Sunshine Radio Taxi: 04-6425961
Jade Auto Company: 04-2263015
Bayview Taxi Stand:
Super Radio Taxi Service Center: 04-281-8766, 282-8753
Individual Taxi Driver Contacts
Vincent Yeap: 012 -531 3250 or 017 - 4628 622, recommended by Colleen
Johnny: 04 2814535, recommended by Jennifer
Despite repeated calls from the government and various quarters, there are still many taxis in Penang (but not all) who refuse to use the meter. I would recommend that you do not use the.
Still, if they are the only option available, you need to do some negotiation with the driver before climbing on board. What the taxis do is determine a fixed rate for most journeys. Most taxi drivers agree to honor this rate. Hence even if you ask a few taxis, you are likely to be given the same price which they have agreed among themselves.
What is that fixed rate? Ah, that is for them to know and for us to find out. But people who are familiar with taking taxis in Pulau Pinang will soon be familiar with it. Also, the rate tends to be quite uniform among the different taxi companies.
As taxi rides can be much more expensive than taking the bus, you should carefully evaluate the options before calling the taxi. On the other hand, taxis provide the convenience of traveling from point to point, and for transporting of luggage.
What's the minimum price? It used to be RM4.00, but not really sure now, considering the meter's been thrown out the window.
The following are fare estimations contributed by feedback from members who wrote to me:
There is an airport limousine service (that's a glorified way to call an airport taxi). You buy a coupon at the arrival level, then go outside to take the limo that is queuing up for passengers. Pass the coupon to the driver and tell him where exactly you are going. The fare is as follows:
Acknowledgement
I wish to thank Loh Chee Kuang, Poay Kuan, HT Khor, Colleen Dunk, SB, Kamarul Syahril Kamal, Ewe Hean, PC Ong, Jennifer De Vries, Calvin Yeo, Michelle Loh, Pay Fern, Laura Joseph, Rani, Lucy Friedland, Peky for information on this page.
Get the best rates when booking Penang hotels
Before booking a hotel room, make sure you are getting the lowest price for it. Different hotel booking websites offers the same room at different prices. If you stick with one site all the time, you could be paying more for the same room. Now why pay more?
The form below is a Research Engine. It doesn't take bookings. Instead it lets you find the hotel booking website that offers the room you want at the lowest price. You can see and compare what different sites are offering, and then click to choose the one with the best price. Do this, and you're guaranteed to save a whole lot of money on your room reservations!
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Penang Travel Tips is researched and written by Timothy Tye, universally known as Tim. The text is the copyright of Timothy Tye, and may not be copied for commercial use or re-published in another website without the author's permission. Information provided is in goodwill and is believed to be correct and up-to-date at time of writing. Photographs on this website are the copyright of the author and may not be reused without prior permission. For commercial licensing of photographs, read the licensing terms.
