I almost paid three times as much for a taxi.

I almost paid three times as much for a taxi.

After arriving, I left the airport with my backpack and immediately heard:

"Taxi?" Where are you going?

I gave the address of the hotel. The man confidently told me the price, which seemed quite normal to me. I was tired after the flight, so I didn't really figure it out and got into the car.

On the way, the driver turned out to be very talkative. He talked about the city, showed me some buildings, and said several times that I was lucky to find a "good price." I even thought that I had made a really good deal.

When we arrived, he mentioned an amount almost three times the amount we talked about at the beginning.

At first I thought I had misunderstood him. He asked to see the calculation. The driver started explaining something about baggage, airport fees, travel, and several other surcharges that had never been discussed before.

The most unpleasant thing wasn't even about the money. I was standing with a suitcase near an unfamiliar hotel and realized that arguing with the person who had already brought me to the place was not the most pleasant situation.

In the end, I paid, but after that I decided never to get into a taxi again, simply because the driver looks convincing.

Now, before traveling, I check in advance which taxis are official, install the local app and check the approximate cost of the route. If the price is announced in advance, I try to clarify whether this is the final amount and whether there are additional fees.

And if the driver starts rushing, says "get in, we'll figure it out later" or offers a price that is noticeably different from the usual one, I simply refuse.

Because when traveling, the most expensive mistake is not to overpay a few euros. The most expensive mistake is to realize that they are trying to deceive you, and still agree.