Shanghai Taxis

The taxi culture here is interesting - the taxis are essentially free, as they cost $1 on flag drop and about $1 for every 5-10 minutes after. The nearly hour ride from the airport is about $15. They are clean and relatively new, with polite drivers, and are everywhere except at rush hour when you need them most ! You really have to get where you are going before 5pm or you'll wait until 6:30 or later to find free cabs.

The drivers sit in little plastic bubbles for reasons I don't understand, as there is no crime here. Passengers are well advised to sit in the front seat, since there are no seatbelts in the back. That is bad because many drivers drive rather wildly, making NY taxi drivers seem very sane.

You can tell the seniority of your taxi driver by their license number - they are now about 270,000, adding 15-20,000 per year (though today my driver said they will add 30,000 next year). Unfortunately, many drivers over 200,000 don't know the city well and you have to explain how to get places. Drivers also get little stars for good service, so try to choose a driver with a few stars (five is the most, but very rare).