General Info

[Blanquiceleste]

They definitely are not driving Silver Bird taxis though. The chance of a Silver Bird taxi trying to rip you off is slim to none.

I don't consider the guys who refuse to use the meter to be dishonest. They tell you right up front that is the rate. You can accept it or not. But they drive the most beat up taxis in town that nobody would ever take, then they wait outside areas where it's difficult to ever find a taxi. The fact that there were never any taxis in those areas was their only advantage, and Grab car has pretty much killed them off these days. I think that refusal to use the meter happens more in Thailand than in Jakarta. And many times in Thailand, the taxi just refuses to take you where you want to go. I can't even count the number of times a Thai taxi has pulled up and when I tell them where I want to go, they refuse to go there and drive away. I've never had that happen in Jakarta. When I want to go from Nana to Ladprao Central Plaza, the taxi meter should be around 70 baht, but most Thai taxis will demand at least 300.

Aussie taxi drivers totally suck, they are always trying to get tourists to go places they don't need to go. Same in New York, etc. I really think Indonesia has the most honest taxi drivers anywhere.

Agree, Silverbird Bluebird and Express drivers don't try to rip you off.

I also agree asking for a flat fare is not necessarily dishonest, if the ask is reasonable (within 5-10% of the usual meter rate). Particularly in places where it is hard to find a taxi, like Kota Indah. Call it convenience charge. But if someone asks for twice the fare, then I wonder what you would call that.

And you are also correct that taxis in Thailand, Australia, New York, India, China, Philippines, etc all suck. But that does not make the Indonesian taxi drivers any less dishonest. All these guys can smell a noob a mile away and they would not hesitate a second to hang draw and quarter them. Now the only place I have seen where every single taxi driver is completely honest is Singapore. No where else in the world. Perhaps Dubai may be a distant second.

[Smoothy]

Ha ha, except if the taxi driver is from Medan. Dead wives, sick babies, plagues and rats. OS always seems to get it from the Batak drivers.

Yes, it's been a while since I had one of those assholes as my taxi driver. They drive the shittiest taxi in town. I've only had it happen twice, but their story to me was "please mister, my wife (or kid) is sick and I have no money. Can you help me? Please, please, please, please. " They don't shut up the entire ride, then I get out, give them the fare on the meter and say "sorry to hear of your problems".

I haven't had them mention plagues or rats yet. LOL.

They definitely are not driving Silver Bird taxis though. The chance of a Silver Bird taxi trying to rip you off is slim to none.

I don't consider the guys who refuse to use the meter to be dishonest. They tell you right up front that is the rate. You can accept it or not. But they drive the most beat up taxis in town that nobody would ever take, then they wait outside areas where it's difficult to ever find a taxi. The fact that there were never any taxis in those areas was their only advantage, and Grab car has pretty much killed them off these days. I think that refusal to use the meter happens more in Thailand than in Jakarta. And many times in Thailand, the taxi just refuses to take you where you want to go. I can't even count the number of times a Thai taxi has pulled up and when I tell them where I want to go, they refuse to go there and drive away. I've never had that happen in Jakarta. When I want to go from Nana to Ladprao Central Plaza, the taxi meter should be around 70 baht, but most Thai taxis will demand at least 300.

Aussie taxi drivers totally suck, they are always trying to get tourists to go places they don't need to go. Same in New York, etc. I really think Indonesia has the most honest taxi drivers anywhere.

[Offshore Swell]

Oh! For sure they are the most honest people you will find anywhere in the world. Which is why every taxi guy who is not a Bluebird or Express will never run a meter. Which is why the cops shook you down for 500 K when they raided a bar you were present in, even if you had no drugs on you. Which is why cops stop taxis randomly in the night and extort whatever they can from you if you are not carrying proper identification. The list is endless.

Very honest folks! For sure.

He absolutely DID NOT add that illegally. There is an airport fee for him to wait at the airport and also the tolls.

What country are you from where you are so un-trusting of people? LOL. That's sad.

Enjoy Indonesia. The people are among the most honest you will find anywhere in the world.

Ha ha, except if the taxi driver is from Medan. Dead wives, sick babies, plagues and rats. OS always seems to get it from the Batak drivers.

OS had a rather close shave where he diverted his taxi that lady OS had so kindly booked for him to the airport and his official departure from Indonesia, to hotel grand mercure for a night of debauchery. Unfortunately lady OS afterwards rang the driver looking for OS's missing phone and the Batak driver spilled the beans. OS got wind that the posse was coming, profusely denied his whereabouts and made a mad dash for the airport on a hastily bought ticket to Bali and on. Passing out through immigration with 20 minutes to spare before midnight. Talk about a Cinderella moment.

Next morning OS sent through a photo of the visa stamps in his passport to show he couldn't possibly have been at grand mercure and a story how he had argued with the driver about a tip.

The funniest bit was the driver's credibility was only ever at 50% because of his Medan accent, Boy did lady OS ring up bluebird and let that poor driver have it.

Poor chap was just a casualty of war.

[FlapFlap]

I'd sign any day of the week for a country where they only try to shake you down for 25 k at a time.

[Marky1]

Oh! For sure they are the most honest people you will find anywhere in the world. Which is why every taxi guy who is not a Bluebird or Express will never run a meter. Which is why the cops shook you down for 500 K when they raided a bar you were present in, even if you had no drugs on you. Which is why cops stop taxis randomly in the night and extort whatever they can from you if you are not carrying proper identification. The list is endless.

Very honest folks! For sure.

If they don't want to run the meter I get in another taxi or just pay the fixed fare.

I've had taxi drivers all over the world demand a fixed fare late at night.

Corruption is everywhere in the world.

Many parts of the world walking around a red light area as an outsider with a pocketful of cash will get you robbed or worse.

[Blanquiceleste]

The people are among the most honest you will find anywhere in the world.

Oh! For sure they are the most honest people you will find anywhere in the world. Which is why every taxi guy who is not a Bluebird or Express will never run a meter. Which is why the cops shook you down for 500 K when they raided a bar you were present in, even if you had no drugs on you. Which is why cops stop taxis randomly in the night and extort whatever they can from you if you are not carrying proper identification. The list is endless.

Very honest folks! For sure.

[Maila]

He absolutely DID NOT add that illegally. There is an airport fee for him to wait at the airport and also the tolls.

What country are you from where you are so un-trusting of people? LOL. That's sad.

Enjoy Indonesia. The people are among the most honest you will find anywhere in the world.

There's nothing sad about it. Meter said something and I looked at what official meter said. I paid the guy what he asked and later just asked on a board for clarification.

No need to start with "where are you from" here.

[Smoothy]

But I now wonder if he added that illegally. Now that I think of it, I could have asked the bellhop / security, etc. At the hotel.

He absolutely DID NOT add that illegally. There is an airport fee for him to wait at the airport and also the tolls.

What country are you from where you are so un-trusting of people? LOL. That's sad.

Enjoy Indonesia. The people are among the most honest you will find anywhere in the world.

[Marky1]

That's good. Not a big amount, but I was wondering for future reference. We did pass a toll booth.

It's pretty obvious when you go through toll gates.

[Maila]

There is a toll for taxis leaving the airport. I don't know exact amount but 25k sounds about right.

That's good. Not a big amount, but I was wondering for future reference. We did pass a toll booth.

[Banana Boi]

Okay, so this was 240 k something on the meter. He had popped out of the cab as soon as he got to the hotel to take the luggage out of the boot. I gave him 250 k and he said "+25". In the rush of getting out, I wasn't sure and gave me him the extra money. Often, taxi meters stop and add some charges at the very end after a button push, etc. But I now wonder if he added that illegally.

There is a toll for taxis leaving the airport. I don't know exact amount but 25k sounds about right.

[Maila]

I took a SilverBird taxi at CGK. Their line was nearly empty while BlueBird in a distance seemed to have a decent crowd. A guy was standing in front of their section and tried to veer me away to his own taxi. But I went through and took the silverbird. The guy seemed to speak enough English to ask me properly where I wanted to go. I just said Shangrila and I also had a visible google maps running on my phone. He seemed to take a straight route but in the end took some different roads in the last 5-7 minutes. I would have said local knowledge, but he ended up going inside Shangrila residences and had to back out and go into the hotel on the other side.

Okay, so this was 240 k something on the meter. He had popped out of the cab as soon as he got to the hotel to take the luggage out of the boot. I gave him 250 k and he said "+25". In the rush of getting out, I wasn't sure and gave me him the extra money. Often, taxi meters stop and add some charges at the very end after a button push, etc. But I now wonder if he added that illegally. Now that I think of it, I could have asked the bellhop / security, etc. At the hotel.

[Smoothy]

They had zero seats, haha. But, I was able to get a flight with Garuda. Apparently, this country is not setup for last-minute flying. I thought with so many LCCs, it would be fairly easy here but guess not.

Book it using traveloka and you should have no problem. Booking directly with indo airlines last minute is a pain.

[Maila]

Try Air Asia. They have no problem with foreign credit / debit cards. Only thing as they charge $10 fee.

If you are traveling from Malaysia no charge.

They had zero seats, haha. But, I was able to get a flight with Garuda. Apparently, this country is not setup for last-minute flying. I thought with so many LCCs, it would be fairly easy here but guess not.

[Sammon]

So I was trying to book a ticket for tomorrow from JOG to Jakarta and have had a f fairly hard time. In addition to lack of availability of seats, the Malindo group (lion, batik, Malindo) wouldn't accept payment by credit card. They would only accept debit cards within 48 hrs of flight and that too only Indonesian cards for which they had a select list, as some sort of an anti fraud measure.

I had to get a much higher priced ticket with garuda, which also was flagged by my US bank despite a travel notification. Has to use amex and pay them a Forex surcharge.

Try Air Asia. They have no problem with foreign credit / debit cards. Only thing as they charge $10 fee.

If you are traveling from Malaysia no charge.