Taxis are an important means of transport in Kolkata for people who are willing to spend a few more bucks to reach their destinations in comfort and a little faster. Although there are a large number of taxis in the city, you should consider yourself lucky if you find one willing to go to the place you want. The normal taxis running in Kolkata are almost always Ambassadors with a few Fiats peeping in from here and there. Prepaid taxis are available from the Airport and Howrah Station.

But the taxi's plying at Kolkata are pretty old. Many dont conform to the West Bengal Pollution Control Board standard, and give off a lot pollution and noxious fumes. In 2005, the city got a breather with the introduction of the new Green taxis. These LPG-driven, eco-friendly cabs come in bright maroon colours with yellow graphic on the sides. And the good news is that their fares are the same as the yellow cabs.

There are also quite a few Blue Arrow AC taxis running in the city. The fares are higher than the good old yellow cabs, but the facilities on offer are mind-boggling. These are no-refusal, custom-built Indicabs from Tata Motors Limited with global positioning satellite systems to keep track of the taxis and a two-way communication with the control room. These cool blue cabbies are available 24 hours a day, with phone booking facilities.

Taxi fares are confusing as they have different kinds of meters. Some have old meters where the fare is usually 100%+ on the top of the metered price. Taxis equipped with new electronic meters have less confusion. Whatever it is, you can ask the driver for a rate conversion chart containing the metered amount and the payable amount. But remember to check the validation date before you pay.

TAXI FARE:

Minimum: Rs. 20 for 2 kms
For every 200 mts: Rs. 1.80p. Meters start off with Rs. 5 (analog) and Rs. 10 (digital).


For easy calculation:

New Electronic Meter : Meter reading multiplied by 1.8 plus Rs. 2
Old Analog Meter: Meter reading multiplied by 3.6 plus Rs. 2