Prague taxi prices: up to 10,000 crowns for a few km without a cap
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In the 21 days without a state price cap, Prague city hall received 70 taxi complaints: for rides of just a few kilometres, passengers were asked to pay thousands of crowns, and in one case the bill came close to 10,000. Maximum prices have since been reinstated in the capital, the city hall press office reports.
Record bills for short rides
According to the city hall's Department of Taxes, Fees and Prices, the complaints concerned overcharges running into thousands of crowns. Among the most flagrant examples: a ride from the airport to the Grandior hotel cost almost 7,000 crowns, and a night-time trip of about one kilometre cost 320 euros (around 7,800 crowns). The record belongs to a foreign tourist: the complaint does not name the route, but the amount is 9,955 crowns.
The city's response and the industry's reaction
City hall called the return of maximum prices a justified measure in the public interest that had to be taken without delay. According to city hall spokesman Vít Hofman, there were simply too many complaints about exorbitant prices, and “market mechanisms alone do not give customers sufficient protection.”
Štěpán Hradecký of the Chamber of Taxi Operators reacted sharply. On his Facebook page he said that he was ending all work for the Chamber with immediate effect, at least until the drivers who raised their fares come forward themselves and sign a pledge to use only reasonable rates in future. Otherwise, he said, they can drive at regulated prices and deal with this issue on their own.
Tomáš Prouza, president of the Czech Union of Trade and Tourism, was sceptical about scrapping the caps from the start. In his view, it was only a matter of time before rides costing tens of thousands of crowns appeared.
What drivers risk
In several cases, rides of a few kilometres costing thousands of crowns have already been investigated by the police, and the cases will be passed on to administrative proceedings. For breaching the price rules or the road transport act, the authorities can impose a fine of tens of thousands of crowns, impound the vehicle until a deposit is paid, or even revoke the licence.
What this means for foreigners
This affects everyone who uses taxis in Prague, including foreigners and tourists. Maximum prices once again apply to taxis in the capital. If you have been asked to pay an exorbitant amount, you can complain to the Department of Taxes, Fees and Prices of Prague city hall, which is where the 70 complaints were filed.
Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz
