Pre-Paid Cabs at Chennai Airport

Each terminal has three booths: the booths have different charges.

Dang- completely defeats the purpose.

Especially as they all advertise something like "Government approved fares"!

everyone loves one son more than the other... including the government.

The prepaid taxis we talk about are often approved by the Traffic Police. In some cases, I think, even run by them and advertised as such.

The others are just tourist taxis masquerading as prepaid taxis.

Thats very true..same case with autos in the city as well..some are owned by the cops as well and hence all hell breaks loose

There are different operators. The black-and-yellow ones are the cheapest, but also the most disorganized and most rundown. I guess you just pay more for better service.

Hello all!

Nice to find this place and meet you. My name's Graeme. I'm married to an Indian girl (from AP), and we live in the West Midlands.

Anyway, back to the subject. In 2006, me and the mrs had a little holiday (flew from HYD), and booked a cab to Golden Beach Resort (another story), from the (only one I noticed), booth in the Domestic Arrivals lounge. We were given a printed a receipt and there was no umming or arrring about the fare. I thought this was the whole point. That the passenger never gets ripped off?

BTW, is it just me or has anoyone else noticed that the auto's meter never works when you tell the driver to start it?

There are three booths there now, and the prices differ between them.

However, once the fee is paid and the receipt issued, that should be final: no more money to pay.

Unless someone seriously misleads them as to how far it is to go --- and rip-off customers do exist, just as rip-off drivers do!

Nick, the 3 booths offer different classes of service. From the 4 wheel drive w/AC, to the Ambassador non/AC, the cheapest. 3 different rates for 3 different classes of autos. All fixed pricing. Getting out of the airport is easy. Getting to the airport is another story!

I have been to two of them, and it was Ambassador... Ambassador...

I'm guessing what the third would be!

All the car hire companies have different cars at different rates, yes, although I think the cheapest airport booth may only have the very old black+yellow Amby cabs.

Getting to the airport depends entirely on time of day. I am used to easy journeys on deserted night-time roads: not much more than 30 minutes from the centre of the city. If you had to arrive at the airport eg 5.30pm to 9.00pm it would be much, much tougher. My flights tend to be between 2.00am and 8.00am, and there is no problem (apart, it seems, from the 10-minute delay at the Kathipara Junction where they are building the new fly-over).

Uggg...even as a native Tamil, I hate the way autos and taxis operate in Chennai and most of other cities in TN too for that matter. Mumbai, Bangalore are a lot better, in my albeit limited experience.

I don't remember how much I was charged for the call taxi we booked when I was visiting...about 6 months back. He was late though and the way 'autokaarans' harassed me. ..I can very well sympathise with what foreigners and even non-Tamils endure in TN.

I am always uaing the railway station Tirusoolam. It was a hassle to get there having to cross the always busy and dangereous road in front of the airport, but now there is a pedestrian SUBWAY passage going straight inside the railway station. Trains unfortunately start only again after 04 a.m. Price still 6 Rs to Egmore or Ford.

I didn't know that!

Makes a big difference*. As will the planned Metro station at the airport when it gets built one day.




*Assuming you happen to be going somewhere on its route, of course.

Good to know, thanks for the information.