
FAQ Taxi with car seats
The most common Questions we get and Answers
Berlin
Q: Do taxis in Berlin have car seats?
A:Some of them.
German law requires that all children under 12 years of age or shorter than 150cm be adequately strapped to approved car seats to ride as passengers in cars. This regulation applies everywhere in Germany, including Berlin.
For this reason, some taxis in Berlin have car seats. Some have the car seats already installed in the back seat, while others have the safety seats in the trunk to be quickly installed when needed. Taxis in Berlin that do not have car seats will not allow you to ride with them if you have little ones in your company.
Hawaii
Q: Do taxis in Hawaii have car seats?
A: Most do not.
Hawaii’s car seat regulations require any child under four years to ride in an infant car seat and kids between 4 - 7 years to ride in a safety booster seat.
These car seat laws do not apply to taxis and shuttle buses. For this reason, most taxis in Hawaii do not come with car seats. However, some taxi drivers make car seats available for those who need them, albeit for a small fee.
Q: Do Ubers in Hawaii have car seats?
A: No, Uber taxis in Hawaii generally do not have car seats.
The reason is that there are certain transportation services that, without limitation, are exempt from the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) regulation. These include taxis, school and city buses, ambulances, etc. Interestingly, Ubers fall into this category.
Since Ubers are not licensed PUC carriers, they are not required to have car seats. This means typical Ubers would not come with car seats, but you may still find Ubers with car seats if you specifically request them, albeit at an additional cost.
Q: Can you put a baby car seat in a taxi?
A: Yes, you can, and you should, no matter how the law applies.
Taxis in Hawaii generally do not come with car seats since they are exempt from car seat regulations. However, they come with appropriate seat belts, which you can use to install safety car seats for your children.
The most compelling reason for using children's car seats is your child's safety. So, irrespective of how the law applies, you should install car seats in taxis for the little ones in your company.
Q: Do babies need car seats in Hawaii?
A: According to Hawaii baby car seat laws, children under seven should be strapped in appropriate car seats when riding as passengers in certain vehicles. Those under the age of 4 need a child car seat, and those between 4 and 7 need booster seats.
However, taxis are among the vehicles exempt from these laws. So you may ride in taxis without using these restraints, and you won't come into trouble with the law.
It’s always best to put safety first, and Taxi Bambino can help you with that. You can use it to arrange taxis with car seats anywhere in Hawaii to make your holiday safe for the little ones traveling with you.
Cancun
Q: Do taxis in Cancun have car seats?
A: You'll be hard-pressed to find any.
With Cancun being a Mexican city in the Yucatan Peninsula, it is governed by Mexican laws. Interestingly, there are no car seat laws in Mexico (at least, not any that are enforced). As such, the taxis in Cancun do not have car seats.
Cancun is not like some other cities where taxi drivers can provide a car seat for you upon request. Car seat availability is not often guaranteed.
Thus, when traveling to Cancun for a family vacation to enjoy the city's beautiful beaches and resorts, the only way to get taxis with car seats and make the trip safe for your little ones is to use a taxi service like Taxi Bambino.
Q: Do taxis in Mexico have car seats?
A: No, they do not.
Mexico has no laws requiring you to strap your children to car seats when riding in vehicles, be they private cars, rentals, or taxis. You'll be hard-pressed to find taxis with car seats in Mexican cities.
In some cities around Europe, taxis often have car seats in their trunk, ready to be immediately installed for passengers who need them, but even this is a rarity in Mexico.
Q: Is a car seat required in Cancun?
A: No, a car seat is not legally required in Cancun.
Mexico is one of those countries where there are no car seat regulations. So, in all its cities, including Cancun, passengers riding in cars are not legally required to strap their little ones in safety car seats or booster seats.
However, it is wise to have your children in car seats that meet their weight and height requirements when traveling by car.
Q: Can you put a baby car seat in a taxi?
A: Yes, you can.
The laws in Cancun do not make using children's car seats compulsory, but you surely can use one if you choose to.
Taxis in Cancun will not come with car seats, but you can bring your car seat and install it in the cab you ride in. Taxi drivers generally appreciate the usefulness of these safe children's car seats. They'll allow and even help you install the car seat in their vehicles so that your little ones can ride along safely.
Playa del Carmen
Q: Do taxis in Mexico have car seats?
A: No, they do not.
In Mexico, taxis with car seats are a rarity. The reason is that Mexico does not have laws that make it illegal for children to ride as passengers in cars without being strapped in safety car seats.
You'll not find car seats in airport taxis when you fly to the Cancun airport en route to Playa del Carmen. You'll also not find them in taxis outside the airport or in taxis around Playa del Carmen. However, you can find taxis with car seats and make the trip safe for your kids if you book with specialized taxi services like Taxi Bambino.
Q: Can you put a baby car seat in a taxi?
A: Yes, you can.
The car seat policy in Playa del Carmen is the same as in other Mexican cities.
There is no enforcement of any car seat law in Playa del Carmen, so taxi operators do not come with car seats and usually do not have these safety seats. However, should you come with your car seat, you'll be able to install it in the taxi so that your kid can ride safely.
Q: How do you travel with a baby in a taxi?
A: There are no widely enforced car seat laws in Mexican cities, including Playa del Carmen. So, you can carry a baby traveling with you on your lap in the back seat of the taxi.
While no police officer will disturb you if you carry your baby this way, it is not the best for your child's safety. Even though the law does not require it, you can use Taxi Bambino to arrange a taxi with a car seat so that your baby can ride safely in an infant car seat installed on the back seat.
Bangkok
Q: Can you put a baby car seat in a taxi?
A: Yes, you can.
True, the law that makes car seats mandatory in Bangkok has not come into force (not until September 5, 2022). However, the importance of these safety seats is already well appreciated in Bangkok.
Some taxis make car seats available for passengers who may need them. Where a taxi does not have an infant car seat, you can install your own if you travel with one.
Q: Is a baby car seat mandatory in Thailand?
A: Not until September 5, 2022.
Thailand has just amended its Land Traffic Act to make car seats mandatory from September 5, 2022.
According to section 123 of the Land Traffic Act, starting from September 5, 2022, children under six must be restrained in an appropriate safety car seat if they are to ride as passengers in a moving vehicle.
Defaulters will face stiff fines. However, the authorities have acknowledged that the change may not be easy for passengers. So they have instructed enforcement officers to be lenient in the early days of enforcement. This means that people who do not comply at that early phase may get away with just a warning.
Q: What is the law on child seats in taxis?
A: Currently, the law does not require taxis to carry children only in car seats. You can travel in taxis around Bangkok without securing the kids with you in car seats.
However, this may change very soon.
Starting from September 5, 2022, car seats will be mandatory in Bangkok for all children under six years of age. However, it is not clear whether that will also apply to taxis. Authorities have promised to reveal details regarding specifics before the September 5 date.
Another reason why doubts remain about whether the law will apply to taxis is that these are exempt in many the 170+ countries that have made child car seats compulsory.
Until car seats become mandatory in the Bangkok, book a safe taxi with car seats with Taxi Bambino.
Q: Are taxis expensive in Bangkok?
A: Compared to Western countries, taxis are cheap in Bangkok.
Bangkok requires taxis to use a taximeter, which means that your fare will mainly depend on your travel distance. Know that some taxi drivers will try to negotiate a fixed price. Such a negotiated price is usually more than what you'll pay if you use the taximeter, so you should politely refuse any fixed rate and ask them to switch on it. They would without hesitation.
The starting fare is ฿35.00 (about €0.96). The price is locked on this for the first 2km and starts increasing at ฿5.00 (about €0.14) per 1km. Traffic jams and freeway tolls will also raise your taxi fare.
A surcharge of ฿1.25 (€0.034) per meter applies when traveling under 6km/h. It is passengers who pay freeway tolls, and they usually cost between ฿25.00 (about €0.69) to ฿120.00 (about €3.29).
Koh Samui
Q: Can you put a baby car seat in a taxi?
A: Yes, you can.
You can secure your little ones in car seats or booster seats and zoom off to the palm-fringed beaches, coconut groves, and luxury resorts of Koh Samui.
Being in the gulf of Thailand, car seats are not yet mandatory in Koh Samui. They'll be mandatory by September 5, 2022. However, even now, some taxis will provide them for you (at a small fee). Others that do not have car seats will allow you to install yours (should you have it with you).
Q: Is there a Grab taxi in Koh Samui?
A: Yes, there are now.
Grab provides car ride services in most cities in Southeast Asia. The resort island of Koh Samui is now one of those Southeast Asian cities where Grab currently operates.
However, booking a Grab ride and using its taxi service in Koh Samui is generally not very popular. The reason is that the prices of Grab are significantly higher than other taxi services.
Q: How do you travel with a baby in a taxi?
A: The car seat law is not yet in force in Koh Samui and other cities of Thailand. So, you can carry your baby in your lap when traveling in a taxi with them. But you must be in the back seat of the cab.
The best way to travel with a baby in a taxi (or any car) is to strap them in a suitable car seat. Since you can put a car seat in a car in Koh Samui, you may want to come with your baby car seat and install it in your taxi rides around the resort island to keep your child safe.
If you’d rather travel light, you can leave your car seat at home and use Taxi Bambino to arrange taxis with car seats in Koh Samui.
Q: Is there Uber in Koh Samui?
A: No, there is no Uber in Koh Samui at the moment.
Uber has not managed to reach the resort island of Koh Samui on the east coast of Thailand.
However, taxi services are everywhere on the island for moving around. If you want Uber-style app-based car services, two work in Koh Samui - NaviGo and Grab.
NaviGo is the most popular. While Grab is on the island, it is not as widely used as NaviGo because its prices are relatively high.
Phuket
Q: Can you put a baby car seat in a taxi?
A: Yes, you can.
In Southern Thailand, the family fun island of Phuket currently does not enforce car seat laws. The law will be operational after September 5, 2022.
However, you can ensure that your kids ride safely around the island by coming with your car seat and installing it in your ride around the island.
Taxi drivers in Phuket appreciate the usefulness of safety seats. For this reason, though they may not provide car seats, they'll allow you (and even help you) to install your car seat in their cars so that your kids can ride safely.
Q: Is a baby car seat mandatory in Thailand?
A: Baby car seats are currently not mandatory in Thailand but will soon be.
Starting September 5, 2022, car seats will be compulsory in Thailand for all children under the age of 6. This requirement comes under section 123 of the amended Land Traffic Act.
Q: What is the law on child seats in taxis?
A: The current laws in Phuket and other Thai cities do not require using children's car seats in taxis. So, you can take taxi rides around the family fun island with your kids not strapped in car seats, and you'll not be in trouble with the law.
The laws on car seats will soon change in Thailand because, as of September 5, 2022, car seats will be compulsory for children under six years old. However, it remains unclear whether the new law will apply to taxis.
Until then, you can book a safe taxi with car seats with Taxi Bambino.
Q: How much is a taxi from Phuket Airport?
A: The taxi fares from Phuket airports always depend on your destination.
Like other Thai cities, the taxis in Phuket come with meters which allow you to pay according to the distance you travel. However, cabs are pretty expensive in Phuket compared to other Thai cities.
The starting fare is ฿50.00 (€1.37) for the first 2km. After this, the price is ฿12.00 (€0.33) for the 2nd to 15th km and is ฿10.00 (€0.27) for every km beyond that. If you depart from Phuket Airport, a surcharge of ฿100.00 (€2.74) applies.
Thus, when traveling from Phuket airport to Phuket town, about 32.7km away, the taxi fare will be around ฿500.00 (€13.71).
Know that this fare is for using a standard (1 - 2 passenger) car. When the taxi is a bigger car, the cost increases accordingly. For example, from Phuket airport to Phuket town in a family car (3 - 4 passengers) is around ฿600.00 (€16.45), but when using a standard van (4 - 6 passengers), it is around ฿700.00 (€19.19).
Krabi
Q: Is there a Grab car in Krabi?
A: Yes, you can order Grab rides in Krabi.
Grab is arguably the most successful ride-sharing and taxi app in Thailand, and it is operational in Krabi.
Using Grab in Krabi is relatively easy. Download the Grab app from Google Play Store or App Store, and register your account. When you log in, the app displays the services offered, and you can select the car service and proceed accordingly.
Q: How much is a taxi from Krabi Airport to Ao Nang?
A: The taxis in Krabi use meters, so how much you pay when moving within the city will depend on how long you travel.
Ao Nang is about 25 km west of Krabi Airport and is only 28 minutes away by taxi.
The standard taxi rates in Krabi are ฿100.00 (€2.74) for switch-on rate and ฿20.00 (€0.55) per km rate. So, the 25km journey from Krabi Airport to Ao Nang costs ฿600.00 (approximately €17.00).
Khao Lak
Q: How much are taxis in Khao Lak?
A: Moving around in Khao Lak is simplified by metered taxis so that taxi drivers will not scam you into paying high fees. As it is in Krabi, taxi rates in Khao Lak are generally ฿20.00 (€0.55) per kilometer plus a ฿100.00 (€2.74) switch-on rate.
So when traveling within Khao Lak, you can calculate the taxi fare yourself if you find the distance of the journey (for this, use Google Maps).
Q: How much does it cost from Phuket to Khao Lak?
A: Khao Lak is a long way from downtown Phuket. The town is about 94km from Phuket airport and about 119 km from Mueang Phuket District.
Taxi prices from Phuket to Khao Lak depend primarily on your pick-up point in Phuket. The taxis use meters, so your fare will depend on the distance traveled.
Taxi rates from Phuket airport to Khao Lak are as follows. ฿50.00 (€1.37) for the first 2km, ฿12.00 (€0.33) for the 2nd to 15th km, and ฿10.00 (€0.27) for every kilometer after that. A ฿100.00 (€2.74) surcharge applies if the pick-up point is the Phuket airport.
With these, the 94 km journey from Phuket Airport to Khao Lak will cost about ฿1,100.00 (approximately €31.00), while the 119km trip from downtown Phuket to Khao Lak will cost ฿1,250 (€35.00). Know that these are for standard 1 - 2 passenger cars. Bigger cars will cost you more.
Q: How far is Khao Lak from the airport?
A: The airports closest to the tourist-oriented villages of Khao Lak in southern Thailand are the Phuket International Airport and the Krabi International Airport.
Phuket International Airport is the closest of the two airports to the paradisaic town. Khao Lak is about 94km north of the Phuket international airport, which means it is 1 hr 25 minutes away by taxi. The city is about 162km northwest of Krabi International Airport, making it 2 hr 34 minutes away by taxi.
Always put your children’s safety first and book a taxi with car seats with Taxi Bambino.
Tel Aviv
Q: Can you put a baby car seat in a taxi?
S: Yes, you can put a baby car seat in a taxi in Tel Aviv.
The car seat laws in Israel do not apply to taxis. So most taxis do not come with car seats. However, a few taxi operators provide car seats for their drivers, which they carry in their trunks.
If a passenger requests a car seat, these drivers will quickly install the car seat in the vehicle. If you come to Tel Aviv with your car seat, taxi drivers will also help you put it in the cab's back seat so that your kid will be safely strapped in as you ride around Tel Aviv.
Q: Are car seats required in Israel?
A: Yes, car seats are required in Israel.
Israeli law requires that children under the age of 8 who ride as passengers in cars must be safely seated in appropriate car seats.
According to the law, babies under one year of age must ride in a rear-facing infant car seat. Children between 1 and 3 years old must ride forward-facing in an appropriate infant car seat, while children between 3 and 8 must ride in proper booster seats.
However, these laws do not apply to taxis, so when zooming around town in a cab, you are not required to strap your little one to an infant car seat or a booster seat. But as a parent concerned about your child's safety, you should.
Q: How do you travel with a baby in a taxi?
A: You are currently not required to use car seats in taxis when in Tel Aviv. So, you can carry your kids on your lap when zooming around the town.
However, to ensure that your kids are safe, strap them in a car seat installed on the back seat of your taxi ride. Babies less than one year should be in a rear-facing car seat, those between 1 and 3 years old should be in a forward-facing car seat, and those between 3 and 8 years old should be in a booster seat.
Under no circumstance should you put a car seat in the front seat where airbags are active.
Q: What is the law on child seats in taxis?
A: In Tel Aviv, there is no specific law on child seats in taxis.
There is a law requiring car seats for all children under 8 years old riding as passengers in cars, but this law does not apply to taxis. So, passengers can ride in taxis with their little ones without using car seats. However, you shouldn't if your child's safety is a priority to you (as it should be).
Some Tel Aviv taxis carry car seats, but this is not guaranteed if you hail a cab. One way to ensure getting a cab with a car seat in Tel Aviv is to book a taxi using Taxi Bambino.
Jerusalem
Q: Can you put a baby car seat in a taxi?
A: Yes, you can.
Every year, thousands of people secure their kids to safety car seats in taxis and zoom around Jerusalem, visiting the about 60 museums and 2,000 archaeological sites of this biblical town.
While Israeli car seat laws do not apply to taxis, you can make taxi rides safe for your kids by using car seats. A few Jerusalem taxi operators carry car seats in their trunks and will install them for passengers who need them (often for an extra fee).
If you have your car seat, the drivers will help you install them (at no cost).
Q: How do you travel with a baby in a taxi?
S: Carrying a baby on your lap when traveling in a taxi is not illegal. The reason is that car seat laws do not apply to taxis.
However, it is very unsafe to travel with a baby in a taxi this way. Though the law does not make it compulsory, you should always strap your baby in safety car seats when traveling with them. Those under one year should ride rear-facing in an infant car seat, those between 1 and 3 years should ride forward-facing in an appropriate infant car seat, and those between 3 and 8 years should ride forward-facing in a booster seat.
Because the laws do not require taxis to have car seats, finding a taxi with car seats may be difficult in Jerusalem. However, it is easy with a specialized taxi service like Taxi Bambino.