Which taxi in Hanoi is best and how to avoid overpaying?

The best and most reliable way to use taxis in Hanoi is to book rides through mobile apps. This guarantees a fixed price, protects against scams, and eliminates the need to bargain. Here are the main apps and their features:

• Grab: The most popular and recommended app. Optimal balance of price, reliability, and speed of car arrival. It also allows booking motorbike taxis (Xe Om), which are almost twice as cheap as cars. A ride in the city center will cost about 30,000 dong, to the airport — 250,000–300,000 dong.
• Maxim: Often offers the lowest prices, but drivers may take a long time to accept orders. Not suitable for urgent trips (e.g., to the airport).
• Xanh Sm (VinFast): Taxis using modern Vietnamese electric cars. Eco-friendly, but usually more expensive than Grab.
• InDrive: An app where you can propose your own price for a ride. Sometimes you can travel cheaper, but the process takes more time.

How to avoid overpaying:

1. Always use apps. Avoid hailing taxis on the street, especially if the car lacks clear logos and tariffs (Mailinh, Hanoi Group Taxi, G7 taxi). "Illegal" taxis often overcharge.
2. Check the price in the app before booking. In Grab and other apps, the price is fixed before the ride.
3. For long-distance trips (e.g., to the airport), you can negotiate a fixed price through the hotel reception or at a street travel agency. A benchmark is about 250,000 dong to the airport.
4. If hailing a taxi on the street, only get into cars with logos of well-known companies and a working meter. Ensure the tariffs (for boarding and per kilometer) are displayed on the window.
5. For solo travelers without luggage, motorbike taxis (Xe Om) via Grab are an excellent way to save money. A short ride can cost as little as 15,000 dong.

We recommend installing the Grab app and possibly Maxim before your trip, registering with a Russian number. The apps require internet, so consider buying a local SIM card upon arrival.

We have detailed all the nuances in our comprehensive article: Transport in Hanoi, how to get around the city

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