Taxi in Finland is a rather expensive way of getting around. However, for those who have visited this country for the first time, it may come in handy. The Finnish taxi operates around the clock, so you can order a car at any time. Let's take a closer look at how this can be done.
Where and how can I get a taxi
Finnish taxi cars have a special beacon on the roof with the inscription TAKSI. If the light is on, it means that the taxi driver is ready to take a new passenger. An extinguished beacon means that the driver is accepting payment for the trip, or is preparing to set off on order.
An ordinary passenger car can accommodate two or three passengers. If you need a minivan - a car adapted for people with disabilities, transportation of bulky goods or animals - order it in advance, informing the dispatcher of your wishes.
You can call a taxi by phone. After connecting, you only need to name the address: street and house number. Owners of tariff packages of local mobile operators can order a car using SMS. The answer will also come in the form of a message.
If within the first 8 minutes a free car is not found, you will be prompted to call a taxi again.
You can also take a car at a special parking lot.
It is not customary in Finland to "catch" a taxi while voting with your hand on the street. Taxi drivers are not given tips either - the rate already includes VAT at a rate of 10%.
All cars are equipped with meters, so at the end of the trip, the driver is obliged to issue a check, which he prints right in the car. They pay for services mainly in cash, but some taxis provide for payment by credit card.
How to use the centralized Taksi-Helsinki taxi service
The Finnish taxi service has different phone numbers for each type of service:
- advance booking - 0100 0600 (+358 100 0600 - for international calls);
- regular order - 0100 0700 (+358 100 0700);
- SMS request - 13170.
Note that when ordering a taxi using the specified phone numbers, an additional fee will be charged for calls and messages:
- call order - € 1.17 + the cost of a local mobile operator € 0.25 for 10 seconds;
- SMS request - 1.7 euros.
You can find out the addresses of parking lots where you can take a car without ordering by phone on the official website of the centralized taxi service (taksihelsinki.fi).
How much does a taxi ride in Helsinki cost?
There are many taxi services in the Finnish capital. However, the most popular are Uber and Kovanen. We suggest that you familiarize yourself with the carrier's tariff scales:
Uber:
| Name of payments | How much does it cost, euros | |
|---|---|---|
| UberX | Black | |
| Innings | 3 | 5 |
| 1 minute. | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| 0.6 miles | 1.1 | 1.5 |
| Minimum pay | 6 | 9 |
| Order cancellation | 6 | 9 |
Kovanen:
+(358 9) 020-060-60
www.kovanen.com
| Tariffs | Price |
|---|---|
| on weekdays - from 6.00 to 20.00 / Saturday and Friday from 6.00 to 16.00 | 5.9 |
| at another time | 9 |
| 1-2 persons | 1.60 € / km |
| 3-4 people | 1.91 € / km |
| 5-6 people | 2,07 € / km |
| 7-8 people | 2,23 € / km |
| waiting time | 47.04 € / h |
How the tariff is calculated
The cost of taxi services includes the cost of boarding, the direct cost of the trip, the cost of waiting and the cost of additional services. In this case, the cost of boarding and the cost of the trip depend on the day of the week and time of day.
In addition, the number of adult passengers transported in the taxi is taken into account. Note that two children under 12 years old are equated to one adult.
How the wait is paid
A waiting fee of about € 40 per hour is charged not only in the event of a passenger delay, but also when driving at a speed of less than 28.5 km / h.
Additional features and services
An increase in the amount in the check should be expected in such cases:
- when calling a taxi to the airport;
- when transporting a large number of things;
- when the driver provides assistance to the passenger;
- when booking a car more than 30 minutes in advance.
Payment for a pre-order may not be charged in case of transportation of a passenger with a physical injury, a disabled person, or a pensioner.
Additional services also include ordering a car of a certain color, which is important, for example, for a wedding, a car without an identification mark (beacon), a car for photo sessions or video filming.
Intercity transfer is also considered an additional service that has its own price. From Helsinki, you can order a taxi to Lappeenranta, Tampere, Imatra, Kuopio and other localities in Finland.
How to order a taxi by phone
When ordering a taxi by phone, you must provide the dispatcher with comprehensive information about the place from where you should be picked up.
Provide the operator with the following data: the name of the city, district and street, the building number and the letter designation of the entrance. Be prepared for the dispatcher to elaborate on the details.
When the taxi service has placed your order, you will receive the following message: “Tilaus on vastaanotettu. Odota taksin vahvistusta. Tilausnumero on XXX ", which means that the order has been received, you just need to wait for confirmation from the taxi driver, and XXX is the order number.
When the corresponding car is found, you will receive a message with the following content: “Taksi nro XXXX on vahvistanut tilauksen. Kiitämme tilauksesta ", meaning that a taxi with such and such number confirmed the order.
If there is no free car within 8 minutes, the dispatch service sends a message with the following text: “Kaikki autot alueellasi ovat tilapäisesti varattuja. Yritä myöhemmin uudelleen ”, asking you to try again later.
If you want to cancel a message order you will have to call 0100 0700.
Finally
Taxi is a convenient and fast way to get around Finland. You can order a car by phone or take it at a special parking lot. The cost of a trip is influenced by many different factors, in particular, the number of passengers, the day of the week, the time of boarding, etc. At the same time, the Finnish taxi services also provide additional services, for example, choosing the brand and color of the car, trips over long distances, etc.
