taxicab Archives - Wanderboomer

Wondering how to get a taxi the next time you travel to beautiful Vancouver, BC? Here are my Top 5 Tips to get you where you need to go:

1) Catch a Cab at Convenient Locations.

Your best chance of getting a cab is much higher at designated taxi stands near popular tourist arrival spots. Think airport, train, bus station or hotels. From your hotel, you can schedule a cab pick-up in advance in one of three ways: by phone (though it may take several minutes to get through to a dispatcher), via an app on your smartphone, or through the services of your hotel concierge.

Outside of transit hubs or your own hotel, your best bet of flagging down a cab is in the downtown corridor. Not having any luck? Simply walk to any nearby hotel like The Listel Hotel on Robson Street or the Hyatt Regency in the downtown core and catch a cab from there.

2) Know Where You’re Going.

Seems obvious, doesn’t it? When you hop in the cab, you should expect the cab driver to get you where you want to go as quickly as possible. But for hotels with more than one location in the same Vancouver vicinity, it’s not enough to say, “The Fairmont,” for example, because your driver will ask, “Which one?” If you respond, “Downtown,” you probably mean the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, but you might also mean the Fairmont Pacific Rim or Fairmont Waterfront because all three locations are relatively close to each other.

If you didn’t know there was more than one Pinnacle Hotel in Vancouver, you might also think that “Pinnacle Hotel Waterfront,” and “Pinnacle Hotel on-the-Pier” are one and the same. However, one gets you to a downtown location (Pinnacle Hotel Waterfront) while the other (Pinnacle Hotel on-the-Pier) takes you across the Lions Gate Bridge into North Vancouver. Oops! Play it safe and be sure you know both the name and address of your destination.

Note: While both the body of the Yellow Cab and the Black Top Cabs are yellow, they are two different cab companies. If you plan to use vouchers from a travel company, verify with which cab company the vouchers may be used.

3) Plan for Special Needs and Unexpected Delays.

While taxi stands are available at major city attractions like the Vancouver Aquarium, cab sightings are fewer in non-peak hours or off-season so plan accordingly. Also, just because you can book a cab ahead of time doesn’t mean the cab will be there for you at the reserved time. In a nanosecond, rain and everyday traffic tie-ups can impact your schedule, from dinner reservations to departures and everything in between. Add road closures due to construction or dignitary motorcades like a royal visit by William and Kate, or Harry and Meghan, and you may experience taxicab stress.

In 2014 the Vancouver Taxi Association, together with the BC Coalition of People with Disabilities, implemented an enhanced taxi training program, Ask-Listen-Act. The goal of the program is to ensure accessibility, safety and respect for everyone. When reserving your cab ahead of time, confirm that your driver and taxi are equipped to handle any special needs you may have for your comfort and convenience.

4) Have Your Payment Ready.

Plan to pay your driver with Canadian currency, if possible. But don’t worry if you haven’t exchanged your US dollars into the local currency yet. Vancouver cab drivers are happy to accept U.S. dollars, especially considering the current favorable exchange rate. If you pay in US dollars, be mindful of that exchange rate between the two currencies. In most cases, you can also pay with credit card. Be sure to check with your bank beforehand to be aware of foreign transaction fees. Tipping ranges from 10 – 20% of the cab fare with 15% the standard.

5) Download the Free YVR Zone Fare Map.

To find out what the typical cab fare is from Vancouver International Airport (YVR) to your destination, download the free YVR Zone fare Map. For further information on Vancouver cab fares, visit Taxi Fare Finder.

Many thanks to Tourism Vancouver for the opportunity to explore Vancouver, BC. Some, though not all, of my expenses were hosted. All opinions are my own, as always.

Other Helpful Links:
Tourism Vancouver
Yellow Cab app
The Listel Hotel Vancouver

Wander on!

Nancy

What’s your favorite way to get around a city, wanderboomers? On foot? By bus? Trolley, Taxi or Towncar? Please share with us here.

If you’re fortunate to fly into New York City often, you have the luxury of knowing that whatever you miss on one trip, you can make up for on the next. But if you’re an infrequent visitor to The Big Apple like me, just remember, you can catch up on your sleep when you get home!

No matter how often I make it to the city, here’s what’s on my list of must-sees and do’s for the quintessential NYC experience:

1) For the ultimate stimulus package, surround yourself with the sights and sounds of Times Square at Night. The crowds, the noise, and traffic, the glitz and glamour, all coalesce here into one gigantic display of pulsating energy you won’t want to miss.

You don’t need to worry about looking like a tourist here. You’ll feel right at home with the thousands of others just like you who are trying to capture the moment in photos and videos.

2) Catch a Broadway show or musical in the Theatre District adjacent to Times Square. If you didn’t purchase tickets before your trip, you might be able to get tickets for shows the same day at the theatre box office. For half-price tickets, check out the TKTS booth at Broadway and 47th, but only if you don’t mind standing in long lines. On this trip, Mamma Mia was a big hit with my teenage daughter.

3) Light a candle for a loved one at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Midtown Manhattan. Stepping inside this magnificent church is the perfect antidote to the cacophony outside its doors. Whatever your spiritual or religious leanings, the cathedral offers an oasis of silence and serenity in The City That Never Sleeps.

4) Hail a cab like a true New Yorker. While the best way to explore the city might be on foot, when you only have 48 hours, you want to maximize your time. Claudette Colbert had great success by showing a little leg in the film, It Happened One Night, but I’m not sure this Wanderboomer would do as well.

Here’s how it done: Stand on the curb. Extend your arm. You know how to whistle, don’t you? No? Then just yell, “Taxi!” If the taxi doesn’t stop, it’s for one of several reasons: the driver is off-duty (You’ll know if the lights on either side of the center light on top of the cab are on), the cab is full (the center light is on), the driver didn’t see you, didn’t want to stop, or any one of a dozen other reasons.

Naturally, it’s more challenging during rush hour (generally 5 – 8PM) or in inclement weather. The key is not to give up. Sooner or later a cab is bound to stop for you.

5) Stop in for a bite to eat while sitting under a beautiful vaulted tiled ceiling at the Oyster Bar and Restaurant in Grand Central Station. Enjoy the catch of the day, an overwhelming assortment of raw oysters, or soups and stews brimming with your favorite seafood. If you’re not a fan of fresh fish, you can always order grilled sirloin steak, a half roasted chicken, or chicken fingers for the kids. The restaurant hosts three distinct seating areas, including the popular counter where you can watch the chefs in action.

Be sure, too, to try out the Whispering Wall just outside the Oyster Bar where two people can stand in opposite corners under the arches, whisper into the corner, and hear each other loud and clear. Way cool.

Coming up: Part II of my Must Sees & Do’s in New York City . . .

What are your favorite things see & do in NYC, Wanderboomers?

Top 5 Tips for Getting a Taxi in Vancouver, BC

1) Catch a Cab at Convenient Locations.

2) Know Where You’re Going.

3) Plan for Special Needs and Unexpected Delays.

4) Have Your Payment Ready.

5) Download the Free YVR Zone Fare Map.

A Fast 48 Hours in New York City – Part One

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