Has anyone used BiTaksi? I downloaded the app onto my iPhone but it’s in Turkish. Any advice from anyone
Posted by
Washington DC Region, USA
7054 posts
Where are you going to be exactly? In Instanbul, the light rail system is cheap and works great. Same with buses, including shuttles that run from the airport. Do you need a taxi for something? Your hotel can always get you one and tell you how much to expect to pay
Posted by
Atlanta, GA
783 posts
I read some decent reviews of the app and downloaded it. You have probably read the same reviews as I have. My impression is that it can come in handy sometimes, and it can help to avoid taxi scams. (I have been burned by taxi scams in Istanbul, and taxis are the one black mark on an otherwise magnificent city.)
We'll see how well BiTaksi actually works when I am in Istanbul in October. We have already arranged the airport transfer through our hotel, we will rely on streetcars as much as possible, and I will most likely get the hotel to arrange taxis when practical. At the same time, BiTaksi might be a good backup for other times.
My Turkish is decent enough so that the language is not a barrier.
Posted by
USA
195 posts
While in Istanbul in late 2019 I used the BiTaksi app. There is an English interface for it… just look for it and hopefully you will find it. I set my account up without a credit card; I clicked on “cash” only. Using the BiTaksi app helped in a couple of cases, but most of the time it is easier to go to a busy street and hail a taxi by holding one arm high (like it’s done in New York City).
In any taxi, use Google Maps to make sure you are being taken the right way. Same for any big city such as NYC, Paris, London, etc.