Whether you love them or hate them, taxis are a simple fact of a traveler’s life. They can offer insights and a new perspective on local culture as you chat up your taxi driver, or they can be an expensive last resort to make it to the airport on time after missing your train. But if you think all taxis are like the yellow cabs you find in places like New York City, think again.
Taxis come in all sorts of shapes, sizes and colors around the world, from lavish Mercedes Benz taxis in France to rickshaws in China and open-air tuk-tuks in Thailand, as much a novelty for tourists as they are a mode of transportation. In Mexico, you’ll find Volkswagen Beetles are the vehicle of choice for local taxis, while the white doily-decorated Japanese taxis are typically a Toyota or Nissan passenger car. But no matter where you hail a cab, you’ll find a colorful cast of characters ready to get you where you’re going.
Take a look at taxis from around the world with this photo tour.
(Main image: VSmithUK used under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license)
