ABOUT TAXIS IN CURACAO
Are you looking to visit Curaçao for a most fantastic vacation, and you want to pre-book your airport transfer or activities, or do you have a long layover, and you are looking for an easy way to get around on the island?
Then, hiring a taxi service is undoubtedly your best option! When it comes to booking a taxi service anywhere in the world, you want to be assured of getting the best experience and a smooth ride. This means hiring a knowledgeable and responsible driver who provides friendly service and operates a safe and clean vehicle.
To ensure a safe and pleasant trip, make sure always to solicit the service of a licensed driver. There are 200 licensed drivers and 85 official ‘assistant drivers’ on the island issued by our local government. To obtain a taxi or even an ‘assistant driver’ license, one must comply with set governmental regulations and obtain several certificates to ensure a level of service. Therefore, we recommend avoiding taking unlicensed taxis on the island as they operate illegally and are difficult to trace back. The official taxis can be identified by their number plate, starting with the Prefixes TX followed by the taxi number.
TAXI FARES
Taxis on the island do not have a taximeter, and unfortunately, not Taxis on the island do not have a taximeter, and unfortunately, not all licensed taxi drivers maintain the same fares. Therefore, when not soliciting the services of an established taxi provider, you will probably experience differences in rates. We recommend asking for rates beforehand or booking your trips online or with your Front Desk agent to avoid this.
TAXIS VS. PUBLIC TRANSPORT
The local public transport is managed by the ABC Busbedrijf, the local bus company in Curaçao. Even though the company has ensured that most locations are strategically provided with bus stops, it is unlikely to avoid long walks to the bus stops and long waiting hours. There are no signs to indicate the approximate waiting time at the bus stops, so passengers have to wait until a bus arrives. Even though the bus rates are much cheaper, it is much easier to travel by taxi. However, the bus might be the perfect means of transportation for travelers who do not mind the long walks, long waiting times, and sometimes several stopovers. On the other hand, taxis on the island offer you the most flexibility. Even though the rates are considerably higher, you can be sure to look back at days well spent doing your preferred activities instead of spending your days trying to get to your destination.
CURACAO’S TAXI TIMELINE
Around 80 years ago, Curaçao launched its first taxi services. Back then, the taxi concept was hiring a car with a driver. Therefore, instead of the prefixes TX (taxi) on the plate numbers, the prefix H ‘Huurauto met chauffeur’ was provided, which means a rental car with a driver. Thus, the taxi concept back then was renting a car that came with a driver.
This service was considered to be an exclusive means of transportation. The drivers were mainly retired workers from the former Shell Oil Refinery, who would always dress up to pick up their passengers for the day.
Later the definition of the taxi service changed to what it currently is, and the prefixes TX were introduced. At first, the government issued 125 taxi licenses, and since 1973-74 this number was increased to a total of 200 taxi licenses.
For almost 50 years, the number of licensed taxi drivers has remained at 200, and no further developments have taken place. Until now, that is!
PRESENT
Since July of 2021, 24-7 Taxi Curaçao has revolutionized Curaçao’s taxi industry by introducing a cutting-edge platform that can be joined by all licensed taxi drivers on the island, making the market more accessible to travelers and locals due to the flexibility, convenience, and competitive rates offered. The 24-7 Taxi Curaçao platform is comparable with the Uber application for licensed taxi drivers. Like Uber, our focus is to transform the transportation industry, making it more accessible and providing more affordable rates to our customers.
With almost 50 affiliated licensed drivers and growing each day exponentially, the 24-7 Taxi platform is the biggest online taxi platform on the island and has become the preferred partner of many hotels, restaurants, and other industry partners.
Since the launch of our application, the island has seen a significant increase in the demand for taxis.
We are looking forward to continuing to grow and provide our customers with the fastest and friendliest service in 2022, which we are known for.
Please refer to the ‘Our Advantages’ tab to continue seeing more attributes that set us apart and make us the number 1 taxi platform of Curaçao.
