Budapest is safer for tourists than most big cities, there are some common tourist traps. One of the most common tourist traps in Budapest are Taxi Scams.
In Budapest are Taxi cabs are yellow and normally have to use the same price determined by authorities! The current Budapest Taxi fees are here. There are freelancer taxi drivers or company cabs. The company cabs always have the company logo (and usually the contact information of the company), sometimes they even have distinctive call sign instead of the ‘TAXI’.
All cabs must have taxameter, a device which calculating the price based on cab running. Also, all cabs must have a bank card terminal.
The most usual scams:
– the taximeters are prepared to showing a bigger fee as should be
– the cab driver provides the change in other currency than HUF
– the cab driver is going to your destination on detours
– the cab driver is not using the taximeter but saying a fix tariffs.

These scams are usual when you take a taxi which waiting for passengers at train stations, tourist zones. These scams are heard mostly of by freelancer cab drivers, so using big taxi company’s drivers might mean a less risk.

• Safety TIP #1: travel by taxis owned by big companies. Biggest companies in Budapest include BOLT, FOTAXI, 6×6 TAXI, CITY TAXI, TAXI 4, BUDAPEST TAXI. Their cabs have a taxi sign usually with a company logo fixed to the roof of the cab, and on the side door you will see the same name or logo of the company as well as the prices.
• Safety TIP #2: Do NOT accept taxi from the street, especially at touristic zones. Call for yourself a taxi from the big companies by phone or by downloading an app to your phone. If you are asking a taxi at Hotel, Restaurant, etc insist for a taxi from big companies.
• We suggest to use taxi services, where app is available. Specifically we recommend BOLT taxis for your Budapest travel. Should there be a problem, you can always reach their customer service. The suggestion is independent, we do not receive any compensation for this.
• Safety TIP #3: Pay using your card as all taxis must have a bank card terminal. Chargeback function of the card provider always provides you assistance.
• Safety TIP #4: Never do a trip with drivers who stops anywhere offering you extra services (special shopping or similar)!
• Safety TIP #5: Make a note of the driver/cab data. If you feel scammed, later you can file a complaint at the authority, BKK or the operator company.
• Safety TIP #6: Each registered taxis have yellow license plate and the car is usually covered yellow. Do not use a car that is colored yellow and has a white license plate!