You’ve landed at the airport and now need to get to your condo/hotel – what are your options?
You have two options – a taxi or an Uber. Actually, you have a third option – the bus. But why do you want to start off completely frustrated on your vacation to save a few dollars?
First, you need to walk through all of the solicitors until you get to the exit point of the airport.
IF you have cell phone service, you’ll be able to call an Uber. This is your least expensive option besides the bus (and I don’t recommend that, especially if you have luggage). Uber drivers do not come in to the airport for pick up – you need to get to the pick up point. Exit the airport doors and make a sharp left. Walk all the way down the sidewalk to the end of the building and make another left. People or going to ask you about a taxi, you’re going in the right direction so a simple ‘no gracias’ will suffice. You will see a sky bridge in front of you, take the ramp up to the bridge, cross over the highway and exit on the other side. Again, there will be taxi drivers – these ones will be less expensive than the airport taxi service, and again, you can say ‘no gracias’. Continue under the bridge and just in front of the bus stop, and in front of a little restaurant, is the Uber pick up point. That’s when I call my Uber so that the pin is in the proper place.
Like I referenced earlier, the taxis are less expensive on the other side of the bridge because these taxis don’t have to pay the airport fees.
There are two ways to get a taxi at the airport. Both ways will be price fixed to the neighborhood you wish to go to. For example, Zona Romantica will cost you about $250-300 pesos.
One way to get a taxi is to just find a person announcing taxi service or has a sign-make sure they are near the exit of the airport, you don’t want to get caught in a time share scam. If you go with this person, you MUST negotiate your price before you get in the taxi. They will ask you for the address to quote you a price, remember this is fixed depending on the neighborhood you wish to go to. You will pay the driver when you reach your destination.
The other way is to go to one of the desks marked ‘TAXI’ and give them the address you wish to go to. You will pay them at the counter and they will give you a ticket. Someone will direct you to your taxi. I like this way because I know how much it will cost and there are no surprises.
When you exit the airport, the driver will pay the airport fee – this is INCLUDED in your price. You should not pay this fee.
Typically, there is no need to tip the driver unless he has helped you with a number of bags. If you do choose to tip, 10% is a fair amount.
You’ve probably just paid for the most expensive taxi or Uber you’ll take while you’re here – a typical taxi around town is about $50 pesos – so venture off to find a good spot to watch the sunset and begin your vacation.
Puerto Vallarta Veterans – do you prefer a taxi or Uber?
