This is the only taxi I take now.

When crossing the border, make a right instead of going straight. When you get to the second set of turnstiles, make a quick left. By the phone is where the taxi libre stand starts. If there are no taxi libres lined up there, just wait a few moments. There will also usually be a guy out there as well.

Flag drop in the daytime is 5 pesos. At night it is 6 pesos. I think it increments at .75 pesos, but I don't remember the at what kilometer distance is goes up.

A trip to Adelita's in the daytime will run you about 17 peosos or $1.50. Nighttime it should run about 22 pesos or $2.00.

This is a nice change from the ripoff yellow taxis and there $5 or $6 ride.

Long live Taxi Libre!

BTW, I am going to try and get a picture soon!

Are you in San Diego now? I will actually be in TJ tomorrow with AHora007 for the first time in a while.

They now stand outside of Las Chavelas.

I LOVE TAXI LIBRE!

I used to watch wrestling on a Spanish television station and it was called Lucha Libre. So maybe those other $5 ripoff yellow taxis are the ones that should be called taxi libre because of all the wrestling over the fare (more like un-fare) that I had to do with them over the past few years.

A The match is over now because the yellow taxis have been counted out kind of guy,

Ootie

"My" chica a few days ago (& nights!) & I took a Libre to Plaza Rio from Cascadas; 14 pesos, about $1.20. Even the routa taxis cost that much. With them, to get enough room, even tho I'm thin, I have to pay for an extra space - as are most of my chicas.

The layout of the street and pullout area around AB seems really stupid. The extra pullout area is in the middle of the block, in front of the relatively little used church. For 40 minutes this morning, about 2 am, I watched two cops in a patrol car cherry light hassle all the taxis, like a sheep dog worrying woolies. The cops would chase all the taxis away, including those in the pullout area. A few minutes later, they'd be back. Followed shortly by the cop.

I did not see any tickets being issued. The cretin that designed that SNAFU should be cited. The street is reduced to one slow lane each way most of the time, due to all the stopped taxis, which also often jam up the inside lane.

"MY" chica

RJ,

You own a chica now?

How much did you buy her for?

(Message edited by maximus743 on December 08, 2003)

I add my vote. Went from AB to Pampas do Brazil (Zona Rio) yesterday for $2.25. Last time I did it, it was $8.00 there and $5 back. Viva Taxi Libre!

$50/30 minutes - obviously, that's why there are " " marks - she owns me :-(

I guess the stand by the turnstiles to the right is closed now. It was no where to be found by the turnstiles to the right on 12/9/2003. I had to walk down south to the Medac building. The new stand is right there by the round circle street thingie at the bottom of the bridge that all foreign countries seem to have. Chevy Chase got stuck driving in circles in one in England in National Lampoon's Euro Vacation. There was a long line tonight and I had to wait about 10 minutes to catch a taxi libre.

I am so weird about things sometimes. I don't think twice about dropping $60 for sex with a prostitute, but I will be damn if I will ever pay $6 for a taxi ride again in TJ again. I guess I am just weird that way. I don't think it has to do with the money being paid out, just the fact that I know I getting ripped off and I don't like it. So I waited 10 minutes for a taxi instead of just paying the $6. It was funny walking past the yellow taxis too, all lined up there. "Taxi amigo." "Taxi my friend." And then there was the scare tactic, "be careful walking my friend."

I love it! Long live Taxi Libre!

The stand was relocated after the yellow taxi drivers paralyzed Tijuana traffic about a month or so ago. Traffic entering TJ was backed up for miles and people in Zona Rio waiting to drive over to the U.S. were trapped for hours.

Reytj

BTW The official increments-after the flag drop-are 3.75 pesos per kilometer-day rate and 4.75 pesos night rate.

Reyti & Xenono:

Would you suggest a person that does not speak the language to use Taxi Libre?

Scubadiver59

I don't speak much Spanish and I use it. Of course, I only use it to get to the Zona Norte and back. Still, I don't see it as a problem as long as the cabbie knows the location of where you want to go.

You only run into slight trouble when he doesn't know and you cannot explain it. But even then, he'll probably just radio in for directions or ask another cabbie. So sure, I would suggest it to a person that does not speak Spanish.

Scubadiver

Not speaking spanish is actually a reason to use the Taxi Libre. You won't be charged a tourist rate but what the meter reads. There have been reports of drivers claiming the meter is broken. If that happens just get out of the cab.

Reytj

I don't see how speaking Spanish impacts what cab you use? Am I missing something?

The cab driver speaking English, or even understanding you, is little to do with the color of his car.

They all understand certain major landmarks, like Adelitas, Plaza Rio, etc. I usually carry a business card for my hotel, and other places that I am afraid they might not understand. If it is an off the beaten track place to eat, I usually print out at least the address, if not a map.

Many cab drivers do knot know everything in TJ.

Last time I went to a club in Zona Rio the cab driver had to ask another driver where it was.

Speaking Spanish does help with certain drivers.
Not every one speaks english and you will find very few Libre drivers that speaky de english

My point was that I don't think the percentage of Taxi Libre drivers that do or don't speak English is much different than the drivers of the Yellow cabs or the green and white cabs.

I don't think the color of the cab makes any difference in the English comprehension OR the knowledge of the driver.

(Almost all the drivers of Taxi Libres that I have asked drove Yellow cabs at one time or another.)

Maybe ask for Las Chavelas or Tropical rather than Adelitas. Ask any guy in so cal when you mention Tijuana and most times the only place they mention is Adelitas. Even if I was going to Adelitas, I wouldn't tell a taxi driver, I would get dropped off at Las Chavelas or Tropical and walk the 100 ft.

According to El Mexicano taxi libre drivers are asking for a 40% rate increase.

That is still a bargian. From the Border to the zona would still be around 3 bucks.
From the border to Plaza Fiesta it would be 2.50 instead of 5 to 6 dollars the Yellow Cabs charge.
I wouldnt be surprised if they can some sort of rate increase. Remember the collectivos jumped like 20 percent last year. So perhaps they will be granted the same increase.

Last weekend, at 8:00 P.M. on a Saturday night, from the sidewalk at AB down the back route via Zona Rio to the turnaround at the Sentri-pass line, my meter fare was 22 pesos. So, about US$2.00, plus tip.

NOT WORTH IT.
These taxis are not regulated.
One night I was leaving AB's very late and was VERY drunk. A few of the girls were taking care of me (not taking my money). As I left they constantly repeated to me to ONLY take the yellow taxis. They finally ended up walking me out to put me in one. Lots of taxi libres are theives and even worse. Many of them are in with dirty cops...so imagine you are in one, and a cop just happen to pulls you over out of nowhere. Then you get shaken down or robbed.
Dig deeper on taxi libre stories. It is not worth saving an extra 2 dollars.

The yellow taxis tell the cops what to do. I will never get in one as it is just promoting the local mafia and organized crime. I will use a libre or walk.