If you are staying in Zone 10, which I recommend for at least the first night or two, then a taxi road from the airport should take about 10 minutes and cost you approximately $5. If you are staying in Zone 1, it will run you a few bucks more. According to Lonely Planet, the taxi drivers expect a tip. I gave my driver a $1 tip.

One thing I found interesting upon my arrival was that I was hardly bothered by taxi drivers upon exiting the terminal. I suspect there may be some kind of rule from them waiting by the exit door as they were all waiting across the street.

Taxis are usually easy to find on the street. Many will wait near hotels and nightclubs and you'll see others driving up and down the streets. Late at night they can be more difficult to find, so it may be a good idea to keep numbers handy. Many drivers keep business cards or will volunteer their phone number with the hope of repeat business. Most taxis are not metered, so you'll want to make sure you agree on the price and destination before stepping in. I was usually quoted about 30Q ($4US) from travel between Zone 4 and Zone 10 and 40Q ($5US) between Zone 1 and Zone 10. I usually walked shorter distances.

I had read and was warned by several locals to be wary of the taxis roaming the street. I did not inquire about the specifics of the warnings, but I would speculate that they parallel the situation in Mexico City and Buenos Aires where some taxi drivers have been known to rob unsuspecting tourists. There is also the possibility of kidnapping, but I doubt that is common. Still, be cautious and aware of the potential dangers. If you feel uncomfortable about any driver, go with your gut instinct. If you find a driver you trust, you may want to just do business with that driver.

Lonely Planet recommends sticking with Taxi Amarilla which are metered taxis. It has their number listed as 332-1515. Supposedly you'll pay half the price by using their service.

Don't forget that buses are another transport option. I'll cover it in a separate thread, but basically you'll only pay 1Q, or about .15US to get around.

I didn't pay more than 40Q for an unmetered taxi from Zona 10 to Zona 1 or back. None of the taxistas asked for a propina. One nite a joven taxista tried to charge me 70Q. I told him I always pay 40Q. He said 40Q was fine.