Travel in Dalian By Taxi

Taxis are plentiful in Dalian and flagging one down is rarely a problem except in the more remote parts of the city (where high car ownership exists or large numbers of those who would have trouble paying a taxi fare)--or in rush hour. Rates start at ¥8 (¥10.40 after 22:00) for the first 3 km and ¥2 for each additional kilometer. For idle time, tack on ¥0.3/minute. At various times, taxi passengers have also incurred a mandatory ¥1 fuel surcharge but as of November 2012 this was no longer in use. The additional ¥1 will not show on the meter, as the meter tracks distance and time and not the tax. Round all taxi fares to the nearest whole number as drivers do not accept any coinage less than ¥1 (e.g., ¥11.60 would round up to ¥12 and the total amount would be ¥13 including the fuel tax). Drivers range in mood, some acting quite gruff and excessively aggressive while some are keenly interested in where you originate from or other small talk. On the good side, they are less likely to take needlessly long routes compared to other tourist cities in China as Dalian is a relatively small city with a limited number of major highways/thoroughfares. Drivers don't understand basic English, however, so be prepared ahead of time to ensure accurate drop-off. If a driver is looking to pick up additional passengers along your route, encourage him or her to keep on driving unless you're comfortable with what might ensue. Especially during rush hour, when taxis are heavily sought after, it's quite common for drivers to pick up additional passengers if heading in the same direction as those in the cab.

A thing to note on taxis is however, same as anywhere in China is that during bad weather (eg: heavy rain, snow, etc), some drivers may decide to go off the meter (illegal but not enforced) or only accept far-away destinations. Plan your trip beforehand if there's bad weather.

The city does suffer from a large number of illegal taxis, both drivers and vehicles (even vehicles that are painted and have meters may be operating illegally). These drivers may be hesitant to go on routes which might be more heavily patrolled. The driver may use the meter, thus charging you an accurate fare, but they will often times avoid giving a receipt. The best way to avoid running into any issues is to aim for the taxis which have a blue or white light on top of the car. These is the highest color ratings afforded to a Dalian taxi driver. Conversely, yellow is the lowest rating while all other colored-lights are somewhere in between.

Many taxi drivers smoke and play their radios. Some may also hesitate to start the meter so be sure you let them know to start it if you think they've forgotten or up to their tricks. Few use the A/C during the summer except for maybe during the hottest parts of day. The nicest thing about the taxis and size of Dalian is that ¥20 can go a long ways in getting around.

from wikitravel