Avoiding the "from airport to hotel" ripoff cab fa

spartacus_33 · Post by **spartacus_33** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 5:51 pm

Traditionally, I always either take a cab or the hotel shuttle from the airport to my timeshare in the Marina. The cab fare from the airport is always around $30 USD and then only about $4 USD back to the airport.... total ripoff from the airport.

This year I'm thinking of renting a car for the first couple of days and avoid the cab fare from the airport to the resort. Is my thinking clear, that after returning the car to the airport... I can catch a cheaper cab to the resort or will they still try the ripoff price?

Another option, I guess, since we won't have any bags after returning the rental car is to catch the bus back to the Marina? Is that difficult? Many transfers?

lojol60 · Post by **lojol60** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 6:19 pm

Steve: I don't know if this will help you or not but we booked our cab from the airport to the hotel for this coming Sat. March 14th through puertovallarta.net and it was only $15.50 to the GCP which is on past the marina. Good luck!! 6 days and counting especially since we are getting rain/sleet and snow. Yuck!!

Lorrie

spartacus_33 · Post by **spartacus_33** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 6:28 pm

lojol60 wrote:Steve: I don't know if this will help you or not but we booked our cab from the airport to the hotel for this coming Sat. March 14th through puertovallarta.net and it was only $15.50 to the GCP which is on past the marina. Good luck!! 6 days and counting especially since we are getting rain/sleet and snow. Yuck!!

Lorrie

Lorrie... not sure I follow you. "it was only $15.50 to the GCP". What exactly are you talking about? Is that your daily rate for the rental car? Is that the cab fare to your hotel where you picked up your rental car?

lojol60 · Post by **lojol60** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 7:04 pm

That's what our cab fare is from the airport to the GCP booking through puertovallarta.net.

sjl330 · Post by **sjl330** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 9:35 pm

Wow! $30?? We just got back from PV and our cab was only $23 USD from the airport clear to Old Town by Lazaro Cardenas park. I didn't think that was too bad considering how far into town it was and I really don't want to drag all my luggage across the bridge.

But after you drop off a rental car w/no luggage, yes I'd just take the bus back. There shouldn't be any transfers from the airport. And it's only 5.5 pesos!

benito · Post by **benito** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 12:51 am

rental car pickups are across the highway from the airport. when you return the rental car you can take a city cab back to the marina. that should only cost around 5 bucks at the most. or catch the bus in front of the airport,it will cost you about 50cents to get back to the marina.

spartacus_33 · Post by **spartacus_33** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 3:58 am

benito wrote:rental car pickups are across the highway from the airport. when you return the rental car you can take a city cab back to the marina. that should only cost around 5 bucks at the most. or catch the bus in front of the airport,it will cost you about 50cents to get back to the marina.

Is it walking (suitcase dragging) distance to the rental car pickups? Some airports have shuttles. Never rented a car at the PV airport... always went through the resort and paid more than I should have.

kcowan · Post by **kcowan** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 3:07 pm

You might want to book a cab to meet you on the northbound side. Find the sitio closest to your hotel and get its cell number. The hotel concierge should know the number. They charge a premium for a callout but it will be well under 100p to the marina. Make sure to note the callout number that they give you or someone else will scoop the cab.

The rentals lots are both southwest and northeast of the airport and most have booths in the airport. Some provide pickup but they are walking distance if you are determined. Be prepared for delays due to paperwork.

beachluvr · Post by **beachluvr** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 12:09 pm

if you don't have prior arrangements, including agreed upon price, to taxi
from airport........when leaving airport, walk out the southeast exit
(where coach buses are parked), then walk up and over hwy 200 via
foot bridge; catch a local cab (parked northbound).
last year $20 usd to vallarta shores (los muertos beach)
this year (last week) $6 usd to velas vallarta (marina)

spartacus_33 · Post by **spartacus_33** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 1:06 pm

beachluvr wrote:if you don't have prior arrangements, including agreed upon price, to taxi
from airport........when leaving airport, walk out the southeast exit
(where coach buses are parked), then walk up and over hwy 200 via
foot bridge; catch a local cab (parked northbound).
last year $20 usd to vallarta shores (los muertos beach)
this year (last week) $6 usd to velas vallarta (marina)

Thanks, I've heard of these mythical cabs awaiting across the footbridge...

travelbug_jp · Post by **travelbug_jp** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 7:58 pm

Well I was a passenger several times this year in one of those mythical cabs. It sure felt real to me and I got to the destination I had requested. Out of the three times I used these mythical cabs ... from the airport to the condo downtown, twice I paid 150 pesos and once I paid 120.

Joyce

spartacus_33 · Post by **spartacus_33** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 8:02 pm

travelbug_jp wrote:Well I was a passenger several times this year in one of those mythical cabs. It sure felt real to me and I got to the destination I had requested. Out of the three times I used these mythical cabs ... from the airport to the condo downtown, twice I paid 150 pesos and once I paid 120.

Joyce

HaHa.. just playin' Joyce. Do these drivers still try to charge the same prices as "at the airport"...... or do they know that if you're savy enough to know about the mythical cabs... they're wasting their time?

benito · Post by **benito** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 10:44 pm

the city taxis across the bridge are definitely cheaper than the airport federale or state taxi. ask the driver for the price to your destination before getting in.

travelbug_jp · Post by **travelbug_jp** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 2:13 pm

The ones I used did not try to get the airport fee.
On the way up the ramp I was approached by someone who asked if I needed a cab and then when he realized I was crossing over he was quite agressive at trying to get my business. He actually said how much did I want to pay but I still declined because I didn't really trust him and didn't know if he was a time share rep or what. Has anyone had a similar experience?

Joyce

shnozwma · Post by **shnozwma** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 4:34 pm

Over the past several years I have seen the price go up on the taxis heading to Nuevo Vallarta. That is why i cross over and hop on the bus. It only costs me 2$ instead of 30$ and there is always plenty of room. If they see you crossing over they will try to offer you lower rates. I always say 15$ and sometimes they say ok but if they dont I keep on walking. Speaking Spanish can go along way!

spartacus_33 · Post by **spartacus_33** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 2:10 am

Does anyone know of a link to a map of the airport that shows the exit, the bridge to the cheaper cabs, the rental car lots?

katnsocal · Post by **katnsocal** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 4:16 am

When you exit the timeshare tank after customs just keep walking straight ahead to the glass doors. Go out those doors and the ramp for the bridge is right there, you can't miss it.

Here is a link to a map:

http://todopuertovallarta.homestead.com/airportmap.html

pdxbuff · Post by **pdxbuff** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 7:06 am

I paid the guy at the booth heading east out the door and he gave me a ticket and I was introduced to my driver and we were off. These cabs are not the yellow/white ones and they run their air conditioner's which is nice if you are not accoustomed to the heat. I gave the driver a $1 tip.
Coming back, I got a yellow/white cab with no airconditioning. I said how much and he thought about it so I just gave him $15 and left. He was apparently pleased with the transaction.

kcowan · Post by **kcowan** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 6:05 pm

Most will be happy with $15 because it is 225 pesos, very rich for most destinations.

Avoiding the "from airport to hotel" ripoff cab fa

FYI

Re: FYI

Cab fare

El autobus

PV airport map?

I paid $23 from the airport to Old Town