Taxis In Cebu City / Mactan

[OnMyWay]

A few questions for you Cebu guys....

1.  Is GRAB widely available in Cebu City / Mactan now?

2.  Does GRAB have a desk at the airport or just use the app or ?

3.  We get in at 9:30 pm so will probably catch at ride at 10 pm or a bit later.  Most likely, headed for Fuente Osmena Circle area in the city.  Ballpark taxi fare at that time of night????  If not using GRAB, what are the taxis at the airport I DON'T want to use?

4.  I might rent a car for a few days if anyone has a car rental recommendation.  Something like a Vios.

Thanks!

Edited July 25, 2019 by OnMyWay

[Mike J]

13 minutes ago, OnMyWay said:

A few questions for you Cebu guys....

1.  Is GRAB widely available in Cebu City / Mactan now?

2.  Does GRAB have a desk at the airport or just use the app or ?

3.  We get in at 9:30 pm so will probably catch at ride at 10 pm or a bit later.  Most likely, headed for Fuente Osmena Circle area in the city.  Ballpark taxi fare at that time of night????  If not using GRAB, what are the taxis at the airport I DON'T want to use?

4.  I might rent a car for a few days if anyone has a car rental recommendation.  Something like a Vios.

Thanks!

GRAB and Uber are both available in Cebu City.  I have not used them, just regular taxis when in the city.  I do not recall ever having a fare that exceeded 200 peso to go anywhere in the city so GRAB should be similar.  Recommend you not rent a car and use taxi instead.  Cebu City traffic is horrendous and they are still undergoing extensive road repairs and construction.  The drivers know the city and which roads can get to your destination in the shortest time.

[OnMyWay]

3 minutes ago, Mike J said:

GRAB and Uber are both available in Cebu City.  I have not used them, just regular taxis when in the city.  I do not recall ever having a fare that exceeded 200 peso to go anywhere in the city so GRAB should be similar.  Recommend you not rent a car and use taxi instead.  Cebu City traffic is horrendous and they are still undergoing extensive road repairs and construction.  The drivers know the city and which roads can get to your destination in the shortest time.

Thanks!

Yes, I'm aware of the traffic issues.  The rental car might be for getting out for some sightseeing in the hills and going down to Snow World in Minglanilla.  Google maps tells me it is about 15 km down to Snow World.  Would that be a big taxi fare?

 

[GeoffH]

I rented a car at Cebu earlier this year when we flew there to visit some relatives on that island who live down south at Boljoon.  The father in law (who used to drive a taxi in Cebu) drove the Vios because the traffic is bad.  But if you really want to hire a Vios then the simplest way is to pre-arrange one at the counter at the airport.  You'll need a drivers license in the name of the hirer and a pre-booking which can be done online (just google for that).  There were several hire desks outside the terminal, we used Avis but there was also Hertz and someone else.

The car wasn't perfect (the boot needed to be slammed to shut it) and there were a couple of small scrapes on it but reliability wise it was fine (and we did a pretty long trip).  There are off site hire locations but we though it was quicker and easier (if a bit more expensive) to hire and drop off at the airport.

Edited July 26, 2019 by GeoffH

[robert k]

If you exit the terminal and turn right and walk until you are almost at the street and Grab has a podium set up there where you tell them where you are going and wait in line for a car, it won't take long, I waited less than ten minutes as I was far back in a line, the car had a Grab placard in the window. It worked out well unless you have so much luggage that a 120 meters (or so) distance is a problem. I plan on doing the exact same thing again next month. The waiting area is covered, but there is some distance that isn't covered if it's raining.

[OnMyWay]

21 minutes ago, GeoffH said:

You'll need a drivers license in the name of the hirer and a pre-booking which can be done online (just google for that).  There were several hire desks outside the terminal, we used Avis but there was also Hertz and someone else.

Do you recall the cost?  There are plenty of car hire places on FB.  I only want to pay about p1500 a day for a Vios.  They will bring the car to where you need it, for a small fee.

[GeoffH]

I don't recall the exact cost but it was in the low 2000 peso range from memory, there were cheaper options in the city.  I tried contacting some of the ones who 'will bring the car to where you want it' but didn't get a response when I said 'airport' but YMMV.

Edited July 26, 2019 by GeoffH

[Dave Hounddriver]

1 hour ago, OnMyWay said:

3.  We get in at 9:30 pm so will probably catch at ride at 10 pm or a bit later.  Most likely, headed for Fuente Osmena Circle area in the city.  Ballpark taxi fare at that time of night????  If not using GRAB, what are the taxis at the airport I DON'T want to use?

So arriving at the Domestic terminal?

They have changed things around a bit since the new International Terminal started up so I won't write any possibly outdated info.  What I will say is that 9:30 pm and later is a good time to get any normal, white taxi.  It is a meter taxi and should cost under 300 pesos to get you to Osmena Circle.  There is unlikely to be a long wait.  Maybe up to 10 minutes I would speculate,   When I say they are metered it does not mean the driver will "remember" to turn it on so before he gets out of the parking lot you should remind him.  I have had white taxi drivers try and pull the "flat rate" scam on me but I have never had a flat rate offered that is less than the meter price.

I have also taken the yellow, airport taxis quite frequently IF there is one sitting there and available.  They cost double, so about 550 pesos, but if they are there and ready then it is worth it to me.  I do not suggest lining up for a yellow taxi.  The line is shorter but moves slower.

I have not bothered with Grab recently due to bad experiences in their early days of operation in Cebu.  They are probably better now.

[OnMyWay]

55 minutes ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

So arriving at the Domestic terminal?

Yes, domestic.

Now my wife has a plan to have her cousin pick us up and we will stay at her house in Mandaue City the first night, saving a night at the hotel.  Or, maybe we will taxi to her house.  Her cousin has not offered yet so I will wait and see.  I assume she has a nice house as she has a German pension from her late husband.  She has a boyfriend that she can't marry or she will lose the pension.

We arrive on the 20th Tuesday and the 21st is a holiday.  Less rush hour traffic in the city on a holiday?

[Jack Peterson]

4 minutes ago, OnMyWay said:

I assume she has a nice house as she has a German pension from her late husband. 

 OMW that was a bit below the Belt mate, that is not you as a norm, what you going to do if it is not to your Standard?