I have read that taxi drivers in Prague often cheat passengers, asking for much more than the correct price. It is better to use Uber instead of hailing a taxi from the street.
Even though Uber still do not comply with local transport law and their drivers are often penalized by local authorities for not holding a correct taxi licence with a taxi meter, Uber in Prague is, from a customer perspective, safe to use. It is also good to mention that in Prague, Uber has come under attack from established taxi companies because it is not bound by local licensing and safety rules that apply to some of its competitors. Most Uber drivers in Prague working in the “Uber Pop” segment are part-time drivers, who are not required, according to the Uber rules, to have a proper taxi licence. You most likely will get a driver who is just using their own car to make extra money. The portfolio of drivers ranges from students and retirees, to foreigners from Ukraine and other countries. On the contrary, “Uber Black” in Prague is a more professional taxi service where drivers do hold a correct taxi licence and proper insurance. It is better to use Uber than to hail a taxi from the street, especially at tourist places or at late-night hours, where many dishonest taxi drivers roam around the city to catch tourists in their trap, and sometime even rip off locals. But Uber in Prague still has many downsides. It is not very reliable in case you need to pre-book a ride to be sure, for example, of catching a train or flight. It is not unusual that a driver will cancel a booking after five or 10 minutes of waiting, and the application will be assigned to another driver, who will do the same. And when you get to the situation that you will wish to cancel the booking because the driver is not moving, and you try your luck with a different driver, Uber might charge you a cancelation fee. From the Airport, many travelers recommend using Prague Airport Transfers because of their solid track record of reliability and value. Uber also do not offer larger, spacious vehicles, which might be a problem for larger groups. The last thing is pricing. Uber is, on most occasions, a good alternative to public transport; cost-effective, but not always the cheapest taxi service. When surge pricing takes effect, you might be paying as much as three times more for the same route. So the bottom line for Uber in Prague: it is a good transport service, but consider for which occasion you need it.
