General Information » Getting Around » Taxi

The main taxi service in Bahrain is government regulated, but the actual taxis are privately owned, and therefore range from old cars seemingly held together with string to smart new cars lovingly cared for by their owners. Regardless of the type of car, the fare on the meter is identical. Taxis are easily identified by orange panels on the front and rear wings. Taxis to and from the airport are subject to a BD 1 surcharge. On the meter, a ride from the airport to Manama should cost in the region of BD 3. A journey within Manama should not run to more than BD 2 on the meter.

Taxis can be flagged down anywhere and, indeed, will often try to give you a lift even when you are not looking for one. Generally, taxi drivers have a good knowledge of Bahrain’s roads and are unlikely to get lost. However, they may speak only basic English. There are two telephone limousine services in Bahrain, both of which offer a reliable reasonably priced, metered, air-conditioned telephone taxi service (Speedy Motors – 1768 2999 and Bahrain Limo – 1726 6266). However, at peak times, they can become overbooked, so it is worth planning ahead if you want to make use of their services, especially in the early morning or mid-afternoon.



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It’s the law

Don’t be fooled by a taxi driver claiming not to have a meter; all taxis have them fitted by law. However, they will often try to get a higher fare by pretending not to have a meter, (check behind the tissue box by the gear lever), or that the meter is broken. If they refuse to use the meter, you can choose to get out and find another more honest taxi driver.