Tipping in the Mexican ports

Taxi fares should be negotiated. Can be paid in US dollars. Do you also tip even though you have negotiated the price?

Food and drink purchases in a local bar. Do you tip?

In Puerto Vallarta Taxi fares are not negotiated, they are regulated through the Taxi union and are priced in zones. You need to know the price and the zones being crosses and when you get into the taxi say :I am going to such such and the zone price is $$" If they try to tell you it is higher then leave and get another taxi.

We tip taxi drivers when they carry any bags or go out of their way to do make the ride special like giving us some history or local insider knowledge about the area. If they are driving us from zone A to Zone B and there is no interaction of help we don't tip. It's not expected unless the driver helps out .

In restaurants and bars we tip 20%, less if the service is not good and more if the service is outstanding

In Puerto Vallarta Taxi fares are not negotiated, they are regulated through the Taxi union and are priced in zones. You need to know the price and the zones being crosses and when you get into the taxi say :I am going to such such and the zone price is $$" If they try to tell you it is higher then leave and get another taxi.

We tip taxi drivers when they carry any bags or go out of their way to do make the ride special like giving us some history or local insider knowledge about the area. If they are driving us from zone A to Zone B and there is no interaction of help we don't tip. It's not expected unless the driver helps out .

 

In restaurants and bars we tip 20%, less if the service is not good and more if the service is outstanding

How do I get information about the zones in Puerto Vallarta? For instance if I am at the cruise dock and I want to go to the Malecon Boardwalk Hotel Rosita or Los Arcos. It's not far but where are the zones and rates posted?

+1 to quincytoo info

There is a rate board posted in the lobby of every resort/hotel. The board will list the established rate from that facility to common tourist destinations (in pesos). This info applies to the yellow city taxis and they charge per taxi ride with up to four passengers.

The Federal Port taxis (white) charge per person. They typically quote a price in dollars. They are only allowed to take passengers away from the port.

The Federal Zones are different from the city taxis.

City zones get kinda fuzzy. I know the Cuale River between downtown (El Centro) and the south side is a boundary. I know there is a boundary just south of the Sheraton that separates the south hotel zone from El Centro. And I suspect there is a boundary just north of the port.

I believe a taxi ride within a zone is 40 pesos. Every boundary adds 20 pesos to the fare. Rates may have changed since last year but I seem to recall that a city taxi from the port to El Centro was 60 pesos and a ride to the south side was 80 pesos.

In Puerto Vallarta Taxi fares are not negotiated, they are regulated through the Taxi union and are priced in zones. You need to know the price and the zones being crosses and when you get into the taxi say :I am going to such such and the zone price is $$" If they try to tell you it is higher then leave and get another taxi.

We tip taxi drivers when they carry any bags or go out of their way to do make the ride special like giving us some history or local insider knowledge about the area. If they are driving us from zone A to Zone B and there is no interaction of help we don't tip. It's not expected unless the driver helps out .

 

In restaurants and bars we tip 20%, less if the service is not good and more if the service is outstanding

I guess we do things a bit different here in NY. We always tip the taxi drivers - usually 15-20% of the fare. Needless to say, it is expected in NYC.

I usually tip a few bucks extra when taking a taxi at my cruise ports as well.

Don

How do I get information about the zones in Puerto Vallarta? For instance if I am at the cruise dock and I want to go to the Malecon Boardwalk Hotel Rosita or Los Arcos. It's not far but where are the zones and rates posted?

It should be between $6 and $8 from the port to the Malecon. They are in the same zone. Once you cross over the bridge to the old town, you will be in the next zone and the fare will increase.

We tell the driver to drop us off at the bridge. From there, we go to the River Cuale and into old town.

Coming back, the fare will be $8. We ask the driver to drop us off at Soriana (next to the port), get some soda and snacks, then walk to the ship.

I got a free map at the little convenient store in the round building at the port. It shows the breakdown of the different zones.

Do not get the taxis at the port; go to the gas station at the corner and get a taxi there. The port taxis charge more.

NYC and Mexico are 2 different places with different tipping cultures. We have been told that taxi drivers in Mexico don't expect tips. We may leave some extra anyway as we usually feel that we are lucky to be able to visit and a little extra doesn't hurt our budget at all!

We have been able to negotiate taxi rates in Puerto Vallarta from the malecon back to the ship. It never hurts to ask.

As mentioned above , you don't have to think about the zones as from the ship to the malecon is all Zone 1.

It should be between $6 and $8 from the port to the Malecon. They are in the same zone. Once you cross over the bridge to the old town, you will be in the next zone and the fare will increase.

 

We tell the driver to drop us off at the bridge. From there, we go to the River Cuale and into old town.

 

Coming back, the fare will be $8. We ask the driver to drop us off at Soriana (next to the port), get some soda and snacks, then walk to the ship.

 

I got a free map at the little convenient store in the round building at the port. It shows the breakdown of the different zones.

 

Do not get the taxis at the port; go to the gas station at the corner and get a taxi there. The port taxis charge more.

Thanks. I appreciate all the information you have provided to help us get around.

Thanks to everybody who responded....white taxi, yellow taxi, peso, dollar, zones....I'm so glad I asked!

Then there's the bus option......

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Mexico is not a tipping culture.

I believe I read somewhere that the "white taxis" at the port are mini vans & they charge per person. Does anyone know if this is correct? We are a group of 6 adults and we need to go from the cruise pier to the romantic zone. I am wondering if this information is correct, if we would be better off getting a "white port taxi" that would hold the 6 of us opposed to having to get 2 cheaper taxis?

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Also, would anyone know what it would cost for a "white port taxi" from the pier to the romantic zone?

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

I believe I read somewhere that the "white taxis" at the port are mini vans & they charge per person. Does anyone know if this is correct? We are a group of 6 adults and we need to go from the cruise pier to the romantic zone. I am wondering if this information is correct, if we would be better off getting a "white port taxi" that would hold the 6 of us opposed to having to get 2 cheaper taxis?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Also, would anyone know what it would cost for a "white port taxi" from the pier to the romantic zone?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Yes, the Federal Port taxis are larger multi-passenger vehicles. Most are Chevy Suburban types and would hold your entire party. I believe the rate is $4 USD's per person to the south side. I seem to recall that the overall cost for two people is the same if you take the yellow city taxis or the white port taxis (assuming you are paying in USD's). Your 5th & 6th passenger ride free in the yellow taxis.

At any rate, the port taxi can only take you away from the port. It's bus or yellow taxis to get back.

Enjoy!

10% has always worked well for us and if someone goes beyond...15% is great! (info from restaurant owner at Chidos)