| The best place to get a taxi is at a taxi rank (arrêt taxi – there are around 470 of them) – usually more effective than hailing from the street. The large white light signals the taxi is free; the Orange light means it's in use. You can also call a taxi out: phone numbers are shown at the taxi ranks, or try Taxis Bleus (tel 08.91.70.10.10, www.taxis-bleus.com), Alpha Taxis (tel 01.45.85.85.85) or Artaxi (tel 01.42.03.50.50). That said, finding a taxi at lunchtime and any time after 7pm can be almost impossible: the powerfully unionized and heavily regulated system is stacked against the user, and there simply aren't enough cabs, or drivers willing to work the graveyard shifts. Taxi charges are fairly reasonable: between €6.50 and €11 for a central daytime journey, though considerably more if you call one out. Before you get into the taxi, you can tell which of the three rates is operating from the three small indicator lights on its roof: "A" (passenger side; white) indicates the daytime rate (7am–7pm) for Paris within the boulevard périphérique (around €0.60 per km); "B" (orange) is the rate for Paris at night, on Sunday and on public holidays, and for the suburbs during the day (€1 per km); "C" (blue) is the night rate for the suburbs (€1.20 per km). In addition there's a minimum charge of €5, a time charge of around €20 an hour for when the car is stationary, an extra charge of €0.75 if you're picked up from a mainline train station, and a €0.90 charge for each piece of luggage carried. Tipping is not mandatory, but ten percent will be expected. Taxi drivers do not have to take more than three passengers (they don't like people sitting in the front); if a fourth passenger is accepted, an extra charge of €2.50 will be added.
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