A tourist from Shenzhen has alleged being overcharged by a Hong Kong taxi driver, claiming he was asked to pay HK$600 (US$77) for a trip that should cost nearly three times less.
This incident occurred on the tourist’s first day in town for the Dragon Boat Festival long weekend and has added to ongoing complaints about taxi services in Hong Kong.
The tourist voiced his frustration on Xiaohongshu, a popular Chinese social media platform similar to Instagram. He detailed his HK$600 journey from Shenzhen Bay Immigration Control Point in Tuen Mun to Hong Kong International Airport, a route of about 28 kilometers (17 miles). According to searches on Uber, HKTaxi, and Fly Taxi, the typical fare for this distance ranges between HK$228 and HK$278 at around 6 p.m. on Saturday.
The tourist expressed his disappointment, saying, “Not only is the integrity of Hong Kong’s service industry worse than Singapore’s, it’s also lagging behind second- and third-tier cities on the mainland.” He recounted how the distance was not shown on the receipt, and when questioned, the driver switched to Cantonese to confuse him. The tourist realized he was overcharged when the driver attempted to snatch the receipt, which included a surcharge of HK$573.
Frustrated, the traveller reported the incident to the airport police, providing a photo of the receipt and the taxi’s number plate. The post on Xiaohongshu has garnered over 160 comments, many sharing similar experiences of being overcharged by Hong Kong taxis. The hashtag “Hong Kong taxis ripping off passengers” has attracted 301,000 views.
Complaints against taxi services in Hong Kong are common, with passengers frequently citing overcharging, refusal to take certain routes, speeding, and rudeness. The taxi industry’s reputation has driven many to use ride-hailing services like Uber, despite their questionable legality in Hong Kong. Vehicles without a hire-car permit cannot legally offer ride-hailing services in the city, leading to conflicts between taxi drivers and Uber.
In response to these issues, the Hong Kong government has introduced measures to improve taxi services. These include a demerit point system launched in September and the creation of premium taxi fleets. Secretary for Transport and Logistics Lam Sai-hung stated that the government would closely monitor the five operators selected for the new taxi fleet scheme. They will collect data on complaint handling and customer satisfaction to ensure performance standards are met. Operators performing poorly may face warnings, scale reductions, or license suspensions.
In a bid to enhance the industry’s reputation, the Hong Kong Taxi Council initiated a three-month courtesy drive on Wednesday. Ambassadors will be deployed at cab ranks, including those at the airport and border checkpoints, to encourage drivers to be polite to passengers. Official statistics revealed a 52.8 percent increase in taxi service complaints in 2023, with overcharging and refusal to hire being the top issues.
The success of these initiatives remains to be seen as the government and taxi industry work to address longstanding service issues and restore passenger trust.
