Words for Catching and Using Taxis

・空車(Vacant)
・賃走(Occupied)
・割増(Additional Charge)
・迎車／予約(Reserved)
・回送(Out of Service)

 

You can use an application or call by phone to get a taxi. You can also stop a taxi on the street and get in. When catching a taxi on the street, look at the signs in their windshields.

Understanding the signs in windshields of taxis will help you use them more conveniently.

 

There are no passengers in that taxi, so you can get in. Raise your hand to let the taxi driver know you want to take a ride, and they will stop.

 

Taxis with this sign are occupied, with passengers on board.

 

When this sign is present, fares are higher late at night and early in the morning (between 10 pm or 11 pm and 5 am) than during the middle of the day. The distance that can be covered for the same fare is 20% shorter than during the daytime.

 

No passengers on board, but that taxi is reserved. You cannot take that taxi.
When you make a taxi reservation, you also need the 迎車gei-sha料金ryo-kin (the fee for a taxi to pick you up) or the 予約yoyaku料金ryo-kin (the fee for reserving your taxi).

 

A taxi with this sign is off work or on a break.　No customers are on board, but you cannot take that taxi.