Taking a Taxi in Panama City

Who ever knew that taking a taxi in Panama could be a sport? I live at the beaches and do not like driving in the city or to the city. I will do it but I would much rather hop on the bus which is $2.75 to Albrook from Coronado and then hop into a cab who will take me where I need to go. The benefits being they will usually take short cuts and I can practice my Spanish while the driver battles the traffic through the city. Taxis in Panama do not have meters. Instead they have a Taxi Zone Chart divided up in zones and subzones. Your fare depends on how many zones you travel through to get to your destination. If you travel within the same zone, e.g from one end of the Amador to the other you should not pay more than $1-$1.50. In reality however there are two ways of sorting out what the fare will be from point A to point B. As the drivers will not be resorting to the fare chart unless you ask. One way is to decide how much you will pay the driver at the end of the trip. The other option is to ask the driver before getting in how much the fare will be. This can prove to be very time consuming as they will always give you an inflated rate while you are standing on the street. I have included a quick guide on the areas that I travel to and from and what I pay and have been ask to pay by the honest taxi drivers. Some will always try and take you for more if you look like a tourist or come across as a ‘newbie’ to the system. Here is how I take a taxi always works for me and I get to my destination in one piece with money left in my wallet.