Taxi apps and auto-rickshaws in India

Getting around an Indian city looks chaotic: horns, rickshaws three abreast, drivers calling out from every corner. The fix is boring and effective: book through an app whenever you can. You see the price before you get in, the route is tracked, and the driver's name and number plate are on your screen.

Which app depends on the city:

• Uber and Ola work in most large cities, for cars, autos and (Ola) bikes.
• Rapido runs bike taxis, autos and cabs in most cities: the fastest way through traffic jams, if you are comfortable riding pillion.
• inDrive appears in some cities; you offer a price and drivers accept or counter.
• Namma Yatri in Bengaluru: autos and cabs on a zero-commission model (drivers pay a flat subscription and keep the fare).
• Yatri Sathi in Kolkata: a government-backed app for autos and taxis.
• Goa is the exception: Uber and Ola have historically not operated there; the local options are GoaMiles and the state Goa Taxi App. Goa's taxi-app scene shifts, so check what works when you arrive.

Install two apps, not one: if the first has no cars nearby, the second often does.

Phone number. Uber works with the account you already have: its help pages say you can ride abroad without changing the country setting. Many Indian apps, though, register only with an Indian mobile number, and drivers call or message to find you. A local SIM or eSIM solves both problems; buy one on arrival with your passport and visa.

Paying. Payment depends on the service and the city:

• Uber Auto moved to a subscription model in 2025: Uber suggests a fare, but the final amount is agreed between you and the driver, and you pay the driver directly in cash or by UPI to the driver's personal UPI ID. Uber says cards, in-app UPI and Uber credits cannot be used for these Auto trips.
• Visitor UPI wallets (such as UPI One World) pay merchant QR codes only, not a person's own UPI ID, so for autos keep cash in small notes.
• For cab rides, check the payment screen before you book: payment options differ by app and city, and some rides are paid to the driver directly, so don't count on your card working.

Keep ₹10–100 notes for the end of the ride: "no change" is a familiar line.

Arriving at night with luggage is when travellers overpay most. Two safe options: an app car from the marked pickup zone, or the official prepaid taxi booth, where you pay a fixed price at the counter and get a slip before you get in.

In Delhi, the Traffic Police lists prepaid booths at IGI Airport (Terminals 1, 2 and 3), at New Delhi station (Paharganj and Ajmeri Gate sides), Old Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin, at the Kashmiri Gate and Anand Vihar bus terminals, and at several markets, hospitals and metro stations. Its motto sums up the point: no haggling, pay in advance. Some booths run day and night, others only by day. The Delhi traffic helpline is 1095 or 011-25844444.

Other big airports have their own prepaid or official taxi counters. Ignore touts in the arrivals hall, and especially the line "the booth is closed, come with me": real drivers wait outside with name boards or in the app zone. If someone tells you your hotel has "closed" or "moved", the answer is "we're going to the address".

Auto-rickshaw and taxi fares are set by each state. Below are the two official tariffs checked for this guide. In other cities, fares differ and meters are often not used: agree the price before you get in, or use an app.

Old towns and small places are often beyond the apps' reach. The routine below keeps it friendly.

Serious trouble in taxis is rare; these habits make it rarer.