Tulum Taxi Fares Surge: What You Need to Know

What's the single most useful takeaway? The new taxi fare table in Tulum, published by the Sindicato de Taxistas Tiburones del Caribe, has caused significant fluctuations in ride prices, with some routes jumping up to 223 percent from the 2019 state rates.

What's Changing

The Sindicato de Taxistas Tiburones del Caribe has released a new 'Tarifario oficial' that divides the municipality into 24 zones. The document is not approved by the state's mobility institute, Imoveqroo, and carries no agreement number, signature, or stamp. This means passengers have no official way to verify the legitimacy of the rates.

What it Means for Residents

The new fare table includes sharp increases in certain routes. For instance, a 31-peso ride to La Veleta now costs up to 100 pesos, a 223 percent increase. The union's general secretary, Manuel Enrique Solís Alcocer, claims the new system aims to provide passengers with greater certainty about their fares. However, the legitimacy of these rates is questionable as they have not been approved by the state.

The union plans to install QR codes on vehicles for the Tulum to Playa del Carmen route, allowing passengers to check fares via a mobile app. However, this solution only adds to the confusion, as the legality of the new rates is uncertain.

Residents and visitors should be wary of the potential discrepancies between the printed fare table and the rates charged by drivers. Imoveqroo, the state mobility institute, has not yet commented on the validity of the new rates. Fines for unauthorized fare increases can reach up to 82,000 pesos, according to recent state statements.