Prague taxi driver charges over CZK 7,000 for a 5-km ride

A Prague taxi driver who recently charged passengers an excessive CZK 7,100 for a 5.5-km route, was detained by Prague's taxi patrol unit and asked to pay a fine of CZK 100,000.

Police confiscated the driver's car and seized his driving documents after failure to pay the fine, Prague police spokeswoman Irena Seifertová said.

The driver, who failed to meter the ride and instead showed passengers the estimated price on his mobile phone, faces fines of up to dozens of thousands of crowns and could be stripped of his license for up to three years.

The incident took place last Sunday. Passengers hired a taxi for a ride from Rytířská street in the city center to U Průhonu street in Prague 7, a route that should have cost around CZK 300 at the most.

The driver first asked for CZK 2,000 and then increased the price to CZK 7,100, which the passengers paid, the police spokesperson said.

Video footage of the raid shows the driver being detained by officers from Prague police's so-called Taxi Squad. The video goes on to show police demanding that the driver place all the bills he had taken from his latest job on the hood of the car.

The investigation revealed that the driver had not turned on the meter, although its use is required, instead showing the fare to passengers on his cell phone.

Police have the authority to fine the driver up to CZK 10,000 on the spot, but police spokesperson Seifertová said that such a fine "would have amounted to mockery given the height of the overcharging involved."

Administrative proceedings have been launched against the taxi driver.

Prague taxi drivers are required to issue a special taximeter receipt which includes distances traveled and official rates charged in the case of any disagreement. But even without the receipt, officials are able to track the route traveled and assess a maximum fee using an app all registered Prague taxis are required to have installed.