This morning I had to get to the airport, from my hotel in Fort Cochin. When I checked the Uber app, no cars were available.
This is yet another disadvantage of tourist oriented Fort Cochin, they can choose to serve the tourists as they please, with bad food, high priced transportation with disagreeable auto rickshaw drivers.
Tourists are almost forced to pay a higher than normal fee for a taxi to take you to the airport. there is a bus service which runs about 8 times per day and when it does, it is convenient.
Fort Cochin local politicians and taxi drivers have managed to block Uber and discourage local people who would otherwise might join Uber. When you do get Uber, it is usually a driver who had come there from across the water in Ernakulam.
This morning, I was resigned to pay 1500 INR for the ride to the airport, but just at the time of check out, I decided to check the Uber app again and it immediately showed a car available and within four minutes the driver was at the front of the hotel.
As you can see, the price was almost halved, the cars are both of the same quality, Uber drivers are much more polite and friendly and try to make conversation as the service is known for shared rides. My driver today was Mr M, from Ernakulam and he pointed out some interesting spots along the way.
The drive is nearly 50 km! it took Mr M just over one hour, and I arrived at the airport in good spirits to begin my journey to Miami via Colombo, Abu Dhabi and New York.
This is yet another disadvantage of tourist oriented Fort Cochin, they can choose to serve the tourists as they please, with bad food, high priced transportation with disagreeable auto rickshaw drivers.
Tourists are almost forced to pay a higher than normal fee for a taxi to take you to the airport. there is a bus service which runs about 8 times per day and when it does, it is convenient.
Fort Cochin local politicians and taxi drivers have managed to block Uber and discourage local people who would otherwise might join Uber. When you do get Uber, it is usually a driver who had come there from across the water in Ernakulam.
This morning, I was resigned to pay 1500 INR for the ride to the airport, but just at the time of check out, I decided to check the Uber app again and it immediately showed a car available and within four minutes the driver was at the front of the hotel.
As you can see, the price was almost halved, the cars are both of the same quality, Uber drivers are much more polite and friendly and try to make conversation as the service is known for shared rides. My driver today was Mr M, from Ernakulam and he pointed out some interesting spots along the way.
The drive is nearly 50 km! it took Mr M just over one hour, and I arrived at the airport in good spirits to begin my journey to Miami via Colombo, Abu Dhabi and New York.
