How to: Take a Gypsy Cab
One of the best aspects of Moscow life – every other car is a taxi! If you are ready to trust your life to a chain-smoking, beat-up-lada driver, these phrases may help you get where you want to go:.
The destination and the price in the same sentence:
До Киевского вокзала довезёте за двести? (argh, genitive case endings) Will you drive to Kievskii station for 200?
До ближайшего метро довезёте за пятьдесят? Will you drive to the nearest metro for 50?
До Большой Никитской (улицы) довезёте за сто? Will you drive to Bolshaya Nikitskaya for a hundred?
Через мост подвезёте? Will you drop me over the bridge?
If the above leave you tongue-tied:
Можно на Новый Арбат за сто пятьдесят? (Simple but effective) Can we go to Arbatskaya for 150?
Negotiating the price:
200 мало, хотя бы 250! 200’s not much, 250 at least!
Что так мало?! Маловато! Why so little! That’s not much!
Дороговато! That’s a bit expensive! (you can add the ending –овато onto lots of words to give the meaning –ish).
Давайте всё-таки за двести. Let’s agree on 200 after all.
So they’re not all professionals:
Дорогу знаете? Do you know the way?
Скажете как доехать? Can you tell me how to get there?
Where to stop and get out:
Слева остановите, пожалуйста. Pull over on the left, please.
Вот справа мой дом. That’s my house on the right.
Я выйду здесь. I’ll get out here.
Я выйду у светофора. I’ll get out at the lights.
The etiquette: remember money shouldn’t be put in someone’s hand in Russia:
Я положу деньги тут. I’ll put (the money) here.
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