When you are in an unfamiliar city and really in need of some transport quickly there never seems to be any buses, train stations or taxis in sight. But when you sit in traffic on a Monday morning you are surrounded by all manner of public transport cutting you off and blocking your path. There is no justice in this world. When in a strange city, to avoid feeling stranded without a taxi, there are usually a host of hotspots around any city where you can easily find yourself a taxi when you need it.
Supermarket Telephone
One location which a lot of people don’t even think of is in a supermarket. You may be in a strange city, but a city would have to be pretty weird these days to not have a supermarket within a few minutes of where you are. Almost every supermarket offers a free telephone which is directly linked to a Belfast taxi company which can come and pluck you out of your pickle in a jiffy.
Train Station
There may be no signposts to your nearest taxi rank, but you can be sure you will be able to find a sign pointing to your nearest train station. Follow these to the source and you may well hit the taxi mother load. Taxi drivers know train stations are chock full of lost tourists looking for a quick and easy way to their hotel, so they gather there and wait.
Airport
While an airport is usually on the outskirts of a city, if you desperately need a taxi and can only find a bus to the airport then you will easily get a taxi there. Airports have Belfast International Airport Taxis which are designated to them exclusively. This means that they always have a supply and can let the taxi companies know when big flights are coming in or if there is a cancellation. In an emergency, an airport is a dead cert.
Thin Air
Hello? You’ve got a mobile don’t you? Call ‘118 247’ or ‘118 118’ for talking pages, who will put you straight through to a local taxi company. Or if you can find a phone box you can call the operator by dialling ‘100’ (in the UK) or the international operator on ‘155’ and asking to be put through to a Belfast taxi company reverse charges. You never know they might take pity on you and accept the charges.
