This is a trip I take a week ago to Batam, just before 2016 new year. I would like to share a few tips on how to avoid getting cheated at Batam.
Due to its current condition, Batam is not the safest place to go around, even for the locals. Inside the malls are ok, just don't go outside on your own.
All of the so called "local" taxi are owned by the local police. That is why, they won't allow a fair competition between taxi operators.
Isn't confusing to see that most of batam taxi doesn't even have/use their fare meter?
Currently there are only two fair operator that are using their fare meter: SilverCab, and Blue Bird. These are the taxis to go to.
For me personally, I never use Silver Cab, I always use Blue Bird when I am traveling to Jakarta. I knew that they have a very strict policy on the driver and their fare. So if you found any naughty blue bird driver, you just report the incident to the company, and the driver will get fired. The company take matter seriously on their branding as a fair taxi, its not the cheapest, but its fair.
To make matter worse, SilverCab and Blue Bird are not allowed to pick people on all the major Shopping Malls and Hotels. They are only available by call. This could present a major problem for foreigner, as most of them will not have access to their phone, and they will have to buy a sim card just to call taxi.
The malls it self won't call them for you, remember the taxi's are owned by the police? the mall will get into "security" problem if they allowed blue bird/silvercab to operate inside.
Even the big resort of Montigo where we stayed, the so called the only 5 star hotel in batam is not free from this problem, they also will not help you to call these honest taxi operators.
This kind of things doesn't happen in more modern Indonesian city like Jakarta, which really breaks my heart to know that Batam is still way behind on its development to be a tourist friendly place.
To know that this is the face of Indonesia that a lot of Singaporean will knew, and generalized about Indonesia is really saddening.
So my tips are:
1. get indonesian prepaid sim card, its extremely cheap, easy to register/use, there is no limitation on how many you could buy.
2. call blue bird (0778421234) or silver cab, they will guide you on where you can wait for the pick-up.
For montigo, just call them your self, their front desk will not help me. the blue bird taxi driver I talked to said they can pick you up inside the lobby, if they don't just ask the taxi phone operator on where they can pick you. it won't be a far walk. Probably just outside their main gate.
Batam Mega Mall, go to east gate exit, across the street to the telkomsel building, its a very short walk, but you do need to avoid the potentially bad creepy guys along the way. We waited near telkomsel security check point for about 10 minutes until our cab arrived, there are some security guards there, so it should be kinda safe while you wait.
3. If you are a single girl traveling, or a group of girls without any macho guy or guys on the team, try not to go outside the malls, then there is no choice to use the local taxi.
4. If you are "forced", no choice to use local taxi, then confirmed the total fare before you go in to the car, these pathetic taxi drivers could easily add extra charge on top of what has been agreed before: traffic charge, location charge, area charge, etc2.
Make it really clear the total fare you're paying before you are going in. Otherwise you won't be surprised if they charge you the double amount you've agreed before.
Thank fully, batam mega mall is just across the ferry terminal, so no need to take taxi to get your cheap groceries in Batam.
I really hope batam will get better in the future, I would love to visit that city more often if the condition is getting better. Unfortunately, this is already 2016, and the condition is still barbaric out there.
So be safe!
Due to its current condition, Batam is not the safest place to go around, even for the locals. Inside the malls are ok, just don't go outside on your own.
All of the so called "local" taxi are owned by the local police. That is why, they won't allow a fair competition between taxi operators.
Isn't confusing to see that most of batam taxi doesn't even have/use their fare meter?
Currently there are only two fair operator that are using their fare meter: SilverCab, and Blue Bird. These are the taxis to go to.
For me personally, I never use Silver Cab, I always use Blue Bird when I am traveling to Jakarta. I knew that they have a very strict policy on the driver and their fare. So if you found any naughty blue bird driver, you just report the incident to the company, and the driver will get fired. The company take matter seriously on their branding as a fair taxi, its not the cheapest, but its fair.
To make matter worse, SilverCab and Blue Bird are not allowed to pick people on all the major Shopping Malls and Hotels. They are only available by call. This could present a major problem for foreigner, as most of them will not have access to their phone, and they will have to buy a sim card just to call taxi.
The malls it self won't call them for you, remember the taxi's are owned by the police? the mall will get into "security" problem if they allowed blue bird/silvercab to operate inside.
Even the big resort of Montigo where we stayed, the so called the only 5 star hotel in batam is not free from this problem, they also will not help you to call these honest taxi operators.
This kind of things doesn't happen in more modern Indonesian city like Jakarta, which really breaks my heart to know that Batam is still way behind on its development to be a tourist friendly place.
To know that this is the face of Indonesia that a lot of Singaporean will knew, and generalized about Indonesia is really saddening.
So my tips are:
1. get indonesian prepaid sim card, its extremely cheap, easy to register/use, there is no limitation on how many you could buy.
2. call blue bird (0778421234) or silver cab, they will guide you on where you can wait for the pick-up.
For montigo, just call them your self, their front desk will not help me. the blue bird taxi driver I talked to said they can pick you up inside the lobby, if they don't just ask the taxi phone operator on where they can pick you. it won't be a far walk. Probably just outside their main gate.
Batam Mega Mall, go to east gate exit, across the street to the telkomsel building, its a very short walk, but you do need to avoid the potentially bad creepy guys along the way. We waited near telkomsel security check point for about 10 minutes until our cab arrived, there are some security guards there, so it should be kinda safe while you wait.
3. If you are a single girl traveling, or a group of girls without any macho guy or guys on the team, try not to go outside the malls, then there is no choice to use the local taxi.
4. If you are "forced", no choice to use local taxi, then confirmed the total fare before you go in to the car, these pathetic taxi drivers could easily add extra charge on top of what has been agreed before: traffic charge, location charge, area charge, etc2.
Make it really clear the total fare you're paying before you are going in. Otherwise you won't be surprised if they charge you the double amount you've agreed before.
Thank fully, batam mega mall is just across the ferry terminal, so no need to take taxi to get your cheap groceries in Batam.
I really hope batam will get better in the future, I would love to visit that city more often if the condition is getting better. Unfortunately, this is already 2016, and the condition is still barbaric out there.
So be safe!
Last edited:
)
