Safe Taxis for Late Nights in Goa
Goa is perhaps the only place in India which serves as a 365-day tourist destination and you don’t need a reason or a season to visit. From a high-octane nightlife to the most peaceful and romantic getaway, this quaint little territory on the Konkan coast has everything. But apart from the idyllic beaches, good food, and colorful culture, one more thing that Goa offers is the endless freedom to live and travel the way you want and whenever you want, and enjoy the place at any time of the day.
Commuting in Goa at night
Most tourists love to rent a bike (motorbike) or a bike taxi or take local transport, these might not be the best or the safest way to travel at night. More often than not, local transports stop operating after 9 pm and if you are partying till late, it is definitely not advisable to ride your own bike. Also, with more solo travelers on the rise, especially women, it has become essential to consider safety precautions when traveling in Goa at night. Due to these reasons and more, Goa has seen a huge rise in car rentals and radio taxi services in the last few years and redefined the travel space.
That being said, most of the car rental services in Goa are either backed by the state government, local taxi unions, or local private companies. Goa is probably the only tourist destination and a major state where logistics giant like Ola, Uber, Mega Cabs, etc. are not operational. So, when you consider hiring a cab for late night travels in Goa, you need to research well and find cabs that have been in the business for a while and have good user ratings.
To help you narrow down your choices, here are a few recognized and reliable cab services available in Goa.
Goa Taxi Service
This is a family-run car rental service which operates only in North Goa. They have a pre-booking option where you can set your destination and the cost is calculated on your travel duration (plus waiting time if any. You can book online or over a call and pay in advance, so you can seamlessly enjoy the ride without having to worry about the fare later. All vehicles used by Goa Taxi Service are approved by the Goa Tourist Board and are operated by licensed and trained drivers, who are proficient in English and Hindi to be able to cater to all kinds of tourists.
TraveloCar Goa
This 30-year old car rental company in a leading name in Goa’s transportation business. They also run their vehicles across the country. TraveloCar offers all kind of vehicles from budget cars to luxury sedans, SUVs, and more. With a huge network of drivers and affiliates, they are well-equipped to handle a large number of travelers on a daily basis. They also design their own packages for tours around Goa, outstation travels, airport transfers, or rentals for special occasions (weddings, parties, etc.). Their trained drivers and positive reviews from passengers make them a safe choice for traveling at night.
Savaari Car Rental
A national car rental company, Savaari has been operating around 98 cities in India for more than 12 years. They are ranked by Google as one of the most high-rated rental services. With a huge fleet of vehicles ranging from hatchbacks to sedans, SUVs, and other premium cars, Savaari ensures complete comfort of their passengers. As reviewed by passengers and travel experts Savaari is one of the safest car rental services for female travelers. They only work with professionally trained and licensed chauffeurs who are also linguistically proficient (English, Hindi, Konkani, and Marathi). They also have an operations team on call round-the-clock for any on-road assistance. You can get a safe, reliable and affordable car on rent in Goa with Savaari and plan intracity tours, outstation tours, late night rides, airport transfers, luxury tours, etc.
Women Taxi by GTDC
This was started by the State Tourism Department in 2014 and caters to female passengers and families traveling around Goa. All vehicles are driven by female chauffeurs who are not only licensed and reviewed by the transport department, they are also professionally trained in road safety, self-defense, first-aid, and more. The drivers are certified by the Government of India’s National Skill Development program and the Automotive Skill Development Program. These taxis run on regular meters and charge fares as stated by the GTDC (Goa Tourism Development Corporation) and Directorate of Transport
Goa Miles
Launched in 2018, this is an app-based taxi service like Uber or Ola but run by a local company. Their operations are certified and backed by GTDC. The mobile-based application lets you book your rides (just like Ola/Uber) and choose from their fleet of different vehicles. You also get the option of requesting for female drivers. Like most taxi/cab apps, GoaMiles also has a panic button/safety alert mechanism for emergency scenarios. Although the service is at its early stage of operations, GoaMiles has managed good reviews from passengers.
Always research well, read reviews, and choose your ride wisely!
