Taxi World Champions

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Taxi World Champions

Germany and Argentina are about to battle it out in the Football World Cup final in Brazil in a bid to be crowned world champions of the world’s biggest sport. But both of these countries were knocked out in the group stages when it came to the “Most Expensive Taxi Fares” world championships. Indeed the final was an all New Zealand affair with Christchurch taking the coveted title over a very plucky Queenstown with a late extra time surcharge. In your face rest of the world!

Yes, according to Auckland company Digital Hothouse it appears that NZ are number one when it comes to taxi fares from some of our airports to the city centre. Australia pushed us hard and even beat Auckland and Wellington, but Christchurch and Queenstown were just too strong. Christchurch’s $4.50 per km and Queenstown’s $4.38 per km blew the completion away with Sydney managing a creditable $4.23 per km and London, performing much like their football team, managed a meagre $3.67 per km. Barcelona had an absolute nightmare and came last with a pathetic  $2.92. It seems New Zealand’s secret weapons are its high airport pick up and drop off surcharges. In the case of Christchurch this fee was an amazing $10, although this has since been reduced to $5.50.

New Zealand Airport and Taxi companies’ celebrations were slightly dampened when Las Vegas protested that their taxi fares were more expensive when compared against the consumer price index (CPI). The judges eventually threw out their protest with Vegas later admitting that the protest was “a bit of a gamble”.

Take a bow NZ – World Champions! Click here to see the full results