After landing in a new city, your first English conversation might happen in the back seat of a cab. A clear taxi‑ride dialogue helps you reach the right destination, avoid surprise fees, and even pick up local tips. This page walks you through typical driver questions, polite passenger requests, and two‑minute drills you can rehearse before you travel.

Context

• Setting: Inside a licensed city taxi
• Goal: Give destination, agree on route or fare, pay and exit smoothly
• Typical Length: 2‑3 minutes
• Tone: Polite but direct (driver is working against the meter)

Sample Dialogue

Passenger: Good evening! Could you take me to the Riverside Hotel?
Driver: Sure. Do you prefer the highway or the scenic route?
Passenger: The highway, please — I’m in a bit of a hurry.
Driver: No problem. It should be about fifteen minutes.
Passenger: Great, thanks.
Driver (at destination): We’re here — that’ll be 22 dollars.
Passenger: Here’s 25; keep the change. Thank you!

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

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Expressway / highway — faster toll road
Traffic permitting — if traffic is light
Roughly — approximately
Drop me at … — specific drop-off spot
Keep the change — driver keeps the remainder as tip

Quick Practice Drills

1. Destination sprint (2 min): List five landmarks; give the driver clear instructions in under five seconds each.
2. Fare negotiation (3 min): Record three ways to ask the price before boarding. Replay and reduce filler words.
3. Reverse roles (2 min): Pretend you’re the driver; ask follow‑up questions about route, payment, luggage.