What Are a Licensed Taxi Passenger's Rights in Egypt, and How Does Booking in the App Protect Them?

As a taxi passenger in Egypt you are entitled to know what you will pay without being forced to haggle, to know who is driving you and the car's plate number, to arrive safely, to choose how you pay and get your change, and to complain and recover what you leave behind. On the street much of that depends on the driver. On a Taxi Masr trip it is built into the ride: a price shown before you request and fixed when you confirm (the meter fare or less, with no surge), the captain's and car's details on your screen, and a recorded trip you can come back to.

Why passengers lose their rights with a passing taxi

• A flat price instead of the meter: "the meter is broken", and a number that grows when you look like you do not know the distance.
• "I'm not going there": the driver asks where you are going and drives off if he does not like it.
• No change: "I don't have change", so you leave the difference on every trip.
• Nothing linking you to the car: if you are treated badly or forget a bag, you have no name and no plate number.

Six passenger rights and how the app protects them

1. To know the price before you ride, and for it not to rise

Taxi Masr prices with its own meter: EGP 20 to start + EGP 5 per km + EGP 0.50 per minute, with a EGP 20 minimum, shown before you request. It does not rise with demand or rain; the only increase is 25% from midnight to 5 am. A captain may offer you up to 20% below the meter, and no captain can ask for more than the price you confirmed.

2. To know who is driving you

Before the car arrives you see the captain's name, rating and number of trips, and the car's plate, colour and model. Check them before you get in. Captains drive licensed taxis, and their ID and driving licence are reviewed before the account is activated.

3. To arrive safely

• Share your trip with a live tracking link your family can open on any phone.
• Trips between 10 pm and 6 am are shared automatically with the trusted contacts you enabled for night rides.
• An SOS button throughout the trip alerts the Taxi Masr team and your contacts and sends your location.
• You can also ask for a female captain if one is available in your area.

4. To choose how you pay, and pay exactly what is shown

Pay at the end of the trip in cash or by InstaPay, or by card on the captain's POS terminal if he has one. The amount is the one in the app, so there is no argument over change. Paying by card inside the app is being activated.

5. To pay only what is due

Cancelling is free before any captain accepts and for the first two minutes after; the app shows any fee before you cancel. The first 5 minutes of waiting at the pickup are free, then EGP 1.50 a minute up to EGP 30. If the captain cancels, you pay nothing.

6. To rate, complain and get back what you left behind

After the trip, rate the captain from 1 to 5 stars. From your trip history, file a complaint about the fare, the captain's behaviour, safety, payment or a lost item; the support team follows it up and you are notified of the outcome, which can include a refund.

Your rights: street taxi vs a recorded Taxi Masr trip

Why a captain who is treated fairly respects your rights

A driver who gives a quarter of the fare to the platform looks for it in the passenger's pocket. On Taxi Masr the commission is 5%, tips go to the captain in full, and he sees the destination and fare before accepting, so there is no reason to haggle or ask for more.

Frequently asked questions about taxi passenger rights

Can the captain ask for extra because of traffic?

No. The price is fixed when you confirm, and traffic is already counted in the meter's minutes. Pay the amount shown and file a complaint in the app.

I left my bag in the taxi. What do I do?

Open your trip history, pick the trip and file a "lost item" complaint with a precise description; the support team follows it up with the captain.

Can I book an early ride for a journey?

Yes, schedule it in the app at the same meter fare. The app reminds you 15 minutes before, and the search for a captain starts about 10 minutes before the time.

How does automatic night sharing work?

If you add trusted contacts and enable night rides for them, they automatically get a message with a tracking link when you ride between 10 pm and 6 am.

Do I get a receipt?

Yes. After paying you will find a receipt with the trip and fare details in the app, and you can send it to your email or over WhatsApp.

Your rights should not need an argument every trip. Download the Taxi Masr app and know your price and your captain before you ride.