Getting a taxi in Tawau
With hundreds of taxis roaming the city, getting a taxi in Tawau couldn’t be easier. This is one of the most popular ways to get around for tourists and locals alike given that the public transportation system is tricky to navigate. You can easily grab a taxi by hailing one on the street, walking to the city’s main taxi ranks, or using a Tawau taxi app.
Official Tawau taxis can carry up to four passengers comfortably plus their luggage. You can recognize them by their red coats. They’ll also have “TEKSI” printed on the car doors and sometimes on the rear window. All taxis are required to carry a taximeter by law so your fares will be calculated depending on the distance to your destination.
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How much does a taxi cost?
| Taxi prices | Day time (05:00 - 24:00) | Night time (00:00 - 05:00) | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| TAWAU AIRPORT TO CITY CENTER | 9.50 € | 9.50 € | 30 MIN |
| TAWAU AIRPORT TO TAWAU FERRY PORT | 9.50 € | 9.50 € | 35 MIN |
| TAWAU CITY CENTER TO DRAGON ISLAND | 20 € | 20 € | 1 HR |
| TAWAU CITY CENTER TO SEMPORNA | 20 € | 20 € | 1 HR |
How much is a taxi in Tawau?
Taxi prices in Tawau are calculated by taximeter depending on the distance traveled. However, local taxi drivers rarely use the taximeter. The local custom is to negotiate a price with your driver before your ride begins. This is a perfectly fine solution if you know Tawau taxi rates well. But if you’re a tourist new to the city, you’re vulnerable to overcharging. Sadly, this is a common pitfall for travelers like you. Therefore, we recommend insisting that the driver use the taximeter for your rides to ensure a fair price.
With that in mind, here is a rough guide of Tawau taxi prices:
Base rate: €0.86 (MYR 4)
Per kilometer rate: €0.43 (MYR 2)
If you’re traveling outside of the city like Semporna, you may prefer to negotiate a fixed fare rather than using the taximeter. In this case, thorough research on the average cost should be done.
For instance, you can expect to spend €20 (MYR 95) on a taxi from Tawau city center to Semporna.
Airport taxis
Tawau Airport taxis are the only official taxis that use set prices. You can purchase a ticket form the taxi desk inside the Arrivals Hall to pay your set fare.
As an example, the set price from Tawau Airport to the city center is €9.50 (MYR 40).
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How to get a taxi in Tawau
The easiest way to get a taxi in Tawau is to hail one from the street. Tawau is quite a small city with plenty of taxis on the roads. Simply wave down an available taxi if you see one and the driver will stop in a convenient place to collect you. You can recognize official taxis in Tawau by their red coats. They also have “TEKSI” written on the side of the passenger doors and sometimes on the rear window.
There are also several taxi ranks dotted around town in strategic locations. In the heart of the city, outside of the Jalan Stephen Tan bus terminal, there is a designated taxi station. This is where most taxis originate from and will hae the largest concentration of taxis in the city. There’s also a taxi rank by Grace Plaza, the airport, the ferry terminal and the market.
If for some reason you’re having trouble finding taxis on the road or you’re far from a taxi rank, the next best thing is to use the Grab Taxi app which is widely available in Malaysia.
How to get a taxi from Tawau Airport
Tawau Airport taxis are readily available from outside the terminal building, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The taxi rank is easy to spot by the curb as you exit the Arrivals Hall. However, it’s important to find the taxi desk inside the airport first to pre-pay for your fare.
How to get a taxi from Tawau City Center
Taxis in Tawau are easy to find roaming around the city center. If you want to locate an official taxi stand, the largest two are the Jalan Stephen Tan taxi rank and the Grace Plaza taxi rank.
How to get a taxi from Tawau Jalan Stephen Tan Bus Terminal
Adjoining the Tawau Jalan Stephen Tan Bus Terminal is the taxi station. This is the central hub for all official taxis in the city. You’ll find plenty of available taxis here at all hours of the day, 365 days a year.
How to get a taxi from Tawau Ferry Terminal
The Tawau Ferry Terminal has its own taxi rank located outside of the main entrance. Taxis are typically available here whenever there are ferries in the port.
How to get a taxi from Tawau Tanjung Market
There is a popular taxi rank outside of Tawau Tanjung Market. Because of its location, there may be a queue on busy days. The queue tends to move quickly but pre-booking a taxi is the best option for efficiency.
Most popular Tawau taxi apps
The main taxi Tawau app is Grab Taxi. This taxi app is widely known across Malaysia and is typically quite reliable in the Sabah region. However, prices can be more inflated than official taxis. Surge pricing and low availability in the twilight hours can also make them less convenient.
Booking a Tawau Airport transfer from a trusted company like Welcome Pickups is a solid alternative. This gives you the peace of mind that your transport is booked and paid for in advance so you don’t have to worry about finding a Grab taxi.
Useful Tawau taxi numbers
Unlike other parts of the Sabah region, like Kota Kinabalu, Tawau doesn’t have many taxi services that you can call by phone. It’s more common to hail a cab on the street or use a Tawau taxi app. However, if you’re after a taxi Tawau number, try Maxim Taxi. This is an online taxi ordering service located in Tawau. If you find a taxi drier you like, you can also ask them for their number to call them again on demand.
Benefits of booking a Tawau taxi in advance
Though exploring Tawau is a wonderful new adventure, navigating transport can be a hassle. Not only is everything in a foreign language, but pricing is murky because of the local taxi drivers’ tendency to ignore the taximeter. That makes planning and budgeting for your holiday a lot more tricky. If you book your Tawai taxi in advance, you can save precious time and money.
If you’d like to secure a fixed fare and enjoy 5-star customer service with professional English-speaking drivers, we suggest booking your Tawau Airport transfer in advance with Welcome Pickups.
Tawau taxi tips
- Unless you’re confident in your negotiation skills, we recommend insisting that your Tawau taxi driver uses the taximeter. This is the best way to ensure you’re charged fairly.
- Tipping is not expected but always appreciated. The most common way to tip your driver in Tawau is to round up your fare to the nearest 10 or 5 ringgit.
- Taxis in Tawau do not provide baby seats or boosters as standard. However, you can bring your own.
- You should carry cash in the local currency to pay for your taxi fare as credit card machines are uncommon.
- Ensure that your driver resets the taximeter before your ride begins.
- Wheelchair accessible taxis are hard to find in Tawau. The best solution is to contact your hotel or travel agent for assistance arranging transport.
- Though English is widely spoken in Malaysia, miscommunications do happen. To avoid this, we recommend writing down the address of your destination to show your driver.
- There are no extra taxi charges for carrying luggage or departing Tawau Airport.
- You must pay in the local currency — Malaysian ringgit — unless you pre-book online and pay electronically.
Wheelchair-accessible taxis in Tawau
Wheelchair-accessible taxis are hard to find in Tawau. This is because the vast majority of Tawau taxis are standard four-seater sedans that are not equipped to carry wheelchairs. If you need an adapted vehicle to get around, we recommend speaking to your hotel or travel agent for recommendations.
Tawau taxi safety and complaints
Tawau taxis are generally considered safe, however, overcharging tourists is common. There are also many unlicensed taxi drivers on the road looking to scam you. The official taxis are governed by the LPKP Sabah Commercial Vehicles Licensing Board. However, the board has had some difficulty regulating service across the region. If you have an issue with your driver, you can contact them at +60 88 238 244. Make a note of the license plate number to help with your complaint.