Select city
For the vast majority of users taxi in Ukraine, the car that arrives to fulfill a request looks—in the conventional sense—like this: a standard body, four wheels, a full range of features, and a comfortable interior. But what if we told you that this is far from the only type of taxi—a service so commonplace to you?
Today, there are many variations on this theme and a wide range of taxi types worldwide. However, the very first—and, for its time, quite unusual—type was the Hansom cab. Patented by British architect Joseph Hansom in 1843, it was the first legendary "safety cab." It was a two-wheeled carriage drawn by a horse. Of course, progress has surged far ahead since then, so we would like to introduce you to the top 10 most unusual taxis in the world.
Many surely remember the cult *Taxi* action-comedy film series; in one of the installments, the protagonist's car—a Peugeot 406—drove across the snow on tank-like tracks. Remarkably, a replica of this taxi actually exists; developed by a team of French engineers, it is fully capable of driving, albeit not quite as fast or nimbly as its cinematic predecessor. This one-of-a-kind replica is currently located in France.
Rugged and powerful—much like the men of Texas—this unique Hummer taxi operates in several Texan cities. It is essentially a limousine; however, setting aside passenger capacity, a ride in this giant costs significantly more than a standard taxi fare.
Like drivers elsewhere in the world, Swiss taxi drivers are increasingly opting for electric vehicles—and switching to them en masse—in the interest of environmental conservation. Switzerland leads the way in the use of electric taxis.
In Canada’s northernmost cities, rare Lamborghini taxis can be seen speeding through the streets. This type of service clearly falls into the luxury category, which significantly impacts the cost of the ride. Consequently, such a luxury is affordable only for wealthy citizens and government officials.
This type of taxi is gaining popularity by the day. While air taxis originated in the USA, they are now also available in Ukraine.
The concept behind this type of taxi is as follows: the passenger sits next to the driver in the passenger seat of a drift car, fastens their seatbelt, puts on a helmet, and goes for a ride ...the training track with the driver—naturally, while drifting. Currently in Ukraine, this type of taxi service is offered as a form of entertainment, though the concept holds promise, and the ride itself delivers an amazing emotional experience.
You have surely encountered these little "Beetles" at least once in your life; in Mexico, however, you would see them everywhere, as they are widely used as taxis known as "Vochos." Believe it or not, this type of taxi has been operating in Mexico for over half a century! The little Vocho might not impress you all that much on its own, but the friendly Mexican taxi drivers—with their exceptional sense of humor—will certainly make up for it.
This unique type of taxi is found in only a few cities worldwide; notably, it serves as a mode of transport in New York. What distinguishes the water taxi is that it does not follow a pre-set route—unlike many other watercraft—but rather a route determined by the passenger.
The world's most extravagant and unusual taxi can be found on the streets of Havana, Cuba: the bicycle-powered Coco-taxi. Designed to carry a driver and two passengers, the Coco is essentially a bicycle modified to include a passenger cabin. While it moves slowly and is considered the "dustiest" option due to its open design, it is a popular choice for tourists wishing to explore the city and take in the sights.
This type of taxi is a stroke of creative genius from Electronic Arts. This unconventional taxi appeared in London ahead of the *Battlefield 3* release; the company's creative team decided to mark the occasion by deploying tanks onto the streets to offer taxi services. Unsurprisingly, this piece of machinery was dubbed the "TANKSI." However, the move didn't quite impress the British public as expected, even though the rides were inexpensive enough for anyone to afford. It is also worth noting that visitors arriving at Heathrow Airport might encounter a taxi capable of driving them without a human driver.
