Taxi

Taking a random taxi on the street might be dangerous, but there are some general precautions that will minimize the risk:

●      Taxis have special license plates. The registration number starts with "A" for free-roaming taxis, and with "B" for base taxis (registered taxis based on a certain spot, called "sitios"). Base taxis are safer. These plates are white and have small green and red squares at the bottom corners.
●      The taxi license should be displayed inside the taxi; usually it is mounted somewhere above the windshield. Check that the photo of the driver on the license is of the actual driver. Make a point of looking at it.
●      Look for the meter. Without it, they will be more likely to rip you off. All taxis in Mexico city have meters.
●      If you are nervous, take sitio taxis only. These may be a bit more expensive, but they are well worth the expense.
●      If you are safety-conscious or require additional comfort, consider radio taxis, which can be called by phone, and are extremely reliable and safe, although a bit pricier than other taxis. Most restaurants, hotels, etc. have the number for radio taxis. Radio taxis will usually give you the price for the trip on the phone when you order them. Radio taxis charge more than regular taxis, but are available all night. Hotel taxis will be significantly more expensive than site or radio taxis.

Mexico City is so large, and many street names are so common that cab drivers are highly unlikely to know where to go when you give only a name or address of your destination.
Out of the city’s eighty-five thousand streets, there are about eight hundred fifty called Juárez, seven hundred fifty named Hidalgo, and seven hundred known as Morelos. Two hundred are called 16 de Septiembre, while a hundred more are called 16 de Septiembre Avenue, Alley, Mews, or Extension. So, always include either the name of the neighborhood (colonia) or the district, as well as any nearby landmarks or cross streets. You will probably be asked to give directions throughout or at least near the tail end of the journey; if either your Spanish or your sense of direction is poor, carry a map and be prepared to point.