How do you get a taxi?

Japan

Raise a hand at any vacant taxi, or queue at a station rank. A red sign in the windscreen means it is free.

China

Through an app. Beijing's own guidance says waving at the kerb is so obsolete it barely works — DiDi, with an English interface, is how rides happen.

Thailand

Insist on the meter — switching it off for a fixed price is illegal, and 1584 is the government hotline for reporting it. Tuk-tuks have no meter, so that price is negotiated before you get in.

Vietnam

By brand, not by chance: the tourism board names the reputable metered firms — Mai Linh in green, Vinasun in white, Taxi Group in Hanoi — and the apps work if you have a local SIM.

South Korea

Apps do most of the work. Street hailing works, but a driver may pass on a destination they do not fancy.

Taiwan

Flag a yellow cab on the street — the meter does the rest. There is even an English-language hotline, 0800-055-850, that orders one for you.