Taxi by app: what to check before you ride
How ordering a taxi through an app works, what passengers must be told, how to match the car and driver, and how to check that a taxi is legal.
Practical feature · checked 5 October 2026 · 5 min read
Published 5 October 2026
In Russia's large and medium-sized cities, people increasingly call a taxi through an app rather than by phone: you enter where you are going from and to, choose a car class and a payment method, and the service finds a car nearby. The convenience is obvious, but behind a few taps on the screen lies a whole system of rules: who may carry passengers, what the car must look like and what passengers must be told before they even get in.
Since 1 September 2023 this area has been governed by Federal Law No. 580-FZ on organising the carriage of passengers and luggage by taxi in the Russian Federation. It sets the general framework, while many details, such as permits, registers and some vehicle requirements, are handled at regional level, and the law contains special provisions for Moscow, St Petersburg and Sevastopol. Practice can therefore differ from city to city. Below is what is worth knowing and checking before a ride.
How an order works
A taxi app usually acts as a taxi ordering service: it takes the request and passes it to a carrier that holds a permit to transport passengers. The law separates these roles: carriers, their cars and ordering services are entered in regional registers. The carrier keeps an order log recording the order number, times, addresses and details of the car and driver, and must keep these records for at least six months.
For the passenger this means something simple: every trip has a number and clear terms before the car even arrives. Under the law, passengers are told the number of the accepted order, the fare for the trip and the reasons it might change, as well as the expected arrival time. People with hearing or visual impairments are entitled, on request, to receive this information in an accessible format, as a text or audio message.
Match the car and the driver
When the car arrives, the passenger must be told where it is waiting, its make, model, body colour and registration number, and the driver's full name. Before you open the door, compare the plate and model with what the app shows: a matching registration number is the most reliable sign that this is really your car. If something does not match, it is better not to get in and to contact the service's support team instead.
From the outside, a legal taxi can be recognised by its colour scheme, a pattern of contrasting squares on the body, and by an orange identification light on the roof. Inside, clearly displayed, there should be the carrier's name and phone number, its regional register entry number, the car's registration number, the driver's name and information on current fares. By law, a taxi driver must have held a category B licence for at least three years.
Price and payment
One of the main advantages of an app is that the cost of the trip is usually visible before you confirm the order, and the law specifically requires passengers to be told the fare and the reasons it might change. Before tapping the order button, check whether the amount shown is final or approximate, and what might affect it, such as stops along the way, waiting time or a change of route. Each service sets out these conditions in its own terms.
The payment method is usually chosen in the app in advance: it may be a bank card linked to your account or cash paid to the driver, and the options depend on the service and the city. If you plan to pay in cash, it is best to mention this to the driver before the trip starts. Afterwards, do not delete your order history: it keeps the route, the amount and the car details, which helps if you need to contact support or track down something you left behind.
Safety and checking a taxi
Since January 2026, according to Russia's Ministry of Digital Development, it has been possible to check whether a taxi meets legal requirements on the Gosuslugi public services portal. In the portal's mobile app you either scan the QR code inside the car with the Goskan feature or type in the car's registration number and region. The service shows data from the Ministry of Transport's information system: whether the carrier holds a permit and whether the car is listed in the taxi register.
If you are travelling with a child, say so when ordering: the carrier is required to provide a certified child restraint suited to the weight and height you have given. Wear your seat belt on the way, and if the app lets you share your route with family or friends, it is worth using, especially late in the evening. App features and local rules change and vary from city to city, so check the details in the app itself.
Sources & context
- ConsultantPlus — Federal Law No. 580-FZ, Article 9: requirements for taxi vehicles
- ConsultantPlus — Federal Law No. 580-FZ, Article 11: requirements for taxi carriers
- ConsultantPlus — Federal Law No. 580-FZ, Article 12: requirements for taxi drivers
- ConsultantPlus — Federal Law No. 580-FZ, Article 36: entry into force
- Autonews.ru — Gosuslugi launches a legality check for taxis
A russia.direct editorial selection based on open sources. Checked 5 October 2026. Practical suggestions are a decision guide, not a promise of outcomes.
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