Can I use a card to pay for taxis in Yemen, or should I carry local cash?
Chatting with locals in Taiz, it was clear card payments aren’t practical for taxis. Most drivers expect cash directly, and even if they had card machines, connectivity issues would likely cause problems. I made sure to stock up on Yemeni rials from Al-Ahli Bank before taxi rides, especially when traveling to markets or hospitals. Having cash on hand saved me a lot of trouble.
For anyone heading to Yemen, cash is definitely the way to go for taxis. I stayed near the Old City in Sana’a, and taxis wouldn’t even entertain card payments. With the ongoing situation affecting infrastructure, electronic payments just aren’t common. I usually withdrew cash from Bank al-Yaman ATMs and had enough Yemeni rials in smaller denominations for smoother transactions.
I found that relying on card payments for taxis in Yemen was mostly a lost cause. Even in cities like Aden, most taxi drivers didn’t have any card machines. Cash is king, so I kept small bills on me to make payment and tipping easier. Taxi fares are quite affordable, but it’s best to get local currency at banks like the Yemen Bank for Reconstruction and Development before catching a ride.
Traveling around Sana’a, I quickly learned that taxis mostly expect cash payments in Yemeni rials. Card acceptance is nearly nonexistent except maybe for airport transfers or some hotel shuttles. I usually carried about YER 5,000 in small notes for short rides, especially around Bab al-Yemen and Al-Sabeen areas. ATMs, like those at the Yemen Commercial Bank, work reasonably well for withdrawals, so plan ahead and keep enough cash for taxis.