Wondering if I need cash for taxis in Guatemala or if I can just pay with card or app like in other countries?
Taxis in Guatemala aren’t geared for card payments at all. Everything is handled with cash, and usually you have to negotiate or at least confirm the fare before riding. Quetzales are essential-foreign currencies aren’t widely accepted in taxis. In bigger cities, Uber helps if you want to pay with a card, but once you’re in smaller towns, cash is the only way. My advice: always keep enough quetzales and expect to use them for every taxi ride.
From my trip to Guatemala, I can say taxis stick to cash. You’ll need quetzales, and drivers usually ask for smaller notes. Uber works in some cities, and I used it to pay by card a couple of times, but once I left those places, it was back to cash every time. ATMs were around but sometimes had long lines, so I suggest withdrawing more in one go to cover all your rides. Don’t expect digital payments here.
During my stay in Guatemala, taxis were 100% cash-based. Drivers don’t use card readers, and none of the street taxis I took had that option. Uber was a good workaround when I wanted to pay by card, but outside Guatemala City, it wasn’t available. So quetzales are what you need, and I recommend carrying small denominations for smoother transactions. Cash is king for taxis here, and trying to pay by card will just cause delays or confusion.
In Guatemala, taxis are cash-only almost everywhere. I didn’t meet any driver with a card reader, and you always settle fares directly in quetzales. Apps like Uber are available in Guatemala City and Antigua, and those let you pay by card, but regular taxis outside of that don’t have the option. Cash in smaller bills is best since drivers often don’t carry change. If you’re traveling around, plan to always have quetzales in hand.