Posts on social media revealed the Japanese tourists were overcharged for a taxi ride. — Photo cand.com.vn

HÀ NỘI — A taxi driver accused of overcharging a group of Japanese tourists visited their hotel and apologised, according to Hoàn Kiếm District Police.

On Friday afternoon, a post on Facebook page alleged that a group of Japanese tourists was charged VNĐ400,000 (US$17) instead of VNĐ42,000 ($1.7) for a taxi ride.

The taxi driver, whose name was given as L.Đ.H (24 years old, from Hưng Yên City, Hải Dương Province), is an employee of the Thanh Nhàn Taxi firm.

He admitted to police that on Wednesday afternoon, he picked up three Japanese tourists at Trần Quang Khải Street and took them to the Hòa Bình Hotel at No 27 Lý Thường Kiệt Street in downtown district of Hoàn Kiếm.

The price was supposed to be VNĐ42,000, and one of the tourists gave him VNĐ500,000 (US$21).

The driver gave VNĐ100,000 ($4.2) in change. When the driver was looking for more money to pay them back, the tourists exited the taxi. The driver was unable to call them back as he did not know the language to explain the situation, and instead drove away.

On Thursday evening, the driver returned to the hotel to apologise and paid back the remaining money.

The tourists accepted the driver's apology.

On Saturday, the driver went to Hoàn Kiếm District Police to report the case and promised to not repeat the action. — VNS