The advantages of getting around Madrid by taxi: a practical guide for your first trip

Getting around Madrid by taxi is simple: official taxis are white with a red stripe on the front doors, you can hail them in the street when their green light is on, you will find them at taxi ranks at stations, hospitals and central areas, and you can also order one by phone, app or booking. In the city the price is set by the meter at official fares; to or from the airport there is a fixed fare. They run 24 hours a day and you can pay by card.

If it is your first time in the city, or you have just moved here, this is what you need to know.

As well as the colour, a Madrid taxi displays its licence number and has a light on the roof. The green light means it is free. Inside there should be a meter in plain view. Be wary of any car that does not look like this and offers to take you, especially outside stations and the airport. If you want to know where the colours come from, we tell you in the colour of taxis in Madrid.

You will find more detail on each option in how to order a taxi.

Within the city, the amount is calculated by the meter according to the official fares approved by the City Council, which vary by day and time band and may include supplements. The figures change over time, so we do not reproduce them here; the system is explained in how taxi fares are calculated in Madrid.

Between Barajas Airport and the city the logic is different: there is a fixed price. With our service, to or from anywhere inside the M-30 it is €33, and the other zones have their amount published on the fares page. For the first journey of your stay, it is worth reading how taxis from the airport into Madrid work beforehand.

You can pay in cash or by card, and always ask for a receipt, which is useful if you need to justify the expense.

• Tipping: it is not compulsory. Rounding up the amount is common if you liked the service, but nobody expects it.
• Seat belt: in the back seats too. We explain it in whether you must wear a seat belt in a taxi.
• Luggage: say if you have large suitcases; a standard taxi takes the bags of four travellers with normal luggage.
• Route: you can state the route you prefer; if you say nothing, the driver will choose the one they consider most suitable.

The Madrid metro is extensive and efficient in the centre, but there are journeys where a taxi makes all the difference: between neighbourhoods in different areas with no direct line, to railway stations with luggage (for example, to catch an AVE high-speed train at Atocha), at night when the metro is closed, and to or from the airport. In the centre, on the other hand, many streets are pedestrianised and walking is usually quickest for short distances; we tell you how to get around that area in the best way to get around the centre.