Why is the taxi service in Madrid so effective? Taxi or public transport, case by case

The taxi is so effective in Madrid because it covers what public transport cannot: it runs 24 hours a day, takes you door to door, handles luggage with no trouble and reaches poorly connected areas or runs at times when there is no service. It does not compete with the metro or the bus; it complements them. The choice between a taxi or public transport depends on four factors: the time, your luggage, the destination and how much time you have.

Madrid has a very comprehensive network of metro, buses and Cercanías (commuter rail), and for many day-to-day journeys it is the best option. But there are situations in which a taxi is the most practical answer, and knowing them saves you time and hassle.

Available at any time

The metro and most buses shut down at night, and the first services in the morning do not always fit in with an early flight or a work shift. Taxis run 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We tell you how to make the most of them at night in night-time and peace of mind.

Door to door

No walking to the station, no changes and no waiting on the platform in the cold or rain. For older people, families with children or anyone with reduced mobility, this difference changes everything.

Luggage is not a problem

Carrying two large suitcases up the metro stairs or squeezing into a packed carriage is uncomfortable for you and for everyone else. In a taxi, the luggage goes in the boot, and if there are several of you with lots of suitcases you can book a seven-seater taxi.

It goes where the network does not

Housing estates, industrial estates, hospitals or towns with few direct connections to the airport are just one journey away by taxi. That is why so many travellers from the Madrid region choose it to get to Barajas.

Often the most efficient way to get around is to combine the two. You arrive on the AVE at Atocha and do the last stretch by taxi; you go into the centre by metro and come back by taxi in the early hours; or you use public transport every day and book a taxi for the airport. We have specific guides, such as how to combine the AVE and a taxi from Atocha, and if you prefer the metro, the guide to getting around Madrid by metro.

Public transport is cheaper per person, but the difference shrinks when there are several of you or when the taxi has a fixed price. From inside the M-30, a taxi to Barajas costs €33 at the flat rate; from other areas, check your price in our fares and compare it with the cost of tickets for the whole group. If it suits you, you can book your airport taxi in three steps.

We explain what gives the capital's taxi service such a good reputation in the quality of taxis in Madrid.