Taxi passenger rights: what you can expect as a customer

Taxi passenger rights boil down to receiving a proper public service: choosing the route (or having the driver take the most suitable one), paying only the applicable fare and getting a receipt, being able to pay by card, bringing your luggage as long as it fits in the vehicle, travelling with your assistance dog, being treated respectfully and without discrimination and complaining if any of this is not respected. In Madrid, these rules are set by the City Council's Taxi By-law (Ordenanza del Taxi); for any specific detail, that is the reference.

You can tell the driver which way you want to go. If you say nothing, they must follow the most suitable route, which is usually the shortest or the quickest depending on traffic. We explain it with examples in did you know you can choose the route?.

You are entitled to pay what the official fare shows or the fixed price agreed when booking, with no made-up amounts. At the end, you can ask for a receipt with the details of the journey: it is your proof of payment and the basis for any complaint. If you are travelling for work, always ask for one.

With us the fare is fixed by area and you see it before confirming: for example, from inside the M-30 to the airport it is €33. The other areas are on our fares page.

In Madrid taxis you can pay by card; municipal regulations require the vehicle to accept that payment method. We go into the details in compulsory card payments in taxis. When you book with us you can also pay online or pay the driver by card or in cash.

• Luggage: the taxi must carry your suitcases as long as they fit in the boot or luggage rack and do not damage the vehicle. More information in luggage in taxis.
• Guide and assistance dogs: they must be accepted. Other pets are at the driver's discretion.
• Help: if you have reduced mobility or are carrying a lot, it is reasonable to ask for help loading and unloading your luggage.

You can expect polite treatment without discrimination, a clean vehicle and safe driving. It is also reasonable to ask for the air conditioning to be adjusted, the radio to be turned down or for nobody to smoke (smoking in taxis is forbidden for everyone). What is expected of you too is summed up in what a taxi driver can and cannot do with customers.

If you consider that any of these rights has been breached:

1. Note down the taxi's licence number and registration, the date, the time and the journey.
2. Ask for the receipt.
3. Submit your complaint to Madrid City Council, which is responsible for the taxi service in the city, or through the consumer channels.

Booking in advance is the best way to avoid misunderstandings: when you book your airport taxi you state passengers, suitcases and special requirements, and you know the price before you set off.