What a tele taxi is: why it is so convenient, the taxi services in Madrid you can request and when to order one

A tele taxi is a taxi you order remotely, by phone, message or online, from a dispatch centre or taxi service, instead of looking for one in the street or at a rank. The dispatch centre receives your request, finds a free taxi nearby or schedules one for the time you give, and sends it to your door. It is so convenient because you do not have to go out looking for one, you can book it in advance and ask for what you need: a large vehicle, a child seat or a specific pickup time to go to the airport.

The term became popular when the phone was the only way to get a taxi without hailing one in the street. Today the concept is the same, although the channels have multiplied. In this article we explain how it works, what services you can request, in which situations it pays off and what details to give so that everything goes smoothly.

Behind that simplicity there is technology: terminals with screens and GPS tracking let the dispatch centre know which taxis are free and where they are, so it can send the most suitable one. In the past, the address was called out to taxi drivers over the radio, which is why people also talk about “radio taxi”.

• You do not wait on the pavement in the cold, the rain or with suitcases, and you do not depend on a free one passing by.
• It picks you up at the door of your home, hotel or office, even if you are on a street where few taxis pass.
• You can book in advance for an early-morning flight or an important appointment.
• You can ask for a specific vehicle: with more seats, with a child seat or with room for lots of luggage.
• You know the price beforehand on journeys with a flat rate or a fixed price, such as those to the airport.

We explain why it is better to order one rather than hail it in the street in do not hail it in the street, call the dispatch centre.

Ordering a taxi remotely has another advantage: you can say exactly what you need. These are the taxi services available in Madrid and how to request them:

Groups and lots of luggage

A standard taxi carries up to four passengers. If there are more of you, or you are travelling with large suitcases, sports equipment or pushchairs, a larger vehicle is best: our 7-seater airport taxi is recommended from five passengers upwards and saves you having to split the group between two cars.

People with reduced mobility

Adapted taxis, with a ramp or lift, let you travel without leaving your wheelchair. There are fewer of them than standard taxis, so you need to request one specifically and with as much notice as possible. We explain how they work in adapted taxis for people with disabilities.

Small children and pets

We can provide a child seat on request: give the child's age when you book and we will confirm availability. Travelling with animals in a taxi is possible under the conditions set by the regulations and accepted by each driver, with exceptions such as assistance dogs; if you are travelling with your pet, always say so when ordering the taxi.

Businesses

Businesses use taxis for executives' journeys, client visits or team transfers to the airport. What they value most is booking in advance, knowing the price and having a receipt for each journey. We explain it in the airport taxi service for businesses.

There are moments in everyday life when a taxi ordered by phone is the best solution. The general rule is simple: if you know in advance that you are going to need it, book it ahead; if it comes up on the spur of the moment, call, because with little notice the phone is the quickest option.

When you are short of time

The classic: you oversleep or miscalculate and your flight leaves in little more than two hours. Do not waste minutes looking for a taxi in the street: call, say you are going to the airport and which terminal, and have your suitcase ready by the door. We have a guide with all the steps in urgent taxi to the airport.

When you know you are going to need it

Most tight spots can be avoided by booking. A seven o'clock flight in the morning, a medical appointment or the return from a trip with children can all be sorted days in advance, with a set time and a known price. You can book days in advance or for the same day.

When the night goes on

If you have been drinking, there is no debate: the car stays parked. Ordering a taxi from the venue itself saves you waiting in the street in the early hours and gets you home with no risk to yourself or others.

A few details clearly given avoid waiting and confusion:

• Full address, with the number, entrance and a landmark if the street is long or there are several entrances.
• Destination: if it is the airport, the terminal; if you do not know it, the flight number.
• Pickup time, with enough margin if you are going to the airport: it is recommended to be there two hours ahead for European flights and three for international ones.
• Number of passengers and luggage, so they send you the right vehicle.
• Special requests, such as a child seat (with the child's age), an adapted taxi or the fact that you are travelling with a pet.
• A contact phone number, so the driver can let you know when they arrive.

Phone, online or WhatsApp

Each channel has its moment. The phone (911 76 00 81) is quickest when time is short: with less than two hours to go, it is better to call. The online booking tool is convenient when you are planning ahead, because it shows you the price instantly. And WhatsApp is ideal if you prefer to write or you are somewhere noisy.

The return from the airport

A tele taxi also sorts out the return. When you land, you do not have to queue at the rank: with the flight number you gave when booking, we check the terminal and confirm the meeting point, and if the flight time changes you just let us know by phone or WhatsApp. That is how our pickup at Barajas Airport works, especially useful if you arrive in the early hours, with children or with lots of luggage.

If you live, work or are staying in the centre, our tele taxi in central Madrid picks you up at your door and takes you to Barajas at the flat rate for inside the M-30, €33, to any terminal and at any time. For the rest of the Madrid region, each area has a fixed price, the same in both directions, which you can check in the fares by area. Booking is free, and you can pay online by card when you book or to the driver by card or in cash.