Getting around the centre the best way: taxis in Madrid Central and pedestrian streets

Taxis can drive through the centre of Madrid, inside the Distrito Centro low-emission zone that replaced Madrid Central, to pick up and drop off passengers. What is restricted is access for private cars belonging to non-residents, which depends on their environmental label and on whether they are going to a public car park. On top of that, many streets in the centre are pedestrianised, so although a taxi can enter the zone, it cannot always reach your door: it is worth knowing where to meet.

It is the area of the historic centre where the City Council restricts traffic to reduce congestion and pollution. Broadly speaking, residents' vehicles and other authorised vehicles can enter freely, while other cars are restricted according to their environmental label and destination. Taxis, as a public service, are among the vehicles that can drive through it.

The specific conditions have been changed several times since Madrid Central was introduced, so before entering in a private car it is worth checking the City Council's current rules. A mistake costs you a fine that arrives weeks later, from the access camera.

If you are thinking of driving and looking for a space, first check what parking in central Madrid involves: regulated spaces, maximum stay and prices according to the label.

The area around the Puerta del Sol, Preciados, Carmen, Arenal, the shopping stretch of Fuencarral and part of the Barrio de las Letras are fully or partly pedestrianised. There, neither a taxi nor any other car can pick you up at the door. The solution is to meet in the nearest street with traffic:

• Gran Vía, for the Callao and Preciados area and the north of Sol.
• Calle de Alcalá or Calle Mayor, for the area around Sol and the Plaza Mayor.
• Calle de Atocha, for the Barrio de las Letras and Antón Martín.

When you request the taxi, give the exact corner and not just the name of the pedestrian street: it will save you waiting and phone calls.

Each neighbourhood has its own way of getting around. In Malasaña and Chueca the streets are narrow and very lively at night, so it is best to meet on their main streets; you will find pickup information in taxi in Malasaña and taxi in Chueca. In La Latina, the Sunday Rastro flea market changes the traffic in the area; see the taxi in La Latina page. And if you are staying anywhere in the centre and heading to the airport, you will find everything in taxi in central Madrid.

It is one of the most common journeys and one of the simplest: from any address inside the M-30, including the whole of the Distrito Centro, our fixed price is €33, to any terminal and at any time. If your hotel is on a pedestrian street, give the nearest accessible corner when you book. To get around the rest of the city, have a look at our guide to getting around Madrid by taxi, and if you are interested in how the fleet has changed with these rules, read about electric taxis.