What can and cannot a taxi driver do with passengers?

A taxi driver can refuse a journey when there is a justified reason (for example, a drunk passenger or more people than permitted), ask that the vehicle be respected and choose the most suitable route if the customer does not specify another. What they cannot do is discriminate against a passenger, lengthen the journey without their agreement, refuse to give a receipt, turn away an assistance dog or smoke in the vehicle. In short, these are the rules of a regulated public service: in Madrid they are set by the City Council's Taxi Bylaw (Ordenanza del Taxi), which is worth consulting for any specific detail.

We set it out in order: what a taxi driver can do, what they are barred from doing and what is expected of you as a passenger.

Refuse a journey for a justified reason

Taxis are obliged to provide the service, but the regulations recognise situations in which the driver can refuse: if more people than authorised want to get in, if a passenger is clearly drunk or under the influence of drugs, if the luggage does not fit or could damage the vehicle, or if there is a safety risk. We cover this in why a taxi driver can refuse to take you.

Choose the route if you do not specify another

If the passenger says nothing, the driver chooses the route, which must be the most suitable one (normally the shortest or the quickest depending on traffic). If you prefer another, you can say so: we explain how in you can choose your taxi route.

Decide on pets that are not assistance animals

With guide dogs and other assistance dogs there is no choice: they must be allowed in. With other pets, whether to accept them is usually up to the driver.

Demand respect and care for the vehicle

The taxi is their workplace. The driver can ask passengers not to eat, not to make the vehicle dirty or to tone down behaviour that puts the driving at risk, and can refuse to carry on in the face of aggressive conduct. We look at this in detail in taxi drivers' rights.

• Discriminate against a customer because of their origin, sex, age, orientation, disability or any other personal circumstance.
• Refuse a journey without a justified reason, including turning down a trip because it is short.
• Lengthen the route to charge more, or change the route the customer asked for without warning and without their agreement.
• Charge unauthorised amounts or amounts that differ from the applicable fare.
• Refuse to hand over a receipt when the passenger asks for one.
• Turn away an assistance dog accompanying its user.
• Smoke in the vehicle: anti-smoking laws ban smoking on public transport, taxis included. Passengers cannot smoke either.
• Drive recklessly or under the influence of alcohol or drugs, obviously.

The rules work both ways. For the service to work, the customer is also asked to:

• Show respect to the driver and other users, in manner and language.
• Look after the vehicle: do not damage the upholstery, do not eat if you are asked not to, do not make a mess.
• Not smoke or consume alcohol or drugs inside the taxi.
• Wear your seat belt for the whole journey.
• Give your destination clearly and, if you want a particular route, say so when you get in.
• Pay for the service according to the applicable fare or the price agreed when booking.

Everything you are entitled to is gathered in taxi passengers' rights.

If you think a driver has acted wrongly (overcharged you, refused the journey for no reason or treated you in a discriminatory way), act calmly and with the facts:

1. Note down the licence and number plate, the date, the time and the route.
2. Ask for the receipt: it is proof of the service and the amount.
3. File a complaint with Madrid City Council, which regulates and supervises taxis in the city.

Booking your taxi in advance greatly reduces these situations: you know which vehicle is picking you up, at what time and for how much. With us, booking a taxi to the airport comes with a fixed fare by area, which you can check on the fares page (from inside the M-30 it is €33), so the price does not depend on the route or the traffic. And if you have more questions about how we work, see the service FAQs.