Taxis, Uber, Cabify and Bolt in Spain

Key rules

• Pre-booking: VTC cars such as Uber, Cabify and Bolt must be pre-booked, so you cannot hail them on the street.
• Local rules: Taxi and VTC rules differ by region and city and change often.
• Taxi fares: Your city or region sets taxi fares, and night and weekend rates are higher.
• Small places: Outside big cities, rely on taxis because ride apps are patchy.

Taxi or app: the short answer

Both work in the big cities. Taxis are the safe default everywhere, including small towns and islands. Ride apps are convenient in large cities, but the rules differ by region and city, so what you can use depends on where you are.

How the two are regulated

Taxis are regulated mainly by regions and town halls. They hail on the street, wait at ranks and take app bookings. Their fares are set by the authorities.

VTC (private hire with a driver) covers Uber, Cabify and Bolt. These cars need a state-issued licence and must be pre-booked. You cannot hail them on the street. Regions and cities may add their own rules for urban trips. The national ratio is one VTC licence for every 30 taxi licences. Courts have reviewed that ratio, so the rules keep changing.

Catalonia and the Barcelona area add their own rules, including a minimum wait between booking and pick-up for VTC. Madrid is lighter on VTC and has a large VTC fleet.

How taxi fares work

The town hall or regional government sets taxi fares, and the tariffs change yearly. A typical fare has:

• a minimum fare or starting charge;
• a per-kilometre rate that depends on the time and day: the basic day tariff applies on weekdays, and a higher one applies at night and at weekends;
• supplements for the airport, stations, luggage and special events.

Madrid has a fixed fare of 33 euros between Barajas airport and the area inside the M-30 ring road. Other cities, such as Barcelona, Valencia and Málaga, use the meter plus an airport supplement, not a fixed fare. Ask the driver to start the meter, and check the current tariff with the city's taxi information.

VTC apps show a price before you book. Compare it with the taxi tariff, especially at busy times.

Where each option works

• Large cities: Uber, Cabify and Bolt operate in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, Málaga and other big cities. Cabify is a Spanish company.
• Barcelona: local rules limit VTC, but Uber and Cabify still work.
• Taxi apps: Free Now books taxis in many cities. In Madrid, PideTaxi is another taxi app.
• Smaller cities and islands: ride apps are patchy. Open the app before you rely on it, and be ready to call a local taxi or use a rank.

What to do

1. Install one VTC app and one taxi app before you arrive.
2. At the airport, use the taxi rank. In Madrid, expect the fixed fare mentioned above.
3. Away from big cities, plan on taxis and save a local taxi number.

The questions below cover airport fares, Barcelona, smaller cities and night rates.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a fixed taxi fare from Madrid airport?

Yes, Madrid has a fixed taxi fare of 33 euros between Barajas airport and the area inside the M-30 ring road. Trips to places outside that area are not covered by it.

Can I still use Uber or Cabify in Barcelona?

Yes, Uber and Cabify still work in Barcelona, but local rules limit how VTC (private hire with driver) operates there. Barcelona applies a limit of one VTC licence for every 30 taxi licences, and Catalonia adds a minimum wait when you pre-book. Expect longer waits than in Madrid, and try a taxi app if no car shows up.

Will ride apps work in smaller cities and on the islands?

Not reliably, because coverage in smaller cities and on the islands is patchy. Uber, Cabify and Bolt cover the large cities such as Madrid, Seville and Valencia. Open the app before you travel to see if cars are available, or ask a local taxi rank or radio-taxi service.

Do taxis cost more at night and at weekends?

Yes, taxis charge a higher per-kilometre rate at night and at weekends than on weekday days. Supplements also apply for the airport, stations, luggage and special events. Your region or city council sets the tariffs, and they change yearly.