Staying safe with luggage and documents in your first week

Key rules

• Taxis: Use only the official rank outside arrivals and refuse rides offered inside the terminal.
• Madrid airport fare: Barajas to anywhere inside the M-30 is a fixed 33 euros.
• Originals: Carry your original passport or TIE, not just a photocopy.
• App rides: Book VTC cars in the app and meet them at the airport's designated pickup zone.

Where the risk is

Most problems in your first week happen in a few places: airports, big train stations and taxis. Police warn about the same things at Madrid-Barajas, Barcelona-El Prat, Málaga and other hubs, and at stations such as Madrid Atocha, Chamartín and Barcelona Sants:

• Thieves target tired, jetlagged passengers with luggage on airport trains, metro and buses.
• Someone distracts you at a ticket machine while a partner takes your bag or card.
• Fake "helpers" offer to work the machine for you.
• Unlicensed "pirate" taxis tout inside arrivals and charge inflated, unregulated prices.

Licensed transport and smart document carrying remove most of this risk.

Getting a taxi safely

Use only the official taxi rank outside the arrivals hall. If someone approaches you inside the terminal and offers a ride, say no and keep walking.

Before you get in, check three things: a meter, a visible licence number and the municipal licence plate. Local colours help. In Madrid, taxis are white with a diagonal red stripe on the front doors. In Barcelona, they are black and yellow with a green light when free.

Madrid. From Barajas to anywhere inside the M-30 ring road, the fare is a fixed 33 euros. Ask for it before you set off.

Barcelona. There is no single fixed airport fare. The meter runs with an airport supplement, and a trip to the centre typically costs roughly 35 to 40 euros.

Fares are set locally and updated from time to time.

Using Uber, Cabify or Bolt

These cars are called VTC. You must book them in the app. They cannot pick up passengers who hail them on the street. Look for the VTC sticker on the car. Most airports have separate pickup zones, often in car parks, and they differ by terminal. Check the pickup point in the app or on the airport operator's website before you go to find the car.

Carrying luggage and documents

On airport trains, metro and buses, keep bags in front of you or between your feet. Thieves watch for tired people who put a bag down or doze off. At ticket machines, ignore anyone offering help and keep your hands on your card and bags.

Carry your original passport or, if you are a resident, your residence card (TIE). Police can ask foreigners to prove identity and legal stay. A photocopy is not formally equal to the original. Some officers accept a certified copy, or a photo of the passport with proof of entry for tourists, but do not rely on that. If you cannot show documents, police can take you to a station to check who you are.

Keep any copies and spare cash in a separate bag from the originals, so one theft does not take everything. The documents list and checklist below cover the details.

EU citizens may show a national ID card or passport.

Documents you need

• Your passport: carry the original, as foreigners must be able to prove identity and legal stay when police ask. EU citizens may show a national ID card or passport instead.

• Your residence card (TIE), if you are a resident: carry it with you rather than a photocopy.

• A certified copy of your passport, or a photo of it with proof of entry, as a backup if you are a tourist. Police often accept this, but it is not formally equal to the original.

Checklist

• Walk to the official taxi rank outside the arrivals hall and ignore anyone who offers a ride inside the terminal.

• Look for the local taxi colours: white with a diagonal red stripe in Madrid, or black and yellow with a green light when free in Barcelona.

• Pre-book any Uber, Cabify or Bolt ride in the app and check the VTC sticker on the car and the pickup zone for your terminal.

• Keep your bags in front of you or between your feet on airport trains, metro and buses, as thieves target tired passengers.

• Ignore helpers at ticket machines and keep your hands on your card and bags while you buy a ticket.

• Carry your original passport or residence card (TIE) and keep any copies in a separate bag.

Frequently asked questions

How much should a taxi from Madrid airport to the city centre cost?

A taxi from Madrid-Barajas to anywhere inside the M-30 ring road has a fixed fare of 33 euros. If a driver quotes more for a trip inside that ring road, say you want the fixed fare or take another taxi from the rank.

How much does a taxi from Barcelona airport to the centre cost?

A typical taxi trip from Barcelona-El Prat to the centre costs roughly 35 to 40 euros. There is no single fixed fare: the meter runs and an airport supplement is added.

Can I use Uber or Cabify when I land at the airport?

Yes, you can use Uber, Cabify or Bolt, but you must pre-book through the app and meet the car at the airport's designated pickup zone. These zones are often in car parks and differ by terminal. Check the pickup point in the app before you walk out.

What happens if I cannot show my passport or residence card to the police?

If you cannot show a valid document, police can take you to a station to verify your identity.