Taxis and apps in Spain.

Spain has four main ride apps: Uber, Cabify, Bolt and Free Now. Cabify is Spanish and usually has the biggest fleet and keenest prices in the major cities; Uber is strongest in Madrid and also runs in Valencia, Malaga, Seville, Bilbao and others, but is limited in Barcelona. Prices vary sharply between apps for the same trip, so it is worth having two or three installed and comparing before you book. All accept international Visa and Mastercard and are cashless.

In smaller towns and rural areas the apps thin out, and the local taxi, hailed, at a rank, or by phone, is the reliable option. Official taxis are clearly marked (in Madrid, white with a red diagonal stripe; in Barcelona, black and yellow) and run regulated meters, so they are safe and predictable even where an app is scarce.

Barcelona is genuinely different in 2026. Catalan rules have phased out most on-demand private-hire (VTC) rides: any remaining app ride must be booked well ahead rather than summoned on the spot, which ends the quick-car-across-town convenience you might expect. In practice, Uber and Bolt are not useful for a spontaneous trip in Barcelona, and where they operate they often just dispatch a licensed taxi anyway.

So in Barcelona, lean on the black-and-yellow taxis: hail one on the street, pick one up at a rank outside stations and hotels, or summon a licensed cab through the Free Now app. They are plentiful, metered at regulated rates, and free of surge pricing, which during rush hour or a festival is an advantage. The city's Metro is also excellent for getting around cheaply.

The airports work differently. Madrid Barajas has a fixed 33 euro taxi fare to any destination inside the M-30 ring road, regardless of time or traffic and with no luggage fee; take an official white taxi from the rank. If you use an app, Uber, Cabify and Bolt pick up from designated VTC zones at the airport, and their price varies with demand, so compare against the fixed 33 euros.

Barcelona El Prat has no fixed fare: the black-and-yellow taxi runs a meter, roughly 30 to 40 euros to the center for the 20 to 25 minute ride, plus an airport supplement of about 4.50 euros and a minimum airport fare around 20 euros. The Aerobus and the metro are cheaper if you are travelling light. For how cards and cash work, see cash or card in Spain.

Apps are cashless and bill the card on file. Street taxis take cash and usually card, though the card machine is not always as smooth as an app, so keep some euros handy for a taxi just in case. Official taxis must run the meter and give a receipt on request, so there is no need to agree a price in advance except where a fixed fare officially applies, as in Madrid from the airport.

Tipping is light: rounding up to the nearest euro, or leaving small change, is normal and plenty, with no expected percentage. For the wider money picture, see the Spain money guide.

Common questions

Quick answers.

More on Spain

The little money things nobody warns you about.

• Tipping in SpainSpain is a light-tipping country. Prices include tax, staff earn a wage, and nobody expects a US-style 15 to 20%. A modest propina for good service is welcome but never required. Here is what you actually owe.
• Bringing your dog or cat to Spain.Spain is a popular EU destination for US pet owners, and there is nothing Spain-specific to fear at the border. It runs on the single EU pet-entry process: microchip, rabies in the right order, and an EU health certificate on a 10-day clock. No quarantine, no rabies titer. Here is what that means for Spain, and the local parts worth knowing.
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