The advantages of a fixed taxi fare from the airport to central Madrid compared with the meter

A fixed taxi fare has one advantage that sums it all up: you know the exact price before you get in, and it does not change even if there is a jam on the motorway, it is the early hours or a bank holiday, you are carrying suitcases or the driver takes a detour because of roadworks. With a meter, on the other hand, the amount depends on the route and the time (this is how a taxi meter works), and you do not know it until you arrive. On journeys between Barajas Airport and central Madrid, our fixed price is €33 to or from any address inside the M-30.

No more uncertainty about traffic

The approach to Barajas can get jammed at rush hour or because of an accident. With a meter, every minute stuck adds up; with a fixed fare, the risk is borne by the service and not the traveller. It is especially valuable when you are short of time: you have enough stress with the flight already.

Protection for anyone who does not know the city

A visitor who has just landed does not know whether the route the car is taking is the shortest. A fixed fare removes any suspicion of detours and any argument on arrival at the hotel. For the same reason it is best to avoid anyone offering transport inside the terminal without identification; we explain why in unlicensed taxi drivers at Barajas.

You can pay in advance

As the price is known beforehand, you can pay it online by card when booking and reach your destination without reaching for your wallet. You can also pay the driver, by card or in cash.

It makes splitting the cost easy

With a fixed amount per car, dividing it between several travellers or claiming it as a business expense is straightforward.

A fixed fare is an average price: it almost always pays off on long journeys or in traffic, but on a short, clear run the meter could come in lower. That is why our fares are not a single figure for all of Madrid, but are calculated by zone: neighbourhoods and towns have their own amount depending on their position relative to the airport. You can see them all in the fares by zone and understand how they are organised in the guide to understanding airport fares.

The M-30 is the ring road that encircles central Madrid. Inside it are the historic centre and the capital's most central neighbourhoods, but on streets close to the ring road it is worth checking the exact address. The most reliable way is to type the address into the booking form, which places it in its zone. You will find the details of this fare on the Inside M-30 fare page and its history in what you need to know about the 33-euro fare.

One note: taxis taken from the airport rank apply Madrid City Council's official fares, which also include a fixed price to anywhere inside the M-30. Their amounts are set by the municipal regulations in force and may change; if you book with us, the price you see when booking is the price you pay.