Why it is better to book a fixed-price taxi in Madrid

Booking a taxi in Madrid at a fixed price is better because you know exactly what you are going to pay before you set off: the amount does not change because of a traffic jam, the route the driver takes or the time of day. In the street, on the other hand, the official flat rate only covers the journey between the airport and the area inside the M-30; for all other destinations, the taxi charges by the meter. We apply a fixed fare by area to the whole of Madrid and the towns of the Madrid region, the same in both directions.

They are three ways of charging for the same journey, and it is worth telling them apart:

• Meter. This is the usual system in taxis: the amount is calculated during the journey according to distance, time and the official fares in force. If there is traffic or the route gets longer, the price goes up. We explain it in how the price of a taxi in Madrid is calculated.
• Official flat rate. Madrid City Council sets a single price for taxi journeys between the airport and the area inside the M-30: €33. You will find all the details in what you need to know about the 33-euro fare.
• Fixed price when booking. This is the price you know and accept before the journey. With us, each area of Madrid and the Madrid region has its own fixed fare, which is what you pay at the end.

The beauty of a fixed price is that it removes the variables that make a journey to the airport more expensive:

• Traffic. If there are queues on the way to Barajas, you pay the same.
• The route. It does not matter whether the driver chooses one access road or another to avoid a jam.
• The time. You pay the same in the early hours, at rush hour or on a bank holiday.
• The direction of travel. The fare is the same in both directions.

If five or more of you are travelling in a 7-seater vehicle, the booking tool shows you the price for your number of passengers before you confirm, so you know that in advance too.

If you live outside the M-30

This is where it makes the biggest difference. From an outlying neighbourhood or a town in the Madrid region, a taxi hailed in the street charges by the meter, and the final amount depends on traffic. With the fixed fare for your area, you know it from the outset.

If you travel for work

A known amount makes it easier to budget for the trip and justify the expense. There is no need to explain why one journey cost more than the last.

If you do not know Madrid

For a tourist, knowing the price from the hotel to the terminal gives peace of mind in a new city. If you are wondering how taxis differ from VTC (private-hire vehicles booked through an app), we explain it in the differences between taxis and VTC.

There are three ways: enter the journey in the booking tool, which shows the amount instantly; check the list of airport fares by area; or ask us by phone or WhatsApp. If you are leaving from the centre, the amount is on the page for the Inside the M-30 fare. Once you have it, make your taxi booking and pay online by card or to the driver.

Price is not the only reason: you also secure the pickup time, you can ask for a large vehicle or a child seat and, on the way back, someone is waiting for you at the terminal. We go through it all in the advantages of booking a taxi in advance.