Do not wait for a free taxi to pass: how to find a taxi in Madrid when none comes by

If no free taxi comes by, the most effective way to find a taxi in Madrid is to stop waiting on the pavement and request one: by phone, on WhatsApp or with an online booking, the car comes straight to your address. Waiting to spot a green light only really works in the centre and on the main avenues; in residential neighbourhoods, housing estates, in the early hours or on very busy days, you can go a long time without seeing one.

Taxis drive where there are most passengers: the centre, train stations, the airport, hospitals and nightlife areas. When demand is concentrated in those places, few free cars pass through the rest of the city. What is more, in neighbourhoods with little through traffic, it is rare for a taxi to happen to drive down your street. It is not that there are no taxis in Madrid: it is that they are not where you are at that moment.

New and residential neighbourhoods

In developments such as Las Tablas, Sanchinarro or Montecarmelo, with wide streets and lots of residential traffic, there are times of day with few people on the street and few passing taxis. The same happens in many outlying neighbourhoods. Here, requesting a taxi is almost essential if you have a set time to keep to.

Housing estates and towns in the Madrid region

On housing estates in the sierra or to the west, and in many towns, there are practically no free taxis driving around. If you are going to the airport, book in advance: the taxi comes to your door with a fixed fare from your area.

In the early hours

First thing in the morning there are fewer taxis working and the streets are empty. If your flight leaves early, do not leave it to the last minute: book the day before.

Rain, events finishing and special dates

When it rains, everyone looks for a taxi at once. The same happens when a match, a concert or a trade fair ends, and at Christmas or just before a long weekend. If you are leaving an event at IFEMA on your way to the airport, we give you some ideas in our guide to taxis to the airport from IFEMA.

When you call 911 76 00 81, have your exact address to hand and give it in full: street, number and entrance. If you are on a housing estate or a street without a clear number, message us on WhatsApp and share your location; we explain how in order your taxi on WhatsApp. And if you want to know all the advantages of requesting it this way, read why to order a taxi by phone instead of hailing one in the street.

For a flight, you cannot afford to wait for a free taxi to pass. Book in good time and the taxi will be at your door at the agreed time, with a fixed fare by area that does not depend on traffic and is the same in both directions. You can do it on the airport taxi booking page, which shows the price instantly. If you would like to review the other options for getting around the city, see all the ways to get a taxi in Madrid.