Left something in a taxi? The most forgotten items and how to get them back in Madrid

The most common items left in taxis are the things we carry in our hands or pockets: phones, wallets, keys, glasses, earphones, umbrellas and documents, plus the odd bag left behind in the boot. If it happens to you, act fast: if you booked the taxi, contact the company with the date, time and route; if you took it in the street or at a rank, try to identify the taxi from the receipt or your card payment and, if you cannot, go to Madrid City Council's Lost Property Office (Oficina de Objetos Perdidos).

There are no official statistics for Madrid, but any taxi driver will tell you the same thing: what gets forgotten most is whatever we take out during the journey.

• Mobile phones: used during the ride and left on the seat when getting out in a hurry.
• Wallets and purses, especially after paying.
• Keys, which slip out of your pocket when you sit down.
• Glasses, sunglasses or reading glasses, and their cases.
• Wireless earphones, small and easy to lose between the seats.
• Umbrellas, the classic on rainy days.
• Documents and work folders.
• Bags and small suitcases in the boot, especially when travelling in a group and everyone thinks someone else has picked them up.

This is the simplest case, because we know which vehicle carried out your journey. Message us on WhatsApp, call 911 76 00 81 or use the contact page with:

• The name you made the booking under.
• The date, time and route.
• A description of the item (colour, brand, case, what was inside).

We will check the vehicle and tell you how to get it back if it turns up.

Without a booking, the challenge is identifying the taxi. The receipt shows the details of the journey and the vehicle; the card charge can also help. If you manage to get the licence number, you can try to trace the driver through their radio taxi company or association.

If you cannot, go to Madrid City Council's Lost Property Office, where items found on public roads and in city services are handed in, including those handed in by taxi drivers. Check the council website for its location, opening hours and how to claim an item, as these may change.

If you are not sure whether you left it in the taxi or in the terminal, bear in mind that Madrid-Barajas Airport has its own lost property service, run by Aena (the Spanish airports operator), separate from the municipal one. And if you lost it on the plane, the claim goes to your airline. If you took the taxi at the terminal rank, our guide to taking your taxi at Barajas explains how it works.

If you have lost your ID card or passport

As well as trying to get it back, decide as soon as possible whether you need to report the loss, especially if you are about to travel. For an imminent flight, check with your airline which alternative documents it accepts; if you are a foreign national, your consulate or embassy will tell you how to obtain an emergency travel document.

If you have lost your house or car keys

If they had anything on them referring to your address or your car's registration plate, consider changing the lock or informing your insurer. It is a sensible precaution until they turn up.

If you have lost a laptop or phone with work data

Use the device's location and remote lock features and let your company know if it contains sensitive information. Change your important passwords if the device did not have properly protected access.

• Put your phone away in your bag or pocket before you arrive, not on the seat.
• Look back as you get out: seat, floor and the gap between the seats.
• Count your suitcases when you take them out of the boot, just as when you put them in. In luggage in taxis you will find more tips for travelling with lots of bags.
• Always ask for a receipt: it is the easiest way to identify the taxi afterwards.
• Label your belongings with a contact phone number, especially suitcases and glasses or laptop cases.
• Make a list before you set off on a trip; these final preparations before travelling will help you not to forget anything.

Booking your taxi not only gives you a fixed price, it also leaves a record of the journey that makes any later enquiry much easier. You can do it on the airport taxi booking page.