Taking a taxi on the island
The service is easy to use, yet every municipality lays out its ranks and does things its own way. This page follows one journey end to end — from first sighting the black and white plate to putting the receipt in your pocket at the end.
Joining the queue at a rank
Find the black and white Taxi plate and get in the line. A queue is a queue: whoever arrived first leaves first, and at the airport and in the bigger centres that line is ordered, with staff directing who boards. If the car at the front is not heading your way, ask — the drivers usually warn each other.
Ringing the dispatch instead
No rank nearby, or you would rather have a car located for you: ring the dispatch of the municipality you are leaving. Give the full address, the hour, how many passengers there are and whether there is large luggage or a pram, and ask what sort of wait to expect before you hang up. That is an estimate, not a promised hour. From an Irish phone, dial the Spanish country prefix — 0034 — before the number.
Stopping a car in the street
Where there is no rank, a taxi showing its vacant light can be stopped in the street, if local rules allow it and it is safe to do so. In practice this works far better on a quiet street than on a main road at rush hour: if nothing is coming your way, walk to the nearest rank.
From getting in to getting out
The meter starts as you get in and stops when you arrive; if it does not, ask for it to be put on. Name the destination as soon as you are sitting down, watch that what it shows matches the run, and ask for a receipt — it is your evidence if you ever have to claim. You settle up on arrival, in cash or by card, and tipping is not obligatory.
Frequently asked questions
Is cash essential for paying a taxi? ＋
In most vehicles, yes: they take card as well as cash, although it is not a general obligation, so it is worth carrying some. On a short run tell the driver when you get in, in case the card machine needs topping up, and having cash to hand also saves waiting for change at an awkward hour.
May I ask for a particular route? ＋
You may suggest any route you like and the driver will judge whether it works. If it means rough shortcuts or driving against the traffic, they can say no; when in doubt, ask before you set off and accept that the main road may be the answer.
What should I do if the meter stays off? ＋
Ask the driver to switch it on before the journey starts. If they do not, note the registration and the hour, and report it afterwards to the competent authority. Once a receipt is issued, that is the basis of any claim.