How to catch a taxi in Lanzarote
Taking a taxi on the island is straightforward, but each municipality has its own ranks and its own habits. Here is the full journey: from spotting the black and white sign to keeping the receipt for your trip.
At a signposted rank
Look for the black and white Taxi sign. A queue is a queue: whoever arrives first leaves first, and at the airport and in the larger centres there is an orderly queue with staff managing boarding. If the first in line is not going to your destination, ask; drivers usually warn each other.
By calling the dispatch
If there is no rank nearby, or you prefer to have the car located for you, call the dispatch of the municipality you are leaving from. Give the exact address, the time, how many passengers there are and whether there is large luggage or a pram, and ask for an estimated time before you hang up. What they give you is a forecast, not a guaranteed hour.
Flagging one down in the street
Where there is no rank, a taxi with its vacant light on can be stopped in the street if local rules allow and if it is safe to do so. In practice it works better on quiet streets than on a main road at rush hour: if you do not see one coming, go to the nearest rank.
Getting in and getting out
The meter must start when you get in and stop when you arrive; if it does not, ask for it to be started. Say the destination as soon as you sit down, check that what it shows matches the journey, and ask for a receipt: it is your evidence for any claim. You pay on arrival, by cash or card, and a tip is not obligatory.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need cash to take a taxi? ＋
In most vehicles, yes: they usually take card as well as cash, although it is not a general obligation, so it is worth carrying some cash. On short journeys tell the driver when you get in, in case the card machine needs topping up, and having some cash to hand also avoids waiting for change at an awkward hour.
Can I choose the route? ＋
You may propose any route you like and the driver will judge whether it is workable. If it means shortcuts along rough roads or driving the wrong way, they can decline; when in doubt, ask before setting off and accept that the main road may be the answer.
What if the meter does not come on? ＋
Ask the driver to switch it on before the journey starts. If they do not, note the registration and the time, and report it afterwards to the competent authority. The receipt, once it is issued, is the basis of any claim.