Q: I am planning to travel to Barcelona with several friends in this summer. Should we book a taxi in advance or not?

A: Most of the time, available taxis can be found on the streets of Barcelona and at El Prat, as well. Nevertheless, online booking is more convenient and offers numerous advantages. Moreover, sometimes it is even cheaper than catching a taxi at the airport or in the city (for additional information – Prices of Barcelona Airport Taxis).

This way, you do not need to wait for a free taxi or public transportation. It is particularly advantageous during rush hours, when the traffic is extremely heavy in Barcelona.

Furthermore, the pre-booking option gives you the possibility to announce any special requirements, such as a child or booster seat, wheelchair, ramp, whether your group has more than 4 passengers, extra luggage, luxury vehicle, night-time ride, destination outside Barcelona Metropolitan area, etc. This is important because most of the regular taxis do not provide these facilities and/or an extra charge is required in order to complete them (for additional information – Accessibility of Barcelona Airport Taxis, Child Seat in Barcelona Airport Taxis, Kids and Families in Barcelona and Night-Time Prices of Barcelona Airport Taxis).

If you pre-book a taxi in advance, you will know the exact price of your ride when you are in the process of planning your vacation, and you will avoid any unpleasant surprises.

Another advantage of pre-booking is that stressful issues, such as converting a foreign currency, planning the route and finding a suitable method of transportation will be arranged before your arrival; therefore, you can relax after your flight and start enjoying the Catalan city.

For those who are afraid of getting scammed and are looking for a reliable service, it is especially recommended to order a taxi in advance. This gives you the opportunity to obtain detailed information about different taxi firms before you have to choose one of them.

The process of pre-booking is easy and quick. You can either call one of the taxi firms, book the service on their website or on different travel websites, such as Viator. Moreover, you can order a car via mobile apps.

If you decide to order a taxi via phone, you have to call one of the radiotax stations mentioned here.

Most of the companies have at least one operator who can speak English. After you request the taxi, they will communicate you the number of the car assigned to you. Sometimes they do not assign you a taxi immediately during the call; in this case, you will receive the number later on, via SMS. The disadvantage of ordering taxi via phone is that dispatched cars are more expensive than taxis hailed on the street or at the airport.

Booking a taxi via a mobile application is also very straightforward. You can choose between numerous possibilities here.

If you reserve a taxi service online, this method is very similar to the process of hiring a private transfer. In fact, in most of the cases, transfers are carried out by normal taxi companies who are publicizing online booking service as private transfer (for additional information – Ordering Barcelona Airport Private Transfer in Advance).

You will have to disclose details such as: the number of your flight and the airline, the name of the airport you will be landing on, the scheduled arrival time and the exact name and address of your hotel. While booking this service, you are required to pay in advance. After that, you will receive the confirmation and a voucher, which you have to show to the driver. You can print it out, however it is also accepted in an electronic format – it is recommended to read the instructions on this voucher. You will meet the driver at the agreed pick-up time and place, as confirmed upon booking the vehicle (for additional information – Meeting the Driver at the Airport).

Generally, it is required to pre-book your ride at least 24 hours in advance, especially because of the heavy traffic (for additional information – How Much Time in Advance is Necessary to Arrange a Taxi Transfer to the Airport?).

The only problem with pre-booking is that it requires rigorous planning and punctuality. At the same time, if something unexpected occurs and you will not show up at the pick-up place, you might lose your taxi and money. This happens because a vehicle cannot wait after the scheduled pick-up time.

Fortunately, taxi companies in Barcelona are quite flexible and you have the possibility to cancel or postpone your ride (for additional information – Barcelona Airport Taxis – Flight Delayed).

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