Q: Can you please provide some information about taxi prices from the airport of Barcelona to the city? Which taxi company offers the lowest prices? Is it possible to pay with credit card?

A: First of all, you need to be aware that taking a taxi is one of the most expensive methods to travel from the airport to Barcelona. However, there are situations when it is recommended to hire a taxi (for additional information – Barcelona Airport Taxis and Barcelona Airport Transfer).

Secondly, the official taxi firms in Barcelona are controlled by IMET (Metropolitan Taxi Institute), an autonomous institution of AMB (Barcelona Metropolitan Area). This institution is responsible for the pricing, which means that all the companies need to apply the same rate. Surely, you can choose firms that are outside of IMET’s control because it might be cheaper; however, the chance of getting scammed is higher. Therefore, it is suggested to avoid this option because an official company always offers secure services. Their cars can be recognized easily, as all of them are painted in black and yellow.

The system controlled by IMET is very transparent and you can check the prices online any time. Below you can find the pricing methodology and latest fares (available from 15th December 2017). From time to time, these rates are updated, which is why it is recommended to review the pricing list on the official website of IMET before you travel to Barcelona. You can access it here.

The taxi fare is determined per car and not per person (the only exceptions are those vehicles available for more than 4 travelers). Depending on the time and destination of the ride, taxi drivers use four pricing categories in the metropolitan area of the city (for additional information – Visit Barcelona at night, Public Holidays in Barcelona, Sundays in Barcelona and Night-Time Prices of Barcelona Airport Taxis):

• T-1: is used in the Barcelona Metropolitan area on working days between 8:00 am and 8:00 pm;
• T-2: is used in the Barcelona Metropolitan area on working days between 8:00 pm and 8:00 am; on weekends and on holidays between 6.00 am and 8.00 pm; on Mondays and on working days following holidays between 12:00 am and 8.00 am;
• T-3: is used in the Barcelona Metropolitan area on weekends and on holidays between 12.00 am and 6.00 am and between 8.00 pm and 12.00 am;
• T-4: is a fixed rate (currently 39€) and it is applied for rides between El Prat and Port of Barcelona; it contains all supplements.

You need to pay a standard fare called la baixada de bandera. Currently, this is 2,15€ in the case of T-1 and T-2 and 2,30€ in the case of T-3. If you dispatch a taxi, these rates will be higher: 3,40€, 4,20€ and 4,50€.

Aside of what was mentioned above, there are established rates payable per km and per hour of waiting. If your journey is charged with T-1, you will pay 1,13€ after every km and 22,10€ after every hour of waiting. In the case of T-2, these rates are 1,34€ and 22,40€. The rides that fit within the T-3 price category are charged with 1,40€ after every km and with 22,40€ after every hour of waiting.

Certain extra facilities are charged with an additional rate, which is added to these standard rates. Here is a list of supplementary rates applied to airport taxis in Barcelona:

• Minimum fixed rate for a ride from El Prat: 20€;
• For suitcases larger than 55×40×20 cm (only a maximum of 4 suitcases is allowed): 1€ / baggage;
• Cars for more than 4 travellers (maximum 6): 3,10€;
• A ride from or to El Prat: 3,10€
• A ride from Port of Barcelona: 3,10€;
• A ride from the Estació de Sants train station: 2,10€ (for additional information – Trains From Barcelona Airport);
• A ride from Fira de Barcelona – Gran Vía Montjuïc 2: 2,10€
• Fare used during the night-time hours (between 8:00 pm and 8:00 am) on special holidays: Night of San Juan (from 23th to 24th June); Christmas Eve (from 24th December to 25th December) and New Year’s Eve (from 31st December to 1st January); 3,10€ (for additional information – Public Holidays in Barcelona).

Certain facilities, such as a luggage smaller than 55 x 40 x 20 cm, wheelchair, child and booster seat and guide dogs are included in the price and they are not charged separately. Nonetheless, most of the regular taxi services in Barcelona do not grant a discount for children and disabled persons (for additional information – Child Seat in Barcelona Airport Taxis, Kids and Families in Barcelona, Accessibility of Barcelona Airport Taxis, Accessibility of Barcelona Airport Transfer and Accessibility in Barcelona).

Approximately, your ride will cost you roughly 30-35€ without the above-mentioned additional rate. However, this cannot be forecasted precisely because the price is strongly influenced by the traffic as well as other factors. Moreover, you need to take into account that T1 is farther away from the city than T2, which means a longer journey and higher fare.

IMET offers you a free application (for Android and iPhone) that has the ability to calculate the approximate fare of your taxi journey, based on the current rates and traffic information. You can download it from here.

A ride to a destination outside the Metropolitan area will certainly be higher. For example, if you want to travel from Girona/Costa Brava airport (GRO) to Barcelona by taxi, be prepared to pay at least 120.00€. This is the reason why these journeys are not recommended. If you still choose a taxi for an intercity ride, consult with the driver about the estimated price before the journey.

You can interrupt your journey at any time and ask the taxi driver to wait for you. In this case, you need to pay the price of the distance travelled until that moment, plus a guarantee. If the taxi stops in Barcelona, this guarantee is equal to the fare of a half hour’s waiting; otherwise, you need to pay for another hour of waiting.

A taxi provided by an official company is equipped with a taximeter, therefore you can easily check the rates. Aside of this, the fares must be available on the car’s window. It is suggested to ask for a receipt, as well (if the driver does not speak English, you can say it in Catalan: el rebut, or in Spanish: el recibo). It contains the price of the ride and all the information you need, in case you might want to make a complaint.

In response to the latest query, only a small number of taxis are equipped with a credit card machine. Therefore, it is recommended to always have enough cash (euro) if you want to travel by taxi. If you would like to make a currency exchange at El Prat before your taxi ride, you can find a number of offices that handle these services in the Arrivals hall. It is also important to bring banknotes with a value less than 20€ because, in case of a higher taxi fee, it is possible to not get the change back.

If you have to pay with a credit card, it is advisable to inform the driver about your intention before getting on the ride, and ask whether this type of payment is accepted or not.

The contactless system is available in several taxis, which makes it possible to pay via your smartphone.

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