Taxi Drivers in Barcelona...Be Warned!!!

There few taxi drivers who will take advantage of us tourist by either taking you on extra ride to give a tour(detour) or doing the "slow route" to eat up the meter. Example one, from our hotel Le Meridien to Sagrada La Familia the taxi driver took us on detour to see the hospital de La Santa(added extra 3 Euros). Example two, going from port to our hotel Four Points Sheraton, our driver too the slow scenic route and stop at every light and crosswalks, why our friends go the hotel faster and at cheaper price. We were charge 6E more. Example three, going from hotel to the port, we got min van taxi and we had party of 7, meter came out to 20E but charged us for extra passenger and bags...total 60E!!!

But we did have some really cool drivers!

Taxi drivers are the bane of my existence. I have had some real winners. I guess it is a necessary evil.

Here in the states a guy missed our exit in Las Vegas and I told him right away that he better stop the meter because I was not paying for his mistake. He did. I am so over these con artists. We took four taxis and only one driver was polite and had a clean cab. Even the Limo we ordered from our hotel was dirty. So it's not just Barcelona.

Tell the driver you will be wanting a receipt at the end of the journey.

If you feel you have been overcharged you can complain - details here

Most times knowing you are asking for a receipt will put the driver off trying these thing.

There are rogue taxi drivers the world over. However, I have never encountered one in BCN and taken quite a number of taxis there.

Barcelona Cabs do charge extra fees for bags & additional passengers. It's written right on the fare chart in the back of the cab.

There few taxi drivers who will take advantage of us tourist by either taking you on extra ride to give a tour(detour) or doing the "slow route" to eat up the meter. Example one, from our hotel Le Meridien to Sagrada La Familia the taxi driver took us on detour to see the hospital de La Santa(added extra 3 Euros). Example two, going from port to our hotel Four Points Sheraton, our driver too the slow scenic route and stop at every light and crosswalks, why our friends go the hotel faster and at cheaper price. We were charge 6E more. Example three, going from hotel to the port, we got min van taxi and we had party of 7, meter came out to 20E but charged us for extra passenger and bags...total 60E!!!

 

But we did have some really cool drivers!

It's called "LONG HAULING", and it's a problem all over the world. Las Vegas is particularly bad (if you've ever been to Las Vegas, and went through a tunnel to exit the airport -- you were long hauled)

It's called "LONG HAULING", and it's a problem all over the world. Las Vegas is particularly bad (if you've ever been to Las Vegas, and went through a tunnel to exit the airport -- you were long hauled)

We were done in Las Vegas too and Barcelona! But of course if you're unfamiliar with the area I guess you're ripe for the picking!

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I used google maps on my iPhone while sitting in the front passenger seat and in full view of the driver and it was a good deterrent against being longhauled.

All of my taxis followed the shortest route suggested by google every time.

Funny how that works.

I also like to use my maps when in a taxi, the old-fashioned physical kind, but more to check out where I am than to deter the taxi driver. But perhaps helps as well!

I used google maps on my iPhone while sitting in the front passenger seat and in full view of the driver and it was a good deterrent against being longhauled.

 

All of my taxis followed the shortest route suggested by google every time.

Funny how that works.

Love this! Thanks for the tip I will definitely try this next time!

We seldom take cabs but have in Las Vegas, New York and Barcelona.

I embarrassed my husband in New York when I got in the cab and told the driver I knew the way back to the hotel so he better not take the long way around. He apologized for having to go a block further because of a one-way street!!!

We lucked out in Barcelona last fall. A taxi driver came up to my husband inside the airport and asked if we needed a taxi. DH said yes as I was saying no. DH won. We ended up having a good driver and he took us directly to our hotel. We found out later that most of the taxi drivers who go inside the airport are actually unlicensed or something. I will not make that mistake again.

Barcelona Cabs do charge extra fees for bags & additional passengers. It's written right on the fare chart in the back of the cab.

Bags are supposed to be free now. Here is a chart that shows fees.

Bags are supposed to be free now. Here is a chart that shows fees.

As I said in the other thread this is the 2013 chart. The 2014 chart can be found here. It has quite a few changes

Just use Uber.

Funny about google maps. I actually pulled my smartphone out in Lisbon when our taxi driver couldn't seem to find our hotel. We were coming from the train station. Turned out there was major street construction all around the area, which was very hilly with narrow streets. He had to stop a few times and ask people in cafes. Frustrating, and kind of funny. He did not get a tip, since his attitude got quite belligerent at times.

We've had no trouble in Barcelona, to my knowledge.

We have been "long hauled" in Istanbul, which turned out to be a very interesting experience. Since we were quite familiar with the best route, we knew exactly what our driver was doing, but sat quietly until we got near the restaurant (our intended destination). We then asked our driver to detour to the nearest Police Station and noticed that our driver suddenly became a bit pale. He asked why we wanted to go to the Police and I told him that he was "cheating us" by taking us the wrong route. We soon reached the restaurant and he only asked us to pay half of what was on the meter :).

Hank

Had a cabbie in Florida take us the long way around from grocery store to our hotel in Disney. I told him to make a right its a short cut, he said he knew a better way, told him he was wrong but he insisted. Our taxi from hotel to grocery store was about $10 going my way. Got to the hotel and he wanted maybe $20, I gave him $10, told him he went the wrong way, he left unhappy.

In NYC we took a cab from near Brooklyn bridge to Times Square. We were about 4 blocks from destination and stuck in traffic, cabbie actually suggested we get out and walk, he would take a half hour to get there and we could walk it in 10 minutes. He apologised profusely for the traffic. So all New York cabbies aren't bad I guess. lol.

By the way I drove taxi for about a year when I was younger and admit we did take advantage of strangers and take a roundabout way. Small city, so it never amounted to much, maybe a buck or 2. Like everything else, Buyer Beware.

Tony

I see that the taxis take credit cards - is it safe to use a credit card? Do they require chip and pin? We only have chip and signature.

We got burned once (in our home town at the time) taking a taxi to the airport and charging it - the driver altered the amount later so we had to put it into dispute.

As I said in the other thread this is the 2013 chart. The 2014 chart can be found here. It has quite a few changes

Thank you! This was most helpful! I entered our routes that we plan to taxi's for while in Barcelona, hypersnapped a copy with the map route and fare posted and will take that with us.

We took a cab Oct. 2014, we had a sheet with hotel name and address, i asked for price he quote

$20.00,,, seemed fair, as traffic slowed he turned and said , he was sorry, but our fare was just what he quoted.... We were impressed....

We have had a good experience here.

But just like almost everywhere around the world some want to take you for a ride.

One of my worst ones was in Boston. It happens.

We usually try to have a map with us and explain to the driver that we know where we are going.

Keith