Yes, taxis are cheaper than Uber in Barcelona.It's a welcome change from other big cities like London, where you'll pay more for a black cab. Expect to pay about 15% less when you hail a cab rather than pre-booking on Uber.
Uber does work in Barcelona and it functions better in Spain than Uber in Italy. However, you may find the service is not as fully operational as you're used to. You can obviously open the Uber app anywhere to check if it is in the city.
Cabify – the best Uber alternative in SpainOperating much like Uber, Cabify is one of the most commonly used alternatives to Uber in Spain. Cabify is available in Alicante, A Coruña, Barcelona, Benidorm, Madrid, Málaga, Marbella, Murcia, Santander, Seville, Valencia, and Zaragoza.
As of September 2023, yes there is Uber in Barcelona HOWEVER I don't recommend using Uber here as there are much easier, faster and cheaper ways to get around Barcelona.
Download the Uber app and complete your profile information. Request an Uber upon arrival to the Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport and go to the exclusive parking area in each terminal to meet your chauffeur.
Barcelona Taxis Payment facilitiesYou can pay your taxi ride with cash or credit card in any of the taxis of Barcelona. If you pay with cash, note that the taxi drivers must have €20.00 of change. It means that the taxi driver may not have change if you pay with a high value banknote.
Taxi drivers expect no tip and are happy if you round up in their favor. A tip of 5% of the total fare is considered generous. Long rides or extra help with luggage may merit a tip, but if you're short of change, you'll never hear a complaint.
Uber journeys from Barcelona airport to the city centre cost between €27 and €35 on average, making them more inexpensive than taxis. However, even if you save money, it won't be a significant amount.
In Spain, Catalonia's regional government has adopted rules requiring rides to be booked at least 15 minutes in advance, preventing licensed vehicles for hire from circulating on public roads while waiting for customers and prohibiting the activation of geolocation prior to the booking.
You will need some cash. Small businesses have credit/debit card minimums, especially at markets like La Boquería and Santa Caterina. Consider ordering some euros to pick up at your local branch before your trip. Some banks will have fees attached, others might just exchange the money at the official rate of the day.
Public transport such as the metro, tram and FGC are the quickest, simplest, most convenient and most sustainable way of getting around Barcelona. You can choose from the different ticket types and travel cards. Bicycles are a healthy, clean and silent way of getting around the city.
Do Uber drivers in Barcelona speak English? Although you are not required to speak with your driver as the Uber app arranges everything for you, speaking the local language could be hugely beneficial if you need to ask something since not every Uber driver in Barcelona speaks English.
Although taxis are pretty cheap and very well regulated in Barcelona, Cabify provides an even cheaper option than the taxi service. Unlike Uber, Cabify charges by distance traveled and the quickest route is always chosen, so the price doesn't change depending on traffic.
The first time you log on, the app will ask for your passport number. Uber is not legal for locals, only for foreign visitors so they need some way to prove you are not from Barcelona. I spent 38 Euros in a taxi to get to my downtown hotel when I arrived, but only 24 Euros in Uber for my return trip.