lincasanova

I think the supplements really do confuse people. To and from the airport.. , then also to and from the train/bus station.. so there you have two in one trip. (about 9.50 E extra)

There is a supplement for early day ( before 6 am and also after 10 pm. So.. you hit one or two of those and it really brings the price up.

tobyo

yikes! I was considering using aerocity for our return trip out of Madrid. I will ask the desk if they have a shuttle (como se dice "shuttle" en espanol?) because I thought I had read that somewhere. if not, taxi it is for us too!

Flame123

Our personal taxi rip-off in Madrid was not due to extra charges. I had read and was knowledgeable about all that and knew that there would be a surcharge at the airport, etc. What got me angry was that the taxi driver, upon arrival at the airport, got out of the taxi, along with us, and while he was getting the luggage out of the trunk, he left the meter running!!! Waaaaa? I asked him to turn it off and he refused. Along with that little rip-off, I was also surprised to learn, but maybe this is the norm, that since our hotel had called a taxi for us, the taxi already "came" with a somewhat large starting fee when we stepped in. Apparently when they call for a taxi, they start the meter from wherever they are. Not a good idea.

lincasanova

Yes, taxis start the meter from where they are called. Totally legal and normal. Or, they can charge a reservation fee, I believe, if you order it the night before.

Paul1950

In our case, the meter read 32 euros and change when we got to the airport from our hotel. This was a normal Thursday morning around 9 AM. The driver then proceeded to push a button on the meter until it read 47 euros and change. Our luggage (held hostage in the trunk of the cab) consisted of 2 carry-on size suitcases.

Supplements, yes maybe there was an airport supplement (which I understand is under 6 euros) and possibly a suitcase supplement (sources vary on when such supplements are required--to the airport or from the airport or both)--but 15 euros is too much even if both supplements applied for travel from the hotel.

lincasanova

I know it is frustrating.. even speaking the language sometimes it is not understandable..

I can't imagine what those supplements were. This is why they have such a bad reputation.

This is a hard problem to solve as taking down the taxi number, ect. etc. and reporting him is quite time consuming, and they know it.

Cowboy1968

25-30 Euros (incl. airport supplement) would be the normal fare on a working day during daytime hours in normal traffic regardless of number of passengers from MAD to any downtown hotel in the Gran Vía area. Luggage supplements are not allowed in Madrid.

Paul1950's experience must have been a serious rip-off.
Flame123's experience was legal procedure by the taxi drivers.

When you think something is wrong:

1. "Un recibo, por favor" - Ask for a receipt. It is obligatory for any taxi driver to give you a receipt with the fare, license number and car registration printed on.
2. Ask your hotel concierge if the fare you just paid is within a reasonable range.
3. If not, file a complaint as ribeirasacra explained above.

Paul1950

And if the cabbie refuses to give you a receipt? Citizen's arrest?

Cowboy1968

No, you pull your gun and shoot him.

What do you expect? That someone waves a magic wand and all taxi drivers who ever ripped someone off go to hell?
Petty crime will exist as long as the world will turn. Mankind does not become a nicer breed just because you are on vacation.
From a factual perspective, that cab driver probably stole 17-20 Euros from you. That is not nice. But also not the end of the world if you put it in relation with your overall budget of how many thousand Euros or Dollars?
Next time you will be in Madrid, you will be wiser and know that 47 Euros is not a fair price.

Taxis have registration plates and license numbers. Either/both are possibilities to identify the cabbie when you file a complaint.

chapla

I have used Aerociy many times and have never had a problem.I think it's alittle confusing because people don't realise that they first have to find the check in desk.The person then calls the driver to come and take you to wherever the van is parked.Some people go and look for it ouside and then eventually go to the desk to ask where the van is.In the mean time their van has gone and other passengers have shown up,causinfg confusion.
There's only been 2 other drop offs/one pick up.On the return to the airport the van has come early.I always call the night before to confirm my pick up time.

AlessandraZoe

Cowboy1968--You are so ON target. We were "armed" and prepared in Madrid with our knowledge of what was fair. We knew all the correct add-ons, we handed a written address to the driver, and we were prepared to ask for the "Un recibo, por favor" BEFORE we got out of the cab for the luggage just in case anything went wrong. My notebook was ready to record driver and license.

We just never needed to use our knowledge. All three of our Madrid taxi drivers were funny and fair.

That said, we were ripped off by our driver in Seville. Not because he wanted to rip us off. He just was really BAD at his job and we just we not "on task" as consumers. He was apologetic about his failure and we were incensed at each other because none of us were really "on duty" mentally by that point (jet lag).

However, in the scheme of all world conflicts, it was NOTHING.

I compare every overseas experience with NYC. I remember our NYC taxi driver who was pulled over by cops because he (a) was speeding and (b) nearly killed a pedestrian per three straight blocks. He sure kept that meter running. Thank goodness, the policeman who screamed at him also put his head back into the window and said, "And if you don't deduct five dollars for this conversation, I'm taking you in. You don't have the right to kill pedestrians and your customers and charge them for it!"

danon

I have also had good experience with taxi drivers in Spain ( so far). In Santander, the driver explained why he had to take a slightly longer rout to the airport; in Granada , the driver was telling us about the history of the city; in Barcelona we got a "lesson' on Gaudi from a very friendly and proud driver.

Flame123

I understand that starting the meter on the taxi at the point from where the driver started driving is legal. The part about not stopping the meter while getting out of the car and taking out suitcases, etc. is NOT OK.

josele

lincasanova, taxis are permitted only one surcharge; so, if you go from the airport to the railway station, only a surcharge applies (the highest one, obviously). Luggage is free.
I really dont understand that 15 eur increase when stopping the meter, how it could justify.
If you think you are ripped-off, ask for your receipt before paying. If some problem arises, just call the police, they are eager to help in these matters. They are generally walking to and fro the sidewalks at the airport/station.
So sad to read about these rip-offs once and again, it is a really bad image.

Paul1950

Cowboy--we did know that 47 euros is not a fair price. I did say the attempt by the cab driver was eventually unsuccessful after a lot of back and forth.

But it made the experience no less stressful and irritating. While we enjoyed Spain and the people we met there very much overall, ending the trip with an attempted theft by a cab driver was a bit of a downer. We had gotten past the pickpocketing attempt and the DCC experiences, but to end the trip like that was a disappointment.

lincasanova

josele.. not so.. but it would be nice! ALL transport stations have a surcharge upon arrival and /or departure and they can be accumulated. On special holidays even THREE surcharges can apply.

AlessandraZoe

Josele, I second Lincasonvo's tabulation. I do feel bad for Paul. HIs was a total rip-off. I know how he feels about some scum bag ending his trip. His entire opinion of a country just turned on a dime. I totally get his frustration.

That said, we took two taxis into from Madrid airport into Madrid and they were good. We then took two taxis within Madrid--and they were ALSO good. In fact, our only bum steer was with the hotel shuttle to the airport. The driver was a sweetheart--he just wasn't up on his terminals (if he had been, his trip would have been shorter). WE didn't have to pay for his mistake--the solution was free and we had plenty of time--so we just can't complain.