If you are searching for Uber Barcelona, the first thing to know is that there is no single app for getting around the city. There is an official function of the metropolitan area, several apps that connect you with taxi drivers, and others that mix taxis with private-hire cars. We explain what each one is, what price to expect and when it is better to phone a company instead of opening your phone.
Everything on fares and apps comes from the official sites of the Barcelona metropolitan area (AMB) and from the apps' own pages, and we say where in each section. App conditions change often, so confirm the price and payment method on screen before you book.
Is there Uber in Barcelona?
Yes: Uber's airport page for Barcelona (BCN) lists taxi products you can request in the app. They are Taxi, Taxi Access, Taxi Precio Cerrado (fixed-price taxi) and Taxi XL Precio Cerrado, and the page says every taxi ride requested "is operated by a fully licensed taxi driver". For larger groups or luggage it also lists a Van option with professional drivers.
In practice that means the car you get through Uber's taxi products is a normal Barcelona taxi, which follows the official AMB rates. Cars that are not taxis are VTC: licensed private hire with driver, the licence Uber and Cabify drivers use. A VTC fixes its own price in the app, so it does not follow the taxi tariff. We cannot give you a figure for it, because it depends on the platform, the hour and demand.
The rules for VTC cars in the Barcelona area have been under review, with court rulings and a Catalan law proposal, so we do not state which products are available at any given moment. Look at what the app offers on the day of your trip.
How do you get an Uber taxi at Barcelona airport?
Enter BCN as your pickup point when you land, add your destination and choose a taxi product. That is the sequence on Uber's page. Once booked, the app gives step-by-step directions for meeting your driver outside, and requests are available 24/7.
Uber's page adds three useful details:
- You can pay for the trip in the app and see upfront pricing at the start, but the final price can change if surcharges or tolls differ from the estimate.
- Tipping can be done in the app or in cash to the driver.
- Taxis are available on Uber Reserve only "for select airports", so do not assume you can reserve one in advance for BCN. Check in the app.
If you would rather walk to the rank, remember the airport supplement of €4.60 and the €21 minimum for trips starting at the airport, both from the AMB fare page. Our airport taxi page covers pickup and price in detail, and the guide to Barcelona taxi fares explains the full tariff.
Which taxi apps are there in Barcelona?
The official one is Picmi Taxi; the rest are private apps. These are the ones that come up most in searches and on the official AMB taxi site.
| App |
What it is |
What its source says |
| Picmi Taxi (AMB Mobilitat) |
Official AMB function for ordering a taxi from your phone |
Available on Android and iPhone; with a destination it shows price, distance and estimated time (taxi.amb.cat) |
| Uber |
Ride app with taxi products at the airport |
Taxi, Taxi Access and fixed-price taxi run by licensed taxi drivers (uber.com) |
| FREE NOW |
App that connects you with taxis |
Pay directly in the app and check prices in advance; its site says it does not currently offer fixed-price booking and the taxis use a meter |
| elTaxi.App |
App of the 033 radio taxi |
Map, vehicle type, assigned taxi with plate number, shareable route, card or cash payment |
| Bolt |
Private-hire platform |
Its Barcelona page includes a "Taxi Barcelona" option (1 to 4 passengers) next to Comfort, XL and others |
The detail of each is below. If you want to see the local taxi companies ranked by reviews and services, start with our guide to taxis in Barcelona or the official fares.
How does Picmi Taxi, the official app, work?
Picmi Taxi is a function inside the AMB Mobilitat app for ordering a taxi from your phone, according to the official site taxi.amb.cat, which links to Google Play and the App Store.
The process, as the AMB describes it:
- Open the Taxi section of the app and request a vehicle.
- You may type a destination, though it is optional.
- If you do, the app shows the final price, distance and estimated time at the fixed-price tariff (T-3). You can book that price or continue with the meter.
- If you give no destination, the trip is charged on the meter.
- At the end you can download a PDF receipt and see your trip history.
The AMB says the fixed price shown in the app is the final price and includes all supplements that apply to the trip. If you want certainty before you get in, it is the first option we would try.
What is the fixed price (T-3) and which apps offer it?
The fixed price is an official tariff, T-3, and it can only be booked through apps of mediation companies validated by the IMET, the metropolitan taxi institute. The AMB fares page says the price includes the journey to the pickup point and five minutes of waiting, the taximeter reads zero during the ride, and the minimum amount is €8. The page does not publish the per-kilometre and per-minute rates, so we cannot tell you how a given T-3 price is built.
This changes how you compare. On the meter, the final price depends on traffic and waiting. On T-3 you see it before you book.
|
Meter (urban tariff) |
Fixed price (T-3) |
| When you see the price |
At the end of the trip |
Before booking |
| How you book |
Rank, hailing, phone or app |
Only in validated apps |
| What it includes |
What the meter shows plus supplements |
Pickup journey, 5 minutes of waiting, supplements for the trip |
| Minimum |
€8 for radio or app bookings |
€8 |
Source: AMB 2026 urban fares. For trips leaving the metropolitan area the Generalitat's intercity rates apply, so an app price may not correspond to the urban tariff.
What do FREE NOW and elTaxi do?
FREE NOW connects you with city taxis. Its Barcelona page says you can pay directly in the app and check prices in advance, but also that there is currently no fixed-price booking and the taxis run on a meter. It gives a 24-hour ordering number, 932 710 682.
elTaxi.App is the app of the 033 radio taxi. According to its usage guide, with GPS on you see your location on the map, type the destination and pick the vehicle type (standard, large, adapted). After you confirm, the app shows the assigned taxi with its plate and arrival time, and during the trip you can share a tracking link. You can link a card or pay in cash, and the app is free. Its site also gives the number 933 033 033, and booking by web or WhatsApp.
If you travel as a group or with a wheelchair, the large or adapted vehicle option matters most. We have separate pages for large taxis in Barcelona and pet owners can see pet-friendly taxis.
What is the difference between a taxi and a VTC car in an app?
A taxi has an official tariff and can be hailed in the street; a VTC car is booked through a platform and sets its price in the app. Platforms such as Bolt mix both: its Barcelona page shows its car categories and also a "Taxi Barcelona" option with local taxis for 1 to 4 passengers.
What this means for you:
- If you ask for a "taxi" inside an app, the car follows the official AMB rate and has a meter, unless the app offers T-3.
- If you ask for a VTC, the price is whatever the app shows and does not follow the taxi tariff.
- VTC rules in the Barcelona area are under review, so we do not give booking times or availability for any platform.
For a car with driver from local firms, see our page on private drivers in Barcelona.
When is it better to phone or skip the app?
An app is not always the best option. The AMB lists five ways to order a taxi: Picmi Taxi, other apps, phone, at a rank and hailing in the street. The Barcelona city council says there are more than three hundred taxi ranks in Barcelona and its metropolitan area.
| Situation |
What we would do |
| You want the price before you get in |
Use an app that shows the T-3 fixed fare |
| Arriving at the airport with luggage |
Book ahead with a company or app, and read the airport taxi page |
| Five to eight people |
Ask for a large vehicle; see large taxis |
| You need a ramp or adapted seat |
Book an adapted taxi ahead by phone or app |
| Going to a town in the province |
Phone a local company; browse the towns from the home page |
| No data or signal |
Go to a rank or phone |
Outside the metropolitan area there is often no app with coverage, so phoning a local firm is the most reliable way. That is why our directory lists 737 companies in 86 towns.
Which app or company should you pick for an airport or long trip?
Compare three things: a price known in advance, a vehicle that fits your group and the way you pay. The AMB also fixes a T-4 fare of €46 between the Moll Adossat cruise terminals and Barcelona airport, in both directions, with all supplements included; see airport to cruise port. Trips starting at the airport have a €21 minimum.
For longer trips to other towns the Generalitat's intercity rates apply, not the urban tariff used by app estimates. For route prices and conditions see Barcelona to Sitges, Barcelona to Girona or Barcelona to Tarragona.
Among the directory companies that say on their websites that they offer fixed prices and 24-hour service are TaxiGoBarcelona and Click Taxi. Both name destinations such as the airport and the cruise port. Always confirm the price with the company before you book.
What should you check before confirming a ride?
A short checklist avoids most surprises:
- Price type: fixed T-3 or meter. If fixed, check what it includes.
- Passengers and suitcases: choose the right vehicle. A saloon will not do for five people with luggage.
- Payment: card, cash or app balance, depending on what the app accepts.
- Tolls: if you choose a route with tolls, the AMB says the customer pays the return toll.
- Plate and driver name: the app usually shows them; compare them with the car that arrives.
- Receipt: Picmi Taxi lets you download a PDF.
Prefer to compare companies instead of opening an app?
If you want to compare local services with reviews, vehicles and phone numbers, our directory ranks them with criteria we explain in how we rank. You can also leave your trip in the booking form, and we send it to a maximum of three companies that fit your area and the type of service.
Apps are quick for a city taxi. A local company is better for a scheduled trip, a long route or a special vehicle. They cover different needs and work well side by side.
