Do you tip taxi drivers in Madrid?

Short answer: it is not required and nobody expects it. In Spain a tip is not part of anyone’s wage, unlike in the United States. Pay the exact figure and absolutely nothing happens.

That said, there are nuances, and as usual they depend on where you are coming from.

What people here do

The normal thing is to round up. The meter says €13.40 and you hand over €14 without waiting for change. It says €22 and you pay €22. It is not a rule, it is a habit, and the driver will give you the change without comment if you would rather pay the exact amount.

When people leave a bit more

There are situations where being more generous is standard:

• The driver helped with heavy luggage, several cases or a wheelchair.
• They waited while you ran an errand.
• They did something they did not have to: found an impossible doorway, gave good advice, carried the sleeping child out.
• It was a long journey — a full-day trip, say — and the service was good.

How much “a bit more” means depends on your country. If you come from somewhere that leaves 20%, leave 20% and it will be perfectly well received — nobody here is surprised by it. If you come from somewhere that leaves nothing, leave nothing and that is fine too. In practice, people who do tip in Spain tend to land between 10 and 20% on long journeys or where there was extra work, and simply round up on short ones.

The important part: there is no correct figure. Do whatever feels natural to you.

On the flat airport fare

The €33 airport fare is a closed rate, so there is nothing to round. Even so, a lot of people hand over €35 or €40, particularly when there is luggage involved or the flight landed in the small hours. It is the most common thing we see, and it works more as a thank-you than as a tip.

About payment

Every Madrid taxi accepts cards. It is compulsory and no surcharge may be added. If you are ever told the card machine is broken, you are entitled to ask for a receipt and pay later.

With us you can pay contactless with Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Apple Pay and Google Pay, or in cash if you prefer.

An invoice for your company

Easily done: say so when you book, give us the company details, and the invoice reaches you by email after the journey. Nothing to sort out on the spot, nothing to ask the driver for.

If it is several transfers — a few working days, a group, an event — they can be combined into a single invoice.

What we actually appreciate

Honestly: more than a tip, what keeps a small business going is a review. Thirty seconds writing on Google is worth more than a couple of euros of rounding, because it is what makes the next person find us.

If the journey went well, you can leave one here. We genuinely appreciate it.