Wednesday, 15 July 2015 13:05

Getting Around Las Palmas By Taxi Is Cheap And Dead Easy

Las Palmas taxi prices and charges Las Palmas taxi prices and charges

Las Palmas' taxis are among the cheapest in Spain and are the easiest way to get around the city.

You're never more than two minutes from a taxi in Las Palmas' main areas of interest. Just look out for a white car with a green light on top. Free taxis in circulation turn the light on and have a little card in the windscreen that says "libre". Most shopping centres and streets have convenient taxi ranks.

The city's taxis are all on the meter and are honest. Most drivers know the streets well and will get you to destination without any problems. Sometimes drivers ask you to choose the route as the quickest way isn't always the cheapest. 

It's technically illegal to ride in a taxi without wearing your seatbelt, but taxi drivers don't complain as you have to pay the fine. 

The minimum fare is under two euros and you can't spend more than 7 euros on a taxi ride within the city limits. See the photo below for the full list of fares. Be aware that you pay a supplement after midnight, on fiesta days and also if you get a taxi to the Puerto de la Luz port. 

Taxis have to provide change for a 20 euro note and won't be happy if you try to pay a small fare with a 50. 

A taxi ride to the airport from Las Palmas costs about 30-35 euros on the meter.

Most locals don't tip taxi drivers for short rides in the city, but rounding up to the nearest euro is appreciated. If your taxi driver goes out of his way to help you, then a tip of a couple of euros is polite. 

Useful taxi vocab

Where is the nearest taxi rank: "donde esta la parada de taxi?"

I need a taxi: "Necesito un taxi"

Take me to: "llevame a..."

How much is a taxi to: "Cuanto cuesta un taxi a..."

Please open / close the window: "Puede abrir / cerrar la ventana por favor"

 

Published in Las Palmas

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Tip of the day

  • Tip Of The Day: Avoid Bank Card Charges By Paying In Euros
    Tip Of The Day: Avoid Bank Card Charges By Paying In Euros

    Save money and avoid rip-off bank charges while in Gran Canaria by paying in euros when using your credit or debit card.

    Many bars and restaurants in Gran Canaria, and in almost all European holiday destinations, give you the option of paying in euros or in your home currency. Opting for your own currency, while it may seem like the safer option, can add as much as 5% to the bill as it triggers dynamic currency conversion. 

    DCC basically means that the exchange rate is calculated at point of sale rather than by your bank. It allows you to see the total cost of the transaction in your own currency but adds up to 5% to the total because it uses a terrible exchange rate. 

    Since the extra money is shared between your bank and the merchant, some places will automatically bill you in your own currency and hope you don't notice. You have the legal right to refuse and void the transaction should this happen. 

    ATMs too

    The same applies when taking money out of ATM machines in Gran Canaria (and anywhere in Europe); Always choose the local currency option to avoid losing money to poor exchange rates.

    If you opt for the local currency option, using bank ATMs is often the cheapest and safest way of getting euros in Gran Canaria. It's far safer than having a big pile of euros hidden in your room or tucked into your shorts.

    More details in this Daily Telegraph article.

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