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Fixed prices revolutionise taxis in Barcelona: six million journeys a year
The fixed price in Barcelona taxis is growing without restraint. It is already six million journeys a year. The formula divides taxi drivers and users. Is it really more advantageous than the traditional taximeter? Discover how it works and what those involved think.
The fixed-price system in Barcelona taxis is rapidly gaining ground. According to the Institut Metropolità del Taxi (IMET), six million journeys a year are already made under this arrangement, representing 10% of all services in the metropolitan area. This trend is transforming the way passengers and taxi drivers interact with the service.
The fixed price is applied through the T-3 fare, available only through mobile applications authorised by the IMET. To access this option, the journey must cost at least 8 euros and the taximeter remains at zero during the trip. The fare includes travel to the pick-up point and five minutes of waiting time.
The fixed-price calculation combines the initial charge, the cost per kilometre according to distance, the per-minute price under real traffic conditions and the relevant supplements. Companies such as Uber, Free Now, Taxi Catalana, Taximés, Taxi QGat and Taxi Ecològic offer this service, always under the supervision of the IMET.
Taxi drivers can combine traditional work with fixed-price work, even collaborating with VTC and conventional taxi companies. This flexibility allows professionals to adapt to the market's new demands.
Uber considers the fixed price to be an unstoppable trend that benefits both passengers and drivers. It argues that users prefer to know the exact cost before starting the journey and that taxi drivers increase their income by reducing empty trips, raising their earnings by as much as 10,000 euros per year.
However, some representatives of the traditional sector, such as Tito Álvarez of the Élite Taxi union, maintain that the taximeter remains more advantageous for users. They point out that the fixed-price calculation does not take account of the use of bus/taxi lanes, which can make the journey faster and cheaper under the classic system, especially on major avenues such as Granvia or Diagonal.
The debate over fixed prices in Barcelona taxis remains open, with solid arguments on both sides and a trend that appears to be consolidating year after year.