Cabify or uber in Barcelona?

[catspaw1]

Is it easy to get a car from cabify or Uber in Barcelona? I prefer to know in advance how much the trip is & have it paid directly by credit card. If you do take a cab, do they give change?

[Harters]

Yes, cabs give change. 

 

There are so many of them that I've never considered an Uber or, even,finding out if they are licensed for use in the city. I've never previously heard of cabify so can't help there. 

[CCWineLover]

2 hours ago, catspaw1 said:

Is it easy to get a car from cabify or Uber in Barcelona? I prefer to know in advance how much the trip is & have it paid directly by credit card. If you do take a cab, do they give change?

Taxis for sure.  No Ubers.

 

Easy and cheap for taxi's.  I found one of several good online services - you can just order up on their app (like an Uber) and they are there.  They also tell you in advance what the charge is.   Paid by credit card always, so don't know about change.  I usually did tip in Euros coins.

[catspaw1]

1 hour ago, CCWineLover said:

Taxis for sure.  No Ubers.

 

Easy and cheap for taxi's.  I found one of several good online services - you can just order up on their app (like an Uber) and they are there.  They also tell you in advance what the charge is.   Paid by credit card always, so don't know about change.  I usually did tip in Euros coins.

Was that  cabify you got? I like knowing in advance & not giving my physical credit card out. Also TA  & CC has reported numerous dishonest cab drivers so I try to use ride sharing like uber or Lyft as then you won't get ripped off.

[CCWineLover]

1 hour ago, catspaw1 said:

Was that  cabify you got? I like knowing in advance & not giving my physical credit card out. Also TA  & CC has reported numerous dishonest cab drivers so I try to use ride sharing like uber or Lyft as then you won't get ripped off.

It was Taximes of Barcelona

https://www.taximes.com/en/

 

Uber and Lyft have issues in Barcelona due to ongoing legal troubles with City Government.  The landlord of our apartment in Barcelona used this company all the time and highly recommended them.  Funny, I didn't even think ahead about getting ripped off anymore than Lyft or Uber, but you are right, I was probably naive.   FYI - it was 21 Euros from our Apartment to the Cruise Pier.  Our Apartment was a couple blocks from Plaza Espania.    This was this past May.  Driver was good, courteous, reliable, safe, and helpful.

Guess you should probably just flag down a taxi and ask them how much it costs and go from there.  That's probably the safest way to go.

[debenson0723]

I used the FreeNow app in Barcelona, based on a recommendation from my hotel. They are also available in 8 other countries. The drivers all have this app, Uber and Lyft on their phones so it is just like using them...you will get the driver closest to you. Your credit card info is already listed so no need to hand them a physical card.

I found cabs very reasonable in Barcelona, usually paying somewhere between $5-8 per ride. Solo female traveler and never felt ripped off or unsafe.

Never heard of Cabify.

[catspaw1]

9 hours ago, CCWineLover said:

It was Taximes of Barcelona

https://www.taximes.com/en/

 

Uber and Lyft have issues in Barcelona due to ongoing legal troubles with City Government.  The landlord of our apartment in Barcelona used this company all the time and highly recommended them.  Funny, I didn't even think ahead about getting ripped off anymore than Lyft or Uber, but you are right, I was probably naive.   FYI - it was 21 Euros from our Apartment to the Cruise Pier.  Our Apartment was a couple blocks from Plaza Espania.    This was this past May.  Driver was good, courteous, reliable, safe, and helpful.

Guess you should probably just flag down a taxi and ask them how much it costs and go from there.  That's probably the safest way to go.

Thanks. That was  helpful information & I'll bring with me.   Yes it's scary that taxi drivers are ripping off tourists but it's common in many places around the world. How did you like Barcelona? I'm getting bad vibes about it after the recent article in the NY Times. We are flying into Spain 9 nights early to visit. We were last there 39 years ago! Thinking of Madrid, Segovia, & Zaragoza. Do you recommend 2 or 3 nights in Barcelona?

[Harters]

12 minutes ago, catspaw1 said:

Do you recommend 2 or 3 nights in Barcelona?

I'd recommend the three nights. Two nights won't allow a first time visitor to even scratch the surface of the city. 

[catspaw1]

The NYT article paints Barcelona in a very bad light with their attitudes towards tourists. We have seen this in other places also. Cruisers don't spend a lot of money in ports. Did you see any hostility toward tourists?

[CCWineLover]

3 hours ago, catspaw1 said:

Thanks. That was  helpful information & I'll bring with me.   Yes it's scary that taxi drivers are ripping off tourists but it's common in many places around the world. How did you like Barcelona? I'm getting bad vibes about it after the recent article in the NY Times. We are flying into Spain 9 nights early to visit. We were last there 39 years ago! Thinking of Madrid, Segovia, & Zaragoza. Do you recommend 2 or 3 nights in Barcelona?

I would say 3 nights for your first stay - see if you like it.   We've been 4 times and always enjoy our stays there.  I think you just have to be aware of your surroundings and avoid mass tourist areas like Ramblas.  To us, it was not that interesting - just hordes of crowds and tourist traps so only went there once.  There's SO much else to see in Barcelona like the Gothic Quarter.

FYI - We took a fantastic tour from a very highly recommended tour group:  Barcelona Day Tours.  It was a full day and spent a half day up to Montserrat (wonderful!) and the other half day in Barcelona - particularly Parc Guell and Mont Juic.   On our own we went to Sagrada Familia with pre-booked time tickets to see inside - again the best way to see it.  Last May we spent a half day on a fantastic food tour - felt perfectly safe.  Food was excellent as well as the guide.  Another time we took a day tour down to Sitges, a beach city south of Barcelona.  They have some fabulous free walking tours in Barcelona - we did one of the Gothic Quarter - learned so much.  

We took the metro a lot in May - felt safe during the day (never did it at night) - and it was inexpensive and quite easy to navigate around on it.   

We are going back again in April!

That being said, you have to experience Madrid if you have the time.  We've done it once and also doing that in April (hi speed train from Barcelona to Madrid).  Totally different and unique experience!

Hope this helps.

[catspaw1]

Thanks CC your information was very helpful.  We have been to Madrid before but prefer smaller places like Siena in Italy, Braga in Portugal. Have you been to Zaragoza? We have been looking at that. Way less touristy & halfway between Madrid & Barcelona with most everything centered in the city.

[catspaw1]

We are used to touring independently.  We speak Spanish although not fluently,  we can get around ok if that helps.

[CCWineLover]

51 minutes ago, catspaw1 said:

Thanks CC your information was very helpful.  We have been to Madrid before but prefer smaller places like Siena in Italy, Braga in Portugal. Have you been to Zaragoza? We have been looking at that. Way less touristy & halfway between Madrid & Barcelona with most everything centered in the city.

Yes - also prefer smaller places.  That is why we enjoyed Sitges.

Have been to Braga and Sienna.  Both wonderful.  Also Perugia/Orvieto in Umbria.

 

Zaragoza is on our bucket list - haven't been yet!  We hope to be there in April as well.

[catspaw1]

43 minutes ago, CCWineLover said:

Yes - also prefer smaller places.  That is why we enjoyed Sitges.

Have been to Braga and Sienna.  Both wonderful.  Also Perugia/Orvieto in Umbria.

 

Zaragoza is on our bucket list - haven't been yet!  We hope to be there in April as well.

We stayed in Guimareas Portugal & day tripped to Braga. Enjoyed that better than Porto due to less crowds. We loved Siena & Pienza. First time going back to Europe since COVID. Zaragoza looks great but we can't fit it all in this trip! Probably going back to Europe next year but we also are taking celebrity to the Galapagos & going to a bear fishing lodge in AK next year. So much to do! This  cruise will be our 5th trip this year. Heading back to Great Smokey in October for 2 weeks. 

[marazul]

9 hours ago, catspaw1 said:

Thanks CC your information was very helpful.  We have been to Madrid before but prefer smaller places like Siena in Italy, Braga in Portugal. Have you been to Zaragoza? We have been looking at that. Way less touristy & halfway between Madrid & Barcelona with most everything centered in the city.

Zaragoza is wonderful city. Search for @axelrod post on the subject. Don't miss the Aljafería palace along with the Pilar and Cathedral. Your plan for Madrid, Segovia and Zaragoza is great. In Barcelona,  I never understood the appeal of the Boquería market. It is just like taking visitors to see the new supermarket in town. 

[catspaw1]

I searched for him but couldn't pull up his review. Am I doing something wrong? Would love to read it!

[Harters]

12 hours ago, catspaw1 said:

I searched for him but couldn't pull up his review.

Almost certainly Alserrod, not Axelrod. S/he comes from Zaragoza. 

Edited August 24 by Harters

[catspaw1]

I found it - spelled it wrong. It looks like a beautiful city with low amount of tourists which we prefer.  Also like that most sites are in walking distance to central downtown.

[CCWineLover]

Another interesting far less touristy place is Tarragona.  It has so much to see.  We spent a day there and thoroughly enjoyed it - quite walkable.  Lots of interesting Roman Ruins.  Great food.

It is about 60 miles south of Barcelona.   Day trip is easy talking a roundtrip train. About Hour and 15 min trip each way.  

 

[alserrod]

On 8/22/2024 at 10:59 PM, catspaw1 said:

Is it easy to get a car from cabify or Uber in Barcelona? I prefer to know in advance how much the trip is & have it paid directly by credit card. If you do take a cab, do they give change?

 

 

Hi

 

I wrote your answer here with longer information

 

 

[alserrod]

On 8/23/2024 at 2:31 PM, catspaw1 said:

The NYT article paints Barcelona in a very bad light with their attitudes towards tourists. We have seen this in other places also. Cruisers don't spend a lot of money in ports. Did you see any hostility toward tourists?

 

The complaints in Barcelona are against tourist apartments. There are small areas in the centre that have a very high number of tourist apartments. This not only means that there are more tourists there but there are fewer people living there and, therefore, even fewer shops.
If, in addition, a good part of these tourists come with the desire to party until very late and get drunk, the rest of a neighbourhood that was very quiet is over and so is the patience of the neighbours who remain.
And yes, Barcelona is a destination for people who take a low-cost flight, rent an apartment and are drunk from the moment they pass through passport control.

Against tourists who come on a cruise or stay in hotels (or both) there are no complaints.
And that, remember, is the cruise port outside the state of Florida with the most passengers in the world (the next is Civitavecchia)

 

 

 

On 8/23/2024 at 7:03 PM, CCWineLover said:

Yes - also prefer smaller places.  That is why we enjoyed Sitges.

Have been to Braga and Sienna.  Both wonderful.  Also Perugia/Orvieto in Umbria.

 

Zaragoza is on our bucket list - haven't been yet!  We hope to be there in April as well.

 

Nice weather in April in Zaragoza

 

 

 

On 8/23/2024 at 6:12 PM, catspaw1 said:

We are used to touring independently.  We speak Spanish although not fluently,  we can get around ok if that helps.

 

 

Enough to visit any corner in the world

 

 

Years ago I was in a very touristy area of Spain and I was surprised that there were people who didn't know how to say words like "thank you".
I know that we all usually speak our mother tongue and learn a few more. Maybe one with some fluency and another with a lower level of knowledge.
but the fact that I didn't understand a single word of such a widespread language surprised me.

The following year I visited Croatia. I bothered to learn 150 words. Very few and insufficient to maintain any conversation but enough to understand certain signs and signals on the road, in tourist places (not everything is always translated into English), etc...
Since then I have taken up my French again (and I don't speak it as I would like to), I have learned some Italian (it was very very useful to me at a train station, and that was only a few basic notions) and I tried Portuguese but I got bored because the language is very similar and if you study it, it is to learn grammar and conversation. Signs are easily understood

If you are able to understand "something", you already know a lot about the place you want to visit.

 

 

 

[CCWineLover]

35 minutes ago, alserrod said:

 

 

Nice weather in April in Zaragoza

 

Actually alserrod, it was your posts that inspired us to want to see Zaragoza!

[catspaw1]

Alserodd, I'm so glad you responded as we are interested in going to Zaragoza because of your wonderful review. We like to get off the beaten path!  I do understand about tourists as I live a few miles from Washington DC & we too get fed up with the tourists! It's gotten so bad, I don't go into DC much over the summer. I too like to learn phrases in another language & feel it opens many doors. I can speak words in about 10 languages but speak better Spanish & can get by in French. So I don't blame Barcelona. I don't like the rowdy crowd that just comes to party & get drunk either. Maybe they should start appealing to seniors more who have the time & money to stay a few days???? On Zaragoza, we are thinking of arriving by train in early pm & staying 2 nights at Hotel Catalonia or Sauce. How do we get from the train station? Is there a bus or walking distance? How much is a taxi? Than an am train on the third day for 3 nights in Barcelona before heading on a transatlantic cruise. How far a walk is it to the castle or is there a bus? Thanks for your great inspiration to visit!

[alserrod]

1 hour ago, catspaw1 said:

Alserodd, I'm so glad you responded as we are interested in going to Zaragoza because of your wonderful review. We like to get off the beaten path!  I do understand about tourists as I live a few miles from Washington DC & we too get fed up with the tourists! It's gotten so bad, I don't go into DC much over the summer. I too like to learn phrases in another language & feel it opens many doors. I can speak words in about 10 languages but speak better Spanish & can get by in French. So I don't blame Barcelona. I don't like the rowdy crowd that just comes to party & get drunk either. Maybe they should start appealing to seniors more who have the time & money to stay a few days???? On Zaragoza, we are thinking of arriving by train in early pm & staying 2 nights at Hotel Catalonia or Sauce. How do we get from the train station? Is there a bus or walking distance? How much is a taxi? Than an am train on the third day for 3 nights in Barcelona before heading on a transatlantic cruise. How far a walk is it to the castle or is there a bus? Thanks for your great inspiration to visit!

 

 

 

Hi... I have answered you in the thread that you'll find all information about Zaragoza.

It is because.... may someone wanna learn about it, it will be easier than searching here (about Uber in Barcelona)

[catspaw1]

20 minutes ago, alserrod said:

 

 

 

Hi... I have answered you in the thread that you'll find all information about Zaragoza.

It is because.... may someone wanna learn about it, it will be easier than searching here (about Uber in Barcelona)

Gracias