Friday, 02 January 2015 00:00

Gran Canaria Taxis

Taxis in Gran Canaria are cheap and reliable and an excellent way to get between resorts and towns in Gran Canaria. You don't have to worry about being ripped off either since all taxis on the island have a meter and the fines for fiddling with it are enormous. 

Taxi Prices

All of Gran Canaria's taxis have a standard meter and have to turn it on for every journey. If you get in a taxi with a "broken" meter, just get out.

While rates vary slightly in different parts of the island taxis prices in Gran Canaria are always about as cheap as it gets in Europe.

There are three fare bands:

Band 1 is for urban travel within a town or resort.

Band 3 is for longer journeys between towns and ticks in when you reach a certain distance from the start town (there's almost always a sign). 

Band 2 is for getting your taxi to wait, but this is rarely used as there are plenty of cabs on the island.

The only time you'll get a different price from what the meter says is if you negotiate a day fare for an island trip (technically there's an official price for this as well) or if you get a discount from a driver on an airport run: Drivers often leave the meter on to show you that you're getting a discount.

Do be aware that the taxi meters automatically raise fares during fiestas and late at night. 

Taxi alternatives

There're lots of alternative airport pickup services advertised in Gran Canaria and while we rarely hear of any problems with them they are almost the same price as a taxi.

If you'd rather use a private transfer service than a public taxi we recommend this one.

Published in Transport

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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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