How to call a taxi in Spanish
By the Travel's Calling team · Updated October 30, 2026
Whether you're in Madrid, Barcelona or Mexico City, a taxi call in Spanish is short and predictable: where you are, where you're going, when, and your name. Here are the phrases, the replies to expect, and a few regional differences worth knowing.
The basic call
Open with "Buenos días" (or "Buenas tardes" after lunch, "Buenas noches" at night). Then: "Quisiera pedir un taxi, por favor." The dispatcher will ask "¿Dirección?" or "¿Dónde está?" (where are you?) and "¿A dónde va?" (where are you going?). Give the street, then the number: "Calle Mayor, número veinte."
Spain vs. Latin America
In Spain you'll hear coger un taxi; in Mexico and much of Latin America people say tomar un taxi, because coger is vulgar there. Use tomar everywhere and you're safe. In Mexico City, travelers are commonly advised to use taxis de sitio (taxis from an official stand or called by phone) or a ride app rather than hailing on the street, and airports have authorized taxi booths where you prepay.
What they'll tell you
After you give the address, they'll usually say how long it'll be: "En diez minutos" (in ten minutes), and sometimes the car or license number: "El taxi número cuarenta y dos." Write it down. If you didn't catch it, "¿Puede repetir más despacio?" is polite and common.
Fares and payment
Ask before the ride if it matters: "¿Cuánto cuesta más o menos al aeropuerto?" (roughly how much to the airport?) and "¿Se puede pagar con tarjeta?" (can I pay by card?). Madrid, for example, has a fixed taxi fare between the airport and the city center, so check the current rate before you travel.
Make the call easier
- Write the address exactly as it appears on a map, including the number.
- Practice numbers. Street numbers and minutes come fast.
- Have a landmark ready: "Estoy enfrente del hotel" (I'm in front of the hotel).
- Rehearse with a partner who plays the dispatcher.
Phrase table
| Spanish | Say it | English |
|---|---|---|
| Quisiera pedir un taxi, por favor. | kee-SYEH-rah peh-DEER oon TAHK-see, por fah-VOR | I'd like to order a taxi, please. |
| Estoy en la Calle Mayor, número veinte. | es-TOY en lah KAH-yeh mah-YOR, NOO-meh-roh BAYN-teh | I'm at Calle Mayor, number twenty. |
| Voy al aeropuerto. | boy al ah-eh-roh-PWEHR-toh | I'm going to the airport. |
| Para ahora mismo. | PAH-rah ah-OH-rah MEES-moh | For right now. |
| Para mañana a las seis. | PAH-rah mah-NYAH-nah ah lahs says | For tomorrow at six. |
| ¿Cuánto tarda? | KWAHN-toh TAR-dah | How long will it take? |
| ¿Cuánto cuesta más o menos? | KWAHN-toh KWES-tah mahs oh MEH-nohs | About how much does it cost? |
| ¿Se puede pagar con tarjeta? | seh PWEH-deh pah-GAR kon tar-HEH-tah | Can I pay by card? |
| ¿Puede repetir más despacio? | PWEH-deh reh-peh-TEER mahs des-PAH-syoh | Can you repeat more slowly? |
Practice this call before you go
Travel's Calling turns your own trip into practice phone calls. Pick your destination, upload your itinerary or type a few plans, choose your level, and take a voice call in your browser with an AI character who answers in the local language. After each call you get a short trip report. It works for destinations around the world, so you can rehearse this call in Spanish.
Start practicing on Travel's Calling →Quick answers
- How do you ask for a taxi in Spanish?
- "Quisiera pedir un taxi, por favor," then give your address and destination.
- Should I say coger or tomar un taxi?
- Use "tomar." "Coger" is normal in Spain but vulgar in Mexico and much of Latin America.