InfoTaxi Alicante - English

Does the taxi meter charge by time or distance?

Sun, 11 Oct 2026 21:00:00 +0000

If I had to choose the question customers have asked me most often throughout my years in the profession, it would be this one.

There are many misconceptions about how taxi meters work, usually due to a lack of understanding.

When customers ask me this question, I tell them that under normal driving conditions, the meter charges by distance. This usually leaves them puzzled. To help them understand, I give them an example: imagine an ideal 50 km journey with no traffic or interruptions, where two cars set off at the same time, one travelling at 200 km/h and the other at 70 km/h. When they both complete the journey, which one will have the higher fare on the meter?

— The one that travelled at 70 km/h, they usually reply.

— No, I answer, leaving a hint of surprise in the air.

It’s understandable: intuition suggests one thing, while mathematics tells us another. In fact, in this ideal scenario, there would be no winner or loser: both taxi meters would show the same fare.

The reason is simple: if both vehicles cover exactly the same 50 kilometres without stopping, both meters are charging by distance. Speed will only determine how soon or how late they arrive.

Customers look surprised, but they understand that distance is what matters in this scenario. That is, until we reach a traffic light. They see the meter continuing to run even when we’re stationary and say to me: “But wasn’t this charging by distance?”

Let’s pause the scene here and look at a key concept: changeover speed (also known as the changeover rate).

What is changeover speed?

We could define changeover speed as the precise threshold at which the taxi meter switches between charging modes.

The obvious question is: what is that threshold speed? There is no universal answer, but there is a mathematical one. The calculation follows a specific formula (let’s sharpen our pencils):

Changeover speed (km/h) = Waiting-time rate (€/h) / Rate per kilometre travelled (€/km)

A practical example

Let’s assume that the waiting-time rate is €20 per hour and the rate per kilometre travelled is €1.50:

€20/h ÷ €1.50/km = 13.33 km/h

That would be the changeover speed for this particular fare structure, since both the hourly rate and the rate per kilometre vary depending on the applicable tariff.

Below 13.33 km/h: The vehicle is moving very slowly or is stationary → the meter charges by time.
Above 13.33 km/h: The vehicle is moving at a normal speed → distance takes over.

Therefore, on a typical urban or interurban journey, the final fare will usually be a combination of both charging methods. However, in urban areas, the final amount is more heavily affected by the changeover speed. In other words, the cost of a journey within the city is harder to predict, especially during rush hour.

So, how can I find out the exact price of a journey?

The reality is that you can’t know for certain, although an estimate is possible… until now.

In Alicante, for the past few months, it has been possible to book an urban taxi journey at a fixed price, so passengers know how much they will pay before getting in. But that’s a story for another day.

Further information

In the Downloads section, you can find the official fares for the current year. This will give you a more accurate idea of the price per kilometre and the waiting-time rate for each time period.

InfoTaxi Alicante: taxi rank finder

Fri, 09 Oct 2026 22:28:18 +0000

Every year, Alicante welcomes many visitors from both Spain and abroad. At some point, some of them may need a taxi and want to find the nearest taxi rank without wasting time.

The second tool I have added to InfoTaxi Alicante allows users to find taxi ranks within the Alicante Joint Service Area and get directions to each one.

As I use my own system to mark taxi rank locations, I have personally checked their coordinates to ensure they are positioned at street level and help prevent potential errors when reaching them.

In addition, this system makes it possible to add new taxi ranks as quickly as possible, such as the one at the Centro de Salud II health centre in San Vicente del Raspeig, and relocate others that have been temporarily moved, such as the one on Avenida de la Libertad, also in San Vicente del Raspeig.

How to find a taxi rank

The tool has a very intuitive interface. There are three ways to search:

Active search

Using the search box: enter the name of the desired taxi rank or a related term. If matching results are found, the app will display suggestions as you type. If no matches are found, a warning will appear, prompting you to enter a different term or try the second search option.
Exploring the map: select a municipality within the Alicante Joint Service Area and, if necessary, zoom in on the map before selecting the desired taxi rank.

Find your location

Using the “Use my location” button: tap it to find the nearest taxi rank.

You can also filter taxi ranks to show only those accessible to people with reduced mobility.

After using any of the search methods described above, a card will appear showing the taxi rank’s name, the phone number for contacting the RadioTeleTaxi Alicante dispatch centre, and an option to start navigation. Selecting this option will open Google Maps to guide you there. If the app is not installed on your device, its web version will load so you can view the route and, if you wish, start navigation.

With this tool, you won’t have to go around asking where the nearest taxi rank is!

InfoTaxi Alicante: interurban fare estimator

Thu, 08 Oct 2026 10:48:51 +0000

Many times, I have found that some passengers think taxis are more expensive than they actually are. We need to make an effort to provide more information about fares so that people can make informed decisions.

With this in mind, I decided to make this tool available to passengers to estimate the cost of a taxi journey to a destination outside the Common Service Area.

How does the estimator work?

The tool is very simple to use:

Enter the destination in the corresponding field.
If the destination is included in the database, a matching result will be displayed.
If there are no matches, you will need to manually enter the distance in kilometres to the destination.
The application uses the current date and time by default. The Personalise option allows you to use a different date and time as a reference for the calculation.
The calculation breakdown shows the initial charge, the applicable fare and any special surcharges, if applicable.

This calculator is intended as a guide and is designed to provide a quick reference based on the official fares. Other tools, such as PideTaxi, may provide more accurate estimates for a specific journey by taking into account additional factors related to the route or traffic conditions. In any case, the final fare for a taxi journey is the amount shown on the taximeter, in accordance with the applicable fare.

PideTaxi is available on Google Play and the App Store.

With all this information available, there is now no excuse for not knowing the approximate cost of a taxi journey in Alicante!

InfoTaxi Alicante: a meeting point for the taxi community in Alicante

Sun, 04 Oct 2026 22:20:00 +0000

Years go by and passengers keep asking the same questions and holding the same doubts. To a certain extent, there is still a general lack of understanding about the taxi service.

There is plenty of information out there, but it is scattered and not always easy to find or navigate.

My purpose

Driven solely by the desire to help bring the taxi world closer to everyday citizens, I decided to launch this project called InfoTaxi Alicante. It aims to answer the questions I have gathered over time, as well as new ones that will undoubtedly arise.

The goal was to build a clean, user-friendly website offering high-quality information all in one place.

The portal is designed as a living space that will evolve over time: it includes a communication channel with the editor, as well as a section called Get involved, where you can start the process to submit guest articles—provided they offer value to the reader and stay focused on the central theme: taxis in Alicante and its Joint Service Area.

Behind this project is someone who has been working in the taxi industry for over twenty years. Naturally, I don’t know everything, but grounded in current regulations, I hope to answer recurring questions.

This portal does not represent any taxi company, association, or dispatch center; it is educational and independent. Therefore, it is not possible to book or hire a taxi service through this website.

What will you find in InfoTaxi Alicante?

What visitors can find includes:

An interactive map to locate taxi ranks across Alicante’s Joint Service Area.
A fare estimator for trips heading outside the local area.
A download section for official documents and regulations.
The crown jewel: the blog.

All of this comes with its corresponding English version, so international visitors feel right at home.

When I told some colleagues about the project, a few asked, “Why bother putting yourself through all this trouble?” And they have a point—I was living very comfortably in anonymity without putting myself out there. However, I believe initiatives like this are truly healthy and worthwhile, as the Alicante taxi sector deserves its own dedicated space. On the other hand, other colleagues welcomed the idea enthusiastically and promised to contribute articles on topics within their expertise. They are most welcome!

InfoTaxi Alicante will be in continuous growth, starting with contributions from the editor. For anyone interested, you can propose your participation by following the workflow outlined in the Get involved section. Additionally, in the Contact tab, you’ll find an email address to reach out directly.

Without further ado, flag down, meter on… let the journey begin!