Does Uber Work In Barcelona?

When using a search engine to look up the best way to move around Barcelona, in those cases where public transportation is not an option, it is unclear if Uber will work or not. Most of the replies recommend you use one of two local apps.

Uber does work in Barcelona! There are however not very many Uber drivers, even though a few Uber-branded cars are driving around. Finding an Uber can be a problem sometimes and in some locations. I had a few misses during my stay.

The good thing is that the official taxi companies are also available from the Uber app, so you can order a normal taxi through Uber. And this worked flawlessly, so even though it's sometimes hard to find an Uber driver it's always easy to find a ride through the app. Which is what's most important, after all.

I also found that there's no difference in price between Uber, taxi through Uber, or taxi on the street. So if you see a taxi and it's available, you might just jump into that car and go where you need to go.

The difference between Uber X and a normal taxi was usually less than two Euros, and it was random which of them was cheapest. Just take the option that gives you the car quickest, because that's where Uber could be at a disadvantage. It was often much longer waiting times for an Uber X than a normal taxi.

I had issues getting an Uber from a train station in the suburbs. Several drivers accepted the order but then sent a message saying they could not take me from there and I should cancel. I guess the reason for it was that I was near a taxi rank. After a while, I realized that this was probably the reason and went there to just take a normal taxi. The price they gave with the taximeter was actually one Euro cheaper than what the Uber app gave me.

Cabify and Freenow are the most popular local applications for taxis. However, many comments say that the registration process is difficult or impossible without a Spanish SIM card. And if you're like me, you already feel that you have way too many apps on the phone and would prefer to limit new ones.

As a tourist on a short visit for a few days or weeks, there's no reason at all to download those apps and go through the hassle of registering and adding cards to them.

You can definitely just use Uber while in Barcelona. No need to download additional apps. I found it very useful that I could order a normal taxi through Uber. It's also very easy to find an official taxi on the street in Barcelona. They are all black with yellow doors, you won't mistake them.