Andorran taxi associations merge into unified dispatch 'Taxi Andorra' as Uber enters

Less than a month after Uber began operating in Andorra, the country’s two taxi associations have voted to merge and to operate a single unified dispatch centre under the name Taxi Andorra. The new body will centralise telephone and digital management of taxi services through a shared call centre and a mobile app, with in‑house operators supported by two technology partners: Andorran CityXerpa and Catalan firm TaxiMés.

The planned platform will allow users to see taxis in motion, view estimated arrival times and obtain fare estimates. Operational control will remain with the new association, while CityXerpa and TaxiMés will provide the technological and telephony services. Sources close to the agreement say the tripartite deal is intended to modernise the sector and resolve long‑running internal disagreements; those sources also indicate the arrangement envisages positioning VTCs with higher tariffs to attract a different, more premium clientele.

At a near‑unanimous joint assembly of the sector, taxi professionals largely approved the government’s proposed framework but rejected a clause that would have made driving a taxi incompatible with operating a VTC. Representatives said the veto was necessary because several drivers currently offer both services.

The assembly also endorsed the government’s proposed licence and operating rules: licences may be tradable, a single licence could permit operation of two vehicles year‑round, and no new licences will be issued until service needs are clearer. The agreement foresees defined service hours, shifts and rest periods, and contemplates penalties for non‑compliance.

The Government welcomed the sector’s decision. Secretary of State for Energy Transition, Transport and Mobility David Forné reiterated that the administration supports modernisation measures and continues to engage directly with drivers. Forné has said taxi services and Uber can coexist, arguing that Uber “is occupying a space that taxis probably were not covering well” by offering a more premium option, and that the government has not detected major incidents since the platform’s deployment. He said authorities have implemented many requests from the taxi sector and will back the unified dispatch now that the associations have validated the agreement.

Separately, the administration presented a first tram route proposal to the parishes of Sant Julià, Andorra la Vella and Escaldes‑Engordany. The circular route would begin near the border, pass through Sant Julià (including a short tunnel between Aixovall and La Margineda), continue via Enclar and an elevated bridge at Santa Coloma, run past the Lycée and along Prat de la Creu to Caldea, then descend past Clot d’Emprivat, E. Leclerc and Bonaventura Riberaygua before returning to the Lycée. The plan includes strategic park‑and‑ride facilities — candidates include a site near the Epizen border point or a location further inside Sant Julià — plus intermediate parking in the Margineda and a terminal in upper Escaldes. Longer‑term connections toward la Massana and Encamp would be enabled by two proposed tunnels; a future link to La Seu d’Urgell via Catalonia’s Tramvalira project is considered desirable but separate from the current plan.

The three parish councils have until the end of February to review and propose revisions; if feedback is favourable, formal planning could begin with the aim of approving a final project before the end of 2026. Forné said the government has never reached so advanced a stage in planning the tram and described the proposal as a potential paradigm shift for the country.

The government will also run a months‑long pilot converting two busy junctions — the Km 0 roundabout and Prada Casadet — into turbo roundabouts. The trial will restrict some right‑hand lanes from making left turns, require clearer advance lane signage and add illuminated warning signs at critical points to improve flow and reduce collisions.

Taken together, the measures mark a coordinated push to modernise mobility in Andorra: a unified taxi dispatch and app supported by external tech partners, acceptance of coexistence with ride‑hailing platforms, a developing tram proposal with park‑and‑ride infrastructure, and targeted traffic changes intended to improve safety and efficiency.