Airport Taxi Report Summer 2018
Airport taxi most expensive in Switzerland
- Large differences in taxi fares between European airports
- Average price for a taxi ride from the airport to the city centre is € 40
- Travellers benefit from increasing price transparency
AMSTERDAM, 1 AUGUST 2018. When travelling from Europe’s 50 busiest airports, there is a significant price difference in the cost of an airport taxi. According to research by airport information website AirMundo.com. Not only the distance between the airport and the city, but also the location of the airport affects the price. For a taxi ride from the airport to the city centre, travellers pay on average 40 Euros. The price per kilometre is the highest at Geneva Airport and Zurich Airport, the two largest airports in Switzerland. Copenhagen (Denmark) and Nice (France) are also high on the list. Airport transfers in Turkey and Russia rank amongst the cheapest in Europe.
When journeying to or from the airport a taxi is regarded as the most comfortable way to travel. This makes it the preferred choice for business travellers. The high prices in comparison to alternative modes of transport and unclarity surrounding fare calculation often deter other travellers from using a taxi.
The Airport Taxi Report Summer 2018 ‘Taxi fares at European airports’ gives travellers an insight into the average price of a taxi ride from the airport into the city centre from the 50 most used airports in Europe based on the use of the approved airport taxi rank.
Large differences between airports
The average price for an airport taxi at the largest airports in Europe is € 40.48 for a taxi ride with an average distance of just over 23 kilometres (€ 2.02 per kilometre). At half of the airports surveyed, the taxi fare per kilometre is at least € 1.94, while prices at the other 25 airports are more economical. So, between the airports, there are major price differences. At the most expensive airport in Europe, (Geneva Airport, € 5.67 per kilometre) the price is twelve times higher than the cheapest airports on the continent (Istanbul Sabiha Gökcen, Antalya and Istanbul Atatürk, € 0.47 per kilometre).
Most expensive airports
At four European airports, travellers pay more than twice the average European taxi fare, namely at Geneva Airport (€ 5.67 per km) and Zurich Airport (€ 5.00 per km) in Switzerland, Copenhagen Airport (€ 5.00 per km) in Denmark and Nice Airport (€ 4.57 per km) in France. The total price is the highest in London due to the large distances between London’s airports and the city centre. At London Luton Airport (€ 112), London Stansted Airport (€ 112) and London Gatwick Airport (€ 107), the taxi fares are the highest.
Top 10 most expensive airports in Europe
Price per km
| Airport | Country | Taxi fare | Kilometres | Price / Km | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Geneva Airport | Switzerland | € 34 (40 CHF) | 6 | € 5.67 |
| 2 | Zurich Airport | Switzerland | € 60 (70 CHF) | 12 | € 5.00 |
| 3 | Copenhagen Airport | Denmark | € 40 (300 DKK) | 8 | € 5.00 |
| 4 | Nice Airport | France | € 32 | 7 | € 4.57 |
| 5 | Düsseldorf Airport | Germany | € 28 | 9 | € 3.11 |
| 6 | Brussels Airport | Belgium | € 45 | 15 | € 3.00 |
| 7 | Palma de Mallorca Airport | Spain | € 30 | 10 | € 3.00 |
| 8 | London Heathrow Airport | United Kingdom | € 79 (70 GBP) | 27 | € 2.93 |
| 9 | Hamburg Airport | Germany | € 30 | 11 | € 2.73 |
| 10 | Amsterdam Airport Schiphol | Netherlands | € 45 | 17 | € 2.65 |
Taxi fare
| Airport | Country | Taxi fare | Kilometres | Price / Km | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | London Luton Airport | United Kingdom | € 112 (100 GBP) | 55 | € 2.04 |
| 2 | London Stansted Airport | United Kingdom | € 112 (100 GBP) | 63 | € 1.78 |
| 3 | London Gatwick Airport | United Kingdom | € 107 (95 GBP) | 47 | € 2.28 |
| 4 | Bergamo Airport | Italy | € 100 | 52 | € 1.92 |
| 5 | Milan Malpensa Airport | Italy | € 90 | 50 | € 1.80 |
| 6 | Oslo Airport | Norway | € 84 (800 NOK) | 50 | € 1.68 |
| 7 | London Heathrow Airport | United Kingdom | € 79 (70 GBP) | 27 | € 2.93 |
| 8 | Munich Airport | Germany | € 70 | 38 | € 1.84 |
| 9 | Zurich Airport | Switzerland | € 60 (70 CHF) | 12 | € 5.00 |
| 10 | Stockholm Arlanda Airport | Sweden | € 56 (575 SEK) | 42 | € 1.33 |
Cheapest airports
The cheapest taxis are for those arriving at airports in Turkey (€ 0.51 per km) and Russia (€ 0.66 per km). In the top 10 of airports with the lowest taxi fares in Europe, there are five airports located in Turkey and four in Russia. The list is complemented by Bucharest Henri Coanda Airport in Romania. The lowest taxi fares in Europe can be found at Istanbul Sabiha Gökcen Airport, Antalya Airport and Istanbul Atatürk Airport (€ 0.47 per km). Antalya Airport is the cheapest of the 50 airports surveyed. A taxi ride from the airport to the city centre of the Turkish city costs only 42 TRY / € 7.00.
Top 10 cheapest airports in Europe
Price per km
| Airport | Country | Taxi fare | Kilometres | Price / Km | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Istanbul Sabiha Gökcen Airport | Turkey | € 21 (116.50 TRY) | 45 | € 0.47 |
| 2 | Antalya Airport | Turkey | € 7 (42 TRY) | 15 | € 0.47 |
| 3 | Istanbul Atatürk Airport | Turkey | € 9 (51.50 TRY) | 19 | € 0.47 |
| 4 | Ankara Esenboga Airport | Turkey | € 17 (94 TRY) | 30 | € 0.57 |
| 5 | Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport | Turkey | € 10 (56 TRY) | 17 | € 0.59 |
| 6 | Moscow Domodedovo Airport | Russia | € 27 (2,000 RUB) | 45 | € 0.60 |
| 7 | Saint Petersburg Pulkovo Airport | Russia | € 14 (1,050 RUB) | 22 | € 0.64 |
| 8 | Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport | Russia | € 25 (1,800 RUB) | 38 | € 0.66 |
| 9 | Bucharest Henri Coanda Airport | Romania | € 13 (60 RON) | 18 | € 0.72 |
| 10 | Moscow Vnukovo Airport | Russia | € 22 (1,600 RON) | 30 | € 0.73 |
Taxi fare
| Airport | Country | Taxi fare | Kilometres | Price / Km | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Antalya Airport | Turkey | € 7 (42 TRY) | 15 | € 0.47 |
| 2 | Istanbul Atatürk Airport | Turkey | € 9 (51.50 TRY) | 19 | € 0.47 |
| 3 | Warsaw Airport | Poland | € 9 (40 PLN) | 11 | € 0.82 |
| 4 | Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport | Turkey | € 10 (56 TRY) | 17 | € 0.59 |
| 5 | Bucharest Henri Coanda Airport | Romania | € 13 (60 RON | 18 | € 0.72 |
| 6 | Saint Petersburg Pulkovo Airport | Russia | € 14 (1,050 RUB) | 22 | € 0.64 |
| 7 | Lisbon Airport | Portugal | € 15 | 7 | € 2.14 |
| 8 | Ankara Esenboga Airport | Turkey | € 17 (94 TRY) | 30 | € 0.57 |
| 9 | Alicante Airport | Spain | € 20 | 11 | € 1.82 |
| 10 | Istanbul Sabiha Gökcen Airport | Turkey | € 21 (116.50 TRY) | 45 | € 0.47 |
Increased transparency
“Due to increased transparency, it is now much easier to determine what the price should be for airport taxis in Europe before stepping in the door.” According to Guus Wantia from AirMundo.com. “The internet has played a key role in this transparency. In addition, airports and cities are more likely to take action against abuses nowadays, which makes it difficult for taxi drivers to overcharge travellers.” Some European cities have so-called flat rate airport fares for a taxi ride between the airport and the city, to provide clarity focused in particular on foreign travellers. Well-known examples are Madrid Barajas Airport (€ 30) and Rome Fiumicino Airport (€ 48).
Internet and taxi apps like Uber also played a significant role in establishing greater clarity. Many travellers already know the taxi price at their destination before departure or have even pre-booked a taxi. More and more people book an airport transfer online, comparable to airline tickets, hotels and rental cars. Usually, travellers make these reservations some weeks, days (pre-booked taxis), hours or minutes (on-demand taxis) before departure.
Airport Taxi Report Summer 2018 ‘Taxi fares at European airports’
AirMundo.com compared the taxi fares based on the price per kilometre, instead of the total price. It is the fairest comparison, even though it has consequences for airports that are relatively close to the city centre. For these airports, the outcome of the survey is generally less favourable because the price per kilometre decreases as the distance increases.