Child seat in taxi and airport transfer – what should parents know?
Traveling to or from the airport with a child requires planning in advance not only for luggage and a stroller, but also for a suitable car seat.
Polish regulations allow for the transport of a child by taxi without a car seat in certain situations, but this legal exception does not mean that such a journey is equally safe.
It's worth knowing which car seat to choose, what to provide the carrier with when booking, and what to look out for before you start your journey. Especially if you're traveling with an infant, several children, or booking a transfer from Gdańsk Airport.
Child seats in airport taxis – the safety of the youngest passengers is paramount
Why shouldn't the taxi exception end the conversation about car seats?
Which car seat should I order for traveling with a child to the airport?
Check the car seat before driving away – even if the driver has prepared it
One car seat is one thing. Four car seats can change everything.
Airport pickup with a child – why does advance booking matter?
How to choose a taxi or airport transfer if you need a car seat?
Which companies in Tricity offer taxis or transfers with a child seat?
How to travel with a child in a taxi without a car seat if there is really no other option?
Child seats in airport taxis – the safety of the youngest passengers is paramount
Flying with a small child requires a bit more preparation than two adults with suitcases. There's also a stroller, extra luggage, often a baby carrier, and, most importantly, the question: what to do with the car seat?
Should you bring your own, check it on the plane, or book a car with a suitable car seat already waiting? You can, of course, just leave the terminal and take the first available taxi.
Polish regulations even provide an exception, according to which the obligation to transport a child in a child seat does not apply to taxi journeys. This stems directly from Article 39 of the Road Traffic Law .
However, this is a legal exception, not information that driving without a seat has become safer.
The physics of a collision don't distinguish between a private car ride and a several-kilometer trip from the airport to a hotel. Therefore, in my opinion, a car seat should also be a given for short taxi rides or pre-booked transfers.
This doesn't mean, however, that parents have to carry their own car seat across half of Europe. If you book your trip in advance, the carrier can prepare a suitable car seat. The key is to not just say "we'll have a child with us" when booking.
Why shouldn't the taxi exception end the conversation about car seats?
In a car equipped with seat belts, a child less than 150 cm tall should generally be transported in an appropriate safety seat or other restraint device.
The regulations also require that the device be appropriate for the child's weight and height and installed according to the manufacturer's instructions. The exception for taxis is provided separately and does not change these general rules for other vehicles.
And here it is easy to confuse two things: "I don't have to" and "it's not worth it."
The law specifies when the statutory requirement to use a car seat does not apply. It does not, however, specify that a standard three-point vehicle seat belt suddenly becomes an adequate restraint for a small child.
Therefore, when traveling to or from the airport, it's best to decide on a car seat before booking your car. This is especially true if you're traveling with an infant or a small child whose adult seat belt isn't yet positioned correctly.
At Rabbit-Trans, we approach this quite clearly: even if the route is short and the regulations would allow a taxi ride without a seat, we prefer to prepare one.
We don't charge extra for car seats. The same rule applies whether you need one, two, or multiple seats. You can also check our current price list for journeys and transfers , where we explicitly state that we don't charge an additional fee for car seats.
Which car seat should I order for traveling with a child to the airport?
The biggest problem often starts with a seemingly simple sentence: "I need a car seat for my three-year-old."
Just what three-year-old?
One child at this age may be petite, while another is significantly taller and heavier. Parents see this best in everyday life. Therefore, age alone is useful information, but it shouldn't be the only factor.
Modern child seats are approved, among others, according to UN Regulation No. 129 – UN R129 .
The concept of i-Size also exists within this framework, but these terms are not entirely interchangeable. From a parent's perspective, the most important thing is that when choosing a seat, one should consider the manufacturer's intended range for a specific model, not just the former "0+, I, II, III" classification. The UNECE also notes that one of the assumptions of R129 was to base classification more closely on the child's height.
From the carrier's perspective, the child's weight is also very practical. We usually start with this weight when choosing among our car seats.
It is even better when the parent provides the age, approximate height and information about what the child wears on a daily basis.
If you're booking a taxi or airport transfer, keep the information as simple as possible: the child is four years old, weighs approximately 18 kg, is approximately 105 cm tall, and normally uses a full-size child seat with an internal harness. This tells the carrier much more than just "four years old."
R129, homologation and i-Size – what does a parent really need to know?
There's no need to study the entire homologation regulations before every ride. However, it's worth distinguishing a few concepts.
Approval means that the seat has met the requirements of a given regulation and has been approved for use. UN R129 is currently the primary regulation governing new child restraint systems, and i-Size is a concept within that system.
It's also worth remembering that homologation is a starting point, not a quality ranking for all seats. Two seats approved under the same regulations may differ in design, installation method, and additional test results.
A good example of an additional assessment is the Swedish Plus Test conducted by VTI . This is a voluntary test performed exclusively for rear-facing seats and focuses particularly on the load on a child's neck during a severe frontal collision.
For a parent ordering a single journey, however, it will be more important to make sure that the carrier knows the size of the child the seat is designed for and is able to install it correctly than knowing all the markings.
RWF – why should the youngest children ride rear-facing?
For infants, it's quite simple: a rear-facing car seat, or RWF, is the natural choice.
UN R129 does not mandate forward-facing travel before the age of 15 months. However, 15 months should not be considered a date after which a child should immediately be turned forward-facing. In its guide to RWF seats, ADAC points out their improved protection for young children, especially in frontal collisions.
The reason is quite simple. A small child's head is proportionally larger and heavier than an adult's, and the neck isn't yet as developed. In a frontal impact, an RWF seat allows the load to be distributed across a larger area of the child's back, instead of allowing the head to snap forward.
That's the theory. In practice, another problem arises when ordering a taxi: larger rear-facing seats, aside from typical infant carriers, are among the most difficult to find among carriers . Many drivers simply don't have them because they're large, take up a lot of space, and aren't as versatile for everyday use as an adjustable, forward-facing seat.
And here, in my opinion, is one of the few places where, when taking a taxi, you sometimes have to accept a reasonable compromise.
If the child is old enough to travel forward-facing in accordance with the requirements of a given seat, and the carrier is unable to provide adequate RWF, a well-selected, correctly installed forward-facing seat is a much more sensible solution than giving up the seat altogether .
So I wouldn't consider the lack of a large RWF as a reason to say, "We'll go without anything then." An even worse solution is to have a child held on an adult's lap. In the event of sudden braking or a collision, an adult cannot replace a properly fitted restraint.
However, if your child normally travels rear-facing and you're specifically interested in rear-facing (RWF), make this clear when booking your ride. Don't assume that "two-year-old seat" automatically means a rear-facing seat.
Car seat, booster or seat – what might you need?
It's impossible to fairly assign every child to a seat based solely on age. Ultimately, you need to check the range specified by the manufacturer of the specific device. Therefore, the following table should be considered a guide, not a rigid legal table.
Type | For whom? | Direction of travel | What to pay attention to |
Baby carrier/seat | Babies and toddlers, as per the specific model's scope | Backwards, RWF | Height and weight approved by the manufacturer, correct harness adjustment |
Larger RWF seat | A child who has outgrown the carrier but can still travel rear-facing | Backwards, RWF | Specific model range and correct installation |
Car seat for an older child | After reaching the parameters enabling forward driving | In front | Correct harness or belt routing and proper headrest adjustment |
Booster seat with backrest, i.e. booster | An older child already using the car's three-point seat belt | In front | Correct belt routing, side protection and head support |
A stand without a backrest, commonly known as a "poddupnik" | Bigger children, if a specific model is designed for them | In front | Correct three-point belt routing; booster with backrest provides additional support and side protection |
In the case of new booster seats approved under UN R129, models without a backrest are intended for larger children. ADAC states that such booster seats can be approved for children over 125 cm tall and over 22 kg, but it also explicitly recommends booster seats with a backrest for improved belt guidance, side protection, and head support.
It is also worth being wary of the popular simplification that once a child reaches 135 cm, they can always ride without a car seat.
Polish law provides for this option only in special cases where, due to the child's weight and height, an appropriate device cannot be provided. The basic limit remains 150 cm. The full text of Article 39 can be found in the official Online Legal Acts System .
Check the car seat before driving away – even if the driver has prepared it
You can book a ride with a reputable company and still spend half a minute checking how your child is sitting in the car. One doesn't exclude the other.
First, check that the seat is securely installed. Depending on the specific model, it may be installed using ISOFIX or the vehicle's seat belt. ISOFIX alone doesn't automatically mean the seat is properly installed—it's the manufacturer's recommended method that counts.
Next, look at the seat belts or harness. They shouldn't be twisted, and the child shouldn't be sitting completely loosely in them. The headrest and harness height should also match the instructions for the specific seat and the child's height.
In winter, there's one more thing to keep in mind: A thick jacket between your child's body and the harness or belt can compromise their fit. So, it's important to ensure the belt or harness is as close to the body as possible.
If an RWF seat is to be installed in the front seat, it's essential to remember the airbag. Polish regulations prohibit rear-facing transport of a child in the front seat with an active passenger airbag.
One more thing: if you're unsure about something, speak up before you drive off. You don't have to memorize the entire car seat manual to spot a twisted belt, a loose harness, or a car seat that clearly doesn't fit your child.
Verification of additional fees for the car seat
Before booking, it is worth asking not only about the availability of the seat, but also about the price.
I don't think a carrier charging an additional fee is automatically doing anything wrong. However, it's important for parents to be aware of the fee before ordering the car, not just at the time of payment.
If you're traveling with multiple children, ask about each additional seat. Sometimes the company provides one, but a second or third requires a different vehicle or an additional fee.
At Rabbit-Trans, we have adopted a simpler principle: child seats are part of the transport and we do not charge an additional fee for them.
This also applies if multiple seats are needed. We consider this a safety feature, not a paid extra like an extra suitcase. This information can be found in both the Rabbit-Trans price list and our FAQ on child seats .
One car seat is one thing. Four car seats can change everything.
When traveling with your family to the airport, choosing a car depends not only on the number of passengers.
There's also a stroller, large suitcases, carry-on luggage, and sometimes a baby carrier. Plus, full-size car seats take up a significant amount of the width of the couch.
The mere fact that a car is approved for five or seven people does not mean that any configuration of seats and passengers will be comfortable.
We once had a trip where we had to prepare four large car seats in one minivan . It was doable, but it got really tight. And situations like this perfectly illustrate why, when traveling with multiple children, it's worth clearly announcing in advance who's traveling.
Four adults are a completely different situation in terms of space than a family with four children who need large car seats.
The same applies to luggage. Three people with small suitcases can easily travel in a sedan. The same number of passengers with a large stroller, three checked suitcases, and a car seat might need a van.
Therefore, when booking a ride to Gdańsk Airport, it's worth providing the number of passengers, number of car seats, type of stroller, and approximate amount of larger luggage. If the car proves too small only when you arrive at your home, the options for resolving the problem are significantly limited.
If you are also wondering about other ways to get to the airport, you can check out our more extensive guide: how to get to the airport in Gdańsk .
There's also no point in cramming suitcases into passenger seats just to fit into a smaller car. Choosing the right car class in advance is simply a more convenient solution.
Airport pickup with a child – why does advance booking matter?
Imagine a fairly ordinary situation. Your plane lands late in the evening, your child is tired or already asleep, you collect your bags, unfold the stroller, and only then start looking for a car.
You can do this. However, if you're looking for a specific car seat, that's where the problem begins. A car readily available doesn't necessarily have a car seat suitable for your child.
If you have booked a ride in advance, you can arrange this before your trip.
The carrier knows the number of passengers, required child seats, and baggage allowance. Upon airport pickup, the driver can also obtain the flight number and adjust the pickup to the actual arrival time.
At Rabbit-Trans, we offer a Meet & Greet service for airport pickups. The driver can wait in the arrivals hall with a sign, and the flight status is monitored while the pickup is being prepared. The car and required equipment are arranged in advance, so parents don't have to start searching for a solution after leaving the terminal.
The door-to-door service itself has another simple advantage for family travel: you go directly from the airport to the specified address, without transfers with your child, stroller and suitcases.
This is not necessary in every situation.
If you have an older child, little luggage, and good public transport connections, another solution may be perfectly adequate. With a baby, several children, or a late arrival, preparing the car in advance is even more important.
How to choose a taxi or airport transfer if you need a car seat?
I wouldn't start by asking which company advertises itself as "the most family-friendly." It's better to ask a few specific questions before paying for the ride.
The most important thing is to determine which car seat will actually be prepared . "We have car seats" can mean the possibility of ordering both an RWF carrier and just a booster seat for an older child.
Next, it's worth confirming what child information you need to provide and whether the carrier has confirmed the appropriate device type. If your child normally rides rear-facing, be upfront about it.
If you have several children, it is worth confirming how many full-size car seats can be installed in a given car.
Here it quickly turns out that the number of seats listed in the registration certificate does not say much about how much space will be left after installing several car seats.
Also ask about the fee for the first and subsequent car seats, and when picking up from the airport - what happens if the plane is delayed.
Finally, the simplest thing is this: if you're booking far in advance and the carrier has confirmed all the details, make sure these arrangements are included in your booking confirmation. Don't assume that the "child" note automatically means exactly what you need.
Which companies in Tricity offer taxis or transfers with a child seat?
If a car seat is a requirement for your journey, it is definitely better to book a car in advance rather than looking for it only after leaving the terminal.
The prices and conditions below were reviewed on September 17, 2026. This section of the article is worth updating periodically, as price lists may change.
Business | Child seat / additional payment according to the current offer |
Rabbit-Trans Poland | 0 PLN surcharge. Car seats and booster seats are provided at no extra charge upon prior request. This also applies to multiple car seats. |
Travel Gdańsk | 0 PLN surcharge. The company explicitly lists "free child seats" as part of individual journeys and transfers for up to 8 people. |
Neptune Taxi | At the regular taximeter rate: PLN 40 per car seat , maximum 2 seats . With the airport flat rate, the car seat is included in the price. The example flat rate from Gdańsk Airport to Gdańsk City Center is currently PLN 99 during the day and PLN 120 at night . |
CTaxi Gdańsk | The company claims to have car seats and booster seats available, but I haven't found a clear price for ordering them in the current public listing. Therefore, it's best to confirm the price by phone. |
Elite Airport Taxi Gdańsk | The detailed offer is: PLN 40 for a forward-facing seat with harness , PLN 50 for a rear-facing carrier , and PLN 30 for a booster seat . Special orders must be placed at least 12 hours in advance . |
Welcome Pickups | You can order a baby seat or booster seat when booking. However, the public website for Gdańsk doesn't show a separate flat fee for the seat, so I'm not entering the amount here, as it can't be confirmed. |
This list clearly shows that the slogan "we have car seats" does not say much.
In some cases, this equipment is free. In others, you'll pay 30, 40, or 50 PLN depending on the type of device. In still other cases, the seat costs 40 PLN for a standard ride , but for airport transfers, it's already included in the flat-rate fee.
Therefore, when comparing offers, check not only the price of the trip itself, but also the type of seat available, its price and the number of pieces that the company can actually prepare .
A company may have booster seats for older children, but not the larger rear-facing child seat. These larger rear-facing seats are one of the most difficult pieces of equipment to find in a regular taxi.
Can Uber and Bolt order a taxi with a car seat?
In the case of Uber and Bolt, the problem isn't that no driver can ever have a car seat. The problem is more practical: when making a regular booking, you shouldn't assume that an appropriate safety seat will be waiting for your child.
Uber's current offering for Gdańsk doesn't include a separate, standard ride category that guarantees a child seat. Similarly, Bolt's special family categories only work where the platform allows them. Therefore, it's always worth checking the current options available in a specific app before booking.
And that is why, if a car seat is a requirement for your journey – especially an RWF carrier or several car seats for siblings – pre-book the journey with the company,
which will confirm the specific type of equipment is simply a safer solution than ordering a random car from the app after landing.
With Uber or Bolt, you can get a car quickly. However, you don't have the same certainty that a car seat appropriate for your child's size will arrive with it.
How to travel with a child in a taxi without a car seat if there is really no other option?
First, let's be clear: there is no safe way to transport a small child on an adult's lap that can be considered a replacement for a car seat .
If you can order another car with a suitable seat, wait for a pre-arranged transfer, or use your own seat, this will be a better option than driving without one. A properly fitted seat or booster significantly reduces the risk of injury compared to using a seat belt alone.
In practice, however, situations arise when a parent gets into a taxi and a car seat isn't available. In such cases, it's crucial that the adult is at least properly fastened with their own seat belt .
An unrestrained passenger poses a threat to other occupants in the vehicle during a collision. The Polish Police remind everyone that seat belts should be worn in every seat, regardless of the distance traveled.
However, you should not attempt to "secure" a child and an adult with a single seat belt. The seat belt should not cover both the parent and the child sitting on their lap. In a collision, the child could become pinched between the seat belt and the adult's body, which could result in serious injury.
The safety instructions clearly warn against carrying a child on your lap and against using one seat belt around an adult and a child.
You also shouldn't assume that holding your child tightly in your hands will replace a car seat. During sudden braking, and even more so during a collision, the forces acting can be much greater than a person can sustain.
Therefore, riding on your lap should only be treated as a situation that should be avoided at all costs , and not as an alternative method of protecting your child.
Once a child is old enough for the car seat belt to fit properly across their body, they should sit independently in their own seat and use their own seat belt , not sit on an adult's lap.
The lap belt should sit low across the top of your thighs, and the shoulder belt should sit across the middle of your shoulder and chest, not across your stomach, neck or face.
However, for a smaller child there is no good "emergency solution".
If the car seat belt is too big for your child, it's still too big in a taxi. That's why, when traveling to the airport, it's best to address this issue before departure and book a car with a suitable seat prepared in advance.
Car seat in airport transfer – frequently asked questions
Should a child seat be charged extra?
There's no one-size-fits-all policy for all carriers. A company may charge for additional equipment if they disclose it at the time of booking. Therefore, it's best to check the price before booking.
At Rabbit-Trans, car seats are included in the price of the transport, even if multiple seats are required. You can check this on the company's price list.
Is it enough to state the child's age when booking?
It's best to provide more information. In practice, age, weight, and height are very useful, as well as whether the child is currently traveling in a carrier, full-size car seat, rear-facing car seat, booster seat, or booster seat. Age alone doesn't always accurately describe a child's size.
Should a two-year-old ride rear-facing?
UN R129 only allows forward-facing travel after reaching a certain minimum age, at least 15 months, but this does not mean that a child must be turned around after that. Both the UNECE and ADAC emphasize the importance of rear-facing travel for the youngest children.
Can a child from 135 cm always travel without a car seat?
No. The Polish 135 cm rule is an exception applied in specific circumstances, not a new fundamental limit. The general rule for cars requiring a child seat applies to children under 150 cm tall.
Is ISOFIX mandatory?
Not every seat requires ISOFIX. Installation methods vary depending on the specific model. The most important thing is to install the device exactly as the manufacturer intended. The "ISOFIX" logo alone does not replace proper installation.
Can you stop for a child during a long journey?
With a private ride, you can simply arrange with the driver when a stop is needed. On longer journeys, a break for feeding, changing a diaper, or resting from the car seat is completely normal.
If you know in advance that you will need a longer break, it is best to mention this when ordering the car.
Comments