Do You Need a Child Seat in a Taxi in Poland? Law & Practice
You are landing at Gdańsk Airport with a toddler and a mountain of luggage, and one question keeps coming back: do I need a car seat for the taxi ride? The short answer for Poland: legally no — licensed taxis are exempt from the child seat requirement. The better answer: yes, your child should still ride in one, and you don't need to drag your own across Europe to make that happen. Here is exactly what Polish law says, and how to get a taxi with a properly installed child seat waiting for you at arrivals.
What Polish law says about child seats in cars
Under Article 39 of the Polish Road Traffic Act (Prawo o ruchu drogowym), any child shorter than 150 cm travelling in a passenger car must be secured in a child seat or another approved child restraint appropriate for their height and weight. The restraint must comply with EU or UN ECE technical standards. Breaking this rule costs the driver a fine and penalty points — it is one of the most consistently enforced rules on Polish roads.
The taxi exemption — what makes taxis different
The same Article 39 contains a list of exemptions, and licensed taxis are one of them. A child may legally travel in a taxi without a child seat, riding on the rear seat. Children over 3 years old must wear the standard seat belt; a child under 3 travels on the rear seat under an adult's care. The same exemption covers ambulances and Police vehicles.
Why does the law allow this? Practicality: lawmakers assumed you cannot expect every taxi to carry every size of child seat at all times, and that a family hailing a cab on the street would otherwise be stranded. So if you jump into a taxi at the rank with your 4-year-old, neither you nor the driver is breaking the law.
Legal is not the same as safe
Here is the part we tell every parent who calls us: the exemption removes the fine, not the physics. In a collision at just 50 km/h, an unrestrained child is thrown forward with a force many times their body weight, and an adult seat belt positioned across a small child's neck and abdomen can itself cause serious injury. Every road safety organisation in Europe recommends a proper child restraint for every ride — including taxi rides.
That is why we treat child seats not as an exotic extra but as a standard part of our airport transfer service.
How child seats work in our taxis
At Taxi Airport Gdańsk you can add child seats directly in the booking form — no phone calls, no "we'll see what we can do". The driver installs the seat before departure, so when you walk out of arrivals, the car is ready for your child.
- Child seat — 40 PLN per seat. A certified universal seat (group 0+/I/II/III) for children 0–36 kg — roughly 0 to 12 years. Fitted rear-facing for infants up to 12 months (up to about 13 kg) or forward-facing from 12 months up; you pick the option in the booking form. Maximum 2 per ride.
- Booster seat — 30 PLN per seat. For children 125–150 cm tall who no longer need a full seat but are too short for an adult belt alone.
- Installed by the driver before pickup — at the airport, your hotel, or any address.
- Available 24/7, on every route we serve: Gdańsk, Sopot, Gdynia, Malbork, Hel and beyond.
Rear-facing (RWF) — yes, we have it
The question we get most often from Nordic and German families is whether the seat can be installed rear-facing. It can — and for the youngest passengers that is how we fit it by default. When you add a child seat in the booking form, a short dialog asks which direction you want and suggests one based on your child’s age.
- Up to 12 months (about 13 kg) — rear-facing. In a frontal impact the shell carries the load across the whole back and supports the head, neck and spine, instead of the harness pulling on a neck that is still soft.
- Up to 5× safer. Research repeatedly puts rear-facing far ahead of forward-facing in frontal crashes, which account for roughly 80% of serious collisions.
- Always on the rear bench. A rear-facing seat never goes in front of an active airbag, so our drivers install it behind the front seats, every time.
Older children ride forward-facing in the same seat — it is a group 0+/I/II/III universal seat covering 0–36 kg, so one seat follows your child from the baby years to about 12.
Which seat does your child need?
| Child | What to book | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Infant (up to 12 months, up to about 13 kg) | Child seat, rear-facing (RWF) — the safest option for the smallest passengers | 40 PLN |
| 0–36 kg (approx. 0–12 years) | Child seat | 40 PLN |
| 125–150 cm tall | Booster seat | 30 PLN |
| Over 150 cm | No seat required — standard seat belt | Free |
Tip: if your child is between 125 and 150 cm, a booster is enough — it is 10 PLN cheaper and takes less space in the car.
Travelling with two small children? The VAN rule
Two full child seats do not fit safely side by side with passengers in a standard car. If you book 2 full child seats, we automatically send a larger VAN and VAN pricing applies — the booking form shows the final price up front, so there are no surprises. A standard car comfortably takes 1 child seat + 1 booster, or 2 boosters.
Should you bring your own car seat instead?
Some parents prefer their own seat, and that is completely fine — our drivers will help you install it. A few things worth knowing:
- Most airlines (including Ryanair and Wizz Air, the main carriers at GDN) let you check in a car seat free of charge in addition to your luggage allowance.
- Checked car seats can take damage in the hold — many parents use a padded transport bag.
- If you only need a seat for the two airport transfers, booking ours for 40 PLN each way is usually less hassle than carrying one through three airports.
Frequently asked questions
Is a child seat legally required in a taxi in Poland?
No. Children under 150 cm must normally use a child restraint in cars, but licensed taxis are exempt under Article 39 of the Polish Road Traffic Act. A child in a taxi rides on the rear seat, with a seat belt if they are over 3 years old. We still strongly recommend a proper seat for safety.
How do I book a taxi with a child seat from Gdańsk Airport?
Use our online booking form — it has dedicated child seat and booster selectors. Choose the number of seats, and the price updates instantly. The driver installs the seats before your pickup and waits at arrivals with a name sign.
How much does a child seat cost in your taxi?
40 PLN per child seat (0–36 kg, rear- or forward-facing, max 2 per ride) and 30 PLN per booster seat (children 125–150 cm). The transfer price itself stays fixed — for example 130 PLN from the airport to Gdańsk city center, 24/7.
Can you fit two child seats in one car?
Yes — with 2 full child seats we send a VAN and VAN pricing applies. A standard car takes 1 child seat + 1 booster or 2 boosters.
Do Uber or Bolt in Gdańsk provide child seats?
As a rule, no. With ride-hailing apps you get whatever car happens to accept the job, and drivers almost never carry child seats. A pre-booked transfer is currently the only reliable way to guarantee a child seat at Gdańsk Airport.
Book a family-friendly airport transfer
Fixed prices, flight tracking, a driver with a name sign at arrivals — and a properly installed child seat waiting for your little one. See our taxi with child seat service →