Gdansk Airport: Car Rental vs Taxi Transfer — Which Is Better?

Do you need a rental car in Gdansk?

Many tourists flying into Gdansk Airport automatically assume they need to rent a car. In reality, whether a rental car makes sense depends entirely on your itinerary. Gdansk, Sopot, and Gdynia are compact cities with excellent public transport and walkable centers.

Cost comparison: 3-day trip

Car rental for 3 days typically costs 840-1,570 PLN (rental fee 450-900 PLN + fuel 100-150 PLN + parking 150-240 PLN + hotel parking 90-180 PLN). Meanwhile, taxi transfers for the same trip cost roughly 440 PLN (airport to hotel 100 PLN + Sopot day trip 240 PLN + hotel to airport 100 PLN). Transfers cost about half.

When a rental car makes sense

A rental car is better when you are exploring the countryside (Hel Peninsula, Slowinski National Park, Kashubian Lake District), staying 5+ days, or your hotel is outside the city center.

When a taxi transfer is better

Taxi transfers win for 1-4 day city breaks, late-night arrivals (rental desks may be closed), when you want to enjoy Polish nightlife without a designated driver, and when parking would be a problem. Gdansk Old Town has limited, expensive parking at 5-8 PLN per hour.

Our recommendation

For a typical 2-4 day tourist visit focused on the Tri-City, skip the rental car. Use a pre-booked taxi for airport transfers (100 PLN to city center) and the SKM train for hopping between Gdansk, Sopot, and Gdynia. Book at taxiairportgdansk.com.