Nice Airport Taxi Prices

Nice Côte d'Azur Airport processes thirteen million passengers a year, and nearly a third of them step into a taxi at Terminal 1 or Terminal 2 ranks within minutes of clearing customs. The airport enforces a dual pricing structure: fixed rates to high-demand zones, metered fares everywhere else. That distinction shapes what you pay, and missing it costs money. The fixed-rate system covers Nice city centre, Promenade des Anglais, and the train station—all destinations within a geographically defined boundary where taxis charge €32 regardless of traffic or route. The figure is set by the Alpes-Maritimes prefecture and applies around the clock, eliminating the risk of surge pricing or route disputes. Step beyond that perimeter—Antibes, Cannes, Villefranche-sur-Mer—and the meter activates. Day rates run €1.18 per kilometre, night rates jump to €1.57, and waiting time bills at €33.60 per hour. A twenty-minute ride to Antibes typically lands between €55 and €65 depending on traffic and time of departure. Surcharges appear on every receipt. Fourth passenger and beyond: €3 each. Luggage exceeding one piece per traveller: €1 per item. Departures after 19:00 or on Sundays and public holidays trigger a 40 percent fare increase that applies to both fixed and metered trips. Airport pickup itself carries no fee—unlike some European hubs that add €5 for rank collection—but the prefecture-regulated extras still reshape the baseline cost. A solo traveller with one suitcase departing at noon pays €32 to Vieux Nice; a family of four with three bags leaving at 20:30 on a Saturday pays €47 for the same route. Taxi ranks at both terminals operate continuously. Terminal 1 serves the main international arrivals hall, Terminal 2 handles budget carriers and domestic flights. Both feed into a supervised queue system managed by airport staff who direct passengers to the next available licensed vehicle. Dispatch is first-come-first-served; no reservation required, no app necessary. Payment accepts cash and card, though smaller operators occasionally claim card terminals are offline—carrying €50 in euro notes eliminates that negotiation. The prefecture publishes a rate sheet in French and English at each rank, listing fixed zones and current surcharges, a reference point worth photographing before boarding.