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Poland

Warsaw

A capital that rebuilt its old town from rubble. Trams do the heavy lifting; buy your ticket before you board.

Taxi and ride-hailing (taksówka)

A car you hail with an app is legally a taxi here, TAXI lamp and yellow-red stripe included. The fare ceilings the city sets by decree bind meters and apps alike, and the receipt (paragon) is the driver's duty.

Updated on August 5, 2026

How to ride

  1. 1
    Look for the TAXI lamp and the yellow-red stripe
    Before boarding, check the TAXI roof lamp, the yellow-and-red stripe with a side number on the front doors, and the city crest.
  2. 2
    Check the driver's ID inside the car
    There should be a driver ID card visible inside, carrying a hologram, the driver's photo and their name.
  3. 3
    With an app, read the total before you order
    The apps quote a total before you order; check that the car, the plate and the driver match what the app shows before you get in.
  4. 4
    In a street taxi, read the price plate
    At a rank or on the street, read the price plate inside the rear right window for the flag fall and the daytime rate per km.
  5. 5
    Take the receipt when you get out
    The receipt (paragon) is the driver's legal duty; with an app ride it lands on your phone. Keep it rather than binning it.

Typical costs

Fixed-price routes1

Chopin Airport to the city centre (indicative)
The figure the airport publishes. It is indicative, not a flat rate - you pay what the meter or app shows.
50 PLN ≈ $13

How the meter adds up4

Flag fall (legal ceiling)
The same for every tariff, across a city that is a single fare zone; charging more than this is illegal.
10 PLN ≈ $3
Per kilometre, daytime (ceiling)
Tariff 1, weekdays 06:00-22:00. This is a ceiling, not a fixed price.
5 PLN ≈ $1
Per kilometre, nights and holidays (ceiling)
Tariff 2 - weekdays 22:00-06:00 and all day Sundays and holidays; the basics panel has the full list.
7.5 PLN ≈ $2
Per hour of waiting (ceiling)
The same under every tariff - the ceiling for time the car spends stopped and waiting.
50 PLN ≈ $13

Estimates use exchange rates as of September 5, 2026

You can take one at a rank or flag one down, but an app shows the total before you order. Both sit under the same fare ceilings.

Payment

Tap to ride
The apps charge a card you register; whether a car has a terminal varies
App tickets
Uber, Bolt, Freenow and iTaxi - the total is shown before you order
Cash
Rank and street taxis take cash, and Bolt runs cash rides in Poland too

Tap for where to get the app

Quick facts

Fares from
50 PLN+

Heads-up

  • A driver who refuses a receipt is breaking the law

    A driver who will not give you a receipt (paragon) is breaking the law, and the city says outright that this can be grounds for not settling the fare. The receipt carries the car's side number and registration, and you cannot file a complaint without it. If one is refused, call the municipal police on the free 24-hour line 986 or the police on 997, and note the side number, the plate and the make of car.

  • No charge for the empty return, and no detours

    Beyond the ceilings, the city's rules forbid a few specific things. A driver may not bill you for the empty run back to the rank, must take the shortest route unless you ask for another one, and must tell you and switch the meter when the day tariff turns into the night one mid-journey. If any of that happens, the receipt is what lets you complain to the city.

Timetable

Typical duration A late-night or heavy-luggage option - one-way streets and roadworks in the centre mean short hops take longer than the map suggests
Check the official site for the latest times and service status