Travelling to the airport with children: a guide to taxis with a child seat

To go to the airport by taxi with a young child, request the child seat when you book and give the child's age: with that information the right system is chosen and availability is confirmed before the trip. You can also bring your own seat if you prefer. The service is available 24 hours a day, to go to any Barajas terminal or to get home from the airport.

Under Spain's General Traffic Regulations (Reglamento General de Circulación), children up to 135 centimetres tall must, as a general rule, travel in an approved child restraint system suited to their height and weight. The regulations provide for some exceptions for taxis, but these have been changed over time and depend on the type of road, so always check the current information from the DGT (Spain's traffic authority).

Whatever the rules allow at any given time, our recommendation is clear: the child should always travel in their restraint system, including on a journey to the airport, which is usually on a motorway. We explain this in more detail in the rules for travelling with children in a taxi, and for adults, in whether you must wear a seat belt in a taxi.

The table is a guide only: what counts is the child's height and weight. That is why, when booking, the age is the minimum information we need, and if you also give us their approximate height, all the better.

Both options are fine. Bringing your own has its advantages: the child is used to it and you know how to fit it. The drawback is that you will have to carry it for the whole trip; many airlines let you check it in, but check your airline's conditions. Requesting one when booking saves you that extra item, especially if you will not need it at your destination.

• Allow extra time. Fitting the seat, loading the pushchair and settling everyone in takes a while. If the flight is early, book the taxi the day before.
• If there are many of you or you have a lot of luggage, ask for a 7-seater taxi, which can also take child seats on request. To decide, see when you need a 7-seater taxi.
• Keep the essentials to hand: water, something to eat, a toy and the child's documents if the flight is international.
• On the way back, book your airport pickup with your flight number and request the seat too: there is nothing worse than looking for a taxi at the rank with a tired child.

The journey has your zone's fixed fare, the same in both directions; from inside the M-30 it is €33. You can book on the airport taxi booking page, where you will see the price before confirming and can request the seat in the same form. And if you are visiting Madrid with children, we have some ideas for things to do in travelling with children in Madrid.