The difference, in one sentence
A taxi can be taken from a rank or hailed in the street. A private hire vehicle (VTC — voiture de transport avec chauffeur) may only pick up a client on prior booking: it can neither wait at the airport for passengers nor be hailed.
Taxis at Nice airport
The official ranks are on the arrivals level: door A1 at Terminal 1 and door A3 at Terminal 2. For certain destinations, flat fares apply (2026 rates):
| Destination | Taxi flat fare |
|---|---|
| Central Nice | €32 |
| Antibes / Juan-les-Pins | €72 |
| Cannes | €85 |
| Monaco | €95 |
Beyond those, the price is on the meter. A receipt is compulsory from €25 upwards.
What a booked private hire vehicle guarantees
- A price agreed before departure: at Novalia, the price shown at booking is the price paid.
- A chauffeur who waits for you: met in the hall with a name sign, flight tracked.
- A suitable vehicle: Economy, Sedan, a 6- to 8-seat van, child seats on request.
- An identified professional: a professional private hire licence, and a vehicle displaying the regulatory VTC sticker.
How to choose
For an immediate departure to Nice centre without bulky luggage, the taxi rank is convenient. For a night arrival, with family, with an appointment to keep or to a destination outside the flat-fare list (Saint-Tropez, Grasse, Èze, Italy), booking a chauffeur brings certainty on both the price and the welcome.
