Valencia / The verdict
Valencia airport to the city: which way?
The metro is the pick for most visitors: lines 3 and 5 run from a station on the terminal's ground floor to Xativa and the center for a 4.80 EUR single. Taxis are the runner-up for groups and late landings, and renting a car just for this leg is the option to skip.
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The Valencia story
Valencia is Spain's third city and its most liveable: a flat, golden old town around the [cathedral](/valencia/valencia-cathedral/) and the Central Market, the Turia park running through the city in a former riverbed, and the [City of Arts and Sciences](/valencia/city-of-arts-and-sciences/) at its end. Add paella where it was born and city beaches by tram, and the case for skipping it gets thin.
The verdict in 30 seconds
Our pick: Metro lines 3 and 5 (runner-up: Taxi or pre-booked transfer)
The metro is the pick for most visitors: lines 3 and 5 run from a station on the terminal's ground floor to Xativa and the center for a 4.80 EUR single. Taxis are the runner-up for groups and late landings, and renting a car just for this leg is the option to skip.
Go if
- You want a direct rail link that avoids road traffic and your stay is near Xativa, Angel Guimera or another stop on lines 3 and 5.
- You land while trains run: Aena lists first departures from 5:27 and last weekday departures around 22:30, later on Fridays.
- You are heading to the regional train station: Xativa stands beside Estacio del Nord.
Skip if
- You land after the last metro departures Aena lists, when only a taxi or a pre-booked car covers the run.
- You have heavy luggage or need a door to door drop at a specific address.
- Your Valencia stop is the start of a drive into the region, when the airport car hire makes more sense than a trip into town.
The options
Metro lines 3 and 5 Go
You are heading for the old town or the train station and want a ride that avoids road traffic.
Good
- The Aeroport station is on the terminal's ground floor with a Metrovalencia information office in arrivals, per Aena.
- One traveler describes the station as clearly signposted, with machines taking cards and cash, at an official AB+ single of 4.80 EUR.
- Either line reaches Xativa, beside Estacio del Nord, and Angel Guimera links to lines 1 and 2, per a traveler's blog.
- Aena lists departures every 15 minutes on workdays.
Watch out
- The airport is its own fare zone: a standard city ticket does not cover it, and a forum poster says many riders held the wrong one.
- Aena's weekday departures stop around 22:30 (23:27 on Fridays), so late landings need another option.
- Bank-card tap-in at the gates was not available in May 2025, so you need a machine purchase.
Metrovalencia fares and zone guideAena metro times from the airport
Taxi or pre-booked transfer It depends
You are a group of three or four, carry heavy luggage, or land after the last metro.
Good
- Aena lists a taxi rank at the airport, so no booking is needed.
- The airport tariff has a 12.50 EUR minimum that already includes the 5.40 EUR supplement.
- A pre-booked transfer is an option for late landings, when the metro is not running.
Watch out
- For a solo traveler the 12.50 EUR minimum alone is well above the 4.80 EUR metro single.
- Beyond the minimum the fare follows the meter and the destination.
Aena taxi rank and operatorsSee fixed transfer pricespartner site
MetroBus 150 It depends
Your stay is on the route of line 150 and you want to pay on board.
Good
- The official Valencia to airport fare is 4.80 EUR, the same as the metro single, and the ticket is bought on the bus.
- Aena lists intermediate stops at Mislata, Quart de Poblet and Manises on the route.
- It needs no card purchase.
Watch out
- It costs the same as the metro single, so it saves no money.
- Aena lists no Sunday or holiday service on the route to the airport, so check its page before relying on it for the return.
- It is a metropolitan route with intermediate stops, not a dedicated airport shuttle.
Rental car Skip
Travelers whose Valencia landing is the start of a regional drive, not a city stay.
Good
- Aena lists car hire among its airport services, so a car can be collected on arrival.
- For trips outside the city, leaving straight from the airport avoids a return trip into town.
Watch out
- For a city stay a car adds rental, fuel and parking costs on top of a metro ride that costs 4.80 EUR.
- A car needs parking at your accommodation, which the metro does not.
| Criterion | Metro lines 3 and 5 | Taxi or pre-booked transfer | MetroBus 150 | Rental car |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Official price | 4.80 EUR single plus 1.10 EUR card | 12.50 EUR minimum including the 5.40 EUR supplement, then metered | 4.80 EUR on board | Set by the rental company, plus fuel and parking |
| Runs when | Aena lists first trains from 5:27 and last weekday trains around 22:30, later on Fridays | Rank at the airport, or a transfer booked in advance | Aena lists no Sunday or holiday service on the route to the airport | Desk hours set by the rental company |
| Where it leaves you | Metro stops including Xativa and Angel Guimera | Door to door at any address | Bus stops in Mislata, Quart de Poblet and the city | Your choice of address, plus parking |
| How you pay | Station machines taking cards and cash | Metered fare on the airport tariff | On the bus | Set by the rental company |
| Main drawback | The airport fare zone confuses visitors holding standard tickets | Highest per-person cost for solo travelers | Costs the same as the metro single | Adds rental, fuel and parking costs to a city stay |
What it costs
- Metrovalencia single ticket, airport to the city (zone AB+): €4.80 (the airport is its own '+' fare zone, so a normal zone A or B ticket does not cover it; Official page could not be loaded on 2026-10-07; price as last confirmed.). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
- Reusable travel card (anonymous cardboard): €1.10 (ticket prices exclude the card; the plastic version costs 2.20 EUR; Official page could not be loaded on 2026-10-07; price as last confirmed.). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
- SUMA T1+ 24-hour pass, zones AB+ including the airport: €9 (48-hour and 72-hour versions (T2+ and T3+) cost 14 EUR and 17 EUR; Official page could not be loaded on 2026-10-07; price as last confirmed.). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
- MetroBus 150 single, airport to Valencia: €4.80 (bought on the bus; over 65s pay 3.35 EUR). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
- Taxi minimum charge for rides starting at the airport: €12.50 (includes the 5.40 EUR airport supplement; per the 2025 Generalitat tariff order. Official page could not be loaded on 2026-10-07; price as last confirmed.). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
What travelers report
Based on 2 traveler reports (May 2025 to Jun 2026) and the official sources linked on this page. 0 were negative.
What people like
- A traveler describes the metro station beneath the terminal as clearly signposted from arrivals.
- Ticket machines at the station take cards and cash, according to the same blog.
- A forum poster calls the Valencia metro very easy to use and says single tickets are sold from a machine at the airport.
- Xativa is recommended as the stop for the old town, with Estacio del Nord beside it.
What people complain about
- The airport sits in its own fare zone, so a standard city ticket does not cover it, and a forum poster says many riders held the wrong one.
- Bank-card tap-in at the gates was not available, per a May 2025 forum post.
- The same forum poster says the return trip to the airport also costs more, because the airport is a fare zone of its own.
How to do it right
- Follow the metro signs from arrivals to the Aeroport station on the terminal's ground floor; either line 3 or line 5 reaches Xativa, and Aena lists a Metrovalencia information office in arrivals.
- Buy the AB+ single for 4.80 EUR at the station machines, which take cards and cash per a traveler's blog, and keep the 1.10 EUR cardboard card for reloads; the 9 EUR SUMA T1+ suits more rides the same day.
- Ride to Xativa for the old town and Estacio del Nord, or change at Angel Guimera to lines 1 and 2.
- For a taxi, use the airport rank; the 12.50 EUR minimum already includes the 5.40 EUR airport supplement.
- Take MetroBus 150 only if your stay is on its route; the 4.80 EUR fare is paid on board, and Aena's page has the times.
- Skip the rental desks unless this flight starts a wider drive.
The trap to avoid
The airport sits in its own '+' fare zone, so a standard city ticket does not cover it. A forum poster says many riders held the wrong ticket and were allowed to pay the difference at the barrier, but buying the AB+ single up front avoids relying on that.
Why this verdict
The metro is the pick because the official facts and the traveler accounts line up. Aena lists the Aeroport station on the ground floor of the terminal, with a Metrovalencia information office in arrivals and trains every 15 minutes on workdays. A traveler’s blog and a forum post both describe it as easy to use, with the station signposted from arrivals and machines selling singles. The official AB+ single is 4.80 EUR, and either line 3 or line 5 reaches Xativa, beside the main regional train station.
Only two traveler reports back the ride-level detail, so the verdict leans on Aena’s published timetable. Both reports point to the same catch. The airport sits in its own fare zone, a standard ticket does not cover it, and the forum poster says many riders held the wrong ticket and paid the difference at the barrier. That is a reason to buy the right single first, not a reason to avoid the metro.
The taxi or pre-booked transfer is a depends. The airport tariff carries a 12.50 EUR minimum that includes a 5.40 EUR supplement, so it makes sense when you are sharing the fare, carrying heavy bags or landing after the last train. Aena lists last weekday metro departures around 22:30, 23:27 on Fridays, with extra trains after midnight on weekends, so check the day you land.
MetroBus 150 costs the same 4.80 EUR as the metro single, so it saves nothing. It is a metropolitan route with intermediate stops, and Aena lists no Sunday or holiday service on the route to the airport. It earns a place only if your stay sits on its route.
The rental car is the skip. For a city stay it adds rental, fuel and parking to a trip the metro covers for 4.80 EUR, and it makes sense only when this flight starts a wider drive.
Timing and tickets
Buy the AB+ single at the station machines before boarding. The 9 EUR SUMA T1+ covers unlimited rides in the AB+ zones for 24 hours if you plan more trips the same day, per the last confirmed fare table. Bank-card tap-in at the gates was not available in May 2025, so do not plan around it. Taxis need no booking: confirm the airport tariff on the meter.
Book or check times
Metrovalencia fares and zone guideAena metro times from the airportAena taxi rank and operatorsAena bus 150 times and fares
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Questions
Is there a metro from Valencia Airport to the city?
Yes. Metrovalencia lines 3 and 5 serve the Aeroport station on the ground floor of the terminal, and a traveler's blog says either line reaches Xativa. Aena lists departures every 15 minutes on workdays and about every 20 minutes on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.
How much is a taxi from Valencia Airport to the center?
Airport taxis run on a regulated tariff with a 5.40 EUR airport supplement and a 12.50 EUR minimum that includes it, as last confirmed from the 2025 Generalitat order. Beyond the minimum the fare follows the meter and the destination.
What if I land after the last metro?
Aena lists the last weekday departures from the airport at about 22:30 and 23:27 on Fridays, with extra trains after midnight on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. Check the day you land. When no train runs, the taxi rank or a pre-booked car covers the run.
Is there a shuttle or express bus?
The airport bus is MetroBus line 150, which Aena describes as a metropolitan route with intermediate stops at Mislata, Quart de Poblet and Manises. The Valencia to airport fare is 4.80 EUR, the same as the metro single, and the ticket is bought on the bus.
Can I tap a bank card at the metro gates?
Do not count on it. A May 2025 forum post says the metro does not operate credit-card tap-in and tap-out and that single tickets are sold from a machine at the airport. Buy the ticket or load a card at the machine before you board.
What if I buy the wrong ticket?
One forum poster says that when she rode, many people held the wrong ticket and staff let them pay the fare difference at the barrier rather than issuing a fine. Treat that as a single account and buy the AB+ single up front.
Pack for it
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