Arrival brief · Montevideo MVD
MVD Arrival Guide: Carrasco Airport to Montevideo, Without the Traps
Carrasco is a beautiful, calm airport close to the city — the arrival is honest and easy in one of South America's safest capitals. Use an official taxi/remise or an app, confirm the fare, and you're in town in 20–30 minutes.
2026-08-26
What to expect after landing
Carrasco International (MVD) is a beautiful, calm airport close to the city — the arrival is honest and easy in one of South America’s safest capitals. Use an official taxi/remise or Uber/Cabify, confirm the fare, and you’re in town in 20–30 minutes. Carry some pesos (cards widely accepted; choose pesos on terminals), and it’s a genuinely low-stress start.
Option 1 — Official taxi/remise or app
From the official desk, take a metered taxi or a fixed-price remise (~20–30 min). Or use Uber/Cabify, which fix the fare in-app — use the designated pickup. Confirm the fare or fare basis, and use the desk/app rather than an unofficial tout.
Option 2 — Airport bus (cheapest)
The COT/Copsa buses run toward Montevideo’s Tres Cruces terminal for a low fare — the cheapest option if you’re travelling light. From Tres Cruces, take a short taxi/app or local bus onward.
What it looks like
There’s essentially no scam at MVD — it’s honest, calm, and easy, in one of the region’s safest countries. The only “notes” are practical: use the official taxi/remise desk or an app (not an unofficial tout), confirm the fare, and — if you’re headed to Ciudad Vieja — remember it’s quiet late, so ride door-to-door. Otherwise, enjoy a genuinely low-stress arrival.
Do this instead
Use an official taxi/remise from the desk or Uber/Cabify (or the cheap COT/Copsa bus), confirm the fare, and carry some pesos charged in local currency. That’s the whole MVD arrival, into a laid-back, safe capital.
Late-night arrivals
Official taxis/remises and Uber/Cabify operate for arriving flights, and a pre-arranged transfer is a calm option. Montevideo is very safe at night — have your address in the app, confirm the fare or use an app/remise, and go straight there (door-to-door if you’re staying in the quiet Old City).
Quick answers
What's the best way from Carrasco airport to Montevideo?
Use an official taxi or remise from the airport desk (a metered taxi or a fixed-price remise, ~20–30 minutes to the city), or the ride apps Uber and Cabify, which operate and fix the fare in-app. There's also an airport bus (COT/Copsa) toward the city bus terminal for the cheapest option. Confirm or agree the fare from the airport, and use the official desk or an app rather than an unofficial tout. It's a genuinely low-stress, honest arrival in one of South America's safest capitals; carry some Uruguayan pesos.
Are taxis honest at Montevideo airport?
Yes — Montevideo's taxis are metered and honest, and the airport also offers fixed-price remises booked at the official desk, so you know the fare up front. Uber and Cabify operate too and fix the fare in the app. There's no real taxi-scam culture here; just use the official desk or an app rather than an unofficial tout, and confirm the fare or fare basis. It's about 20–30 minutes to the city. Uruguay is calm and safe, so the arrival is straightforward and pleasant.
Is there a cheap way from Carrasco into the city?
Yes — the COT and Copsa buses run from the airport toward Montevideo's Tres Cruces bus terminal (and some continue to Punta del Este in the other direction) for a low fare, the cheapest way in if you're not in a rush and travelling light. From Tres Cruces, take a short taxi, app, or local bus to your accommodation. For most visitors a taxi/remise or Uber/Cabify is easy and not expensive, but the bus is there for the budget-minded. Carry some pesos for the fare.
What if I land at Montevideo late at night?
Official taxis/remises and the ride apps (Uber/Cabify) operate for arriving flights, and a pre-arranged transfer is a calm option too. Montevideo is one of South America's safest capitals, so a late arrival is low-stress. Have your accommodation's address in the app or saved, confirm the fare or use an app/remise, and go straight there. If you're staying in Ciudad Vieja (the Old City), note it's quiet late, so a door-to-door ride rather than a walk from a distant stop is the sensible choice.