Sweden

Taxi scam at Arlanda Airport: drivers suspected of locking in passengers and demanding up to SEK 15,000

Two taxi drivers are suspected of overcharging and locking in Arlanda travellers. What is known about the case and how to take a taxi safely in Sweden.

By Roland Strodthoff · 9 November 2026

Blick aus dem Flugzeugfenster auf Wald und Wasser beim Anflug auf Stockholm-Arlanda

Two taxi drivers from the Stockholm area are suspected of having grossly overcharged passengers from Arlanda Airport over several years. According to the newspaper Aftonbladet, whose reporting was picked up by the TT news agency, they allegedly picked up travellers at the airport between August 2024 and September 2026 and charged them heavily inflated fares, in some cases around SEK 15,000. Passengers who refused to pay were reportedly locked inside the car on several occasions. The case highlights a familiar problem: taxi fares in Sweden are unregulated, and visitors unfamiliar with the airport can easily end up in the wrong car.

What the drivers are suspected of

According to the reports, passengers faced a threatening atmosphere as soon as they questioned the amount demanded. Aftonbladet’s sources say the drivers locked the doors and only let travellers out once they had paid. One of the two men is in custody, suspected of unlawful detention and five counts of fraud. The second driver is at large but remains a suspect. The prosecutor does not rule out further suspects and further victims. Everyone involved is presumed innocent, and no charges have been reported so far.

Background: free pricing and rising complaints

Sweden has no state-set taxi tariffs. Each company sets its own prices and there is no maximum fare. To protect customers, however, the law requires price information: every taxi must display a sticker outside and inside showing the so-called comparison price (jämförpris). It states what a typical 10-kilometre, 15-minute trip costs and is shown in large figures. If the comparison price for a trip exceeds SEK 700, the company must give a binding maximum price when the trip is booked.

In practice, this does not help many passengers. According to the Swedish government, complaints about unreasonably high taxi fares to the Swedish Consumer Agency (Konsumentverket) more than doubled from 2024 to 2025 and are still rising in 2026. Only about one in ten people say they can use the price information to estimate what a trip will cost. In August 2026 the government therefore asked the Swedish Transport Agency (Transportstyrelsen) to review the rules. An interim report on price information is due by 30 June 2027.

How the taxi system at Arlanda works

The airport operator Swedavia has agreements with selected taxi companies. Their cars wait directly outside the arrivals hall at Terminal 5 and outside Terminal 2, signposted “Taxi, Approved Taxi”. These companies charge a maximum fare for trips within a marked zone. Swedavia’s website currently gives this as around SEK 800 to 825 for up to four passengers. Outside the zone, the meter applies. Taxis without an agreement, for example at Terminal 4 or SkyCity, may according to Swedavia charge “an unreasonably high price”.

What this means for travellers and people in Sweden

If you need a taxi at Arlanda, use only the signposted contracted taxis outside Terminal 5 or Terminal 2. According to Swedavia, drivers who approach travellers inside the arrivals hall have no agreement with the airport. You also do not have to take the first car in the queue.

Check before you get in: yellow number plates, a taximeter and a clearly visible comparison price sticker. The driver’s taxi ID should be on display in the car.
Agree the price first: Ask which price applies before the trip starts. According to Swedavia, a fixed price should be shown on the meter before departure, and the meter must stay on throughout the trip.
Ask for a receipt: The meter receipt shows the registration number, company and driver. It matters for complaints and lost property.
Pre-book at night: Swedavia recommends booking a taxi in advance at night, when fewer cars are available.

If you do not need a taxi, trains and buses are alternatives. It also helps to know in advance how payments work in Sweden; see our guide Paying in Sweden: Cards, Cash and Swish. For more airport updates, read our article on Air France and KLM moving to Terminal 5. Anyone who believes they have been the victim of an excessive taxi fare or threats can contact the Swedish police.