Airport taxi questions people ask on forums, answered

You can queue at the black-cab rank, but a pre-booked car is cheaper for most journeys, is waiting when you land and has a fixed fare agreed in advance. Rank taxis are metered, so traffic jams raise the price. Rushxo is a TfL-licensed private hire operator (licence 11588) so every journey must be pre-booked, which is exactly what gives you the fixed fare.

With Rushxo a saloon from Heathrow to central London (W1) is from £85 and an 8-seater from £145, fixed, including airport charges and tolls. A metered black cab on the same run is typically well over £100 in traffic. Enter your exact address on the booking page for the confirmed price.

From £146 for a saloon and £206 for an 8-seater, fixed, per vehicle not per person, luggage included and the driver takes you to your ship's terminal rather than the port gate. A metered taxi from the rank can be well over £200 for the same journey.

Per car. Everyone in the vehicle travels for the one fixed fare, with luggage included. That is why a family or group almost always pays less than train tickets plus a local taxi at the other end.

Executive chauffeur companies price in luxury cars, airport parking and waiting on a different basis. Our fares are for licensed private hire saloons, MPVs and minibuses, agreed up front, with no surge pricing. If a quote looks too cheap, check the operator holds a TfL private hire licence; ours is 11588.

Yes. The fare agreed at booking is the fare you pay whatever the traffic, time of day or route the driver takes. Only a change you request (an extra stop, a different address, a bigger car) changes the price, and it is quoted before you confirm.

No. The same fixed fare applies at 4am, on Sundays, on Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

As soon as you have your flight or sailing details. A few days ahead is ideal; same-day bookings are often possible by phone or WhatsApp, but Christmas, Boxing Day, Easter and the first weekend of the school holidays sell out early.

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before pick-up. Later cancellations and no-shows may carry a charge; the exact terms are shown on the booking page before you pay.

Pay by card online when you book, or choose to pay the driver by card or cash at the end of the journey. Business travellers can have monthly invoicing on a corporate account.

No. Tipping is entirely optional in the UK and is never expected; the fare is complete. If a driver has been especially helpful with luggage many customers add something, but there is no pressure.

Yes. A receipt is emailed automatically after every journey, and corporate account customers receive a monthly VAT invoice.

In the arrivals hall of your terminal, holding a name board with your name, once you have cleared customs. If you prefer the pick-up zone outside (quicker, no walking back from a car park), say so when you book and we send the exact meeting point by text.

We track your flight number. The driver's arrival moves with the plane at no extra cost, and 60 minutes of free waiting time runs from the moment the aircraft lands, which covers immigration and baggage reclaim for almost every flight.

Call or WhatsApp us from the terminal on 020 8888 9988 and we will tell the driver. Waiting beyond the free hour is charged at a published rate, never a surprise.

Flight number, scheduled landing time and the terminal if you know it. The flight number is what lets us track delays; the terminal we can work out from the airline.

No. App drivers must collect from designated zones that can be a long walk from arrivals. A pre-booked driver meets you inside the terminal and walks you to the car.

Yes. Every London airport now charges for forecourt drop-offs and short-stay pick-up parking; those charges, and tolls such as the Dartford Crossing, are inside our fixed fare.

Aim to be at the terminal 2 hours before a short-haul flight and 3 hours before long-haul, plus 30-45 minutes at peak holiday periods. When you book a home-to-airport journey we suggest a pick-up time based on live traffic forecasts and confirm the driver by text the evening before.

Yes, airport-to-airport is a common job (Heathrow to Gatwick, Gatwick to Stansted, Luton to Heathrow). Tell us both flight numbers and we track the inbound one. Allow at least 3 hours between landing and the next departure, more at Christmas.

Saloon: up to 4 passengers with 2 large cases and 2 cabin bags. MPV: up to 6 with 4 large cases. 8-seater minibus: up to 8 passengers with 8 large cases. Executive cars carry 3-4 with 2 cases. If in doubt, book the next size up: it is a few pounds more and nothing is left behind.

Yes. Infant seats, child seats and boosters are available on request when you book, at no extra charge. You are also welcome to bring your own seat; the driver will help fit it. Tell us the children's ages so the right seats are in the car.

In the UK a licensed taxi or private hire vehicle may legally carry a child without a car seat if none is available, as long as children under 3 sit in the back and older children use an adult belt. We think that is a last resort, which is why we supply seats on request.

Yes, in an 8-seater minibus, which is the right choice for 5-8 people with big cases. An MPV takes 6 people but only about 4 large cases.

Yes. Ramp or lift vehicles for passengers travelling in their wheelchair are booked in advance; folding wheelchairs and walkers go in the boot of any car. Tell us at booking so the right vehicle is sent.

Yes, in a carrier or on a blanket with advance notice; assistance dogs always travel free. Let us know when you book.

Yes. Add the stop when you book and it is priced into the fixed fare. Unplanned stops can usually be accommodated by the driver at a small published rate.

Yes. Pushchairs fold into any car; golf bags, skis and bikes in bags need an MPV or minibus. Mention them when you book.

Rushxo journeys are operated by Get London Transfer Ltd, licensed by Transport for London as a private hire operator (licence 11588). Every driver holds a TfL private hire licence, is DBS-checked and insured. You receive the driver's name, vehicle make and registration by text before pick-up, so you can check the car and the driver's TfL badge.

Yes. Both are licensed by TfL. The difference is that private hire must be pre-booked through a licensed operator, which is what gives you the fixed fare and a record of the journey; never get into a car that approaches you unbooked at the airport.

It is extremely rare because jobs are allocated and tracked, but if you cannot find your driver, call 020 8888 9988 and we locate them or send another car immediately. Our 24/7 phone line is staffed by people, not a bot.

Yes. The confirmation text includes the driver's name and a contact route; our office is also reachable by phone and WhatsApp 24 hours a day.

Yes. 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, at the same fixed fare.

For one person travelling light with an advance ticket, the train is cheaper to the central terminus. For two or more people, anyone with luggage, or any destination that is not next to the terminus, a fixed-fare car door to door is usually cheaper once you add the onward taxi, and it is far simpler at 5am or on a Sunday with engineering works.

Long-stay parking for a week at Heathrow or Gatwick plus the shuttle bus and drop-off charges usually costs more than two fixed-fare cars from most of London and Kent, and you do not come back to a frozen car in January.

Uber is fine for short local trips, but at airports prices surge at busy times, the driver may cancel, and you walk to a pick-up zone. A pre-booked fixed fare is known in advance, the driver is waiting inside, and the flight is tracked.

Trains from Waterloo are inexpensive but need a taxi at both ends with cruise luggage and run less often at weekends. A fixed-fare car from your home or hotel straight to the ship's terminal removes all of that; see the cruise transfer cruise page for fares.