London Taxi – Fixed Price Minicab & Airport Transfers, Book Online 24/7
Everything you need to choose and book a taxi in London: how the pricing works, what a black cab, an app and a fixed-fare car each do best, and our published fares.
Per car, not per person. No surge, no night surcharge. Free cancellation up to 24h before.
Black cab, minicab or app: what a taxi means
There are three kinds of London taxi. Black cabs are licensed hackney carriages: you hail them, they run on a meter set by Transport for London, and the fare depends on the traffic that day. Minicabs are private hire vehicles: they must be pre-booked through a licensed operator and the price is agreed in advance. Ride-hailing apps are private hire too, but the quote can move with demand between the time you look and the time you travel.
Rushxo journeys are operated by Get London Transfer Ltd, a TfL-licensed private hire operator (licence 11588). Every journey is a fixed fare per car, agreed before the car is dispatched, the same at 3am as at 3pm, with the Congestion Charge, ULEZ and any tolls already inside the figure. You book online, on WhatsApp or by phone, and the driver is named the day before with a photo and registration.
How much a taxi costs
Black cab fares are metered under TfL’s three tariffs: tariff 1 on weekdays from 5am to 8pm, tariff 2 on weekday evenings and at weekends, and tariff 3 overnight from 10pm to 5am and on public holidays. The minimum fare is £3.80 and the meter climbs with both distance and waiting time, so a wet Friday evening through the West End costs more than the same route on a quiet Sunday morning. Airport journeys attract extra charges at the rank.
A Rushxo fare is set by the route and the vehicle only. The table shows our published saloon fares from central London to the six airports; local journeys inside London are quoted the same way from your postcode, and a return booked together is 10% off.
| From central London to | Distance | Time | Saloon fare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heathrow Airport | ~17 mi | 45-80 min | from £135 |
| London City Airport | ~10 mi | 30-60 min | from £50 |
| Gatwick Airport | ~28 mi | 55-90 min | from £130 |
| Stansted Airport | ~40 mi | 60-90 min | from £120 |
| Luton Airport | ~35 mi | 55-85 min | from £125 |
| Southend Airport | ~40 mi | 60-95 min | fixed quote |
| What sets a Rushxo fare | Effect |
|---|---|
| Distance and route | The main driver of the price, calculated on the real road route |
| Vehicle | Saloon, executive, MPV or V Class, chosen by passengers and luggage |
| Time of day | None. No night surcharge, no bank-holiday surcharge |
| Traffic and demand | None. The quote is locked when you book |
| Congestion Charge, ULEZ, tolls | Included in the quoted figure |
| Airport charges and waiting | Included: drop-off charges and 60 minutes of waiting after landing |
How to get a taxi in London
- Hail a black cab: the orange light means it is free. Practical in Zone 1 and at the big stations; fares are metered and you pay at the end.
- Open an app: quick for a short hop off-peak. Check the quote again before you confirm, because it can change with demand.
- Pre-book a fixed fare: enter pickup and drop-off on the Rushxo booking page for an instant price, message +44 7466 237870 on WhatsApp, or call 020 8888 9988. Pay by card, PayPal, Apple Pay or Google Pay, or a 30% deposit with the balance 24 hours before. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before pickup.
Pre-booking is the right choice whenever the journey must not go wrong: an early flight, a group with luggage, a hospital appointment, a client pickup, or anything outside central London, where black cabs are scarce and app prices move most. Our booking guide walks through the confirmation you receive and what to do on the day.
Black cab vs app vs pre-booked fixed fare
| Black cab | Ride-hailing app | Rushxo fixed fare | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How the price is set | Meter; rises in traffic | Dynamic; rises with demand | Agreed before you travel |
| Price certainty | Known at the end | Quoted, can be re-quoted | Locked at booking |
| Hail on the street | Yes | No | No, pre-booked only |
| Book weeks ahead | Rarely | Limited | Yes, with a named driver |
| live traffic routing and meet and greet | No | No | Yes, 60 minutes free waiting |
| Wheelchair access | Every black cab | Some vehicles | Accessible vehicles on request |
| Best for | Kerbside in Zone 1 | Short hop, off-peak | Airports, groups, early mornings, outer London, Kent and Essex |
The honest summary: a black cab is the best way to move a mile across the West End when one is passing; an app is fine for a short off-peak hop; and a pre-booked fixed fare is the option that does not move when it rains, a line is suspended or the whole city is heading home at the same time.
Vehicles and accessibility
| Vehicle | Passengers | Luggage | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saloon | Up to 4 | 2 large cases | Everyday London journeys, solo and couple airport runs |
| Executive | Up to 3 | 2 large cases | Client meetings, corporate travel |
| MPV | 5 to 6 | Up to 6 cases | Families, heavier luggage |
| V Class minibus | 7 to 8 | Up to 8 cases | Group airport runs, nights out, teams |
| 16-seat minibus | 9 to 16 | Hold luggage | Large groups, away-days, weddings, on request |
| Wheelchair-accessible | Varies | Ramp or lift | Step-free travel; the chair stays occupied |
Every black cab in London is wheelchair-accessible by design; with a private hire operator you have to ask, so ask us at booking and the right vehicle is allocated from the start. Child seats and pet-friendly cars are also bookable. See wheelchair-accessible taxis and V Class airport taxis.
Congestion Charge, ULEZ and night rates
The Congestion Charge applies in central London between 7am and 6pm on weekdays and noon to 6pm at weekends, and ULEZ applies across all London boroughs around the clock. Black cabs are exempt from the Congestion Charge; private hire vehicles are not, which is why some quotes grow at the end of the journey. With Rushxo any road charge that applies to your route is inside the fixed fare you agree at booking. There is nothing to settle at the kerb and nothing added to the invoice.
Night rates are the other difference. Black cab tariff 3 runs from 10pm to 5am and on public holidays, with a further Christmas and New Year surcharge. A Rushxo fare is the same at any hour, which is why our 24-hour taxi page and the early-morning guides exist: the 4am run to Heathrow costs what it cost when you booked it.
Safety, licensing and who is driving
A licensed London private hire vehicle carries TfL roundels on the front and rear windscreens, and the driver carries a TfL photo ID badge. Never get into an unbooked minicab: if it was not booked through a licensed operator it is uninsured for that journey. TfL publishes a licence checker, and our operator licence number, 11588, is on every page of this site. Drivers hold enhanced DBS checks, vehicles are licensed and inspected, and the company carries £10m public liability cover.
You can read customer reviews before you book, and every confirmation carries the driver’s name, photo and registration so you know who is coming. Lost property, changes and problems on the day go through a UK dispatch desk on 020 8888 9988, 24 hours a day.
London, Kent and Essex on one fixed fare
Rushxo is based in Dartford, on the Kent side of the Dartford Crossing, and covers every London postcode plus Kent and Essex as one network. That is the gap the big London names leave: a fixed fare from Bromley or Bexley to Heathrow, from Canary Wharf to a Kent wedding venue, or from a Southend flight to a Surrey hotel, priced the same way as a trip across the West End. Browse every London area, the long-distance routes from each borough, or start with the airport transfers Business page.
Questions
How do I call for a taxi in London?
Hail a black cab with its orange light on, or pre-book a private hire car through a licensed operator. With Rushxo you can book online for an instant fixed quote, on WhatsApp at +44 7466 237870, or by phone on 020 8888 9988, any hour of the day.
Is it cheaper to use Uber or a black cab in London?
Off-peak and for short distances an app is usually cheaper than the meter. In traffic, at night and during surge periods the gap closes or reverses. A pre-booked fixed fare sits between the two on price and beats both on certainty, because it cannot change after you book.
How much is a taxi from Heathrow to central London?
Our published saloon fare between central London and Heathrow is from £85, including the terminal drop-off charge and 60 minutes of waiting on arrival; journeys from west London start lower. A metered black cab from the Heathrow rank depends on traffic and includes extra airport charges.
What is the minimum taxi fare in London?
The black cab minimum fare is £3.80 under TfL’s tariffs. Rushxo quotes each journey as a fixed fare from your postcode, so there is no meter and no minimum drop; short local journeys are quoted on request.
Are London taxis wheelchair-accessible?
Every licensed black cab is wheelchair-accessible. Private hire vehicles vary, so tell us at booking and we allocate a ramp or lift vehicle at no extra charge for the vehicle type.
Do taxi fares include the Congestion Charge and ULEZ?
With Rushxo, yes: any road charge that applies to your route is inside the fixed fare. Black cabs are exempt from the Congestion Charge. App fares may add it separately.
Is there a night surcharge on London taxis?
Black cabs charge tariff 3 from 10pm to 5am and on public holidays, with an extra charge over Christmas and New Year. Rushxo has no night, weekend or holiday surcharge; the fare is the same at any hour.
What is the difference between a black cab and a minicab?
A black cab is a hackney carriage that can be hailed and uses a meter; the driver has passed the Knowledge. A minicab is a private hire vehicle that must be pre-booked through a TfL-licensed operator and travels at a price agreed in advance. Both are licensed by TfL; only the booking rules and the pricing differ.
Can I book a London taxi in advance for a specific time?
Yes. Pre-booking is what we do: the driver is allocated at booking, named the day before, and on airport runs the pickup moves automatically if the flight is early or late. Bookings weeks ahead are welcome.
Do you cover outside London?
Yes. Rushxo covers every London postcode plus Kent and Essex as one network, with fixed fares to cities, airports and venues across England. Long-distance journeys are quoted per car both ways.
Visiting from abroad?
Entry rules, cards, phones, fares, winter dates and the pain points for your nationality, checked for 2026.
- London visitor guide 2026 (all nationalities)
- London for American visitors
- London for Australian visitors
- London for Canadian visitors
- London for Chinese visitors
- London for Dutch visitors
- London for French visitors
- London for German visitors
- London for Gulf visitors
- 13 more nationalities
- Families, students, business, over-60s, solo, LGBTQ+, halal/kosher/vegan, luxury, budget
- Seasons and events: NYE, Chinese New Year, Ramadan, Wimbledon, Premier League, Carnival
- London for Indian visitors
- London for Irish visitors
- London for Italian visitors
- London for Spanish visitors
Long-distance fixed fares, both ways
Long-distance journeys at a fixed fare per car, both directions and the return on one page: cities and towns to London, the airports and the stations (20 to 150 miles), every London borough to cities, airports and event venues (20 to 200 miles) and stadiums, racecourses, circuits, arenas and festivals from London, the airports and cities. No surge, driver named the day before, 24/7.
Local know-how: London
- London is in Greater London.
- Nearest National Rail station: London Charing Cross, in the town centre.
- Closest London airports to London in a straight line: London City Airport (8 miles), Heathrow (14 miles), Gatwick (25 miles).
Straight-line distances calculated from GeoNames (CC BY 4.0) and DfT NaPTAN station locations (Open Government Licence v3.0).
Events, venues, airports & the wider network
Rushxo runs fixed-price transfers to events and venues, every major airport and cruise terminal, and towns and cities right across London and the South East. Every journey is a fixed price agreed before you book.
Event & venue transfers
O2 Arena · Wembley Stadium · Twickenham Stadium · Emirates Stadium · Ascot Racecourse · Epsom Derby · Download Festival · Brands Hatch
Airports & cruise terminals
Gatwick Airport · Heathrow Airport · Stansted Airport · Luton Airport · London City Airport · Southend Airport · Cruise transfers
Popular towns & cities
Brighton · Canterbury · Chelmsford · Cambridge · Oxford · Guildford
Explore the network
Airport transfers · Events & venues · Event airport transfers