✦ Comparing London taxi firms? Check the TfL licence first — ours is 11588 · fixed prices · 24/7 ✦
WhatsAppBook Now
The Honest Guide

Black cabs · ride-hail apps · minicab offices · licensed private hire

Taxi Companies in London — how to choose

taxi companies london fixed-price taxi booking with Rushxo

London has four kinds of taxi company, and each genuinely wins in different situations. Here's the honest breakdown — what each costs, when each is the right call, and how to verify any firm's TfL licence before you get in the car. We're one of the options (TfL-licensed private hire, licence 11588, fixed prices) — and we'll tell you when we're not the best choice too.

Quick answer: London has four kinds of taxi company — hailable metered black cabs, ride-hail apps, local minicab offices, and TfL-licensed private hire operators like RushXO (licence 11588), which pre-book journeys at fixed prices with driver details sent by SMS. Always verify any firm on TfL's public licence checker before booking.
Get a fixed quote from us →📞 02088889988
The Four Options

Every kind of London taxi company, honestly

Hail in the street

Black cabs (hackney carriages)

The iconic option — Knowledge-trained drivers, wheelchair accessible, hailable anywhere.

  • Wins: spontaneous short hops in zone 1–2, accessibility.
  • Costs: metered — unknowable in traffic, higher night tariffs.
  • Weak spot: long journeys, groups over 5, guaranteed availability at 3am in outer London.
App-based

Ride-hail apps

Fast in the busy zones, cashless, tracked.

  • Wins: quick daytime pickups in central London.
  • Costs: estimates that surge with demand — rain, events, closing time.
  • Weak spot: no committed driver for pre-books, patchy in outer postcodes, luggage-heavy group jobs.
The local office

Traditional minicab offices

The neighbourhood firm with a phone number and a rank of regulars.

  • Wins: local knowledge, sometimes cheap for short runs.
  • Costs: varies — always confirm the fare and the licence.
  • Weak spot: inconsistent standards, limited fleets, patchy card payment and coverage.
Pre-booked, fixed price

Licensed private hire (that's us)

Pre-booked journeys with the fare fixed at booking and driver details sent by SMS in advance.

  • Wins: airport runs, night pickups, groups to 8, long distance, business accounts.
  • Costs: fixed quote — no meter, no surge, no night surcharge.
  • Weak spot: not hailable — we're a pre-book service, not a street cab.
Side By Side

The comparison that matters

 Black cabRide-hail appLocal officeRushXO private hire
Price known upfrontNo — meterEstimateSometimesYes — fixed
Surge / night premiumHigher tariffsSurgesVariesNever
Pre-book with committed driverLimitedNo — assigned on the dayVariesYes — SMS in advance
Groups of 6–8 + luggageMax 5RareVaries8-seater with racks
Airport meet & greetNoNoRarelyName board, 60 min free
Verifiable TfL licenceYesYesCheck itYes — licence 11588

Fair's fair: for a spontaneous one-mile hop in Soho, hail a black cab — it'll beat any pre-book. Where a licensed private hire firm wins is everything you can plan: airports, early flights, groups, long distance, and any journey where knowing the exact price and having a committed driver matters.

The Vetting Checklist

How to check any taxi company

Whichever firm you're considering — including us — run it through these five checks before you book.

1. Verify the TfL licence

Every legal London operator holds a TfL Private Hire Operator licence and will state the number (ours is 11588). Verify any operator, driver or vehicle on TfL's public licence checker.

2. Demand a fixed written quote

"About £60" is not a price. A serious firm confirms the exact fare, in writing, before you commit — including any third-party charges like airport drop-off fees.

3. Driver details in advance

For pre-books you should receive the driver's name, car and registration by SMS before pickup — the difference between a committed booking and a hope.

4. A human, 24/7

When a flight lands at 1am, you want a phone number a dispatcher answers — not an in-app chat queue.

5. The fleet fits your job

Six people with long-haul luggage need an 8-seater with racks, not "two cars maybe". Honest firms size the vehicle from your passenger and case count.

How we score

TfL licence 11588 · fixed quotes in writing · driver details by SMS · 02088889988 answered 24/7 · saloons to 8-seaters. Hold us to the checklist.

FAQ

London taxi companies — common questions

What types of taxi companies operate in London?

Four: black cabs (hailable, metered), ride-hail apps, traditional minicab offices, and licensed private hire operators like RushXO that take pre-booked journeys at fixed prices. All legal operators must be TfL-licensed.

How do I check if a taxi company is licensed?

Ask for the TfL Private Hire Operator licence number — ours is 11588 — and verify it on TfL's public licence checker. Never book with a firm that won't give you a licence number.

What's the difference between a black cab and a minicab?

Black cabs can be hailed and charge by meter; minicabs (private hire vehicles) must be pre-booked through a licensed operator and usually quote a fixed fare in advance. Both are licensed and insured when booked legally.

Which is the cheapest option?

Depends on the journey. Short daytime hops: apps and black cabs compete well. Airports, long distance, night pickups and groups: a fixed-price quote usually wins — no meter climbing in traffic, no surge at peak times.

What should I look for in a reliable firm?

A verifiable TfL licence, fixed written quotes, driver details before pickup, a 24/7 phone line, flight tracking with free waiting for airport jobs, and a fleet that covers your group size.

Is RushXO a licensed London taxi company?

Yes — RushXO Ltd is a TfL-licensed Private Hire Operator, licence 11588, with directly contracted DBS-checked drivers, insured vehicles from saloons to 8-seaters, fixed prices and 24/7 dispatch.

Ready to compare us properly?

Get a fixed written quote in minutes — then hold it against anything a meter or an app will promise you. TfL licence 11588 · 24/7 · saloons to 8-seaters.

Get my fixed quote →  📞 02088889988
Related Pages

More routes & services

Fixed Price Taxi Service

Exactly what our fixed pricing covers — and the one charge it discloses.

Local Taxi Service

Pre-booked local runs across every London postcode, 24/7.

Corporate Taxi Service

Business accounts with fixed rates and monthly itemised invoicing.

Heathrow Airport Transfers

Every terminal, every route, fixed prices across London and the UK.

Meet & Greet Service

Name-board arrivals, flight tracking and 60 minutes free waiting.

Group & Family Taxis

MPVs and 8-seaters — capacities, child seats and group pricing.