Getting around in London by taxi

If you've never been to London before, make sure you know the name of the streets and how to get there as my experience of London cabbies was not the one I've seen on TV where they know everything about everything. We ended up being charged £25.00 for a trip that we found out later should only have cost about £8.00, you look like a tourist and you'll be treated like one. Finding a taxi is very easy however, you'll never have a problem, night or day. There's a taxi rank on most corners in the busy parts (which is everywhere in central London). Overall it's about planning, as with any trip if ... more

For those who have never been to London before the black taxi is something of an icon. Taxis have been transporting people around the capital for centuries and today there are around 23,000 taxis on the road. Travelling by taxi in London certainly isn't cheap, there is a minimum fare of £2.20 and the fare rises by twenty pence for every 219m travelled (approx). However, if you only need to travel a short way and you don't have much tine or its pouring with rain it's a great way to travel. You can also be extremely confident that once you have got into the taxi the driver will know where your ... more

This is a very interesting subject that is near to my heart but I am going to give you an alternative opinion from the viewpoint of the alternative option you have to the normal taxi we all know as the black cab, and that is the mini-cab. As far as I know London is the last place in the country to still have mini-cabs as such. So this opinion concerns only London. I speak with some authority as I have recently changed my career but have spent 25 years driving through the streets of London as a mini-cab driver. What is a mini-cab you ask? A mini-cab is generally a privately owned car, (Not all ... more

What is Cabcharge Cabcharge is a new way to pay for taxis. It is a account with all the normal home city benefits except the big difference is - it travels with you when you are away from home. TheCabcharge card eliminates the need to carry cash, is accepted by licensed taxis in cities around the world the world, is totallt secure with individual user numbering and security coding(pin), can be personal or liked to a company account, and the best news of all, comes absolutely free - you only pay when you use the card. More than a taxi account Unlike ordinary taxi account facilities, Cabcharge ... more

This was one fantastic cab equipped with GPS and a really smart looking cab driver that nearly had my heart in his hand by the end of the taxi ride. This mad journey lasted a mere 15 mins with the drivers excellent knowledge of the streets in London and with the help of high technology - Global Positioning System. I had never seen one of these before and was thus, very impressed with the works. In fact, I am now a firm fan of Addison Lee. Do not expect all the cabs you rent from Addison Lee to be equipped with a great looking studd and GPS, although Addison Lee really should try to do this, it ... more

Why is it that taxi drivers consider themselves to be professional? I assume from their use of the term that we can define 'professional' as one of the following: Sloppy Inconsiderate Rude Ag gressive Dangerous A law unto themselves.... I realise that taxi drivers' earning are dependent upon them making the best use of their time, but that does not excuse some of the appaling driving standards displayed by some of them. It would be interesting to put a few taxi drivers through the driving test again. It might well be a bit of an eye opener. Whenever I see a taxi, my immediate though is to keep ... more

Black Taxis or Hackney Carriages as they are known within the trade, are the safest form of transport around London. When one has the "For Hire" sign lit up, flag it down and wait for it to stop. If it is an older vehicle, check that it has a licence plate from the Metropolitan Police on the back, as the old ones are often sold off, and the lights cannot be removed. If it looks ok, hop in. Feel free to check the identity card of the driver, they won't mind. Tell them your destination and enjoy your trip, feel free to ask the driver to point out places of interest as you go. At the other end ... more