London taxis

There are two types of taxi in London, the first is the more traditional black cabs which you can hail down from the roadside and the second are private hire taxis which must be pre booked.  Taking a taxi is normally quite expensive, especially in comparison to the cost of the equivalent journey on a tube or bus, but in certain circumstances can be the only option.

Black cabs

If the amber light is illuminated on the front above the windscreen it is available for hire, and by law they are required to take you wherever you want to go within Greater London although some drivers dislike straying too far from the centre of town or going south of the river.  The best way to combat this is to get into the taxi and then state your destination.

Black cabs are generally more expensive than other means of public transport as the fare is calculated by the distance and length of the journey with the minimum fare being about £2.20.  It is not imperative that you tip a taxi driver and it is left to your discretion on whether you felt the service received was worthy of a tip.

Private hire taxis

All private hire taxis must be pre booked and cannot be hailed down from the side of the street. They tend to work on a different fare system by quoting a fixed fare prior either when booking or prior to departing which sometimes makes them cheaper than black cabs, especially for longer journeys.  When using a private hire taxi, check that they are baring a license which is normally in the windscreen and on the rear of the vehicle. 

Illegal taxis

Be extremely careful when hailing down a taxi or when approached by someone claiming to be a taxi driver touting for business.  In London where dominantly transportation networks are fewer, illegal taxi drivers operate, also remember that it is illegal for a Private Hire Taxi to offer their services.

Sadly a number of sexual assaults happen every week as a result of women getting into unlicensed taxis.  If you need to get a taxi, either hail down a black cab or book a private hire taxi.

TfL has introduced Cabwise which is a free service that texts you the phone number of local taxi companies.  To make full use of this service, text “HOME” to 60835 (this will cost your standard network rate).

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