Travelling in local black cabs vs airport taxi service

When considering airport transfers in London, the local black cabs are the first to come to mind. Hackney carriages, as they used to be called, are now known as London black cabs or London taxis. While there are different car models and colours, the London black cabs are available at all times outside airports and are ideal for a private transfer to a hotel.

There are also various airport taxi services that have different vehicle types, facilities, and rates. Choosing between a local black cab and an airport taxi service depends largely on your budget and the quality of service you expect during your holiday transfers.

Quality of service

Excellent service is one of the main reasons people opt for local black cabs. In order to join the service, a driver must pass certain tests that show they have knowledge of the roads as well as important buildings and landmarks. This means that a private transfer via black cab doesn’t just take you from the airport to your final destination but will also give you a tour of London.

Added to this, the vehicles are well-maintained, with plenty of luggage room and leg space. The vehicle runs smoothly, making the ride comfortable, with no sudden turns or halts. The vehicles offer higher service and privileges, which means that a local black cab may have more to offer customers. For instance, a black cab can use bus lanes, thus allowing them to avoid traffic.

Due to the drivers’ knowledge on shortcuts and the fastest routes, the London black cabs will definitely be one of the top suggestions if you search for "airport transfers near me" during your business travels.

Airport taxi services can also offer a range of facilities and comforts. However, there is also a chance that the drivers aren’t required to pass as many tests and may thus not know the best routes to take. Added to this, the vehicles used by an airport taxi service for holiday transfers may not be as comfortable, although you can pick a vehicle type depending on the number of travellers or amount of luggage.

Cost and convenience

Cost is one of the main factors that is taken into consideration when choosing between a local black cab and airport taxi service for airport transfers. When you look up "airport transfers near me" the suggestions may highlight rates and charges.

Black cabs are more expensive and there is a significant difference between rates for holiday transfers. So if you are on a budget, you may want to opt for an airport taxi service. You can choose a service that fits well within your budget, especially if you have quite a distance to travel between the airport and your final destination.

Convenience is another factor to consider. Black cabs are easily available outside the airport, which means that you can collect your luggage, go through immigration, exit the airport and hail a black cab. This is ideal if you don’t want to book a cab in advance in the event of flight delays.

However, if you don’t want to waste time hailing a cab, especially if you have a lot of luggage with you, airport taxi services let you book a private transfer in advance. This means that your cab will be waiting for you when you leave the airport and you need not waste time during your business travels looking for airport transfers.

Safety

This is one of the main concerns we have when looking for holiday transfers in London. Is the local black cab the safest option? While black cabs guarantee safety, airport taxi services require certain licensing which focus on safety in order to operate in the area. This means that a private taxi for airport transfers can also guarantee safety, especially when they are prebooked.

What you need to look out for are unlicensed cabs, which can’t legally carry passengers and may not pay attention to passenger safety.

I, Natalie Waller based in UK, write content on topics which ever I find inspiration on.