London has two kinds of hired car. Black cabs can be hailed in the street or picked up at a rank. Minicabs (the legal term is private hire vehicles) are different: they have to be booked in advance through a licensed operator. People who mostly use apps often don't realise those two rules are what shape everything else about how minicabs work.
This guide is for anyone booking a London minicab for the first time, or using one for something less routine, like an airport run, a group or a late finish. It covers what to check, what to tell the operator and where bookings tend to go wrong.
What "minicab" actually means in London
A minicab is a private hire vehicle driven by a private hire driver and dispatched by a private hire operator. Transport for London licenses all three separately: the car, the driver and the operator. If any one of them isn't licensed, the journey isn't legal.
In practice that means three things:
- You can't hail a minicab. A driver who offers you a ride on the pavement without a booking is breaking the law, however professional they look. Our guide to unlicensed minicab touts covers what that looks like outside clubs and stations.
- The booking is a record. A licensed operator has to record the booking before the journey starts. That record is what you rely on if something goes wrong, like a dispute, lost property or a complaint.
- The price is agreed in advance, not metered. That's the main practical difference from a black cab. Our black cab vs minicab comparison goes through it in more detail.
If you want to check a particular company before you book, see how to check a minicab is licensed.
How to book a minicab in London
Most bookings are made online or through a chat or messaging service rather than by phone. The steps are much the same everywhere:
- Enter your exact pickup and drop-off addresses. Choose them from the address suggestions instead of typing a rough area. A full postcode and building name avoids most "where are you?" calls.
- Pick a date and time. For an airport departure, work backwards from your airline's bag-drop deadline, not the flight time. Our how early to arrive at the airport guide shows how.
- Give an honest passenger and luggage count. This decides the vehicle. Four adults with four large cases won't fit in a saloon.
- Add anything the driver needs to know. A flight number, a child seat request, a gate code, or "the entrance is on the side street."
- Wait for confirmation. A request isn't a booking until the operator confirms it.
Booking ahead is always better than booking at the last minute. Short notice is often fine for a standard saloon in the daytime. Larger vehicles, child seats and very early pickups run out first, and our last-minute booking guide explains why.
How London minicab fares are worked out
Fares are mostly based on route distance, with adjustments for the vehicle size and the time of day. Many London airport journeys are priced from a fixed list by postcode district. Ordinary journeys are calculated from the route. Either way, you see the price before you travel. Our guide to minicab quotes and fare estimates covers how these work and what to check in a quote.
Three things catch people out in London:
- The Congestion Charge and ULEZ. How these apply to licensed private hire vehicles is covered in our Congestion Charge and ULEZ guide.
- Airport drop-off charges. Most London airports now charge vehicles to drop off at the terminal. Check whether yours is included when the booking is confirmed. Our airport drop-off charges guide lists them.
- Timing. Your car is planned around the time you booked. If you won't be ready, tell the operator as early as you can rather than leaving the driver waiting without knowing why.
If keeping the cost down matters most, our guide to cheaper minicab travel in London covers timing, vehicle choice and sharing.
Choosing the right vehicle
London minicab operators usually offer several sizes. Ours are on the fleet page with seats and luggage for each:
- Saloon: up to four passengers with moderate luggage. Fine for most journeys around town.
- Estate: the same seating with a bigger boot. Worth it for an airport run with full-size cases.
- Executive: a higher-specification car for business travel. See our executive car guide.
- MPV and minibus: for groups, or for fewer people with a lot of luggage. Our group travel guide explains when one large vehicle beats two cars.
If you're unsure, size up. A car that's slightly too big costs a little more, but a car that's too small means a second vehicle at short notice, which costs a lot more.
Pickups that tend to go wrong
A few London locations cause most of the trouble:
- Railway stations. Most big terminals don't let private hire vehicles stop anywhere near the main entrance. Agree on a specific exit, as covered in our London train station guide.
- Pedestrianised areas. Leicester Square, Covent Garden piazza and much of the South Bank can't be reached by car. Name the nearest street a car can actually reach.
- Event exits. After a concert or match, the roads around the venue may be closed or gridlocked. Pick a meeting point a few streets away. Our stadium and concert guide has venue-specific advice.
- New-build developments. Satnav maps often lag behind new estates. Give the building name and a landmark.
Booking with us
We are a TfL-licensed private hire operator, and we provide the journey with our licensed drivers. Enter your journey on the booking page for an estimated fare, or see London minicab coverage for common journeys across the city. We confirm the final price when we accept your booking.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Can I hail a minicab in the street in London? A: No. Minicabs (private hire vehicles) must be booked in advance through a licensed operator. Only licensed black cabs can be hailed or picked up at a rank.
Q: Is a minicab cheaper than a black cab in London? A: Often, especially on longer journeys and airport runs, because the price is agreed in advance instead of metered. Short hops in light traffic can be close, so compare the two for your own journey.
Q: How far in advance should I book a London minicab? A: For an ordinary daytime journey, a few hours is usually enough. For airport runs, early mornings, larger vehicles or child seats, book at least a day ahead, and earlier still in holiday periods.
Q: How do I know a London minicab is licensed? A: The operator, the driver and the vehicle each hold a separate TfL licence. You can check all three on TfL's online licence checker, and a licensed London private hire vehicle displays a TfL licence disc.
Q: What information should I give when booking a minicab? A: Exact pickup and drop-off addresses chosen from the suggestions, the date and time, passenger and luggage numbers, a contact number, and a flight number for an airport pickup.