Minicabs

Normal saloon cars with the TFL roundal in the front and rear windows. You can't hail them in the street. Generally telephoned for or picked up from their office. No fixed price structure; get a quote from the dispatcher at the office or on the phone, or the driver himself, before you get in.

There are plenty of unlicensed minicabs about - don't accept a ride from someone who slows down next to you on the street and asks if you want a taxi, or from a person hanging around on the street who offers to get you a cab. These people tend to hang around London's major attractions.

Women travelling alone in a minicab should exercise caution, especially late at night. A decent firm should have some female drivers on its books, so ask for them.

  • Lady Cabs is a firm that only employs woman drivers.
    • (020) 7254 3501 / (020) 7923 7599.

Apparently TfL are running a scheme for late night licensed minicabs. Quoting an email I have received from them (IvorW):

To help you when you are travelling home late at night, TfL has a text message based facility that sends you the telephone numbers of 3 licensed mini cab companies local to the area you are sending the text message from. Just text 'Home' to 60835. (Text service is charged at 35p per enquiry plus the standard network rate. The service is not available to 3 and Virgin customers.)

Last edited 2008-11-14 21:21:10 (version 9; diff). List all versions.