Easiest way to get from Kings Cross to Waterloo - advice please?

iluvmylexus

kimevans wrote: »

My husband is a licensed cab driver in London.

ALL licensed cabs will have a BIG hologrammed yellow sticker (like a large tax disc & non forgeable) in the FRONT & BACK WINDOWS.

The Cab driver will have an identity PHOTOCARD from TFL.

I've never heard of dodgy cab companies, are you sure you are not talking about individuals who are known as "blaggers"?

Have you any idea how tightly regulated it is now (& about time too).

If the lady books through a licensed cab firm they will collect her from the hotel in a car with license's on display in the front & back & a photocard around the drivers neck.

i drive around London every day and look at the green stickers that have been altered defaced and removed from 'legitimate minicabs' (ask me nicely i might show you photographic proof) it is very easy fro a resident of London to find a reputable firm in their area, but for a one off journey for a visitor to London going from one station to another the best bet is a Licensed London Taxi from the taxi rank. Besides there is no pickup point for minicabs at Kings Cross.
At that time of morning Taxis can use the buslanes which will make the journey much quicker in a Licensed Taxi than any other form of transport

A licensed London Taxi off the rank at Kings Cross to Waterloo should not cost more than £10 it is a fallacy that minicabs are significantly cheaper than Licensed Taxis in London and for many journeys in the city and west end they are cheaper than minicabs and the underground. (more than one passenger without an oystercard.)

jane22

What a ridiculous thread. This board is supposed to be for giving advice, not arguing like 10 year olds. Kimevans and DrFluffy, you should both be ashamed of yourselves for behaving like children.

In response to the original poster, I'd recommend you take a black cab - just go outside the station at King's Cross, or ask a member of staff inside to point you in the right direction, get into one of the cabs waiting in the rank, and it won't take you very long to get to Waterloo at all. At 9 o'clock on a Monday morning (i.e. in the middle of rush hour) I really wouldn't recommend you brave the tube or bus with young children. It's a quick and easy taxi ride and I do agree with you that the TFL website just presents you with so many options it can be a bit hard to know which to go for!

Have a brilliant time!

bandraoi

The hotel will call a mini-cab for you and since they'll have a contract with a particular company a different one is very unlikely to turn up.

jane22

Also a good idea.

milkydrink

iluvmylexus wrote: »

A licensed London Taxi off the rank at Kings Cross to Waterloo should not cost more than £10 it is a fallacy that minicabs are significantly cheaper than Licensed Taxis in London and for many journeys in the city and west end they are cheaper than minicabs and the underground. (more than one passenger without an oystercard.)

My husband has been a london licensed private hire-driver (mini-cab) for about 15 years. Hes been doing the knowledge to become a black taxi driver for the last two years.
I must tell him black cabs are cheaper than mini-cabs & public transport, as he's wasting his time doing it:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:
He was under the impression he would make more money, thanks for the info, good to know before he wastes anymore time on it:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Starfish

If going by tube from King's X to Waterloo then easiest way to do this is to take the Victoria line to Oxford Circus, then change for the Bakerloo line to Waterloo. This is better than changing at Green Park for 2 reasons;

1) Changing from Victoria line to Bakerloo line at Oxford Circus involves a simple cross-platform change.

2) Bakerloo line exit for Eurostar terminal is very close, Jubilee line exit involves a long walk.

lily_the_pink

kimevans wrote: »

My husband has been a london licensed private hire-driver (mini-cab) for about 15 years. Hes been doing the knowledge to become a black taxi driver for the last two years.
I must tell him black cabs are cheaper than mini-cabs & public transport, as he's wasting his time doing it:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:
He was under the impression he would make more money, thanks for the info, good to know before he wastes anymore time on it:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

I have a few mates who are black cab drivers - they dont make their best money from tourists doing short journeys in the west end. Some of them are on radio circuits so earn money from City bankers going home to hampshire or going to the airport, or going a bit further afield. The radio circuits probably take less of a cut than the mini-cab circuits (one of the larger ones costs around £35 per week I think), and a lot of cab drivers dont subscribe to a radio circuit so all the money you pay goes straight to them. (cutting out the middleman so to speak). A lot of the attraction is the working completely for yourself (even if you subscribe to a radio-circuit) - choosing your own hours etc, which I imagine if you work for a mini-cab company is not always possible.

I only use mini-cabs if I know the company is ok, otherwise black cabs (at least in London) even if I have to pay more. I would rather catch a night bus than a dodgy mini-cab company (that thankfully have been cleaned up considerably over the last few years in London at least).

All rather academic as far as the OP is concerned - hope they got there ok.

mamashaz

Update: we are now back from Disneyland Paris having had a wonderful time but, quite frankly, I am shocked that this thread has been used in the way it has. As someone who has never travelled to London with two small children, I was asking for genuine advice and did not expect the thread to turn into a slanging match.

Thank you to all the genuine repliers. Just to let you know that the Travelodge booked me a taxi which cost £12 and I got a black cab from the taxi rank at Waterloo which cost me £15. Both drivers were polite and helpful and I felt fine about the car seat issue which had bothered me. I am so glad that I made this decision rather than struggling on the tube or the bus - money well spent.

Mamashaz

milkydrink

mamashaz wrote: »

Thank you to all the genuine repliers. Just to let you know that the Travelodge booked me a taxi which cost £12 and I got a black cab from the taxi rank at Waterloo which cost me £15.

Mamashaz

I was a genuine replier, it was "another poster" who butted in on the advice I was giving you. Which was to get a cab office from TFL website (because they are all proper ones) & that would be a little cheaper for you. Mini-cab £12, black cab £15.
But the remarks that were made about licenced private hire drivers (my husbands trade) were too rude & off the mark for me not to defend them.
Glad it worked well for you.

milkydrink

iluvmylexus wrote: »

A licensed London Taxi off the rank at Kings Cross to Waterloo should not cost more than £10 it is a fallacy that minicabs are significantly cheaper than Licensed Taxis in London and for many journeys in the city and west end they are cheaper than minicabs and the underground. (more than one passenger without an oystercard.)

A little over a max of £10

mamashaz wrote: »

Just to let you know that the Travelodge booked me a taxi which cost £12 and I got a black cab from the taxi rank at Waterloo which cost me £15.