Taxi fares in London

LE3

Not exactly MSE i know, but due to a recent ankle injury it looks like one of my group may need to take a taxi rather than the tube in London next week - anybody have any idea how much a taxi from Kings Cross to Waterloo train stations would cost?

CKhalvashi

LE3 wrote: »

Not exactly MSE i know, but due to a recent ankle injury it looks like one of my group may need to take a taxi rather than the tube in London next week - anybody have any idea how much a taxi from Kings Cross to Waterloo train stations would cost?

Addison Lee are quoting £19.40, and this will be cheaper than a black cab the minute you hit traffic (black cab rates will be IRO £18-30, depending on time of day, according to a black cab driver that I was on the phone to when I read this)

CK

ThemeOne

I'd definitely make sure they have £20 on them. I recently took a black cab from Walworth Road to just past Marylebone (OK it's a slightly longer journey) and it came to £25 (weekday mid afternoon, with no bad jams)

peachyprice

There's a bus, No.59, that goes from Kings Cross station to Waterloo station, it's not much further to hobble to the bus stop than the taxi rank

surfsister

there's a £5 off black cabs somewhere on here. I didn't pay much attention. anyone know abut this???

paddyrg

If you have a smartphone, install Hailo - it means cabs come to you which is handy if hobbling and on a backstreet where the black cabs don't usually circulate. You only pay the meter price, and you pay by card (which you can set up on your Hailo account).

Personally I prefer black cabs to private hires - sometimes they work out cheaper (especially if traffic is light) and the drivers know London backwards (many private hires rely on SatNav so don't know the backroutes). I once caught a private hire from Putney Bridge to Paddington station - the driver asked me 'ok, what street is it on for the GPS?'! Amazing. I've also had the same journey in a black cab for £13 that was £26 in a private hire, so don't assume they're cheaper by a long straw.

wealdroam

http://www.worldtaximeter.com/london

barbarawright

peachyprice wrote: »

There's a bus, No.59, that goes from Kings Cross station to Waterloo station, it's not much further to hobble to the bus stop than the taxi rank

Second this. It would almost certainly be quicker than the tube anyway - it takes about 15 minutes from getting off a train at KC to getting on a tube. The corridors are *endless*. And the 59 is a fairly reliably service.

LondonDiva

I'd also suggest the bus or a mini cab firm like Addison Lee or the Keen Group.

I normally have both on my phone and get a quote from each for any job I want. Even when I've been in the middle of nowhere they tend to be cheaper than the local cab companies and are very reliable.

Unless absolutely desperate, avoid black cabs.