Airports Taxi UK runs long distance taxis anywhere in the UK at a fixed price agreed before you travel. London to Birmingham, for example, is £198.85 in a saloon and London to Manchester is £299.80. One fare covers the whole car, up to four passengers in a saloon or eight in our largest vehicles, with no meter running and no extra charge for traffic.
Most people think of a taxi for a short hop across town. But there are plenty of times when a long distance taxi service is the best way to make a journey: when the trains aren’t running, when you’ve got more luggage than you can carry, when there are four of you and four train tickets would cost more, or when you just need to get somewhere without changing three times. This page covers what a long range taxi costs, how it works and when it makes sense.
Long Distance Taxi Prices From London
These are live fixed fares from our booking system, from central London to city centres around the country. Pickups from other parts of London and the Home Counties are priced from your exact address.
| London to | Saloon | MPV (6 seats) | Approx. miles | Typical time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cambridge | £123.25 | £158.04 | 64 | 1 hr 35 |
| Southampton | £143.38 | £183.75 | 80 | 1 hr 50 |
| Bristol | £186.56 | £239.28 | 118 | 2 hr 20 |
| Birmingham | £198.85 | £254.88 | 127 | 2 hr 35 |
| Cardiff | £230.44 | £295.17 | 152 | 3 hr |
| Leeds | £288.78 | £369.43 | 196 | 3 hr 55 |
| Manchester | £299.80 | £383.86 | 208 | 4 hr |
| Edinburgh | £548.34 | £700.93 | 403 | 7 hr 30 |
Journeys don’t have to start in London. We price any A to B trip in the UK the same way, from the actual distance and journey time. Put both addresses in the booking form at the top of the page for an exact quote.
When a Long Distance Taxi Makes Sense
It’s rarely the cheapest option for one person travelling light. An advance train ticket will usually beat it. But the sums change quickly:
- Groups and families. Four people on a walk-up train ticket from London to Manchester can easily cost more than a saloon. With six or eight people, the MPV and 8 seater fares work out cheaper still per head.
- Luggage. Moving students to university, travelling with sports kit or musical instruments, or carrying a month’s worth of holiday luggage is far easier in a car.
- No direct train. Cross-country trips like Southampton to Cambridge or Bristol to Norwich can mean several changes. A car goes direct.
- Strikes and engineering works. When the trains are replaced by buses, a fixed-fare taxi is often the only reliable option.
- Late nights and early mornings. If you need to travel when the trains aren’t running, a taxi is often the only way.
- People who don’t drive. Older relatives, people recovering from an operation and anyone who finds trains difficult often prefer a door-to-door car with one driver who helps with everything.
How Our Long Distance Taxi Service Works
You book online with both addresses and your preferred time. The booking form gives you a fixed price straight away for each type of vehicle. Once you’ve booked, you get a confirmation, and the driver’s details come through before the journey.
On the day, the driver collects you from your door. You get five minutes of free waiting at the pickup, then the driver helps with your bags and you’re off. On journeys over a couple of hours, the driver will stop at a motorway services for a break, and you’re welcome to ask for a stop at any point. The price doesn’t change if the traffic is bad.
Long Distance Taxis to and From Airports
A lot of our longer journeys involve an airport, such as Heathrow to Birmingham, Gatwick to Bristol, or Stansted to Norwich. Those come with flight tracking and an hour of free waiting after landing. If your trip starts or ends at an airport, our long distance airport transfers page covers those routes in more detail, and the Heathrow to Birmingham taxi is a good example of how they work.
Long Distance Taxis for Business
Companies use our long distance taxis to get staff to meetings, sites and events without losing a day to train changes. A car means you can work on the way, make calls in private and arrive on time without relying on a connection. Our executive cars are the most comfortable choice for this. If you book often, a corporate account gives you monthly invoicing and a single point of contact.
Students Moving to and From University
At the start and end of each term we take a lot of students and their belongings between home and university. An estate takes four large cases, and an MPV or 8 seater can carry a full room’s worth of bags, bedding and boxes. It’s often cheaper than hiring a van and a lot less hassle than the train. Book early for September, when demand is high.
Weddings, Events and Family Occasions
Weddings in the countryside, big birthdays, graduations and funerals often mean a group of people travelling a long way to somewhere the trains don’t reach. Rather than everyone driving separately and finding parking, book an MPV or 8 seater for the group and travel together. Book a return and the driver can take you home at the end of the day, so nobody has to worry about driving after a celebration. Tell us the timings when you book and we’ll plan around them.
Planning a Very Long Journey
For trips of five hours or more, such as London to Scotland or the far South West, plan a few things in advance. Leave plenty of time for breaks; on a seven-hour run, two or three stops make the journey far more comfortable. Bring water and snacks, and a phone charger. If you have a fixed arrival time, like a check-in or a ceremony, tell us so we can set the pickup time to allow for traffic and stops. These journeys need a driver with the right availability, so book as far ahead as you can.
Comparing Long Distance Taxis UK-Wide
When you compare long distance taxis, check what’s included. Some firms quote a low headline price, then add tolls, waiting time, congestion charges or a fuel supplement at the end. Our fixed fares include tolls, the London Congestion Charge and ULEZ where the route needs them, and airport drop-off charges. Whatever the booking form shows is what you pay.
Also check the vehicle. A four-hour journey in a cramped car with luggage on your lap isn’t much fun. If there are four of you with suitcases, book the estate rather than the saloon.
Which Vehicle Do You Need?
| Vehicle | Passengers | Large cases | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saloon | 4 | 2 | Couples and small groups with light luggage |
| Estate | 4 | 4 | Four people with full-size suitcases |
| Executive | 3 | 2 | Business trips and extra comfort |
| MPV | 6 | 4 | Families and small groups |
| 8 Seater | 8 | 8 | Larger groups and students moving |
| Executive Minivan | 8 | 8 | Groups wanting executive comfort |
Child seats cost £10 each. Let us know the children’s ages when you book.
Why Book a Long Distance Taxi With Us?
- A fixed price for the whole journey, agreed up front
- Door-to-door service anywhere in the UK
- Rest stops whenever you need them
- Vehicles from saloons to 8 seaters
- 5% off the return leg when you book both ways
- Bookings taken 24 hours a day
Related Pages
- Long distance airport transfers
- Heathrow to Birmingham taxi
- Airport to airport transfers
- 8 seater taxis
- Corporate accounts
Long Distance Taxi FAQs
How much does a long distance taxi cost?
It depends on the distance and journey time. From London, Cambridge is £123.25, Birmingham £198.85 and Manchester £299.80 in a saloon, all fixed.
Is the price per person or per car?
Per car. A saloon carries up to four people for the same fare, so the more of you there are, the cheaper it is per head.
Will the price go up if there’s traffic?
No. The fare is fixed when you book and doesn’t change with traffic or delays on the road.
Can we stop on the way?
Yes. Drivers take breaks at motorway services on longer trips, and you can ask for a stop any time.
Do you do long distance taxis outside London?
Yes. We price any journey in the UK. Enter both addresses in the booking form for a fixed quote.
How far in advance should I book?
As early as you can, especially for early mornings, bank holidays and the start of university terms.
Book Your Long Distance Taxi
Enter your pickup and drop-off addresses in the booking form at the top of the page to see your fixed fare for each vehicle, then book in a couple of minutes.