QAQuestions answered
150 questions, answered properly
The things people want to know before they book. Each one gets a direct answer first, then the detail that a single sentence has to leave out.
Written quotation, usually within the hour
Chauffeur questions answered
Answers to the questions people ask before booking a chauffeur: what it costs, how airport meet and greet works, how far in advance to book, how much luggage each vehicle takes, and how coverage works outside London. Each question has its own page with a direct answer and the detail behind it.
Questions
150
Categories
Airports, Booking and pricing, Coverage and distance, Occasions and services, The car and the journey
0135 questions
Airports
- How does airport meet and greet work?The chauffeur parks, walks into arrivals and waits at the meeting point with your name on a board. You are met before you reach a kerb.
- Where does the chauffeur wait at Heathrow Terminal 5?In the Terminal 5 arrivals concourse at the meeting point, having parked in the short stay car park directly opposite the terminal.
- What happens if my flight is delayed?The booking moves with the flight. Arrivals are tracked, the chauffeur is repositioned, and a delay outside your control is not charged as waiting.
- How long after landing should I book my chauffeur for?Book against the flight number, not a time. Then the collection is built from the actual landing and you never have to guess.
- How much is a chauffeur from Heathrow to central London?Quoted as one fixed fare for the run, in either direction, with the cabin you choose the largest single factor.
- Do you collect from private jet terminals?Yes. Farnborough, Biggin Hill, Northolt and the FBOs at the main airports, with the car brought to the aircraft where the operator allows it.
- Which London airport is closest to Canary Wharf?London City, by a wide margin. It sits in the Royal Docks a few miles east, and the drive is often under twenty minutes.
- Is airport parking included in a chauffeur transfer?No, it is passed through at cost. It only applies where you have asked for a terminal meet, since the car has to be in a car park.
- Where does the chauffeur wait at Gatwick North Terminal?In the North Terminal arrivals hall with a name board, having parked in the North Terminal short stay car park. The forecourt is drop-off only.
- How early should a chauffeur collect me for a departing flight?Work backwards from the check-in cutoff, not the departure time. From central London that usually means leaving four hours before a long-haul flight.
- Can a chauffeur meet me at the gate?Not at the gate itself, which is airside and restricted. The chauffeur meets you at the first point a member of the public can legally stand.
- What is the difference between kerbside pickup and meet and greet?Kerbside means you call the chauffeur when you are outside. Meet and greet means you are met inside the terminal with a name board.
- How do I find my chauffeur at London City Airport?In the arrivals hall, which is small enough that you will see the board immediately. City is the easiest London airport to be met at.
- How long does Heathrow to central London take by car?Between forty-five minutes and an hour and a half. The morning peak inbound and the late afternoon outbound are the slow windows.
- Where does the chauffeur wait at Stansted Airport?In the single arrivals hall on the ground floor of the terminal, with the car in the short stay car park a short walk away.
- Where does the chauffeur wait at Luton Airport?In the arrivals hall of the single terminal, with the car in the short-term car park immediately adjacent to the building.
- Do you track flights automatically?Yes, from departure rather than from the scheduled arrival, so a delay moves the booking before you have thought about it.
- What happens if I clear customs faster than expected?Nothing, if you booked a terminal meet. The chauffeur is already in the hall, so an early appearance simply means an early departure.
- How does a collection work at Heathrow Terminal 4?Terminal 4 sits on the south side of the airport with its own access road and car parks, so the meet happens entirely within that terminal.
- Which London airport is closest to Mayfair?London City in miles, Heathrow in practice for most travellers. City is nearer but the cross-town drive can undo the advantage in the peak.
- Which airport should I use for the City of London?London City for short-haul business, Heathrow for long-haul. Stansted runs out along the M11; Gatwick means crossing the river.
- Can a chauffeur take me between two London airports?Yes, and it is the sane way to do an airport-to-airport connection. The run is quoted as one journey with two terminal ends.
- Do you cover Manchester Airport?Yes, with meets in arrivals and transfers across the North West, plus long-distance runs down to London and across the Pennines.
- What happens if my luggage is delayed at the carousel?The chauffeur waits. Baggage delays sit inside the free allowance in most cases, and nobody leaves an arrivals hall while you are still in it.
- Will the chauffeur help with bags at arrivals?Yes, from the meeting point onwards. Bags change hands the moment you are met, not when you reach the car.
- How does a Farnborough Airport collection work?Through the handling agent, using the tail number and the slot. Where the operator permits it the car meets the aircraft rather than the building.
- Do you do Biggin Hill transfers?Yes. Biggin Hill is business aviation only, so collections are arranged with the operator and the car meets the aircraft where access allows.
- What time should I leave central London for a Gatwick flight?Allow four hours before a long-haul departure and three and a half for short-haul. Gatwick is further than Heathrow and the M23 is unforgiving.
- How does an early morning airport run work?The car is outside a few minutes early with the engine off. No bell unless you asked, no conversation unless you start one, and the roads are empty.
- Is there a charge if my flight lands late?No. The delay happens before the waiting allowance starts, and the chauffeur is repositioned rather than sitting in a car park.
- Where do you meet passengers at Birmingham Airport?In the arrivals hall of the single terminal, with the car in the adjacent short stay car park. It is one of the simplest meets in the country.
- Can I be dropped at departures or only at a car park?At departures, right outside the terminal doors. Most large UK airports charge for stopping there, and the fee is passed through at cost.
- What happens if I miss my flight and need to return home?Ring the reservations line. A car comes back for you, and if the chauffeur has not gone far it is often the same one.
- Do you cover Edinburgh and Glasgow airports?Yes, both, with a meet in arrivals and transfers across the central belt, into the Highlands and down to the Borders.
- How does a private jet transfer differ from an airline transfer?No terminal, no queue and far less margin. The car is arranged through the handler and is on site well before the slot rather than at it.
0230 questions
Booking and pricing
- How much does a chauffeur cost per hour in the UK?Hourly hire is quoted per booking rather than from a price list, in blocks of four or six hours depending on the vehicle.
- How far in advance should I book a chauffeur?Two to three days is comfortable for a standard transfer. Weddings, Phantom bookings and December dates want weeks, not days.
- Is a chauffeur cheaper than a taxi for a long journey?Often yes, because a chauffeur run is quoted as a fixed price for the whole journey while a metered taxi keeps counting through every hold-up.
- What is included in a chauffeur quote?The car, the chauffeur, the driving time and a stated waiting allowance. Tolls, congestion charges and airport car parks are listed separately.
- Can I book a chauffeur for a one-way journey?Yes. One-way is the standard shape for airport and station work, and the price already accounts for the car returning to base.
- Do chauffeurs charge for waiting time?Only past the free allowance, which is longer at airports than at an address. After that it is billed in the same hourly units as the booking.
- How do I open a chauffeur account for my company?Send the company details and the kind of travel you expect. An account replaces card payment at the kerb with agreed rates and a monthly statement.
- What is the minimum booking time for a chauffeur?Four hours on most vehicles, six on the Phantom, Cullinan, Defender and Sprinter. Point to point transfers have no minimum at all.
- Can I book a chauffeur at short notice?Usually yes, including same day. Reservations are answered around the clock, and a London collection can often be covered inside an hour or two.
- How do I pay for a chauffeur?By card or bank transfer against the written quotation, or on account if your company holds one. Nothing is settled at the roadside.
- Do you tip a chauffeur in the UK?It is welcome but genuinely not expected. British chauffeur pricing is not built around gratuities, and nobody will be waiting for one.
- What happens if I cancel a chauffeur booking?Cancel with reasonable notice and there is normally nothing to pay. The closer to the pickup time, the more of the booking stands.
- Is a chauffeur quote fixed or metered?Fixed. There is no meter in a chauffeur car, and ordinary traffic on a transfer is our risk rather than an addition to your bill.
- How much does a chauffeur cost for a full day?A day is the hourly rate multiplied by the hours you book, with no separate day tariff and no premium for the length of it.
- Why do chauffeur prices differ between vehicles?The cars cost different amounts to buy, run and replace. A Phantom hour costs several times an E-Class hour for entirely material reasons.
- Do chauffeur rates change at night or on bank holidays?The card rate is the same at four in the morning as at four in the afternoon. What changes on a bank holiday is availability, not price.
- Can I change a chauffeur booking after I have confirmed it?Yes, and most changes cost nothing. Times, addresses and passenger names move freely; only a change of vehicle class affects the price.
- What details do you need to quote a chauffeur journey?Pickup, destination, date, time, passengers and luggage. A flight number if there is one. Everything else can be settled later.
- Is hourly hire or a fixed transfer rate better value?Transfers win when the day has two fixed points. Hourly wins the moment there is a wait, a third stop or an unknown finishing time.
- Can I book a chauffeur for someone else?Yes. Give us the passenger name and a mobile number, and the price stays with you. The passenger never sees a figure or a card machine.
- How do I book a chauffeur for a group?Up to seven passengers fit a V-Class. Beyond that it is a luxury Sprinter or several cars, and the choice depends on luggage as much as headcount.
- What is the cheapest chauffeur option?The Mercedes-Benz E-Class, by the hour or as a fixed transfer. Same chauffeur standard as everything above it.
- Do you charge extra for additional stops?A short stop on the route is usually absorbed. A detour that adds real distance or a long wait is requoted, and you see the figure first.
- How long does it take to get a chauffeur quote?Minutes by phone, usually the same working day by email. Complicated multi-day itineraries take longer because they are worth doing properly.
- Can I book a chauffeur for a recurring weekly journey?Yes. A standing booking repeats automatically at the same time each week, usually with the same chauffeur, and is billed on one statement.
- Do I need to book the return leg at the same time?No, though booking both together secures the vehicle and is usually cheaper than two separate one-way journeys.
- What is the difference between a quote and a booking confirmation?A quote is a price for a journey we could do. A confirmation means a car and a chauffeur are actually committed to your date.
- Can I hold a chauffeur booking without committing to it?A provisional hold is normal for events and weddings. It reserves the vehicle for an agreed period and converts to a firm booking or lapses.
- How far ahead should I book a chauffeur in December?Six weeks for the party season, longer for Christmas Eve and New Year. December is the one month where notice genuinely determines availability.
- Who do I contact if my plans change on the day?Call or message +44 7775 554848. The reservations line is answered around the clock and reaches the chauffeur faster than you can.
0330 questions
Coverage and distance
- Do chauffeurs travel outside London?Yes, anywhere in the United Kingdom. London is where most journeys start; it is not where they have to end.
- How long does London to Manchester take by chauffeur?Four to four and a half hours with a break, over roughly two hundred miles. The M6 around Birmingham is what decides which end of that you get.
- Can a chauffeur drive me to Paris?Yes, via the tunnel or a Kent ferry. Allow a full day door to door, and several weeks of notice for the crossing and the paperwork.
- Is a chauffeur worth it for a long distance journey?If the journey has work in it or awkward ends, yes. For a single traveller going city centre to city centre with a bag, the train usually wins.
- Do you cover Scotland?Yes, from Edinburgh and Glasgow out to the Highlands and the islands' ferry ports. Highland runs need planning before they can be priced.
- How far will a chauffeur drive in one day?London to Edinburgh in a day is realistic; London to Inverness is not. The limit is safe driving hours rather than the mileage itself.
- Can a chauffeur take me from London to Edinburgh?Yes. It is around four hundred miles and seven to eight hours with breaks, which makes it a full day rather than a transfer.
- Do you cover Wales?Yes, from Cardiff and the M4 corridor up the A55 to the north coast, and into the mountains where the roads are slower than the map suggests.
- How does a chauffeur journey to the Cotswolds work?About two hours from London on the M40, then lanes. The lanes are the part that decides the timing and sometimes the vehicle.
- Is a chauffeur better than the train for London to Birmingham?The train is faster centre to centre. The car wins for two or more people, for luggage, and for anywhere that is not New Street.
- Can I book a chauffeur in a city I am flying into?Yes. A car meets you at the terminal wherever you land in the UK, and the booking is made from anywhere in the world before you travel.
- Do you cover Northern Ireland?Yes, with collections at Belfast and journeys across the province. Getting a car over involves a ferry, so notice matters more than usual.
- How do chauffeurs handle motorway breaks on long drives?Planned, not improvised. The stops are chosen before you set off, timed around your schedule, and cost nothing extra on either pricing format.
- What happens to the chauffeur overnight on a long trip?They stay nearby in accommodation arranged and quoted as part of the trip. It is a stated line on the quotation rather than a later surprise.
- Do you cover the Lake District?Yes, usually from Manchester or up the M6. The last hour into the valleys is slow, and the timing has to say so rather than pretend otherwise.
- Can a chauffeur do a multi-city UK tour?Yes, with one chauffeur and one car throughout. The itinerary is planned around driving hours rather than around what looks reasonable on a map.
- How much does a long distance chauffeur cost?Quoted against the route rather than from the card, with the vehicle returning included. Vehicle class moves the figure more than the mileage does.
- Is there a mileage limit on a chauffeur booking?No mileage cap, and no excess mileage charge. What limits a booking is driving hours, and that is a matter of planning rather than pricing.
- Do you cover Cornwall and the South West?Yes, down the M5 and then the A30. The last two hours are the slow part, and in August they are slower still.
- Can a chauffeur pick me up from a cruise ship?Yes, at Southampton, Dover, Tilbury and Portsmouth. The terminal matters as much as the port, since they are a real drive apart.
- How does a chauffeur handle driving in the Scottish Highlands?By planning the route properly and doubling the estimate for the last hour. Single track roads, deer and weather all take longer than any map allows.
- Do you cover Yorkshire?Yes, across Leeds, York, Harrogate and Sheffield, out into the Dales and the Moors where the roads slow down considerably.
- Can a chauffeur meet me off a Eurostar train?Yes, at St Pancras International. Give the train number and the chauffeur is on the concourse before you come up from the platform.
- How long does London to Bristol take by car?Two to two and a half hours on the M4 in reasonable conditions. The slow parts are leaving London and arriving in Bristol, not the middle.
- Do you drive to Ireland?Yes, by ferry from Holyhead, Pembroke, Liverpool or Cairnryan. It is a two-day proposition rather than a transfer, and it needs weeks of notice.
- Do you cover the Midlands?Yes, across Birmingham, Coventry, Leicester, Nottingham and the towns between. The motorway density makes almost everything reachable quickly.
- What happens if a motorway is closed on a long run?The chauffeur reroutes and tells you what it means for the arrival. On a fixed price the delay costs you nothing beyond the time itself.
- Is an overnight chauffeur trip charged by the day?Yes, in day blocks at the vehicle rate, plus the chauffeur's accommodation. The night itself is not charged as hours.
- How does a chauffeur plan a long drive in winter?Earlier start, longer estimate, a route with alternatives, and a vehicle chosen for the conditions rather than for the destination.
- Can a chauffeur take me to a country house hotel?Yes, and the useful part is the last mile. Send the approach detail and the car arrives at the right gate rather than the neighbouring farm.
0425 questions
Occasions and services
- Do you do wedding cars?Yes, with the vehicle held as a named car rather than allocated from a class, ribbons fitted, and the route driven beforehand.
- How many hours should I book a wedding car for?Six is the usual answer for a single-venue wedding, and eight where the ceremony and reception are apart. Weddings always run long.
- Can I decorate the wedding car with ribbons?Ribbons are fitted by us before the car arrives, in a colour you choose. Anything attached to the paintwork is a different conversation.
- How early should a wedding chauffeur arrive?Twenty to thirty minutes before the booked collection, parked and waiting. Nobody wants a wedding car that is merely punctual.
- What does "as directed" mean on a chauffeur booking?That you have booked the car and the chauffeur for a period of time and decide where to go as the day happens, rather than naming a route.
- Can a chauffeur wait during a meeting?Yes, and it is what hourly hire exists for. The car is nearby, the bags stay in it, and it is at the kerb minutes after you call.
- What is a financial roadshow chauffeur?A car and chauffeur held for a day of back-to-back investor meetings, moving a team between addresses on a schedule that changes hourly.
- How does a chauffeur work for a theatre evening?Dropped at the door, collected from an agreed point afterwards. The West End empties all at once, so the pickup spot matters more than the timing.
- Can a chauffeur take a group to a conference?Yes, and conference days want hourly hire rather than transfers, because the schedule always produces more movements than anybody predicted.
- What is chauffeur for the day?One car and one chauffeur held for eight to twelve hours, going wherever you decide. It is hourly hire at the length most days actually are.
- Can a chauffeur do the school run?Yes, as a standing booking with the same chauffeur, named contacts at both ends and a handover to a specific person rather than an address.
- How does a sightseeing chauffeur tour work?You book hours rather than an itinerary. The car takes you where you want, waits while you look, and the plan changes when the day suggests it.
- Can a chauffeur take me to a hospital appointment?Yes, and hourly hire is the right format, because a discharge time is a guess and a car that waits removes the worst part of the day.
- Do you provide chauffeurs for film and production crews?Yes, for talent, crew and unit movements. Call sheets change, so these are hourly bookings with vehicles held rather than summoned.
- How do chauffeurs work at sporting events?Drop close, then collect from a point agreed in advance. Venue traffic management, not the car, decides where a pickup can actually happen.
- Can a chauffeur drive me to Ascot or Goodwood?Yes, and both want booking months ahead. The car is held for the day, since a race meeting never ends when the last race does.
- What happens at a funeral or memorial booking?A quiet car, a chauffeur who says almost nothing, and timings agreed with the funeral director so nobody in the family has to organise anything.
- Can I hire a personal chauffeur long term?Yes, on a standing arrangement measured in months rather than journeys, with the same chauffeur and agreed rates rather than repeated quotations.
- How does a chauffeur help on a shopping day?The bags go in the car rather than round the shops with you, and the chauffeur meets you at each door instead of you finding the vehicle.
- How does a chauffeur handle a multi-stop roadshow day?By solving the parking at every address beforehand, so the gap between a meeting ending and the car arriving is two minutes rather than twelve.
- Can a chauffeur take me to a graduation?Yes, and it is a day worth booking hourly. Ceremonies overrun, parking near the hall is impossible, and family arrives from several directions.
- How does an anniversary or birthday booking work?Booked hourly for the evening, with anything you want in the car arranged in advance. Nothing that gives away a surprise reaches the passenger.
- Can a chauffeur collect guests from a hotel for an event?Yes, and it works best with one named contact, staged departures rather than a single scrum, and cars under one booking reference.
- Do you provide chauffeurs for golf days?Yes, with the car held for the whole day and a vehicle that takes the clubs without an argument. Rounds always overrun, and so does the bar.
- Can a chauffeur drive an author or speaker on a book tour?Yes, and it is one of the better uses of a car: several towns in a week, stock in the boot, and a quiet cabin between events.
0530 questions
The car and the journey
- How many suitcases fit in a Mercedes S-Class?Two large cases and two cabin bags, comfortably. Three large cases will go in at a squeeze; four will not, whatever anybody tells you.
- What is the difference between a chauffeur and a private hire driver?A chauffeur is booked for a person and a day. A private hire driver is dispatched to a fare. The job, the car and the pricing all follow from that.
- Can I work in the car during a journey?Yes, and the rear of an S-Class or i7 is set up for it: a table-height surface, power, quiet, and a chauffeur who will not talk.
- Is there wifi in a chauffeur car?It can usually be arranged if you ask when booking, though on a British motorway the limit is the mobile network rather than the car.
- Can I bring my dog in a chauffeur car?Yes, with notice. Tell us the size and whether the dog travels in a crate, and the right vehicle is allocated with protection fitted.
- Can you fit a child seat in a chauffeur car?Yes. Give the child's age, height and weight when booking and the correct seat is fitted and checked before the car arrives.
- How many passengers fit in a Mercedes V-Class?Up to seven, though seven with full airport luggage is optimistic. Six with a case each is the realistic working figure.
- What happens on a multi-day chauffeur trip?One chauffeur and one car stay with you, and their accommodation is quoted as part of the trip rather than appearing afterwards.
- Can I choose which vehicle I get?You choose the class, and the class is what is guaranteed. A specific model can usually be held if you ask far enough ahead.
- Do chauffeur cars have privacy glass?Most of the rear compartments are darkened to some degree. If it matters for a particular journey, ask when booking rather than on the day.
- How much luggage fits in a Range Rover?Three large cases and cabin bags for four passengers, with a high load sill. It is volume rather than shape that makes it useful.
- Will the same chauffeur drive me all day?Yes on an ordinary day booking. Only a day long enough to run past safe driving hours brings a second chauffeur into it.
- Can I eat or drink in a chauffeur car?Water and coffee, yes, and nobody minds. A full meal in the back of a saloon is a worse idea than it sounds, and the chauffeur will suggest a stop.
- What do chauffeurs wear?A dark suit, plain shirt and tie in most cases. The aim is to be unremarkable in a hotel lobby rather than to look like a costume.
- Can I ask the chauffeur not to talk?You can, and you rarely need to. Silence is the default on a working booking, and a chauffeur speaks when there is something you need to know.
- Is there a phone charger in a chauffeur car?Yes, and usually several connector types. Bring your own cable for anything unusual, because sockets differ between models.
- Can a chauffeur carry golf clubs?Yes, with the right vehicle. Two sets go in a Range Rover comfortably; four players with four bags means a V-Class or a Sprinter.
- How do you fit skis in a chauffeur car?Inside a V-Class or a Sprinter, laid flat along the load area. Saloons cannot take skis at all, whatever the boot volume suggests.
- Can a wheelchair user travel by chauffeur?Yes where the passenger can transfer to a car seat, with the chair folded into the boot. Tell us the details and the right vehicle is sent.
- What happens if the car breaks down?Another vehicle is sent and you are told immediately. On a timed journey the replacement is dispatched before anyone waits to see if it is fixable.
- Do chauffeur cars have bottled water?Yes, still water as standard, and more of it on a long booking. Anything else is worth asking for when you book rather than on the day.
- Can I play my own music in the car?Yes. Connect a phone or ask the chauffeur to. The default on most journeys is silence, so it only plays if somebody chooses it.
- How many people fit in a luxury Sprinter?More than any other vehicle in the fleet, and with full luggage rather than in spite of it. It carries a six hour minimum on as-directed work.
- Is an electric chauffeur car available?Yes, the BMW i7, quoted identically to an S-Class. Request it when booking, since there are fewer of them than of the petrol cars.
- Can the chauffeur take a different route if I ask?Yes, and it costs nothing on a fixed transfer. The price was set against the journey rather than the mileage, so the route is yours to choose.
- What is a partition and do I need one?A screen between the front and rear compartments. Most passengers do not need one; anyone taking genuinely confidential calls sometimes does.
- Can two cars travel together for a larger party?Yes, and properly run it means a lead chauffeur, one route and arrival in order rather than two cars hoping to meet at the far end.
- Do you carry luggage that will not fit in the boot?By booking a bigger vehicle rather than by improvising. Give dimensions when you enquire and the car is chosen around the largest item.
- Can a chauffeur collect something without me in the car?Yes, for documents, luggage, a delayed bag or a passenger you are not travelling with. It is booked as a transfer with named contacts at both ends.
- What is it like to travel in a Rolls-Royce Phantom?Quieter than any other car on the road and slower to get anywhere, because nobody hurries in one. Top of the fleet, six hour minimum.
FCReservations
Tell us the journey. We will send the price in writing.
Message us the date, the pick-up and where you are going. You will get a fixed written quotation with the vehicle, the chauffeur’s arrival time and what the figure includes — no form to fill in, and no estimate that moves later.
- Telephone
- +44 7775 554848
- Hours
- Reservations answered around the clock, every day of the year.