How we rank chauffeur companies in London
This page lists chauffeur companies London customers rate highly on Google. The ranking uses one method for every entry. We take the Google Maps rating, weight it by the number of reviews so that a long record counts for more than a short one, and include only companies with at least 15 reviews.
The data comes from Google Maps and is refreshed periodically, so ratings and review counts move. Positions are not for sale and no company pays to be listed or promoted.
One disclosure, once: we are Private Driver London, we publish this list, and we are a chauffeur company ourselves. We sit in a labelled box above the ranking and are not part of it. The full set of lists is in our London operator directory.
Check the licence first
A chauffeur company that takes bookings in London is a private hire operator, and a private hire operator needs an operator licence from Transport for London. The cars and the drivers are licensed separately, so there are three things to look for, not one.
Use the official TfL checker to look up an operator by name. It takes a minute and is worth doing for any company you have not used before, however good the reviews look. TfL also explains the licensing rules on its taxi and private hire pages.
Fixed price or meter
This is the biggest practical difference between companies. A fixed price is agreed before you book, and traffic does not change it. A metered fare is calculated as you travel, so a closed road or a slow morning on the A40 shows up on the bill.
Whichever model a company uses, ask for the total in writing and check three things:
- Whether VAT is included in the figure you are given.
- What happens to the price if your flight is late or the journey takes a different route.
- Whether tolls, the Congestion Charge, Dartford Crossing and parking are inside the price or added afterwards.
Our own rule is simple: the price is fixed and agreed before booking, with VAT included.
What a chauffeur price should include
Two quotes for the same journey are only comparable when they cover the same things. Before you choose on price, find out:
- Waiting time. How long the driver waits at an airport or a venue before charges start. On our airport pick-ups the first hour of waiting is free.
- Minimum hire. Hourly hire usually has a minimum. Ours is 4 hours.
- Parking and tolls. Who pays, and whether they appear as extras.
- Extras and out-of-hours fees. Late nights, early starts and extra stops are the usual surprises.
- Distance limits. Whether an hourly booking covers only London or also trips beyond the M25.
If the answer to any of these is vague, treat the quote as incomplete.
Insurance and vehicle classes
Private hire vehicles in London must carry insurance that covers hire and reward. Ask the company to confirm that the car you will travel in is covered for passengers, and that the same applies if a different car is sent on the day.
Then check the vehicle class. A company that says “executive” or “luxury” may mean different things, so ask for the make and model, or at least the class. As a guide, an E-Class or BMW 5 Series seats up to three passengers, an S-Class or 7 Series also up to three with more rear space, and a V-Class or Transporter up to eight. A Range Rover takes up to four, and a Sprinter minibus up to 16. If your party has large cases, count luggage as well as people. Our chauffeur service page shows how we match cars to groups.
Questions to ask before you book
- Is the company a private hire operator holding a TfL operator licence, and can they confirm it?
- Is the price fixed, and is VAT included?
- What is included: waiting time, parking, tolls, extra stops?
- Which car class is the quote for, and what if another is substituted?
- How will you recognise the driver, and who do you call if there is a problem?
- What is the cancellation or change policy, in writing?
For airport journeys specifically, see our guide to airport transfer companies. For groups of nine or more, read minibus hire with a driver. If you would like a figure from us, our prices page shows the published rates and the quote form covers everything else.
Last updated 22 October 2026.
