LauraA

I have a fantastic recommendation for London transfers. Available through Celebrated but you must book through a travel advisor. I've used them and the drivers and vehicles are top. Itch, slight better priced, as well

BostonFlyer1624

These are the guys I use every time. Nothing special, just normal cars in good condition - about 68 GBP from LHR to Park Lane.

ant_west

Never tip and they don't expect it - one of the side benefits of using AL and booking online with a card prepayment. One of my pet peeves is the expectation of cabbies of a tip.

London_traveller

I would definitely avoid Airport Direct - I had a bad experience with them and their customer service (for the journey itself and when following up on the phone after) was pretty much non-existent. Terrible.

+1 for Addison Lee. They can be more pricey but generally reliable. As to whether to tip, I do actually tip them if they were on time and drove reasonably well, i.e. not like a bat out of hell followed by harsh braking. Not a huge amount - Ł5 for a journey from my home in North London (N1) to LHR - but I think it's appropriate.

BostonFlyer1624

Who has the nicest cars though?

Teefaf

Oh dear, sorry to hear that. I just posted in another thread that I went with Airport Direct over AdLee, whom I'd normally choose, for a difference of almost Ł40 return plus the availability of a car seat.

Would you be able to elaborate on what went wrong for you? If you'd prefer not to, of course, I unedrstand.

London_traveller

Don't mind at all. I posted about it in another thread somewhere but it was just over a year ago. In a nutshell I booked their premium service but it was far from that: tired, old, unclean car and a driver who neither drove well nor dressed for a premium service (jeans and a crumpled half-untucked shirt). This last point is very minor but it added to the experience being sub-par.

So they didn't provide the service I'd booked, and neither did they inform me that they couldn't provide it beforehand. They had my mobile number so could have. Had they done so, I'd have cancelled and booked with another provider, or got the Heathrow Express. Bit late standing in the multi-story car park at 9pm after a long-haul flight, which is when we found out about the car.

I contacted their office the following morning to ask for a refund, given they didn't provide what I'd booked and paid for. They passed me from pillar to post and never got back to me despite me following up multiple times in the weeks that followed. I therefore gave up and put it down to a poor experience. If I'd wanted a backstreet minicab-style service, I'd have booked one.


PS I'm well aware of how this issue stacks up in the scheme of things...

thegoose

Back from my trip and to answer my own question on how Airport Transfer was the answer is: choose someone else! The pickup was okay, driver was waiting at the terminal with name sign on time. Didn’t offer to help with the 2 luggage carts we were pushing tho. After the elevator ride and the short walk to the waiting area we were off. No words were spoken other than a confirmation on him knowing where we were going. He did help unload the luggage and only smiled when I handed him a tip.

The trip back to the airport did not go well. I booked a car for 5:00pm, didn’t see anyone after 10 minutes so I called the number they gave to call if you didn’t see your driver. Was told that driver should be there, asked for the make and color and was told a grey VW sedan was my car. Looked around some more and waited for another 10 minutes than I called again. The guy that answered told me to hold and then the line was cut. He did call back in about 5 minutes to tell me that the car that was to pick me up broke down and cannot make it. I asked if a replacement was on the way and he said they cannot allocate another car at that time. I hung up before he finished as I was pretty pissed by then.

Anyway, I ended up just flagging down a taxi off the street which cost me 20 pounds more than what I should have paid. Will delete Airport Transfer off my list!

gosha83

I chose Humming Bird cars when I came here in late May with a ton of luggage. Competitive price (Ł65 LHR to Canary Wharf) for a slightly larger vehicle, as I had a ton of luggage.

Their price starts at Ł35 to central London, depending on time of day.

Flight was a bit early, so I had to wait for the driver in T4 for about 10 min, but he showed up with a sign. Car was big and new VW.

bizfly

anybody know amy info on Meadway or airport executive??

djMike

I want to book a journey from heathrow airport to Thistle City Barbican (hotel) in London. Can anyone recommand a car service from heathrow to our hotel.. that is reliable and the fare is reasonable? any advice would be appreciated

Showbizguru

You don't make it clear if you're travelling on your own or with large amounts of luggage.
Without doubt the easiest and best way to make that journey is by Heathrow Express train from your arriving terminal to Paddington Station ( 15 mins every 15 mins ) and then catch a cab from the station rank.
Car-wise it's a tortuous journey no matter which route your driver takes right through into the centre of London and out to the City at any time of day.

stut

I don't know if you're tied into it, but if you've got the opportunity to choose a different hotel, I'd strongly advise you to take it.

Showbizguru

Agreed.
Particularly if the OP is staying at the weekend - the area resembles a scene from A Clockwork Orange.

antichef

As well as the useful advice, perhaps someone should say Welcome to FT djMike!

There has previously been this type of thread on the subject:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/u-k-i...islington.html

But the definitive answer is probably in the Flyertalk wiki!:
http://www.flyerguide.com/wiki/index...sportation_FAQ