AT A GLANCE
Hourly rates
All prices exclude VAT. Three-hour minimum, four hours for the Sprinter. Rolls-Royce and Sprinter on request.
INCLUDED
Every day booking
- The same car and chauffeur all day. No swapping drivers, no waiting for the next car.
- Waiting between stops. Included in the hourly rate, however many stops you make.
- Congestion charge included. No night, weekend or card surcharges.
- Water and chargers. Child seats on request.
- Discretion as standard. Your plans and addresses are never shared.
THE PRIVATE DRIVER GUIDE
What a private driver in London does for you
Booking a private driver means one car and one chauffeur stay with you for the whole day. You set the plan, the chauffeur drives it, and between stops the car waits nearby rather than leaving you to find a taxi on the pavement. It suits visitors who want to see a lot of London in one day, residents with a full diary of appointments, and anyone carrying shopping, luggage or small children from place to place.
Your chauffeur collects you from your home, office or hotel door, keeps water and phone chargers in the car, and stays in touch on WhatsApp all day. If plans change over lunch, you simply send a message. A well planned day with one car almost always fits in more than a day of taxis and Tube changes.
Half day or full day?
A half day: four or five hours
Enough for a morning of shopping and lunch, an afternoon of viewings or appointments, or a dinner with a late finish. Our minimum booking is three hours, but four is the sweet spot for most half days because it leaves time to wait while you enjoy each stop.
A full day: eight hours or more
The right choice for sightseeing, a day of meetings across town or a day out of London. You can start early from the hotel, keep the car through the afternoon and finish with dinner, and if the day runs over, the booking simply extends at the same hourly rate.
Private driver prices in London
Every car is priced by the hour, excluding VAT, with the congestion charge included and no surcharge for evenings or weekends. These are the totals for the two most popular lengths of booking:
| Car | Passengers | Per hour | Half day, 4 hours | Full day, 8 hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercedes V-Class | Up to 6 | £85 | £340 | £680 |
| Mercedes S-Class | Up to 4 | £90 | £360 | £720 |
| Range Rover | Up to 4 | £125 | £500 | £1,000 |
| Rolls-Royce Ghost, Phantom or Cullinan | Up to 4 | from £175 | from £700 | from £1,400 |
| Executive Sprinter | Up to 8 | from £120 | from £480 | from £960 |
Rolls-Royce and the Sprinter are on request. You travel in the model you book or similar, always with your own chauffeur. Our chauffeur prices guide sets out airport fares and what to check in any quote.
Three example days
A shopping day in Mayfair and Knightsbridge
An S-Class collects two guests from their hotel at 10am for New Bond Street and Mount Street, waits through lunch, then drives on to Sloane Street and Harrods on Brompton Road, a short hop of around 10 to 20 minutes, depending on traffic. Bags go into the boot after each shop, and the car is back at the hotel by 3pm. Five hours at £90 is £450 plus VAT. Our guides to a chauffeur in Mayfair and Knightsbridge and Belgravia cover the drop points.
London in a day for a family of five
A Mercedes V-Class takes the family past Buckingham Palace and Westminster in the morning, on to the Tower of London and Tower Bridge, then across to the South Bank for the afternoon. Nobody has to manage a pushchair on the Underground, and coats and snacks stay in the car. Six hours at £85 is £510 plus VAT.
A day out to Windsor
Windsor is around 50 to 80 minutes from Mayfair, depending on traffic, and makes an easy day with lunch by the river. There is no parking at the castle itself, so your chauffeur drops you at the gate and waits in town. Plan around the castle's opening days: it is usually closed to visitors on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and can close at short notice as a working royal palace. For days outside London we confirm the full price in writing before you book.
Which car suits your day?
| Car | Best for your day |
|---|---|
| Mercedes S-Class | One or two people, a shopping day or a run of meetings, the quietest ride in town |
| Mercedes V-Class | Families and groups of up to six, sightseeing, luggage and shopping bags |
| Range Rover | A raised, private car for up to four, and days in the country |
| Rolls-Royce | Birthdays, anniversaries and days that should feel like an occasion |
| Executive Sprinter | Up to eight guests travelling together, with a four hour minimum |
Our fleet page shows each car in more detail, and the Rolls-Royce hire page explains the Ghost, Phantom and Cullinan.
Starting from a hotel or the airport
Many private driver days begin at a hotel. Your chauffeur arrives early at the main entrance and can work with the hotel concierge on reservations and timings. If you are landing that morning, we can meet you at Heathrow on a fixed fare of £190 in a V-Class, £195 in an S-Class or £295 in a Range Rover, excluding VAT, and keep the car with you by the hour afterwards. See our Heathrow chauffeur page for meeting points.
If you need a car for shorter, regular bookings rather than a whole day, our hourly chauffeur hire page explains how waiting and extra time work, and companies can put every booking on one invoice with a corporate account.
HOW IT WORKS
Booking your driver
1
Tell us the plan
Date, start time, the stops you have in mind and how many guests.
2
One written price
Hours, car and total set out clearly, excluding VAT, before you commit.
3
Meet your chauffeur
Name and number on WhatsApp the evening before; the car arrives early.
4
Enjoy the day
Your chauffeur waits nearby and adjusts as your plans change.
QUESTIONS
Private driver: your questions
How much does a private driver in London cost for a day?
Our chauffeurs are booked by the hour, excluding VAT: Mercedes V-Class £85, Mercedes S-Class £90 and Range Rover £125, with a three hour minimum. A full eight hour day in an S-Class is £720 and a four hour half day is £360. Rolls-Royce is from £175 an hour and the Executive Sprinter from £120 an hour with a four hour minimum, both on request.
What is the minimum booking?
Three hours for the V-Class, S-Class and Range Rover, and four hours for the Executive Sprinter. Most private driver bookings are a half day of four or five hours or a full day of eight hours.
Does the driver wait while we shop, eat or sightsee?
Yes. Waiting is part of the hourly rate. Your chauffeur stays close by with the car and comes back to the door when you send a WhatsApp message, so shopping bags and coats can stay in the car between stops.
Can we change the plan during the day?
Of course. Add a stop, skip one or extend the booking with a message to your chauffeur or the concierge. Extra time is charged at the same hourly rate, where the diary allows.
Is the congestion charge included?
Yes. The hourly rate includes the congestion charge in London, and we do not add night, weekend or card surcharges. VAT is added to all prices.
Can a private driver take us out of London for the day?
Yes. Windsor, Oxford, Bicester Village, the Cotswolds and country estates are all popular days out. Tell us the plan and we confirm the price for the whole day in writing before you book.
Is the chauffeur also a tour guide?
Your chauffeur knows London well and can suggest routes, drop points and timings, but is a driver rather than a qualified tour guide. If you would like a guided day, book a Blue Badge guide and we will drive you both.
Can you provide child seats?
Yes, child seats are available on request. Tell us the ages of the children when you book and the seats are fitted before the car arrives.