Cabs/Taxis
Black Cabs (the "official" cabs) can be quite a pricey way of getting around town, although not too bad if sharing - most fit up to a maximum of 5 people, although you may have notice some larger, Mercedes people carrier ones too.

Like buses, you're often at the mercy of London traffic, but unlike buses you'll find yourself sitting there watching the fare meter go up and up. This Taxi Fares page from the Transport for London website gives an idea of fares - you'll note that fares are more expensive after 8pm. Black cabs have orange lights on the top of them that say "For Hire" - if this light is on, it means that you can hail this cab.

We wouldn't especially recommend using taxis for much of your travel around London, though sometimes it's necessary - right? Try taking them for shorter trips when oftentimes public transport options aren't that direct; better still, if you're with a group of people when the fare can be split several ways.

There are also minicabs (i.e. cabs using ordinary cars). There are plenty of trustworthy licensed minicab firms; however, you should note that there are also some unlicensed minicabs (usually just a person and his car) that operate. This doesn't automatically mean they're dangerous, but we would still recommended that you absolutely do not hire them at all, especially if you're a lone female. Try asking at your place of stay for a trustworthy minicab firm; alternatively, you can look up licensed firms on the Minicabs - Findaride page.

A very good private and dependable minicab firm is Addison Lee. With their extensive fleet of people carriers (which can carry up to 6 people), they claim to be on average 35% cheaper than black cabs. You have to pre-book them, but this can be done online or by telephone. Great service for longer taxi journeys (perhaps to an airport), or late-night journeys (say, when you're travelling back after a night out).

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