Why two quotes for the same journey can differ by twenty per cent, what your invoice actually needs to say for a valid reclaim, and why our prices never change at the end of the journey. A practical guide for business travellers, finance teams and anyone comparing transfer quotes. Our quoted prices are always the final amount payable — VAT-inclusive where it applies, with proper invoices issued for every corporate booking. TfL licensed since 2000.
Passenger transport in a vehicle carrying fewer than ten passengers is standard-rated for VAT in the UK — currently 20%. This is the point that surprises people, because transport in larger vehicles, those built to carry ten or more passengers, is zero-rated. So a coach fare carries no VAT while a taxi fare does.
That distinction is why bus and coach travel and taxi travel are treated differently in the tax system, and it is worth understanding if you are comparing modes on cost.
But not every operator charges VAT, and this is where quotes start to diverge. A business only has to register for VAT once its taxable turnover passes the registration threshold. Many owner-drivers and small firms sit below it, are not VAT-registered, and therefore do not add VAT to their fares. Larger operators are registered and do.
The consequence for you: two quotes for the identical journey can legitimately differ by around 20% purely because of the VAT status of the operator — before you consider anything about the service itself. The cheaper quote is not necessarily the better one, and it may leave a business customer unable to reclaim anything.
There is a further wrinkle. Some operators act as agent for self-employed drivers rather than supplying the transport themselves, and the VAT treatment can differ depending on which model applies. This has been the subject of significant legal argument in the private hire sector in recent years. The practical effect for a customer is the same: always confirm whether a quoted price is inclusive or exclusive of VAT before comparing it with anyone else’s.
Taxis and private hire cars carrying fewer than ten passengers are standard-rated at 20% where the operator is VAT-registered.
Passenger transport in vehicles built to carry ten or more people is zero-rated — the reason coach travel carries no VAT.
Businesses below the VAT registration threshold do not charge it. This alone can make two quotes differ by a fifth.
A business can only reclaim VAT with a valid invoice from a registered supplier showing the VAT number and amount.
VAT is only one of the things that can turn an attractive headline price into a disappointing final one. When you compare transfer quotes, these are the questions that actually determine what you pay.
1. Is the quoted price inclusive or exclusive of VAT? Ask directly. An exclusive quote of £60 is £72 once VAT is added, which loses to an inclusive £65. Some operators quote exclusive prices to consumers, which is not helpful, since a private individual cannot reclaim anything.
2. Is the Congestion Charge included? Almost every central London destination sits inside the zone. If it is added afterwards, the quote you compared was not a real price.
3. Is ULEZ included? The Ultra Low Emission Zone covers a much wider area than the Congestion Charge. Non-compliant vehicles pay daily, and some operators pass it on.
4. Are airport parking and drop-off fees included? Every London airport charges vehicles for terminal access. These are commonly excluded from headline prices and added at the end.
5. Is waiting time included, and measured from when? Free waiting from your actual landing time is very different from free waiting from the scheduled time. On a delayed flight that difference can be substantial.
6. Is there a night, weekend or holiday surcharge? Many operators charge more between midnight and 06:00 — precisely when a large share of airport journeys happen.
7. Is it a fixed price or an estimate? An estimated fare that moves with traffic is not a price at all. Ask which you are being given.
8. Are there luggage, child seat or extra-passenger charges? All are commonly billed as extras.
Our answer to all eight: the price we quote is the price you pay. VAT where applicable, Congestion Charge, ULEZ, fuel, tolls, parking, airport drop-off fees, waiting time as stated, child seats and luggage are all inside it. Nothing is added afterwards, and it does not change if the traffic is bad or your flight is late.
A VAT-registered business can generally reclaim VAT on employee travel undertaken for business purposes, provided it holds a valid VAT invoice from a registered supplier. That makes the quality of your paperwork a genuine commercial matter, not an administrative afterthought.
What a valid VAT invoice must show. The supplier’s name, address and VAT registration number; an invoice number and date; a description of the service supplied; the net amount, the VAT rate applied and the VAT amount; and the gross total. A card receipt or a booking confirmation email is not a VAT invoice and will not survive scrutiny.
Where operators commonly fall short. An app receipt with no VAT number. A total with no VAT breakdown. No invoice at all unless you chase for one, weeks after the journey, when the traveller has already filed an expense claim. Finance teams know this problem well.
What we issue. A proper VAT invoice for every corporate booking, showing the VAT number and a full breakdown. Account customers can have monthly consolidated invoicing rather than a receipt per journey, and we can carry your cost centre, project code, matter number or PO reference on each line so the recharge is straightforward.
Personal travel is different. VAT on commuting and private journeys is generally not reclaimable, and a private individual cannot reclaim VAT at all. If you are booking as a consumer, an inclusive price is simply what you pay.
This is general information, not tax advice. The rules have detail and exceptions, and your circumstances matter. For anything specific to your business, speak to your accountant or check the current guidance published by HMRC — and note that rates and thresholds change, so verify anything time-sensitive against the current position.
We quote one figure and that is what you pay. No VAT added at the end, no charges revealed at the destination, no meter, no surge, no estimate that moves. This is the whole point of fixed-price transfers and it is why we have priced this way since 2000.
Everything is inside the fare — VAT where it applies, Congestion Charge, ULEZ, fuel, tolls, parking, airport drop-off fees, waiting time as stated, complimentary water, USB charging, child seats and luggage handling.
No night, weekend or holiday surcharge. 03:00 on Christmas Day is charged at the same rate as 15:00 on a Wednesday. Given how much airport travel happens overnight, this is often worth more than any headline discount.
The price does not move with the traffic. A metered fare rewards congestion — the slowest, most frustrating journeys cost the most. Ours is agreed before the car moves and is unaffected by what the roads do.
Nor with your flight. If you land ninety minutes late, we track it, the driver waits, and the fare is unchanged.
Proper invoicing for business customers. Full VAT invoices, monthly consolidated billing on account, and your own cost centre or project references carried on each line.
And it is checkable. Our route pages publish fixed prices openly rather than requiring you to submit an enquiry to find out what a journey costs. You can compare us against anyone before you call.
Quoted price is final · VAT, Congestion Charge and ULEZ included · proper VAT invoices · monthly account billing · no night surcharge