Taxi's

Jamber

Any particular recomendations? I need to get a taxi to Gatwick very early on Friday morning and so wonder if anybody has any good experience with price and efficiency. The last time i needed it the driver was so tired after an all nighter it was terrifying and then i heard he crashed on his return to N4!

Marquis

Booked a minicab with Capital Cars (FP station end of Stroud Green Road, opposite bus station) this Tuesday morning for 4.50am. Arrived on the minute and the charge explained the state of their booth (although I still suspect they have a state-of-the art call centre and board room in the basement).

graeme

Pathos behind Nandos have been reliable for me, turning up on time and the controller has been helpful on other occassions too.

poxy

I prefer Express Private Hire at 456 Hornsey Road.

Tel. no. 020 7272 1717

We've done the sparrow-fart run to Gatwick and Heathrow many times. All with no problems. Also, free child-seats too, when needed. The cars are cleaner than Capital cars.

Reg

Optimo75, I think, means Paphos Cars (as in Cypriot town) and we use them all the time too and have no complaints.

andy

I'm a big fan of Yellow Cars on Holloway Road. Pretty reliable for airport transfers too: 020 7700 1111

andy

@poxy: sparrow fart?

Jamber

thanks all!

Colette

I can also recommend Capital Cars. Have used them a couple of times for the Heathrow run (including on tube strike day), and they're pretty reliable and fairly priced.

injoke

*paging the apostrophe police*

where's tosscat when you need him? i'm getting yawn withdrawal on the mediocre anecdotes thread.

dion

Capital Cars is my preference as they all tend to know where they are going and the controllers understand me. They also have the internet so they can check when you flight is arriving etc. The drivers I have had have all been good and on time for early airport runs. They are good for picking up at airports too. Paphos have let me down by not knowing where T4 is at Heathrow. I used to use Poxy's Hornsey Road one who were fine, but I think Capital Cars is better.

bennyfromtheblok

I've used Golden Taxi on 020 8800 0044 who are right on Manor House - they are always on time, have good, clean, reliable cars and are pretty cheap.
My only complaint would be that when they recently picked me up at Stansted following a weekend in Ibiza there was a guy supposed to be waiting for me. I looked around looking for my name on a card and saw that apparently Bez was on my flight - being a Happy Mondays fan I hoped I'd see the great maracas shaking mascot. When he didn't arrive and I didn't see my name on any cards, my Ibizan sozzled brain realised the driver must be there for me and had spelt my name wrong. I did see the funny side, both tall and skinny, a connection to Manchester and crap dancers - it was an easy mistake to make!

staplejack

where do minicab firms dream up their names? What are the most common? Capital / Station / A1... I use Golden Cars opposite Sainsburys on Green Lanes, may or may not be related to BFTB's Manor House taxi co but have been consistently reliable & cheap for 10+ years.

markpack

Second Capital Cars recommendation.

If you want picking up from airport on way back, I've found Medway ((020) 8455 5555) to be most convenient: they turn up to meet you off flight with name board and don't try to cut corners by not parking properly and so sending you off on a long hunt to find the driver.

poxy

@Andy: <a href="http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/sparrow-fart" target="fart">Sparrow fart</a>

katiejane

Hear hear injoke. Taxi's what? Driver? Wheels?

Colette - you even posted but didn't say anything. Did you even NOTICE?

Colette

@katiejane: of course I noticed.... but I'm mellowing in my old age.

missisclack

Very interesed to learn the Wikipedia definition of sparrow fart.

My mum has always called Prince (and any other small, wiry men) a 'wee sparrow fart'. She's from Belfast. Maybe something got lost in translation from down under to N Ireland, or vice versa.

hsb

Addison Lee although not local as such have cars throughout London. They text you with the car type and number plate and also when they arrive. The fair is sorted in advance when you book so you don't get stung on arrival. You can also track the car's progress to you on-line. [Addison Lee](http://www.addisonlee.com/quickbooker)

rainbow_carnage

@hsb - You missed the thread where I bitched about Addison Lee dicking me about. (I paid over the phone, but the driver charged me again at the destination). And then they stole my credit card number (allegedly) and used it to buy stuff from Curry's. Just sayin'.

hsb

@rainbow - I missed that thread. That does sound like a bad experience! I have never had any problems with them...

wisteria53

We stopped using Addison Lee at my old workplace because they were unreliable.

David

There's a case for not using them based purely on their disregard for cyclists. More times than not when a people carrier cuts me up one of their little logos is in the back window.

lizbet

has anyone used five star on SGR? they were the only one I could find with 8 seater cabs

tricky

Thanks to this thread I used Capital Cars for a recent early morning Gatwick run. On time, polite, friendly, price was as quoted. Will never go back to Crouch End Cars!

Rona

I have always found Capital Cars very reliable and have been using them for years. But a friend of mine who is disabled said they were very rude to her because she takes a lot of time coming out of her flat into the taxi. I had a very good experience with Hillside Cars by Harringay Station - Booked a 4.45 am cab to Stansted on a Sunday and it was on time, very civil and they were cheap.

Marquis

Has there been any recent change in views on this thread? I need to get to the docklands tomorrow morning and it's vital that I'm there on time.

miss annie

I'd always go with Hercules on Holloway Rd. they've got me to Heathrow at 4.30 in the morning several times. Reasonable prices, nice cars and efficient drivers that don't talk too much. 0207 272 6666

graeme

The place on Quernmore road has been reliable for airport runs the last few times I've needed to get to the airport. Also good for picking up at airport too.

Had friendly drivers, and the controllers I've spoken with have been pleasant and knowledgeable on likely journey times (including roadworks and the like).

Marquis

Brilliant -thanks!

dorothy

I used Paphos last time I went to Stansted. I allowed an hour to get there. The driver got me there in half an hour, although I was slightly nauseous.