HomeLondon TravelWhat's the Difference Between a London Black Cab and a Minicab?

What’s the Difference Between a London Black Cab and a Minicab?

London has two completely different taxi systems operating side by side, and understanding the difference is important — both for practical reasons and for your safety.

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The Black Cab

The London black cab is the iconic, purpose-built taxi that you see everywhere in central London. They’re the boxy, high-roofed vehicles (not all of them are black anymore — many carry advertising wraps in various colours) driven by cabbies who have passed “The Knowledge,” one of the most gruelling tests in the world.

The Knowledge requires drivers to memorise 25,000 streets within a six-mile radius of Charing Cross, along with thousands of landmarks, hotels, restaurants, hospitals, and points of interest. It takes an average of three to four years of study to pass. This means that when you get into a black cab and give the driver your destination, they know how to get there without GPS. They know the shortcuts, the traffic patterns, and the quickest route at any given time of day.

Black cabs are the only taxis in London that can legally be hailed on the street. If the orange “For Hire” light on top is lit, the cab is available. Raise your arm, the cabbie pulls over, you tell them where you’re going, and off you go. You can also find black cabs at designated taxi ranks outside stations, hotels, and major venues.

Black cabs run on a meter. The fare is calculated based on distance and time, and there are regulated surcharges for late-night travel, weekend travel, and public holidays. A typical journey across central London might cost £10-20 depending on traffic and distance. You can pay by card (contactless is widely accepted in modern cabs) or cash.

The Minicab

A minicab is a private hire vehicle — essentially a regular car driven by a licensed private hire driver. Unlike black cabs, minicabs cannot legally be hailed on the street. They must be pre-booked, either through a licensed minicab office, by phone, or through an app.

Uber is technically a minicab service in London, and it’s by far the most popular way to book one. Other minicab apps and companies exist (Bolt, Addison Lee, Free Now), and local minicab offices are found in virtually every London neighbourhood.

Minicab fares are typically lower than black cab fares for the same journey. Uber and similar apps show you the fare (or an estimate) before you book, which eliminates the anxiety of watching a meter climb. The trade-off is that you can’t hail one spontaneously — you need to use an app or make a call, and then wait for the car to arrive.

Safety Matters

This is the critical bit. Only ever use licensed minicabs. Licensed minicab drivers have been vetted, their vehicles are inspected, and they carry proper insurance. You can verify a minicab is licensed by the Transport for London sticker in the windscreen.

Never, ever get into an unlicensed minicab — a random person who approaches you on the street offering a ride. This happens outside nightclubs and entertainment venues, particularly late at night. These unlicensed operators (sometimes called “tout cabs”) are illegal, uninsured, and potentially dangerous. This is not an exaggeration — unlicensed minicabs have been linked to serious crimes including assault and robbery. If someone on the street asks “need a cab?”, the answer is always no.

If you need a ride on the street and don’t want to wait for an Uber, hail a black cab. If you want to pre-book, use a reputable app. These are the only safe options.

Which Should You Use?

Use a black cab when you need a ride immediately, and you’re in central London, where cabs are plentiful. The convenience of hailing one on the street is hard to beat, and the Knowledge means you’ll get to your destination efficiently.

I’ve never really had a good experience using Uber in London, so I tend to avoid it and stick to Black Cabs, and that’s the advice we like to give out. Use Uber or another app when you’re in an area where black cabs are scarce, or when you want the generally lower prices that minicab services offer.

Both are perfectly good options. The important thing is to use legitimate, licensed services and never accept a ride from someone touting on the street.