Quick answer
A black cab is a licensed London hackney carriage that you can hail or join at a marshalled rank without booking, charged on a regulated meter (TfL's Tariff 1, 2 or 3 depending on time of day). A minicab, more properly called a private hire vehicle, must be pre-booked — it's illegal for one to pick you up if you simply flag it down — and typically runs on a fixed price agreed before you travel. Neither is objectively "better"; they suit different situations, and this is a different comparison from ride-hailing apps like Uber, which we cover separately.
What is a black cab?
Black cabs (officially hackney carriages) are the traditional London taxis, licensed and regulated by Transport for London. Their defining features:
- No booking needed. You can walk straight to the marshalled taxi rank outside any terminal's arrivals hall (T2, T3, T4, T5) and join the queue.
- Metered fares, based on TfL's published tariff — Tariff 1 for weekday daytime, Tariff 2 for evenings and weekends, Tariff 3 for nights and public holidays — plus a minimum fare (£4.40) and a rank surcharge of roughly £1.60.
- Regulated and tested drivers, who must pass "The Knowledge" and meet strict licensing standards.
- Wheelchair accessible by law — every black cab must have a ramp and wheelchair space, with no extra charge for carrying a passenger's wheelchair or mobility aid.
For a typical run to central London, a metered black cab fare from Heathrow is generally in the region of £75-130, covering around 18 miles and 45-75 minutes, plus the £7 terminal drop-off charge if that's added at the start of your journey. See our taxis page for the full fare structure and how ranks work at each terminal, and our piece on fixed-price vs metered black cab fares for a deeper look at how the meter behaves in practice.
What is a minicab (private hire vehicle)?
A minicab is a private hire vehicle (PHV) — still licensed, but under different rules to a black cab. The key difference is that a minicab cannot legally pick up a passenger who simply hails it in the street or waits at a rank; every journey must be pre-booked through a licensed operator, whether that's by phone, app or website.
Because the fare is agreed before the journey starts, most minicab bookings for Heathrow are fixed-price, not metered — you know the cost before you travel, and it typically doesn't change if traffic is heavier than expected. Heathrow Airport Guide's recommended pre-booked operator is 247 UK Airport Taxi, part of the Tick Taxi group (the same group whose Bristol arm holds a 5.0 Google rating and the 2026 QSI Gold Award) — this is our affiliated recommendation, not an independent, unaffiliated review, and we think it's worth being upfront about that. A pre-booked minicab like this typically tracks your incoming flight and adjusts the pickup time automatically if you land late, and can offer meet-and-greet service inside the terminal.
Pre-booked minicab fares to central London are typically cheaper than a metered black cab on the same route — usually around £45-75 including the terminal drop-off charge. See our guides on booking a taxi to Heathrow and meet-and-greet service for more detail on how pre-booked pickups work.
Black cab vs minicab: the practical differences
| Black cab | Minicab / private hire | |
|---|---|---|
| Booking | Not required — join the rank | Required in advance |
| Pricing | Metered (TfL tariff) | Fixed price, agreed upfront |
| Availability | Immediate, subject to rank queue | Scheduled for your flight/arrival time |
| Street hailing | Legal | Not legal |
| Wheelchair access | Legally required on every vehicle | Available on request with some operators |
| Typical central London fare | Roughly £75-130 | Roughly £45-75 |
When each one makes sense
Choose a black cab if:
- You've just landed and haven't pre-booked anything
- You want to pay by the regulated TfL meter with no advance arrangement
- You need a wheelchair-accessible vehicle immediately, without pre-booking a specific operator
Choose a pre-booked minicab if:
- You want price certainty before you travel
- You're arriving on a delayed or late flight and want your pickup tracked automatically
- You'd like meet-and-greet assistance inside the terminal
- You're comparing costs and want the generally cheaper fixed-price option to central London
FAQs
Can a minicab pick me up from the taxi rank at Heathrow?
No. Minicabs (private hire vehicles) must be pre-booked; they cannot legally accept a passenger who simply hails them or joins a taxi rank. If you haven't booked ahead, a black cab from the marshalled rank is your on-demand option.
Is a black cab always more expensive than a minicab?
Not always, but for common routes like central London, a pre-booked fixed-price minicab is generally cheaper than a metered black cab, largely because the metered fare accumulates with traffic and time.
Do I need to book a black cab in advance?
No — that's the main advantage of a black cab. You simply join the marshalled rank outside the arrivals hall at any terminal.
Are all black cabs wheelchair accessible?
Yes. Every licensed London black cab is legally required to have a wheelchair ramp and dedicated space, with no additional charge for carrying a passenger's wheelchair or mobility aid.
What's the difference between a minicab and an Uber or Bolt?
Both are private hire vehicles requiring pre-booking, but a traditional minicab is booked directly with a local operator (by phone, website or app), while Uber, Bolt and FreeNow are ride-hailing apps that connect you with available drivers on demand. See our taxi vs Uber comparison for more on that specific comparison.
Is 247 UK Airport Taxi a black cab or a minicab service?
It's a pre-booked private hire (minicab) operator, part of the Tick Taxi group, which is Heathrow Airport Guide's recommended affiliated operator for fixed-price bookings — it is not an independent black cab firm.