London is one of the best cities in the world for wheelchair users looking to use a taxi. Thanks to its famous black cabs, you can hail an accessible taxi directly from the street.
That’s right—no calling a day or more in advance or reworking your schedule around taxi availability.
In this post, I’ll talk more about these black cabs as well as other options for wheelchair accessible taxis in London.
Note: The information here is based on my observation as a non-wheelchair user. If you have firsthand experience as a wheelchair user in London, please let me know about your time there and your recommendations in the comments section. I appreciate it and know that our future readers will, too!
Wheelchair Accessible Taxis in London
Below is a summary of the wheelchair accessible cabs we recommend in London. Hang tight because we’ll be getting into the details of each.
- Black Cabs
- Gett Taxis
- Wheelchair Taxis London
- Licensed London Taxis
- London Black Taxis
- Uber
Black Cabs
Black cabs define London taxi culture. Drivers undergo rigorous training, know the city streets inside out, and share a wealth of knowledge for visitors. Best of all, every black cab in London is wheelchair accessible via a ramp.
Black cabs run on a taxi meter but, by law, your taxi driver cannot start running the meter until they start driving the vehicle.
You can view a pricing chart for London’s black cab here: Black Cab Taxi Meter Prices. Keep in mind that there’s a minimum £3.20 charge for all destinations and an additional £2.80 airport charge if you’ll be beginning your trip from the Heathrow Airport.
Like most things in England, London is expensive. So, it’s a good idea to have a feel for what you’ll have to pay before having sticker shock after you’ve already arrived at your destination.
Some people with disabilities are eligible to receive discounted taxi rates via a program called Taxicard. If you’ll be spending a longer amount of time in London, it may be worth looking into this. You can read more about Taxicard here.
Travel Tip: Not all “black cabs” are black, so don’t let color deter you when flagging down an accessible taxi.
While the independence that black cabs offer wheelchair users is unparalleled, space can be tight if you use a larger wheelchair. Also, there’s only one seat available for an able-bodied companion.
Fear not, though. There are plenty of other wheelchair accessible taxi options in London that we’ll cover soon.
Gett Taxis
Gett Taxis is an app that will connect you with classic London black cabs. This means that any taxi you request on Gett will be wheelchair accessible.
However, Gett recommends that you either write a note with your request that you’re a wheelchair user or call your driver after they’ve accepted your request, just so they’re prepared to help you with the ramp.
You can read more about Gett Taxis here.
Another benefit of Gett? They operate all over the United Kingdom, so you can use them in other destinations after you’ve gotten your fill of exploring London.
Wheelchair accessible taxis in London aside from black cabs
Black cabs are wonderful but, as mentioned above, they’re not always the best fit for all wheelchair users. Taxis are easy to hail in central London but can be sparse if you’ll be staying on the city’s outskirts.
So, what to do in this case? What you’re likely used to doing—calling a cab in advance.
The good news? You’ll have lots of options and oftentimes it’s possible to arrange wheelchair accessible taxis in London at the last minute.
Let’s take a look at these options.
Wheelchair Taxis London
It doesn’t get more perfect than this name, does it? All of Wheelchair Taxis London’s vehicles are accessible. They use modern, six-seater Mercedes-Benz Vito vans.
Some features of this service include the following:
- Fold-out ramp with extension
- Four-point restraint belt with over-center clamp
- Swivel seat for those able and wanting to transfer out of their chair
- Operates 24/7, every day of the year
- Serves all London airports
- Long-distance transportation is possible
Wheelchair Taxis London Contact Information: +44 (0) 203 633 1777
Licensed London Taxi
All of Licensed London Taxis are accessible since they are in the black cab network. Like Wheelchair Taxis London, they use Mercedes Benz Vito vans.
This means that it’s an especially great fit if you’ll be traveling with others or have a larger wheelchair.
If you don’t happen to spot a Licensed London Taxi on the street, give them a ring. Provided you’re calling from central London, you shouldn’t have to wait too long for a cab.
Licensed Taxi London Contact Information: +44 (0) 7519 055 741
London Black Taxis
London Black Taxis offer wheelchair accessible transportation by means of their TX Model. These are the small, traditional looking London taxis.
So, they’re a good fit if you travel with a medium size to small wheelchair and are only traveling with up to one other able bodied person.
Many of the London Black Taxis offer swivel seats. These reach the outside of the vehicle where you can transfer into the seat, thus giving you more space in the cab.
Swivel seats are only offered in London Black Taxis newer vehicle models, so make sure to request this at the time of calling if it’s a feature you’re interested in using.
London Black Taxis Contact Information: +44 (0) 20 3984 4515 and +44 (0) 20 3004 4953
Uber
If you’ve exhausted all the options on this list and somehow still can’t find a wheelchair accessible taxi in London, there’s always Uber. Via Uber’s WAV program, you’ll be able to indicate that you need an accessible vehicle.
However, we really doubt you’ll need to use Uber. There are just so many other quick and easy accessible transportation options in London!
Further Reading
We love London, and England as a whole. Take a look at some of our other accessible blog posts we think may interest you:
Wheelchair Accessibility in Guildford: A Complete Guide
12 Wheelchair Accessible Things to do in Oxford
White Cliffs of Dover for Wheelchair Users: A Guide
A Wheelchair User’s Guide to Canterbury, England
Get out and explore London!
We’re confident you’ll fall in love with London, in great part because of how easy it is to hail wheelchair accessible taxis. Do you have experience taking accessible taxis in London? If so, leave us a comment about your trip and/or anything we’ve missed here. We’d love to hear from you!
