Alton 8’s Taxis Frequently Asked Questions

It’s so easy to book your taxi anytime:

• Download the Alton 8’s Taxis app
• Call us 01420 88888

Simply type in the date and destination into the app, and we’ll show you what types of taxis are available, and when they can arrive! You can pre-book as far in advance as you wish.

If you have an unusual request, or need a very early morning pickup or collect from the airport, you can call us on 01420 88888 to confirm availability if you wish.

Not at all. Our app provides an easy way to book and pay. Simply create a user ID and password in the usual way, and choose a payment option to pay in advance (debit card, credit card or Apple Pay). The app takes care of the rest.

If you are a business and want an account for corporate travel, see our Corporate Taxis page for details, or call us to discuss your requirements – 01420 88888.

We accept all major credit card, debit cards and Apple Pay. Our drivers all carry touch card terminals for easy in-car payments. You can also securely store your payment details in our app for automatic payment once you’ve arrived.

Yes. Our drivers use the latest touch card terminals for easy in-car payments that are processed through Alton 8’s secure system. You can also store payment details securely in our app for automatic payment on arrival.

No. The price you are quoted on the app is the price you will pay for the number of passengers and amount of luggage you book for. For taxi airport transfers that price will include both the mandatory drop-off charges and the ULEZ (for our non-electric vehicles.)

No, your quote is all-inclusive, so long as you give us accurate details of how many passengers will travel, details of any luggage, and child car seat requests.

We don’t have a fixed charge, only personalised quotes. So you always get the best price for where you live, when you want to travel, and the type of taxi you require. This makes our taxi transfers for larger groups of up to eight people really great value for money! You can get a quote by entering your journey details into our app, or get an airport transfer quote online here.

No it’s the same quote price you’d get when booking over the phone. It’s also available 24/7./365! Simply add your payment details in the app, book and go  – there’s no need to carry cash or cards with you.

All journeys booked through the app are stored on the app. So you can look at past taxi trips, and ones you’ve booked for the future, all in one place. If you book via phone, we will send you either an email or an SMS to confirm your booking (email and/or mobile number required).

Yes you can. Our younger passengers do vary in age, so please let us know the size of child seat you need when booking. We can supply booster seats for older children upon request. You are also welcome to provide your own child seats.

Our taxis vary in size and can take up to 8 people and 8 items of luggage. Here’s a quick guide:

Not sure you’ve got will fit? Just call us to talk through what you require

Sure do! Our executive minivans take up to eight passengers along with eight items of hold luggage. Our group fleet includes three Mercedes eVito vans, for a smooth, quiet and spacious journey with zero tailpipe carbon emissions.

These smart vans are excellent value for larger families travelling to airports or those with large amounts of luggage traveling to join a cruise at the cruise terminal in Southampton.

At Alton 8’s we combine our own taxis with the YLC group’s private hire vehicles for the best choice in North Hampshire.

Exec vans:
Mercedes eVito exec vans (electric)
Mercedes V Class (up t0 7 passengers)
Ford Tourneo Custom Mini Buses (up to 8 passengers)

Taxis:
Mercedes E Class
Skoda Superb
VW Caddy

Electric vehicles:
Volkswagen ID4 SUV
BMW i7 luxury executive cars
MG5 EV estate
Assorted hybrid and all electric vehicles driven by their driver owners

Absolutely! Just click the electric vehicle option when making your booking online or on the app. The fare is slightly higher for our electric taxis and vans as it is reserved just for you at the time you need it. The good news is that by travelling electric, you’ll cut your journey’s carbon emissions to zero! We have 18 all electric VW SUVs and Mercedes eVito executive vans available, plus hybrid vehicles as part of our standard fleet.

Just look out for them in the Arrivals Hall with a board with your name at Heathrow Airport, Gatwick Airport, regional airports and TAG Farnborough. Remember the Alton 8’s booking app tracks where your driver has parked, so you’ll know where the taxi is too!

That very much depends on where you are flying to, and at what time of day. By taking a taxi to the airport, you can reduce the time before your flight as you don’t have to worry about parking the car, catching a transfer bus from car park to terminal, and battling with luggage.

Our drivers drop you at the terminal entrance, saving a minimum of 30 minutes we reckon. Generally airlines suggest a minimum of 2 hours before a domestic flight, and 3 hours before an international flight, more at busy times during the day. Whilst e-ticketing and online check-in do speed things up, there are still security and passport control queues to consider.

Pre-book in advance and you can relax! No last minute panics, and the reassurance that whatever time your flight arrives, we’ll be there waiting. (Our online flight tracker tracks the flights giving us real time updates, so we know about any delays.)

Your booking is safely stored in your app account, so you can click on it to track where your taxi is in real time, as it arrives to collect you and take you home. Many customers love tracking their cab as soon as they land (and can use their phones). Once you have collected your luggage, your driver will be waiting in the Arrivals Hall for you.

Yes we do. When you pre-book your return airport taxi transfer, you need to tell us:

• The airport you are departing from (and returning to if different)
• Your airport terminal
• Your airline
• Your flight number.

If any flight details change whilst you are away, especially the flight number, please let us know via the app or call us so we can adjust your booking accordingly.

No. Our online flight tracker tracks the flights giving us real time updates, so we know about any delays. If your flight details changes, especially the number, let us know as soon as possible so we don’t meet the wrong flight!

In many cases, yes, particularly for Alton residents traveling to Gatwick Airport, or returning to Heathrow Airport in the early hours. If you drive yourself, you need to factor in fuel,/mileage, parking charges, ULEZ charge, drop-off zone (if you drop the family first) and the sheer hassle of transfer buses, finding a parking spot, cramming the luggage in, etc. For a more detailed comparison, please see our article: https://yourlocalcar.co.uk/airport-taxi-transfers-costs/

For early morning arrivals, you may not feel happy driving after a long day travelling when you may be tired, sleepy and jetlagged too.

All our drivers are local, so they know their way around Alton and both east and North Hampshire. Every driver holds either a full UK or EU driving license.

• All private car drivers hold a private hire driver’s licence (PHV)
• Our taxi vehicle drivers hold a hackney carriage licence issued by the local authority.

The PHV licensing process involves involving thorough background and character checks to ensure each driver is a ‘fit and proper person’. We also conduct our own interview and vetting processes, as well as making an enhanced criminal records check through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

For more information on licences, see the East Hants website: https://www.easthants.gov.uk/licensing/taxi-and-private-hire-licences/applying-taxi-and-private-hire-licence

Check our testimonials and reviews! We have more than 100 drivers working with us, so we offer exceptional availability. This also allows our drivers to work flexible hours to balance work with family and other personal commitments.

No. If you’re pleased with our service, reward us with a Google review instead!

Alton 8’s Taxis provides 24/7 taxi services for Alton and East Hampshire including Alton town centre, Alresford (New Alresford), Bentley, Binsted, Bordon, Chawton, East Worldham, Farringdon, Four Marks, Froyle, Holybourne, Lasham, Medstead, Neatham, Newton Valence, Odiham, Ropley, Selborne, West Worldham, and Whitehill.

We also enjoy taking people on holiday with private taxi transfers to all London airports and cruise ship terminals – see our Airport and Seaport Transfers page for more details.

Alton 8’s and the YLC group are always on the lookout for new drivers to join our team! More drivers means better availability for local people to get to where they need to be. Our state-of-the-art taxi dispatch and tracking technology also ensures plenty of work for our drivers, and efficient use of both location and time for less ‘dead miles’ too.

For more information, please visit our Work With Us page.

• Call us
• Email us