Frequently asked questions
Answers to frequently asked questions about booking, prices and pickups. Can't find your answer here? Book online or call 01202 028334— we'll come straight back to you.
Is this a rank taxi I can wave down?
No. We're private hire — pre-booked only. That's why the site shows a fixed fare before you travel, and why the car is licensed as private hire, not a taxi with a roof light.
How do I actually book?
See the published fare on this site, then book online at bookings.sandbanks.taxi. You fill it in — no waiting for a quote back. No app to download.
When do I pay?
Usually when you arrive — cash or card to the driver. No deposit for a normal airport run. We'll say so when you book if a long job needs something up front.
Are the numbers on the website the real price?
Yes, from Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch, Wimborne, Highcliffe and Ferndown. Parking, drop-off fees and the first hour of airport waiting are in that figure. Odd postcodes or extra stops get a written extra, not a surprise at the kerb.
Do you only do Sandbanks?
Sandbanks is the name and the home turf (ferry, Shore Road, BH13). We pick up across BCP and the towns around it — Poole, Bournemouth, Christchurch, Ferndown, Wimborne, Ringwood, the Purbeck side. The car still has to get off the peninsula on time; that's the bit we plan.
Which airports?
The regulars are Heathrow, Gatwick, Southampton, Bournemouth, Bristol, Luton, Stansted, Exeter and Cardiff. Birmingham and Manchester we do too, at published fixed prices. Cruises (Southampton, Tilbury, Dover) and St Pancras for Eurostar sit on the same price list.
What if the flight moves?
We watch the inbound flight. The car is timed to landing, not the original schedule. One hour in arrivals is included; after that waiting is charged (see terms). Keep your phone on so the driver can find you inside.
Are you open over Christmas?
Yes. We run over Christmas and New Year, but with fewer drivers from Christmas Eve to Boxing Day and on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, so please book as early as you can. From 6pm on Christmas Eve, on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, and from 6pm on New Year's Eve until 12 noon on New Year's Day, a 50% holiday supplement applies to the fare (not to airport parking or drop-off charges). Every other day is 24 hours at normal prices — including 4am Heathrow runs in January.
Female driver / child seats?
Ask in the booking. Child seats (infant through booster) are free; you buckle the child, we fit the seat. Female driver when we can — we'll say if we can't, rather than guess.
Who is actually driving?
A council-licensed private hire driver (BCP or East Dorset) with a DBS check. Not an app stranger, not an unlicensed 'airport runner'.
Weddings, hotels, schools?
Yes — executive/S-Class for weddings, monthly billing for hotels and language schools. Those are planned jobs, not same-day rank work. Use the hotel accounts, school accounts or weddings pages, or call the office.