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Car Services (Taxis) in the Cotswolds
Use a car service (taxi, chauffeur) to make your trip easier. Car services offer airport and train pickup/drop off and day tours of the Cotswolds and nearby areas. All of the larger Cotswolds towns have a taxi service. I have listed several companies below.
Airport or Train Pickup
An airport pickup is expensive but is worth it. We don't want to put our jet-lagged bodies behind the wheel of a rental car (especially since we are driving in the mirror-world), so having a driver take us to Bath or Oxford or to our first vacation rental in the Cotswolds works well for us. We take a couple of days to recover, then pickup a rental car.
Have a car service pick you up at the airport and drive you to the Cotswolds or a nearby town. If you plan to spend a few days in London on arrival, take the train into the Cotswolds and have a car service take you to your Cotswolds destination.
- Book the car service several weeks ahead and confirm a week before leaving.
- Ask if they take credit cards (some can only do credit card processing through their office ahead of time).
- Get the cell (mobile) number of the driver who will be meeting you and give them your cell number, in case you cannot find each other at the pickup point.
- If you are sensitive to the chemicals in air fresheners and colognes, request a "fragrance-free" car.
For airport pickups, the driver will be waiting for you where you come out of customs/baggage claim (with a sign with your name on it). The driver helps you with your luggage and usually has the car close by making your arrival easy.
Driving Tours
If you don't want to drive, consider hiring a car and driver to take you on a custom driving tour. Read more about Driving Tours of the Cotswolds.
Car Services for the Cotswolds
To find local car service companies, go to the Tourist Office websites or do a search for "car hire", "taxi" or "chauffeur" and the name of the town where you will be staying. I have listed several below.
Bath
Drive-U Chauffeuring Services: Highly recommended. We have used Clive from Drive-U to pick us up at Gatwick or Heathrow airport and take us to Bath. He also does day tours in the area.
Southern Cotswolds
Cotswold Airport Taxis: Stroud/Cirencester. CATs has seven drivers with cars or vans (seat up to six). Airport/train station service, day tours of the Cotswolds. Owner Paul Simpson.
Home James Taxi: Cirencester. 24/7 taxi service, airport service, Cotswold tours.
Northern Cotswolds
Tour the Cotswolds: Highly recommended. Custom driving tours of the Cotswolds including airport or train service. Owner Tim Harrison. Read more about driving tours of the Cotswolds.
Campden Taxis: Chipping Campden. Airport/train station service, day tours of the Cotswolds. Owner Graham Townsend.
Cotswold Executive Transfer: Broadway. Airport/train station service, day tours of the Cotswolds. Owner Steve Varah.
Oxford - Oxfordshire
Mercedes Oxford Chauffeurs: Oxford. Airport service, travel to any UK destination. Owner Dennis Perrin.
Other Car Service Companies in the Cotswolds
Chipping Campden Cars: Chipping Campden
Cirencester Taxi Service: Cirencester
Cotswolds Horizons: Broadway/Chipping Campden
Cotswold Taxis of Moreton in Marsh: Moreton-in-Marsh
Day Night Private Hire: Cheltenham
ETC Private Car Hire: Cotswolds
Express Taxis of Tetbury: Tetbury
Five Star Taxis: Stroud/Nailsworth
Hilltop Taxis: Stroud
Jack Davis Chauffeurs: Oxfordshire
Minchinhampton Taxi: Minchinhampton
Moreton Taxis: Moreton-in-Marsh
My Chauffeur Oxford and London: Oxfordshire
Omega Private Hire: Nailsworth
Stow-on-the-Wold Taxi Service: Stow-on-the-Wold
Stroud Taxi Company: Stroud/Stonehouse
Resources
Taxi Register: Search for taxi companies by county, town or postal code.
Car Rental
AutoEurope: Pick up your rental car at the airport when you arrive or take the train to Oxford or Bath and pick up your car there. If you are staying in London before going to the Cotswolds, take the train from London Paddington Station to Oxford and pick up your rental car there.
Read more about renting a car in England.
