How-to · 4 min read · Updated 6 November 2026

Planning a day with an as-directed chauffeur in London

What as-directed hire means

As-directed, or hourly, hire is a booking for time rather than for a single journey. The driver stays with you, waits while you go into meetings, shops or attractions, and takes you on to the next place. It suits days with several stops, roadshows of investor meetings, sightseeing for visitors and shopping trips where carrying bags between taxis would be a chore.

• Charged by the hour, often with a three or four hour minimum
• Waiting is included, so meetings can overrun
• The route can change during the day
• Overtime is usually charged at the same hourly rate, so ask in advance

Where a chauffeur can stop and wait

Central London has strict rules on stopping. Red routes, marked by red lines, ban stopping at most times apart from in marked bays, and many streets have controlled parking. A professional driver will drop you at a legal point, then wait nearby or circulate until you call.

• Expect drop-offs on side streets or at hotel entrances rather than on main roads
• Plan to message the driver ten to fifteen minutes before you are ready
• Parking costs while waiting may be extra, so check the quote
• Large venues often have a set pick-up area, ask the driver to confirm it

Sample itineraries

Timing your stops

Even short distances in central London can be slow, especially at peak times and when roads close for events. Build buffers into the plan, rather than an exact schedule.

Getting good value from hourly hire

• Start the booking from the first pick-up rather than an hour early
• Group stops by area so you are not crossing London repeatedly
• Book central London stops outside 7am to 6pm on weekdays to avoid the Congestion Charge where you can
• Pre-book attraction tickets so time is not lost in queues
• Agree overtime terms in advance so the day can run long without a dispute

If the day only has two stops with a long gap between them, two one-way journeys may cost less than hourly hire. Ask the operator to price both ways.

What to tell the operator

Send a rough list of stops and times, the number of passengers, any bags or shopping you expect to carry and whether you will need the car to leave for an airport at the end. Mention children, mobility needs or a preferred route. The operator can then advise on the right vehicle and whether the hours you have in mind are realistic.

Days that need extra planning

Some days in London are much harder to drive than others. Major events close roads and fill nearby streets, so check the calendar before fixing a sightseeing or roadshow day.

Before booking a date, a quick look at the events calendar can save hours in traffic.

• The London Marathon in April closes roads across the city for most of the day
• Trooping the Colour in June closes roads around The Mall and Whitehall
• Notting Hill Carnival on the August bank holiday weekend affects much of west London
• Large state occasions and protests can close Westminster at short notice
• Football and concerts at Wembley, Twickenham and the O2 slow traffic nearby

On those days a driver can still get you around, but routes will be longer and some drop-offs impossible. Moving the busiest part of the itinerary away from the affected area is usually the simplest fix. For visitors with a fixed date, ask the operator whether anything is planned that day; drivers who work in London every week usually know about closures well before they appear in the news, and can suggest a different order of stops that keeps the day on schedule.

Frequently asked questions

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