Regulations · 4 min read · Updated 6 November 2026
Congestion Charge and ULEZ in 2026: what it means for chauffeur trips
What changed in January 2026
Transport for London made the biggest changes to the Congestion Charge in years at the start of 2026. The daily charge went up by £3, the old Cleaner Vehicle Discount that let electric cars drive into the zone free ended on 25 December 2025, and a new tiered discount replaced it.
| Item | Before | From 2 January 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Standard daily charge | £15 | £18 |
| Paying up to three days after travel | £17.50 | £21 |
| Electric car on Auto Pay | Free | £13.50 (25 percent off) |
| Electric car not on Auto Pay | Free | £18 |
| Licensed black cabs | Exempt | Still exempt |
| Private hire vehicles | Charged, with some exemptions | Charged, only wheelchair-accessible vehicles on a booking are exempt |
TfL has said the electric car discount is due to fall to 12.5 percent from March 2030, and the charge may rise each year in future, subject to a decision at the time.
When the Congestion Charge applies
The zone covers central London, broadly the City, the West End, Westminster and parts of Southwark and Lambeth. It operates from 7am to 6pm on weekdays and from midday to 6pm on weekends and bank holidays, and there is no charge between Christmas Day and New Year's Day bank holiday. It is a daily charge, so a car pays once however many times it enters that day.
- Weekday morning airport run from Wimbledon to Heathrow: no charge, the route stays outside the zone
- Wimbledon to a meeting in Mayfair at 10am: charge applies
- Evening theatre drop-off in the West End after 6pm: no charge
- Saturday afternoon shopping in Knightsbridge: charge applies after midday
ULEZ: the other London charge
The Ultra Low Emission Zone covers the whole of Greater London and runs 24 hours a day, every day except Christmas Day. Cars that do not meet the standard pay £12.50 a day, on top of any Congestion Charge. The standard is Euro 4 for petrol cars and Euro 6 for diesel, which in practice means most petrol cars registered after 2006 and diesels registered after September 2015 are compliant.
TfL licensing rules for London private hire vehicles also require newly licensed cars to be zero emission capable, so a professionally run chauffeur fleet should be well inside the ULEZ standard. If a quote ever includes a ULEZ charge, that tells you something about the age of the car.
How road charges appear on your quote
Chauffeur companies handle road charges in different ways. Some build the Congestion Charge into a fixed price for any journey that enters the zone, while others add it as a separate line. Either is fine, as long as you know in advance.
- Ask whether the quoted price includes the Congestion Charge if your journey enters central London between 7am and 6pm
- For multi-day bookings, check whether the charge is added each day the car enters the zone
- Airport drop-off fees, Dartford Crossing and tunnel charges are separate road costs worth asking about too
- An all-in fixed price is the easiest way to avoid surprises
Other London road charges to know about
| Charge | Where | Typical cost for a car (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Congestion Charge | Central London zone, set hours | £18 a day |
| ULEZ | All of Greater London, 24 hours | £12.50 a day if non-compliant |
| Blackwall and Silvertown tunnels | Crossing the Thames in east London | Charged per crossing, higher at peak times |
| Dartford Crossing | M25 crossing between Essex and Kent | Around £3.50 per crossing, less with an account |
| Airport forecourt drop-off | Heathrow, Gatwick, London City and others | About £7 to £10 per visit |
Figures are guides based on published 2026 charges; check TfL and the airports for any later changes.
Tips to keep costs down
- Schedule central London meetings after 6pm on weekdays where you can
- Group several central London stops into one day so the charge is paid once
- For journeys to the O2 or London City Airport, ask which river crossing the driver plans to use
- Book an all-in fixed price so road charges cannot be added afterwards
Which journeys from Wimbledon enter the zone?
For travellers based in south-west London, most everyday chauffeur journeys never touch the Congestion Charge zone. The A3, the South Circular and the M25 take you to Heathrow, Gatwick, Surrey and the Home Counties without going near it. The charge mainly matters when a trip ends in, or passes through, central London during charging hours.
| Journey from Wimbledon | Usually enters the zone? |
|---|---|
| Heathrow or Gatwick | No |
| Epsom, Ascot or Twickenham | No |
| Mayfair, Westminster or the City on a weekday | Yes |
| London City Airport | Depends on the route, many drivers avoid the zone |
| Wembley or the O2 | Usually no, routes run around the zone |
| St Pancras or King's Cross for Eurostar | Yes, during charging hours |
Because the charge is daily, a car that enters the zone once in the morning can make further central London trips that day at no extra road cost. That is one reason hourly hire for a busy day in town can be better value than several separate bookings.
Frequently asked questions
Do chauffeur cars have to pay the Congestion Charge?
Yes. London private hire vehicles, which includes chauffeur cars, have to pay the Congestion Charge when they drive in the zone during charging hours. Since January 2026 that is £18 a day, or £13.50 for an electric car registered for Auto Pay. Only wheelchair-accessible private hire vehicles carrying out a booking remain exempt. Black cabs are exempt, which is one reason short central London hops can work out cheaper by taxi.
Do electric cars still go free in the Congestion Charge zone?
No. The full exemption for electric cars ended on 25 December 2025. From 2 January 2026, electric cars registered for TfL Auto Pay get a 25 percent discount and pay £13.50 a day, and those not registered pay the full £18. The discount is due to fall to 12.5 percent from March 2030. Residents' discounts have separate rules.
Will I pay ULEZ in a chauffeur car?
Almost certainly not. The ULEZ charge applies only to vehicles that fail the emissions standard, which is Euro 4 for petrol and Euro 6 for diesel. Modern executive saloons and people carriers used by chauffeur services comfortably meet it, and newly licensed London private hire cars must be zero emission capable. If a ULEZ charge appears on a quote, ask about the vehicle.
Congestion Charge ULEZ 2026 changes London driving
