Blog · Pricing
Pricing.
34 articles on pricing.
How we quote, discount, refund, and why our pricing model works the way it does.
Pricing
· Tips
How fixed fares work at Fare 1
Every fare you see at quote is the price you pay. Here's the maths underneath, and why it stays put once you've booked.
18 May 20262 min readReadHourly
· Pricing
Hourly chauffeur, explained
Three numbers define hourly pricing: 3-hour minimum, 15 included miles per hour, half-rate for extras. The rest is just multiplication.
6 May 20263 min readReadAirports
· Pricing
· Tips
Airport surcharges 2026 — what they are and why
Every UK airport (almost) charges drivers to use drop-off zones. We pass that cost through transparently rather than baking it into a fictional flat fare.
30 April 20264 min readReadPricing
· Tips
Cancellation fees and refunds, explained
Free up to 24 hours before pickup, 25% within. Here's how the authorisation/capture flow works and when refunds hit your card.
27 April 20263 min readReadDrivers
· Pricing
Standard vs Executive driver — what's actually different
The driver vetting is identical across categories. The training, presentation, and experience profile is where Executive earns the premium.
21 April 20263 min readReadPricing
· Tips
Why we don't surge
Most ride platforms multiply your fare when demand is high. We chose not to. Here's why, and what we do instead when supply is tight.
12 April 20263 min readReadHourly
· Pricing
· Tips
Hourly vs per-mile — a side-by-side comparison
Same trip, two pricing modes, different totals. Here's a side-by-side on three common booking shapes.
31 March 20263 min readReadPricing
· Tips
Volume and return discounts, explained
No codes, no haggling — discounts apply automatically on the booking form. Stacking allowed, with one caveat.
19 March 20262 min readReadHourly
· Pricing
· Tips
When 3 hours is enough — the minimum-hire rule
Three-hour minimum hire. Sounds wasteful for a quick trip — but the math is more nuanced than it looks.
13 March 20263 min readReadAirports
· Pricing
· Tips
Stansted budget-flight chauffeur strategy
Stansted has Ryanair and easyJet's cheapest fares. From Southampton the chauffeur cost is £220 fixed-fare. Here's the math on whether it's worth the trade.
4 March 20263 min readReadPricing
· Hourly
· Tips
Per-mile or hourly — which to pick
Per-mile suits point-to-point. Hourly suits multi-stop or wait-around. The crossover point is closer to home than most people realise.
20 February 20262 min readReadAirports
· Pricing
Luton Airport from Southampton — the cheap-fares hub
Luton is the only London airport with a physical barrier exit. Budget short-haul focus. £170 fixed-fare from Southampton, £7 drop-off surcharge.
15 February 20261 min readReadAirports
· Pricing
Bristol Airport from southern England
Bristol covers Wales and the south-west with easyJet / Ryanair / TUI. £160 fixed-fare from Southampton. The banded drop-off pricing is unusual — here's how it works.
10 February 20262 min readReadAirports
· Pricing
Bournemouth Airport — our cheapest fixed-fare transfer
£65 makes Bournemouth our cheapest airport transfer. Limited route network but useful for summer-charter departures and Channel Islands.
1 February 20261 min readReadDrivers
· Pricing
Standard saloon — when it's the right pick
The Standard saloon does 80% of our airport runs. Here's when it's right and when to size up.
14 December 20251 min readReadDrivers
· Pricing
Standard estate — when luggage is the constraint
Estate sits between saloon and MPV — 4 passengers, more boot. Common pick for ski trips and family-of-four luggage.
10 December 20251 min readReadDrivers
· Pricing
Executive saloon — Mercedes E-Class and BMW 5-Series
Executive saloon = Mercedes E-Class / S-Class or BMW 5-Series. Privacy glass, leather, chauffeur driver. ~32% premium over Standard.
6 December 20251 min readReadDrivers
· Pricing
Executive estate — when and why
Executive estate solves a specific problem: 3-4 passengers with luxury expectations and serious luggage.
2 December 20251 min readReadDrivers
· Pricing
Standard MPV — family of 4 or 5
Standard MPV carries 5-6 passengers with airport luggage. The default for families and small groups.
28 November 20251 min readReadDrivers
· Pricing
Executive MPV — Mercedes V-Class
Mercedes V-Class is the corporate group-transport workhorse. 6-7 passengers, executive interior, the sliding doors are dignified for formalwear.
24 November 20251 min readReadDrivers
· Pricing
Standard minibus — group travel up to 16
Standard minibus handles 8-16 passengers. Cost-effective for groups; the only viable single-vehicle option beyond 7.
20 November 20251 min readReadDrivers
· Pricing
Executive minibus — corporate and event groups
Executive minibus is the corporate group + premium-wedding transport. Leather interior, tinted glass, executive driver.
16 November 20251 min readReadTips
· Pricing
Southampton to London by chauffeur — by zone
Southampton → London chauffeur fares by zone. Central London £130-150 standard saloon; outer zones £85-120.
12 August 20251 min readReadTips
· Pricing
Southampton to Bournemouth — coastal chauffeur
28 miles, 45-60 minute drive. Common patterns include cruise transfers, retirement-area visits, beach days.
8 August 20251 min readReadTips
· Pricing
Southampton to Portsmouth — cruise / IOW / general
Portsmouth's the second south-coast major port. 20-mile chauffeur from Southampton via M27. Smaller cruise scene + Isle of Wight ferries.
4 August 20251 min readReadTips
· Pricing
Lake District long-distance chauffeur
Lake District by chauffeur is a multi-day arrangement — the distance from Southampton (~280 miles) is too long for a same-day return.
27 July 20251 min readReadPricing
· Tips
How Stripe manual-capture works for you
Stripe's manual-capture flow keeps your money on your side until we accept the trip. Here's the timeline you see.
23 July 20251 min readReadPricing
· Tips
Understanding your fare breakdown / receipt
Receipt line items explained: base fare, vehicle category multiplier, airport surcharge, congestion charge, volume discount, return discount, extras.
19 July 20251 min readReadPricing
· Tips
Group and corporate account options
If you book Fare 1 monthly or run group transport regularly, a corporate account streamlines billing and dispatch.
15 July 20251 min readReadPricing
· Tips
Luggage limits by vehicle category
Standard saloon = 2 large + 1 medium. MPV = 4-5. Minibus = group rack. Detailed limits by category.
7 July 20251 min readReadTips
· Pricing
Multi-stop bookings — how to add stops
Up to 7 intermediate stops per journey. Each adds to fare. Beyond 3-4 stops, hourly chauffeur usually beats per-mile.
3 July 20251 min readReadPricing
· Tips
Waiting time rules — by trip type
Airport pickups include 60 minutes free waiting from actual landing. Standard pickups include 15 minutes. Hourly mode includes all waiting.
29 June 20251 min readReadPricing
· Tips
Payment methods we accept
All major UK / international cards via Stripe. Apple Pay and Google Pay supported. PayPal not currently supported.
25 June 20251 min readReadTips
· Pricing
One-way vs return — which to book
Booking your return trip together saves 5% on the return leg automatically. Plus driver-continuity advantages.
12 May 20251 min readRead