Tipping on a London Taxi Tour
Do you tip London taxi drivers, and how much on a black cab tour? Rounding up, 10 to 15 per cent, paying by card (every London cab takes it), and whether a tip is ever included.
You do not have to tip a London taxi driver, but most people do: round the fare up to the next pound for a short ride, or add 10 to 15 per cent, which is the range Visit London gives for black cabs. On a booked black cab tour, where the driver is also your guide for several hours, a tip for a good tour is normal and appreciated, never a condition. None of the tour prices on this site includes one: listings such as the Harry Potter film locations tour list the guide’s gratuity as not included.
A metered ride and a booked tour are different
On an ordinary hail-and-ride, you pay what the meter says. Transport for London sets the tariffs, the minimum fare has been £4.40 since 25 April 2026, and a tip on top is up to you. Rounding up and saying “keep the change” is the common gesture; on card, the terminal often suggests a percentage you can accept or skip.
A cab tour is paid in advance on GetYourGuide, at a price for the whole cab and the agreed time, so there is no meter running. The tip, if you leave one, goes straight to the driver at the end.
How much to tip on a black cab tour
There is no official figure for tours. The working rule most visitors use:
- 10 to 15 per cent of the tour price when the driver has been a good guide as well as a good driver, which mirrors the taxi range.
- A flat amount per group if a percentage feels large on a long private tour. Because the cab is priced per group, the tip is shared too: on a tour for five people, a 10 per cent tip split five ways is a small sum each.
- Nothing extra if the tour fell short. A tip is for service, and London drivers do not treat it as owed.
The black cab tour prices guide shows what each tour costs per cab and per person, which is the number to work from.
Are London taxis cash only?
No. Since 31 October 2016 Transport for London has required every licensed London taxi to accept card and contactless payments, and a driver may not charge you more than the meter for paying by card. Cash is still fine, so a cash tip in pounds works as well as anything.
For a booked tour the question rarely comes up: the tour is already paid, and only a tip changes hands on the day.
Tipping in US dollars
Pounds are better. A driver has to change dollars at a bank or bureau, usually at a poor rate, so a tip in dollars is worth less to them than it looks. If you have no pounds, tip by card: most drivers carry a card reader, and you can ask before the end of the tour.
Where to go next
Is a black cab tour worth it? sets the price against what you get, and the Knowledge explains what your driver had to learn before they could take a fare.
The calendar below is for the Sightseeing Black Cab Tour, the most reviewed London cab tour on GetYourGuide:
London From a Black Cab of Your Own
London Sightseeing Taxi Tours' private black cab tour collects you anywhere in central London and spends 3 to 4 hours on the landmarks, with photo stops at each and a route you can change. Rated 5.0 from 320 reviews, from US$426 for a cab of up to six as of October 2026, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Check Cab Tour Dates