Hiring a driver by the hour in London – is it actually worth it?

We often see questions about the different ways people travel around London for work or busy schedules. One option that isn’t always widely understood is hiring a driver by the hour, which we call an “As Directed” chauffeur service.

We thought it might be useful to explain how it works and when people typically use it around the city.

What is an “As Directed” chauffeur service?
Instead of booking individual journeys (like point-to-point taxi trips), an hourly service allows you to hire a car and a professional driver for a block of time. During that period, the driver stays available and follows your schedule as it develops throughout the day.

This approach is often used when someone needs to travel to multiple locations across London, such as meetings, site visits, or events.

Why do some people choose hourly hire?

1. Flexibility during busy days
Schedules in London rarely run perfectly on time. Meetings run over, locations change, and extra stops can come up. With an hourly driver, the vehicle stays assigned to you during the booking window, so the schedule can adapt as needed.

2. Fewer individual bookings
If a day involves several journeys across the city, booking multiple taxis can mean repeated requests and waiting times. Hourly hire consolidates those trips into one booking with the same driver.

3. A consistent travel environment
Some passengers prefer having the same vehicle throughout the day. It can provide a quieter space to make calls, check emails, or simply decompress between appointments while the driver manages traffic and routing.

When people tend to use it
Hourly chauffeur services are commonly used for things like:

• Days with multiple business meetings across London
• Event transport where timings may change
• Executive travel or client hosting
• Airport pickups combined with meetings or site visits