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Taxis at Cardiff Airport

Founded in the Neolithic, and championed by Romans some 4,000 years later, Cardiff is one of the oldest settlements in the UK. The modern city sits on the north bank of the Bristol Channel, close to the Anglo-Welsh border.

Cardiff gained fame and fortune in the early 21st century exporting coal to foreign markets, and it achieved capital status in 1955. Today, the city is best known as a hub of international sport, hosting major rugby and football tournaments. Cardiff was handed the prestigious European City of Sport award earlier this year.

Things to See

As the Welsh capital, Cardiff is a paradise of town halls and important buildings, as well as being a magnet for art enthusiasts. The National Museum, located 15 miles from the city airport, is a great place to exercise your redundant grey matter.

The Evolution of Wales exhibition displays some of the most handsome dinosaur skeletons in the UK, hinting at a submarine past where giant fish ruled the waves. Best of all, the museum is right in the centre of Cardiff and is free to enter.

Seven more museums and art galleries populate the Welsh capital. Exhibitions range from the coal, slate and wool industries, to an exposé on the Roman Legions, men that spent centuries plodding the ramparts at Caeleon fortress, Newport, some 17 miles from Cardiff. The Millennium Centre is also worth a look, especially if you are fond of the dramatic arts – dance, music and theatre.

For sports fans, the Millennium Stadium is a superb venue, hosting concerts, sporting events and private functions. Rugby matches, including fixtures in the Tri-Nations tournament, are pencilled in for dates in late 2009 and early 2010. Be sure to book your tickets in advance, as fans come from all over the world to see Cardiff’s verdant pitch.

About 14 miles separate the airport and the stadium, with an average fare of £20. Cardiff’s home football team, Cardiff City, is one of only a handful of Welsh teams in the English football league – the others being Swansea and Wrexham.

New Cardiff City Stadium is within a mile of its bigger brother, the Millennium Stadium, on the west side of the city.

Sport aside, Cardiff has an unusual industry operating within its midst – grapes. The Llanerch Vineyard thrives in the Welsh climate, providing visitors with bed and breakfast facilities, a bar and a food school, and enough wine to flood the Mediterranean. The Vineyard sits between the towns of Hensol and Miskin, just eight miles from the city centre.

Fees and Fares to and from Cardiff

A taxi from the airport to the centre of Cardiff costs around £30, depending on the location. Minibuses (six seats or larger) are charged at approximately double rate - up to £60 for a one-way trip, and up to £120 for a return.

It is worth noting that several taxi companies in the Cardiff area bill by person rather than by car. However, the resulting fare is rarely more expensive than that for a single passenger.

There are plenty of minicab firms at the airport (and in the city centre itself) but caution is advised when using these services, as many private hire firms adhere to their own pricing regulations, and can charge in excess of the prices quoted in this article. Hackney carriages are also more expensive than specialist transfer firms.

Luggage premiums may be charged for any item in contravention of airline specifications; in other words, if you can’t take it on a plane, it’s going to cost extra. If you plan to carry very large suitcases or unwieldy objects like a bicycle, for example, be sure to inform the taxi company during the booking process.

If your taxi is required to park at the airport, the fee will be added to your total fare. Drop-off is free at Cardiff, and designated zones are located in front of the main terminal. However, pick-up must be conducted in the short stay (under 24 hours) car park.

Your driver can wait free in the short-stay car park for a maximum duration of thirty minutes. Parking thereafter is charged at £2 for an additional twenty minutes, and £3 for up to an hour. Vehicles are not allowed to wait on airport approach roads.

What to Expect

An ordinary saloon taxi will take you from A to B, but if you want something a little extra to play with along the way, consider contacting an elite taxi firm. These companies are ubiquitous around UK airports, and thrive on business travellers with fat wallets.

However, expect to pay between £43 and £65 for a Mercedes E-Class saloon or V-Class people wagon respectively. BMW, Porsche and Land Rover (among others) may also be available at elite firms, as well as the ability to have your own car driven for you by a professional chauffeur.

A complimentary meet-and-greet service will ensure that you do not get lost at your destination airport, whilst a newspaper and bottled water will keep you happy during the journey itself. All transfer firms operate a 24-hour service. Note that this is not replicated throughout Cardiff’s minicab and hackney carriage firms.

Sightseeing and golf tours are also catered for by most transfer specialists, regardless of their clientele.