taking taxis in London

Brett, £27.00 for a 10 minute taxi ride! Seriously?
Was this a black cab? Did it have a meter?
It may be 10 years since I lived in London, but that is a ridiculous ammount of money! Ouch!
I hate to say this but I think you may have been scammed.
Can you give more details?

I have 2 adult daughters and a 15 year old

That'depends on the age our your daugthers, the tube is simple, clean, fast, and affordable. Plus the tube is an experience all of it's own, you get to rub elbows with all the real Londoners. Unlimited all day travel on an oyster card(for the tube and buses) is 6 pound 80 max, for you that would be 27.20 per day. We took a 10 minute taxi ride which was 27 pounds, for the one way.

I would need to know ages before making a recommendation for you, but for me the tube is the best.

Depending where you are going, the Tube may actually be not only less expensive, but faster. London traffic is notorious. Sometimes it runs smoothly, others it just snarls and stops. Where are you planning to stay and where are you planning to sightsee?

The cab will be cheaper if you are in the core city. Always use a black cab. And I have found London cab driver extremely honest. If you are doing a lot of trips - four or five - then the oyster card might make sense. Individual tube fares are very expensive.

I too think that for a lot of journeys, if you are not getting a day pass, a cab maybe cheaper. While the tube is a great experience, it is no fun to be crammed in it during rush hour. Also, if you have to transfer between lines, it can be a hassle.

Try the cabs for a trip or two and decide for yourself. I spent a lot of time working in London about 3 years ago and at that time would pay 5, max 6 pounds for a distance that I could walk in 12-15 minutes.

As others have said the tube would be cheaper if you are going to a lot of different places. But you shouldn't leave London without taking at least one ride in a black cab, it's fun and the drivers tell you interesting and fun things.

We took a taxi from the Gloucester Road tube station to Paddington Station (yes, I know it's on the Circle Line but we were heading home and were too tired to lug our luggage down the steps and also wanted to ride through Hyde Park in a taxi!) and it was just 10 pounds.

In your case, with yourself and three girls, I would use taxis often to get from place to place. They are large and comfortable and easy to hail.

Another transportation option are the hop on / hop off tours. They have multi routes, unlimited on/off privileges for 24/48/72 hrs, and include a cheeky tour of the city, Thames River tour with 7-8 stops, and other benefits like skip-the-line tickets for entry to popular museums and sites.

Just an idea... :)

The hop on/hop off buses are very expensive as a pure travel option - coming in about £24 per person. If you want the guided tour they are great but to get from A-B? You can ride the normal buses all day with the price capped at £1.65 with a much greater choice of destination.

Rick does say that a taxi can be cheapr if you have three or more people. He ment 3 or more people sharing the cost. So if your daughters are sharing the cost with you you'll be well off. If you're expected by your children ( as many of us are) to foot the bill I say take the tube.