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Elderly parents
Original poster

Driver service - their house to mine- is this a thing?

33 replies

sydenhamhiller · 04/12/2022 19:23

Hoping someone might be able to help.

I have tried to Google, but I get fancy limos in the sweet 16/ hen party/ wedding car hire vein!

My parents live in the NW and we live in SE London. They are in their late 70s and over the years the drive has got busier and busier and takes longer and longer, and I was contemplating alternatives.

They are coming down to us for Christmas (for various logistical reasons). I would suggest the train, as that it how I go up to visit them, but with all the train strikes, and mum being a bit frail if there were cancellations etc, I don’t think it’s a great fit.

They were going to break up the journey with a hotel on way down, and hotel on way back… so wondered how much it would cost to hire a driver? Is that a mad idea? (Have been hanging Xmas decorations up all afternoon, might be delirious on Christmas vibes..)

OP posts:
WhichWitchIsTheWitch · 04/12/2022 19:23

Taxi? Prebooked?

WhichWitchIsTheWitch · 04/12/2022 19:25

Some will- elderly relatives of ours were driven 120miles for a family lunch then back again by the same driver. Was worth the money for the peace of mind for them.

MrsMorton · 04/12/2022 19:26

Watching with interest. The 5 hour round trip is wearing and the miles on my car are depressing.

astronewt · 04/12/2022 19:27

For enough money you'll find someone to do anything, but I'd expect to have to pay for the driver to get back again too for a drive of that length.

openinggambit · 04/12/2022 19:27

We have taxi firms round here that are for things like airport runs, and they come under "private hire". Try searching for that in their area.

ArcticSkewer · 04/12/2022 19:27

You are thinking of what is often referred to as a taxi. I believe a company called Uber may be able to help you.

DazzlePaintedBattlePants · 04/12/2022 19:28

Google executive taxi or airport transfer services - they will be used to doing long distance hires. Won’t be cheap though!

Flapjackquack · 04/12/2022 19:28

Addison Lee are the first company that spring to mind but I don’t know how much they charge.

openinggambit · 04/12/2022 19:29

Or, my elderly mother in law uses national express coaches when she goes to visit BIL, they are very comfortable/have a toilet on board/wifi. That might be worth looking at.

MrsMontyD · 04/12/2022 19:29

There are taxi companies that specialise in airport runs, so long distance of you're flying from Heathrow and live in be north, they're often independent, just one man and a car, you'd be more likely to get someone like that to do what you're looking for.

Alternatively I'd look at booking a taxi from home to the hotel then a second taxi for the second leg and the same on the way back, so four separate taxi trips.

Flapjackquack · 04/12/2022 19:29

ArcticSkewer · 04/12/2022 19:27

You are thinking of what is often referred to as a taxi. I believe a company called Uber may be able to help you.

No need to be a twat. You’d be hard pushed to find an Uber driver that would drive the length of the country and then another to do a return journey.

Stichintime · 04/12/2022 19:30

I'd get assistance from the rail company to take them onto the train and to a taxi rank or meeting point at the other end.

MolesOnPoles · 04/12/2022 19:30

ArcticSkewer · 04/12/2022 19:27

You are thinking of what is often referred to as a taxi. I believe a company called Uber may be able to help you.

No need to be arsed. I doubt very much you’d find an Uber to do this, but Addison Lee would. They get very booked up at this time of year, though, so it’s worth asking sooner rather than later.

Wanderingoff · 04/12/2022 19:32

I booked a private car hire for a trip after the first lock down for a treat - proper Chaeuffeur- was cheap because obvs business has been slow. I then kept using him for lots of trips until I moved.

he quotes £300 for somewhere that was and out two and half hours away.

is look up airport transfers and go from there

aftrr you add in ALL the costs for train it can be not that much more

tealandteal · 04/12/2022 19:32

My mum took a taxi from her house in Devon to Birmingham airport. I’ve no idea how much it cost but I’m sure there’s a company that can help you.

CMOTDibbler · 04/12/2022 19:32

I think any taxi company would do it - its just like an airport run or 'executive transfer'. You'd be best ringing round a few near them for a quote.
A coach might be a good and far cheaper option though - they are very easy to take as no moving luggage around, have a toilet on board, and then you could meet them at your end

CatherinedeBourgh · 04/12/2022 19:32

There are definitely companies that do this, we used to provide them for visiting execs who had to go to lots of different locations in a few days. Not sure how to search, maybe chauffeur services?

Sorry, I wasn't the one who organised them, but I do know they exist. Doubt they are cheap though.

illiterato · 04/12/2022 19:32

Blacklane if you want a high end service.

saraclara · 04/12/2022 19:34

You'd be able to find someone, but I imagine that the cost would be eye-watering.

OnTheBoardwalk · 04/12/2022 19:34

Blacklane cars? Not used them in the UK but have overseas and they were great

just had look at recent UK trip I made and they are twice the price of an Uber though

ArcticSkewer · 04/12/2022 19:38

Flapjackquack · 04/12/2022 19:29

No need to be a twat. You’d be hard pushed to find an Uber driver that would drive the length of the country and then another to do a return journey.

Show quote history

You've obviously never read the stories in the papers where people accidentally get an uber to the other end of the country by mistake.

Taxis. Google them. They do this kind of thing. You get a driver in their own car and they take you places. Including outside your own town. You book them in advance usually.

gogohmm · 04/12/2022 19:39

Prebooked mini cab, if you have an office near you, nip in and talk to them, most have the option of dbs checked drivers too. Expect to need to pay at least a deposit. If there's a form near your parents that's another option and may be cheaper as based up north.

I paid £200 for n midlands to sw 2 years ago, different circumstances but same sort of thing

gogohmm · 04/12/2022 19:41

I did use a minicab firm near Liverpool who were lovely last year, will look for their name on my bank statement (paid by bank transfer) was very reasonable

ArcticSkewer · 04/12/2022 19:42

To be clear, you'd probably need a few unless you are planning on getting them to stay at the hotel as well. That would be harder to find someone.

So.

One to hotel.
Different one from hotel to house.
Different one from house to hotel.
Different one from hotel to parents house.

You arrange it in advance. There are alternatives to uber if you want to go local. Many taxi companies do long distance as well - you may have wondered how people in the North still manage to fly from Gatwick, now you know

Chatrattoria · 04/12/2022 19:50

This is such a good idea.

I have given up trying to spend Christmas with my parents in the NW-I’m London.
It’s difficult enough on a normal year when the tickets sell out quickly one way but the returns are not available. Then there are always engineering works meaning you can’t easily come back on 27th but have to commit to the whole week.
This year it’s so much worse. If you get in anyway anxious or have restricted mobility it would be so easy to get into a state with the cancellations and changes.

I have often said to my mum we should ask Eddie Stobart to give us a lift.