Southampton taxis take credit cards? We need a ride from pier to Natl Express coach station on our disembarkation day

[nho9504]

We have done the National Express coach from Southampton to LHR before.  Took a taxi from pier to National Express coach station, then their scheduled coach to LHR.  This would get us to LHR earlier than Princess transfer and of course almost 50% cheaper.

 

My question is, do the taxis at Southampton take credit card?  Our last trip in this mode was several years ago before Pandemic.  At that time I still had some GBPs left from previous trip so I could paid with cash which was less than 20 FBP.  Alas the remaining GBP bills that I still have are replaced by new type several years ago.  I only found that out on the last night at Renaissance LHR when I told the Front Desk if the Marriott Gift Card balance was a few pounds short to cover the stay, they could take the cash from this pike.  The night manager went over them and told me only a 1 pound and a 2 pounds coins were still good.  Lol.  I later know the old bills can be exchanged to new bills at Bank of London or post office.  Too bad I did not know this during our 4 days in London before flying to Rome.  Thanks to the fact that contactless payment system is everywhere including in all transportation modes, we did not use any cash, plastic all the way.

 

Now we are taking Sky Princess transatlantic disembarking at Southampton on March 25th at 7am.  We need a taxi ride from the pier (no idea which one) to National Express coach station for our 9:45am coach to LHR.  I hope the taxis would take plastic, and hope no one would pull the scam saying his CC machine not working…. I suspect many drivers would not like to take a short 20 GBP fare versus getting some ignorant passengers for a several hundreds FBP fare to London, so they may pull such scam.

 

Anyone who took taxi at Southampton last year, please chime in.  Your data points are much appreciated. 🙂

[TheOldBear]

The white 'radio' taxis took card payment in 2022

 

See https://radiotaxisonline.co.uk 

[quote]Card and contactless payment accepted in our vehicles at no extra charge![/quote] 

 

I needed to switch the Uber app to use a Visa card instead of Discover for Uber to work.

Edited February 12 by TheOldBear
Added taxi link

[nho9504]

In other words we probably need to use Uber App for the very first time.  Duh.  I have been successful in avoiding using Uber so far so good, due it’s unfair treatments to the drivers and other unethical issues.

[Cotswold Eagle]

4 hours ago, nho9504 said:

In other words we probably need to use Uber App for the very first time.  Duh.  I have been successful in avoiding using Uber so far so good, due it’s unfair treatments to the drivers and other unethical issues.

That's not what the previous poster said at all, as far as I can see. Taxis take credits cards, Uber needs a valid payment card (Discover is very uncommon in UK). Two separate issues, I think.  😀

 

I share you attitude to Uber, but they are gradually being forced to address the issues and in some areas are now effectively just a way of getting hold of a licensed taxi. 

Edited February 13 by Cotswold Eagle

[TheOldBear]

1 hour ago, Cotswold Eagle said:

That's not what the previous poster said at all, as far as I can see. Taxis take credits cards, Uber needs a valid payment card (Discover is very uncommon in UK). Two separate issues, I think.  😀

 

I share you attitude to Uber, but they are gradually being forced to address the issues and in some areas are now effectively just a way of getting hold of a licensed taxi. 

 

Back in 2022 I did not have the 'radio' taxi app on my phone, and used Uber to summon a car. Mrs Bear is somewhat mobility challenged, and we elected to take taxi or uber instead of walking to or from the shuttle bus stop.

[John Bull]

"Radio taxis" is the name from decades ago, before many taxis had two-way radio, let alone cell phones

Probably all of the Southampton "Hackney Carriage" licensed taxis lined up at the cruise terminals now have card-readers though it's best to double-check before getting in.

 

"Private hire" taxis cannot ply for hire eg cannot park on a taxi rank like at the cruise terminals, or be hailed in the street. They have to be pre-booked though that can be just a minute or two on a phone.

 

Uber are licenced as "private hire" taxis, the Uber system requires payment by card.

But I think you have to set up an account with them. I'm a dinosaur, I have neither an Uber account nor a smart-phone, but when sharing an Uber ride with friends no cash is used. Coupled with my own car being only a two-seater, I find evenings out with friends very economical 😀 

 

JB 🙂