Top 10 Best Taxi Services in Exeter

How Exeter's Taxi Market Works

Two distinct categories of vehicle operate in the city, and understanding the difference helps travellers make better choices. Hackney carriages, licensed by Exeter City Council, may be hailed on the street and picked up from designated ranks, including those at Exeter St Davids station, the High Street and near the Quay. Their fares are set by a council tariff and metered.

Private hire vehicles must be pre-booked through a licensed operator and cannot legally be flagged down. Their fares are agreed with the operator rather than set by tariff, which often means a fixed quote for longer journeys such as airport transfers. Both categories require licensed drivers who have passed background and medical checks, and licensed, inspected vehicles.

Demand in Exeter peaks predictably: weekday commuter periods, Friday and Saturday nights around the city's bars and theatres, train arrival times at St Davids and Central, and the beginning and end of university terms when students arrive and depart with luggage. Planning around these peaks is the difference between a five-minute and a forty-minute wait.

The Top 10 Taxi Services in Exeter

1. Capital Taxis Exeter. One of the city's largest private hire operators, running a substantial fleet with app and phone booking, airport transfers and account services for businesses. Its scale means better availability during peak periods than smaller firms can offer.

2. Gemini Taxis. A well-established Exeter operator known for reliability and coverage across the city and surrounding villages. Offers saloon, estate and larger vehicles, with a strong reputation for airport and long-distance work.

3. Club Cars Exeter. A long-serving local firm with a loyal customer base, providing standard private hire alongside executive vehicles and contract work for local businesses and schools.

4. Apple Central Taxis. Operates a mixed fleet covering routine city journeys, station transfers and pre-booked airport runs, with straightforward phone and online booking.

5. Exeter City Cabs. Focused on the city centre and inner suburbs, offering quick response times for short journeys and a presence at key ranks during evening peaks.

6. Uber Exeter. The ride-hailing platform operates in the city, offering app-based booking, upfront pricing and cashless payment. Availability is generally good in central areas and can surge in price during peak demand.

7. Bolt Exeter. A competing ride-hailing app often priced slightly below alternatives, with the same convenience of in-app booking, driver tracking and card payment. Coverage is strongest in the city centre.

8. Exeter Airport Transfer Specialists. A group of operators focused specifically on airport work, offering fixed quotes, flight monitoring so pickups adjust to delays, and vehicles sized for luggage. Worth using instead of a general taxi for early departures.

9. Devon Executive Cars. Chauffeur-grade service in premium saloons and people carriers for corporate travel, weddings and long-distance transfers to London, Bristol and Heathrow. Higher cost, but professional drivers and guaranteed vehicle standards.

10. Accessible Transport Exeter. Operators running wheelchair-accessible vehicles with trained drivers and securing equipment. Advance booking is essential, as accessible vehicle numbers are limited relative to demand.

Choosing Between Hailing, Phoning and Apps

Each method suits different situations. Ranks are the fastest option immediately outside the station or in the city centre on a weekday. Phone booking with a traditional operator is the most reliable for advance reservations, particularly very early morning airport runs where app availability is thin.

Apps offer transparency, with upfront fares, driver identification and route tracking, which many passengers value for safety and budgeting. However, surge pricing during peak demand can push fares well above a traditional operator's quote, so it is worth checking both on a busy Saturday night.

Airport and Station Transfers

For Exeter Airport, a pre-booked transfer with a fixed quote is almost always the best approach. The journey is short, but morning departures often fall outside normal booking hours, and a confirmed reservation avoids anxiety. Ask whether the operator monitors flight arrivals, as this prevents waiting charges when a flight is delayed.

Longer transfers to Bristol Airport or Heathrow are substantial journeys and pricing varies widely. Obtain two or three quotes, confirm whether tolls and parking are included, and check the vehicle size against your luggage. For groups, a single people carrier is frequently cheaper than two saloons.

Safety and Good Practice

Only use licensed vehicles. Hackney carriages display council licence plates and identification; private hire vehicles must display their licensing details and the driver should carry a badge. Never accept a lift from an unbooked private hire vehicle touting for business outside a venue, as it will be uninsured for that journey.

Confirm the driver's name and destination before getting in, particularly with app bookings, and share journey details with someone if travelling alone at night. Keep a note of the operator's number so you can report a lost item, which is far easier with a booked journey than a street hail.

Costs and Booking Tips

Metered hackney fares increase at night, on Sundays and on public holidays under the council tariff. Private hire quotes may hold steady but operators often apply surcharges at the same peak times, so ask when booking. Booking a return journey at the same time as the outbound often secures a better rate and guarantees availability.

During university arrival and departure weekends, and on major event nights, book several days ahead. Waiting for availability on the night in those periods can mean very long delays.

Final Thoughts

Exeter is well served by both traditional operators and app-based platforms, and the best approach is to keep options from both categories available. Use ranks and apps for spontaneous journeys, and pre-book a dedicated operator for airport runs, early starts and anything where a missed pickup has real consequences. Always check that the vehicle is properly licensed before travelling.