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I will travel from Heathrow to central London, and was considering taking a taxi. My company will reimburse the taxi cost, however I need a receipt. Is it common to get a receipt after the taxi ride in London or should I explicitly ask the driver before the ride if he will be able to give one? I am not sure about this because in my country most drivers won't give you a receipt.

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    Official black cabs are heavily regulated (and famous for being wildly expensive). I can't imagine a driver of one of those would risk their license by refusing a receipt.
    – hmakholm left over Monica
    May 18, 2019 at 18:25
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    Try to ask for receipt on your country, and you probably get it. As in most (all?) countries you should ask for a receipt. It is not your company, but nearly all companies as similar requirements, so taxis areound the world are used to it (but maybe on very holiday destinations)
    – Giacomo Catenazzi
    May 18, 2019 at 18:25
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    Not answering the question but: but in most cases it's substantially cheaper and faster to take the Heathrow Express train to central London. Traffic is a mess for a substantial part of the day. Tip: from the same tracks you can take the TFL train which is less than half the price and takes maybe 15 minutes more. And yes, you get a receipt for the train ticket.
    – Hilmar
    May 18, 2019 at 21:45
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    @Hilmar Depending where you’re going in London, it can also be faster to take the Piccadilly Line of the Underground, which runs direct from Heathrow to many central London destinations.
    – Mike Scott
    May 19, 2019 at 5:56

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You will always be able to get a receipt. Drivers are used to people wanting to expense taxi rides, and will not be surprised by your request. Although there'd be no harm in asking up-front anyway.

It's usual to include the tip on the receipt itself - tell the driver to "make it up to (whatever the nearest £5 is)".

Note though that unless you're going at a very quiet time, a taxi to central London is unlikely to be quicker than taking the tube.

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  • I was thinking of a taxi since it will be free anyways and it might be more comfortable than the tube. And I will land at noon on a weekend, so I guess there won't be much traffic.
    – user97747
    May 18, 2019 at 18:40
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    There is always traffic in and around London but you are right that it is a quieter time than weekday peak hours.
    – Willeke ♦
    May 18, 2019 at 19:17
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    As well as getting a receipt, all London taxis take credit cards at no extra fee (although a lot will claim the 'card machine isn't working' so check before starting the journey). Minicabs may be cash only.
    – Owain
    May 18, 2019 at 21:19
  • Quite often the taxi driver will give you a blank receipt and suggest you fill it out yourself. Possibly more than one blank receipt.
    – abligh
    May 19, 2019 at 11:51
  • @user97747 Noon on a Saturday or noon on a Sunday? Another reason to take the taxi is that the tube at the weekend can sometimes be less reliable than during the week - lines close for maintenance, etc, and delays are possible. If you're planning journeys by tube at the weekend it's always good to check to see what will be running and what will not.
    – J...
    May 19, 2019 at 12:03

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