How Much Is a Chauffeur Per Hour?
£65 an Hour, and What Moves It
An hourly chauffeur rate is the price of reserving a car and driver for a block of time rather than for a route. Bespoke Journeys Chauffeur starts at £65 per hour in an executive saloon. Rates climb with the vehicle: £65 in an E-Class, £80 in a V-Class, £100 in an S-Class and £110 in a Range Rover.
Two things sit inside that hour which people often miss. The first is the driver's waiting time between your stops, which is not billed separately. The second is a mileage allowance, so ordinary movement around the capital does not generate an extra line on the invoice.
Minimum booking lengths apply because a chauffeur reserved for one hour cannot realistically take other work. Our minimum booking is two hours, which is the point at which holding a car beats booking separate journeys.
Below: what one hour includes, the threshold where hourly becomes cheaper than per-trip, what pushes a rate above the entry figure, and the questions people ask before switching to hourly.
What One Hour Actually Buys
- The chauffeur's time whether moving or waiting
- The vehicle held out of other bookings
- A mileage allowance for travel around the West Midlands
- Unlimited stops within the booked block
- Route changes decided as the day happens
- Parking while the car waits for you
- The Birmingham Clean Air Zone charge
- Secure storage for shopping and bags
What an Hour Actually Costs
| Vehicle | Per hour | Full day (8 hrs) | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mercedes E-Class | £65 | £450 | Up to 3 passengers, business travel |
| Mercedes V-Class | £80 | £550 | Up to 7 passengers, groups and luggage |
| Mercedes S-Class | £100 | £650 | Up to 3 passengers, executive and VIP |
| Range Rover | £110 | £700 | Up to 4 passengers, presence and comfort |
When Hourly Beats Per Journey
| Your day | Better booked as | Why |
|---|---|---|
| One journey, one destination | Per journey | No waiting to pay for |
| Two meetings, hours apart | Per journey | Cheaper than holding a car idle |
| Three or more stops | Hourly | Each separate leg carries its own minimum |
| Shopping across the city centre | Hourly | Bags stay in the car between shops |
| Sightseeing at your own pace | Hourly | No fixed route to commit to |
| Wedding or event with waiting | Per brief | Held hours priced against the run sheet |
Why Some Hours Cost More
Vehicle class
Capacity
Distance beyond the allowance
Block length
Hourly Rate Questions
What is the minimum hourly booking?
Two hours. A chauffeur reserved for a shorter block cannot take other work in that window, which is why operators set a minimum at all.
Is waiting time charged on top?
No. Waiting is the point of hourly hire. The chauffeur stays with the vehicle for the whole block whether you are moving or not.
Which is cheaper for a full day, hourly or per trip?
Hourly, once you pass three stops. Below that, separate journeys win because you are not paying for idle time. Above it, each extra leg carries its own minimum and hourly overtakes quickly.
Does the rate change at night?
No. There is no night rate, no weekend loading and no bank holiday surcharge. A block starting at 05:00 is priced the same as one starting at 13:00.
What happens if I run over the booked hours?
Extensions are usually possible on the spot at the same hourly rate, subject to the chauffeur's next booking. Flagging it early lets us hold the vehicle for you.
Is mileage really included?
Yes, an allowance sized for travel around Birmingham and the West Midlands. Crossing the city several times in a day is covered. Long regional runs can exceed it, and we say so before you book rather than after.
Book the Block
An hour buys availability rather than driving: the chauffeur's time whether moving or waiting, the vehicle held, a mileage allowance and unlimited stops inside the block. Rates open at £65 and rise with vehicle class, capacity, distance beyond the allowance and how short the block is.
Three stops is the threshold. Below it, book journeys. Above it, book the block and stop counting legs.