West Quay Cars Transfer LHR to Southampton

Has anyone used West Quay Cars to transfer from Heathrow to Southampton?

My husband and I need a transfer to our hotel, Premier Inn Southampton West Quay, from Heathrow. I have seen many recommendations for Smiths for Airports, but none on West Quay Cars. I have tried contacting Smiths for Airports but have not gotten a reply. West Quay Cars was very prompt in replying. Any recommendations or suggestions greatly appreciated.

West Quay Cars are a good company with a good reputation. The are, however more expensive than Smiths or Aquacars for LHR<>Southampton transfers.

Are you sure that you used Smiths' correct address?

bookings@smithsforairports.com

Here is Aquacars for comparison: I note that they quote around £75 for the same trip.

https://www.aquacars.co.uk/airport

West Quay have frequently been recommended on Cruise Critic for many years.

They're a little more expensive than smithsforairports, so smiths get more votes nowadays.

Both are well-established & offer a quality reliable service.

JB :)

Thanks to both Bob and John Bull for your replies.

I did double check the email address for Smiths, but I may give them a call. I can't imagine a company so highly rated not replying to an email. Perhaps there was a problem.

As to West Quay Cars, the price was higher than Aqua Cars and from what I gathered people were paying to Smith's, but they're still an option especially since it seems they have a good reputation as well as Smiths.

Thanks again for your information! I really appreciate it.

+1 for West Quay Cars.

Used them for a transfer from Southampton, all booked and confirmed on-line using their Android app. Got to the pick up area and the app told me that the cab was on it's way, even tracks where the cab is before it arrives! Arrived 2 minutes early.

Good app, excellent service, highly recommended.

Have used Westquay several times and can highly recommend them.

Sent from my iPad using Forums

I got quotes for Winchester to Southampton with West Quay and our London hotel to LHR with Just Airports and both quotes were cheaper with Aquacars.

We are using Discover the South, a tour/transfer affiliate of West Quay for our May 13th post cruise plans. It did take a week for them to respond, no doubt due to my non-standard plans, but things seem to be moving forward.

We [6 guests] plan to be off the ship by 8: and then drop a member of our party off at S'hampton rail for her return to Bournemouth. From there we'll spend time in the Forest, stop for cream tea and then head to LHR.

I tried other agencies, but couldn't find one that could meet our needs, unless I booked for 12 hours, much longer than needed.

Darcy

West Quay have frequently been recommended on Cruise Critic for many years.

They're a little more expensive than smithsforairports, so smiths get more votes nowadays.

Both are well-established & offer a quality reliable service.

 

JB :)

\

Have you heard of Express Airport Transport? I have one recommendation and their website is easy and they are cheaper than Smiths but don't see anything on the boards about them.

Vickie B

Sorry, Vickie, never heard of them - they're one of a plethota of operators out of Heathrow. And as usual with London-based operators, they get some very mixed reviews.

There are some tolerably reputable London-based operators like Just Airports, but too many of the poorer ones simply close down & metamorphose into another name when their reputation gets too bad.

Those I've mentioned are all based at the Southampton end, I have used all of them, & they've have been used without problems by CC members.

I always recommend that folk use provincial operators for transfers to/from London (Dover or Folkestone based for Dover, Southampton or Portsmouth based for Southampton, Harwich based for Harwich, etc). Usually a much more personal service from established local operators with a stable workforce versus the rat--race that is London.

But none of those are suitable for transfers between London & London's airports because that's way out of their home territory.

JB :)

West Quay Cars are a good company with a good reputation. The are, however more expensive than Smiths or Aquacars for LHR<>Southampton transfers.

 

Are you sure that you used Smiths' correct address?

 

bookings@smithsforairports.com

 

Here is Aquacars for comparison: I note that they quote around £75 for the same trip.

 

https://www.aquacars.co.uk/airport

I got quotes for Winchester to Southampton with West Quay and our London hotel to LHR with Just Airports and both quotes were cheaper with Aquacars.

I will tell you my experience with Aquacars this week..

On Jan 8, I booked online with their website, a car Winchester to Southampton for 24.15 GBP. You had to put a credit card # to continue the booking, even through their Terms, says cash on day of service, I thought credit card was to hold the booking.. I received a booking reference #.

On Jan 8, I booked a car Premier Inn Waterloo, London to LHR terminal 2 for 29.20 GBP. Received a booking reference #. I cancelled right away, as my cousin wanted to pay that trip.

Both of these booking showed up under My Booking on their website, one cancelled, one booked.

My cousin booked, on their website, London hotel to LHR, for 29.20 GBP and received a booking reference #.

Cousin was charged on her Visa. I was charged 2x on my Visa.

On their website, under Contact Us, I wrote 2x asking for one refund, I received the standard reply, we will contact you within 24 hours. I received no contact from them.

This morning, I tried calling from Canada, their 4 phones listed on their website, I was passed to another department and all the time busy. I when on their Facebook and found a phone number.

I explained about the bookings, she was trying to find them as the booking reference # is not a booking # to them. She said, we would not to the booking for the amounts I quoted 24.15 or 29.20 and we don't do London as we are in Portsmouth. I was to call back to she could check it out.

I called back. I spoke to another person and had to explain all over again about the 3 bookings. He could see the booking by the dates needed the cars not the reference #. He said, not for that price, we don't do London as we are out of Portsmouth.

He says, we will received 3 refunds, I hope!!!!.

He asked for a phone contact #, I gave him my Canadian phone #, he said I can't call there, what is your email address. I will see if I receive anything from them???

I explained to him, we would have been waiting for a taxi and no one would have showed up. He should check their website and their Contact Us. I told him West Qyay was a little bite more expensive and I will go with them. He hung up on me.

National Express Bus is great, I've used them, worked great, couldn't believe the price. Last time I used them I got through immigration quick, for a small fee they let me take an earlier bus so I didn't have to wait. The bus picked up right outside the terminal, it was very easy. They helped with my bag, I got off and there were taxis lined up, took one to the Premier Inn.

FYI -

I contacted West Quay for an one way trip for July. The price they quoted me was different from their fare calculator, they came back that their prices are going up in April.

I will tell you my experience with Aquacars this week..

 

 

My cousin booked, on their website, London hotel to LHR, for 29.20 GBP and received a booking reference #.

 

Cousin was charged on her Visa. I was charged 2x on my Visa.

 

On their website, under Contact Us, I wrote 2x asking for one refund, I received the standard reply, we will contact you within 24 hours. I received no contact from them.

I guess that you did not appreciate that, like the others I suggested, Aquacars are based in Southampton or Portsmouth. Their website should not have even given you a quote so I am wondering what went wrong there.

I guess that you did not appreciate that, like the others I suggested, Aquacars are based in Southampton or Portsmouth. Their website should not have even given you a quote so I am wondering what went wrong there.

Confused me too, Bob. :confused:

For the same reason

I know Smiths have occasionally quoted for that journey (not competitively) - presumably because they have folk going to Heathrow & see an opportunity for a local run or two while they're up there.

But, like you, I try to make the point that they're only good for transfter to/from Southampton or Portsmouth

JB :)

I am having a terrible time on both WestQuay and Aquacars website! I finally sent an email so maybe I will get a response. Has anyone else had an issue? Have a quote from Smiths but just wanting to see if they are comparable with other transfer companies.

I will tell you my experience with Aquacars this week..

 

On Jan 8, I booked online with their website, a car Winchester to Southampton for 24.15 GBP. You had to put a credit card # to continue the booking, even through their Terms, says cash on day of service, I thought credit card was to hold the booking.. I received a booking reference #.

 

On Jan 8, I booked a car Premier Inn Waterloo, London to LHR terminal 2 for 29.20 GBP. Received a booking reference #. I cancelled right away, as my cousin wanted to pay that trip.

 

Both of these booking showed up under My Booking on their website, one cancelled, one booked.

 

My cousin booked, on their website, London hotel to LHR, for 29.20 GBP and received a booking reference #.

 

Cousin was charged on her Visa. I was charged 2x on my Visa.

 

On their website, under Contact Us, I wrote 2x asking for one refund, I received the standard reply, we will contact you within 24 hours. I received no contact from them.

 

This morning, I tried calling from Canada, their 4 phones listed on their website, I was passed to another department and all the time busy. I when on their Facebook and found a phone number.

 

I explained about the bookings, she was trying to find them as the booking reference # is not a booking # to them. She said, we would not to the booking for the amounts I quoted 24.15 or 29.20 and we don't do London as we are in Portsmouth. I was to call back to she could check it out.

 

I called back. I spoke to another person and had to explain all over again about the 3 bookings. He could see the booking by the dates needed the cars not the reference #. He said, not for that price, we don't do London as we are out of Portsmouth.

 

He says, we will received 3 refunds, I hope!!!!.

 

He asked for a phone contact #, I gave him my Canadian phone #, he said I can't call there, what is your email address. I will see if I receive anything from them???

 

I explained to him, we would have been waiting for a taxi and no one would have showed up. He should check their website and their Contact Us. I told him West Qyay was a little bite more expensive and I will go with them. He hung up on me.

I received my 3 refunds from Aqucars.

I am having a terrible time on both WestQuay and Aquacars website! I finally sent an email so maybe I will get a response. Has anyone else had an issue? Have a quote from Smiths but just wanting to see if they are comparable with other transfer companies.

Aqucars - see my problem with then.

West Quay - I send an email and they replied the next day. Their email quote was not the same as their Fare Calculator. They replied that their prices are going up in April. Both of my emails were replied.

I guess that you did not appreciate that, like the others I suggested, Aquacars are based in Southampton or Portsmouth. Their website should not have even given you a quote so I am wondering what went wrong there.

Confused me too, Bob. :confused:

For the same reason

 

I know Smiths have occasionally quoted for that journey (not competitively) - presumably because they have folk going to Heathrow & see an opportunity for a local run or two while they're up there.

But, like you, I try to make the point that they're only good for transfter to/from Southampton or Portsmouth

 

JB :)

I thought Aqucars would be able to do the trip from Winchester to Southampton since Portsmouth is not far.

I agree Aqucars website site should not have been able to accept the booking.

I able glad I found out now and not on the day waiting for them to turn up.

Another vote for Discover the South. They picked us up at Heathrow for a transfer to Southampton in 2013. Along the way, we toured Salisbury, Stonehenge and drove through the New Forest.

I think that in general when making an advance booking, I would use email rather than making a booking on their website. These taxi firms will get the bulk of their business from phone calls and may not keep their websites as up-to-date as they should. At least with an email, you will get a reply from an actual person so you will be confident that it does not get lost somewhere in the ether.

Looking for current info experience with West Quay. I have had very efficient response through email but I keep getting a message that the website does not work.  Do not want to be left at the port.

1 hour ago, kibutzer said:

Looking for current info experience with West Quay. I have had very efficient response through email but I keep getting a message that the website does not work.  Do not want to be left at the port.

Their web site is working for me:

http://westquaycars.com/

But if you have concerns, you could book with Smiths for Airports 

Looking for recent experiences with West Quay.  I saw some recent poor reviews on the internet, but I see only good reviews on Cruise Critic.  I'm looking for transport from Gatwick to Hilton Ageas Hotel in Southampton the night before a cruise and then a return from the port after the cruise.   Thank you

5 hours ago, rlaschen said:

Looking for recent experiences with West Quay.  I saw some recent poor reviews on the internet, but I see only good reviews on Cruise Critic.  I'm looking for transport from Gatwick to Hilton Ageas Hotel in Southampton the night before a cruise and then a return from the port after the cruise.   Thank you

From what I've seen, the poor reviews for West Quay have all been for short local taxi trips at short notice (eg phone now for a taxi asap to take me home from the pub). I see a similar percentage of poor reviews for other taxi operators, and again mainly for short-notice local journeys.

As with other low-value run-of-the-mill goods & services, folk who are unhappy are far more likely to take the trouble to post a review than those who are satisfied.  

But cruisers book well in advance and for much longer journeys, mostly between Southampton and London or a London airport. 

Such journeys are far more important, so folk are far more likely to share good experiences as well as the relatively-few poor ones.

If you're not confident about West Quay there are plenty of other transfer operators.

But I'd caution against Uber for your trip. Friends frequently use Uber for short-notice local trips via the app, they have Uber accounts and usually get good service and accurate forecasts of arrival time. If I used taxis frequently for local trips, especially when I don't know in advance when I'll want one, I'd probably use Uber as well.

But Uber's prices are based on both time and distance - their prices are only estimates which are seriously affected by traffic delays etc. and in any case they're generally expensive for longer journeys.

So for a long journey we always book in advance with operators who quote a fixed price. 

JB