Private Hire with Driver or Taxi: What Is the Difference?

A chauffeur service such as MUC-Shuttle is not a taxi company. Both carry passengers and both need a licence – but under the German Passenger Transport Act (Personenbeförderungsgesetz) different rules apply. For passengers, this explains a few differences you notice in everyday life.

Taxi: obligation to carry and taximeter

A taxi may wait at a taxi rank and be hailed in the street. In principle it must take every passenger and charges the officially set tariff via the taximeter. The price depends on distance and time; surcharges for night, luggage or larger vehicles are possible.

Private hire with driver: pre-booking and freely agreed price

A private hire vehicle with driver (“Mietwagen mit Fahrer” – the legal term for a chauffeur service) may not pick up passengers in the street. Every ride is ordered in advance, usually online or by phone, and after the ride the vehicle returns to its base unless there is a new order. The price can be freely agreed – which is why fixed prices are possible that are set before you book.

What does this mean in practice?

Feature	Taxi	Chauffeur (private hire with driver)
Booking	possible on the spot	always in advance
Price	taximeter, tariff	fixed price before the ride
Vehicle	the next available one	chosen class, reserved
Airport pickup	taxi rank	in the terminal with a name sign
Waiting time	charged	60 min at the airport included
Billing	receipt	invoice, consolidated invoice on request

Why do I have to book in advance?

Because the law requires it – and because that is why the service works: the vehicle is reserved for you, the chauffeur knows your flight number and destination, and the price is fixed. Spontaneous rides are possible depending on availability but not guaranteed; a few hours’ notice is usually enough.

Are chauffeurs more expensive than taxis?

On short city trips, usually yes. On longer routes – airport to city centre, to Tegernsee, to Salzburg – the fixed price is often on a par with the taximeter, and below it in traffic jams. On top of that come services a taxi does not offer: terminal pickup, flight tracking, a chosen vehicle, consolidated invoicing.

You might also be interested in

The direct comparison at the airport: Chauffeur or taxi?. Example prices: How much does an airport transfer cost?. Vehicle and chauffeur by the hour: Hourly booking.