How much does a private driver cost in Belgium?
A ride with a driver is priced neither like a metered taxi nor like a train ticket. Here is what goes into a price, and how to read ours before you confirm.
How we price a ride
Our price table is based on two mechanisms. For short rides, each vehicle class has its own flat rate: the same amount for any ride below the distance threshold shown in the table, whether you are going from Wemmel to Heysel or from Ixelles to Midi station. Beyond that threshold, the whole distance is charged per kilometre, at a rate specific to each class. The distance used is the road distance between the pick-up and drop-off addresses, calculated when you make your request.
The amount, including Belgian VAT, appears when you choose your vehicle, before you confirm anything. Under our terms and conditions, it does not change with the traffic, the time of day or the terminal served: a pre-dawn ride to the airport costs the same as the same ride in the middle of the afternoon. The table below shows, class by class, the flat rate and the price per kilometre currently in force.
- For short rides, the price is a flat rate specific to each class; beyond the distance threshold, it is calculated per kilometre by road.
- The amount is shown before confirmation, VAT included, with no surcharge for traffic, time of day or terminal.
- Nothing is paid online: the booking remains a request until the confirmation email arrives.
- Prestige, a chauffeur by the hour, sightseeing tours, events and groups are priced on quotation.
- Compare like with like: waiting time, meet & greet, help with luggage and flight tracking are not always included.
| Class | Passengers | Up to 25 km | Beyond, per km |
|---|---|---|---|
| EconomicVolkswagen Passat, Škoda Superb or similar | 3 | €54.99 | €2.20 |
| VanMercedes V-Class, Volkswagen Multivan or similar | 7 | €64.99 | €2.50 |
| GreenTesla Model 3, Mercedes EQE or similar | 3 | €74.99 | €3.00 |
| BusinessMercedes E-Class, BMW 5 Series, Audi A6 or similar | 3 | €84.99 | €3.40 |
| Van BusinessMercedes V-Class Exclusive or similar | 6 | €99.99 | €3.50 |
| PrestigeMercedes S-Class, BMW 7 Series or similar | 3 | On quotation | |
Prices per ride and per vehicle, including 6% VAT. Beyond 25 km, the whole distance is charged per kilometre.
Why a flat rate for short distances
A ride of a few kilometres ties up a driver and a car for much longer than the time spent driving: they have to reach the pick-up address, wait until passengers and luggage are on board, then set off again. The flat rate reflects this and removes the uncertainty: whether traffic at the exit of the Leopold II tunnel is flowing freely or at a standstill, the price stays as displayed. Two short rides that look very different thus become easy to compare.
In all honesty, for a hop of a few streets across town, with no luggage and no deadline, a rank taxi or public transport will usually cost less. The flat rate comes into its own when the journey really matters: leaving for Zaventem before the trains are running, arriving at an appointment where you cannot afford to wait for a car, getting home from an evening out at a set time with children.
What affects the price, whoever the operator
From one service to another, the same factors come up. Distance first, measured by road rather than as the crow flies. Then the vehicle class. Waiting time, which operators count differently: with us, the waiting terms depend on the class chosen and are shown on each vehicle when you select it. Finally, the time of day: some services charge more at night or adjust their prices to demand at the time, and a taxi meter keeps running in traffic jams.
Before comparing two offers, check what they include. Flight tracking, meet & greet on arrival, help with luggage, waiting at the airport, parking fees: these are not always part of the base price, and some operators charge separately for parking or tolls. A lower price that leaves these items out is not necessarily the better deal.
- Actual road distance between pick-up and drop-off
- Vehicle class and number of seats
- Waiting and cancellation terms
- One way, return or by the hour
- Tolls and parking, included or not depending on the operator
Vehicle class: what you are really paying for
The class determines comfort, capacity and price alike. Economic, with a Volkswagen Passat, Škoda Superb or similar, carries three passengers and two suitcases. Green offers the same capacity in a fully electric car, such as a Tesla Model 3 or Mercedes EQE. Business steps up to a premium sedan: Mercedes E-Class, Audi A6 or BMW 5 Series. The Van, a Mercedes V-Class or Volkswagen Multivan, takes seven passengers and six suitcases.
The Van Business, a Mercedes V-Class Exclusive or similar fitted out as a lounge with tinted windows, seats six passengers with five suitcases. Prestige, with a Mercedes S-Class or BMW 7 Series, is available on quotation only. A practical tip: a van is priced per vehicle, not per seat. For a group of four or five travellers with luggage, compare the price of one van with that of two sedans in the table above.
Quotes and payment: what happens after your request
Some services do not lend themselves to automatic pricing: the Prestige class, hiring a chauffeur for a few hours or a full day, sightseeing tours, events and groups. Their price depends on the duration, the itinerary and the waiting time on site. They are priced on quotation; give the dates, times and addresses, the number of passengers and suitcases, any child seats and the stops planned.
Booking online involves no immediate payment: your booking is a request, which the Atemia team confirms by email after checking availability. Payment arrangements are then agreed with the team. As for notice, an online request must be sent at least three hours before the desired departure time. Until the confirmation email arrives, treat the ride as a pending request, not a confirmed booking.
Private driver prices
Does a private driver cost more at night, at weekends or in traffic jams?+
Not for rides priced online. Our terms and conditions state that the fare, shown before confirmation, carries no surcharge for traffic, time of day or the terminal served. A transfer to the airport before dawn on a Sunday therefore costs exactly the same as the same ride on a Tuesday afternoon, for a given class. Only the distance and the vehicle class affect the amount.
Why not simply take a metered taxi?+
For a short, unplanned ride in town, it is often the right choice. The meter adds up the distance and the time spent in traffic: the final amount is only known on arrival. A pre-booked driver works the other way round, with a price known before setting off, a vehicle class of your choice, child seats arranged in advance and, for arrivals, flight tracking. It all depends on what matters for that particular journey.
What is included in the price of a transfer to or from the airport?+
The ride in the chosen class, but also monitoring of the landing time, meet & greet with a name sign in the arrivals hall and help with your luggage to the car. Waiting and cancellation terms depend on the class: they are shown on each vehicle when you select it, before you confirm. If a specific point matters to you, a child seat for example, mention it in your request.
How can I find out the price of a full day with a chauffeur?+
A chauffeur by the hour is priced on quotation, because everything depends on the programme: number of hours, kilometres planned, waiting time on site, vehicle class. Describe your day in the quote form, even in broad terms: first appointment, stops, estimated finishing time. The team will get back to you with a detailed proposal, which you can adjust before confirming.
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