Chauffeur Service Rates and Pricing in the Bay Area
Every reservation is confirmed in writing with the vehicle class, the rate and any add-ons before a chauffeur is dispatched. Hourly service is published below; point-to-point transfers are quoted on the actual route. Nothing is added to your receipt that you did not agree to in advance — no automatic gratuity, no surge multiplier, no marked-up tolls.
Hourly chauffeur rates by vehicle
Hourly service reserves the vehicle and the chauffeur for a continuous block, which is the right structure for days that move — diligence visits, property tours, film shoots, wedding timelines and roadshows. There is a five-hour minimum in Silicon Valley, after which time bills in 30-minute increments from the requested pickup to the final drop-off. Passenger and luggage capacity is always confirmed at reservation.
| Vehicle | Capacity | Hourly rate | Luggage | Typically booked for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luxury Sedan | 1–3 passengers | $130 / hour | 3 carry-on and 2 checked bags, confirmed at reservation | Executive point-to-point, board visits, dinner and evening service |
| Chevrolet Suburban LT SUV | Up to 6 passengers | $150 / hour | 6 checked bags with a reduced passenger count, confirmed at reservation | Family arrivals, small teams, ski and wine-country days |
| Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Van | Up to 6 passengers | $175 / hour | Generous cargo behind the rear bench, confirmed at reservation | Executive shuttles where cabin space matters more than seat count |
| Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Van | 7–10 passengers | $200 / hour | Rear luggage bay, confirmed at reservation | Investor roadshows, offsites, wedding party transfers |
| Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Van | 11–14 passengers | $225 / hour | Rear luggage bay, confirmed at reservation | Conference groups, large wedding parties, multi-stop tours |
Capacity figures are the comfortable seated maximum with luggage. Final passenger and luggage capacity is confirmed when your reservation is written, so a party of six travelling with checked bags may be assigned a Sprinter rather than a Suburban LT. Compare the vehicles on the fleet lineup before you choose.
How airport and point-to-point transfers are priced
A transfer is a single run between two addresses — most often a home or office and an airport terminal. It is priced on the route and the vehicle class rather than by the hour, so an early SFO departure from Palo Alto does not require a five-hour hourly booking. Luxury sedan transfers between the mid-Peninsula and San Francisco International start in the low-$200 range; Suburban LT and Sprinter transfers are quoted on party size and luggage. Flight tracking is included on every arrival, and pickups shift automatically when your flight lands early or late.
Because drive times drive the quote, the same vehicle costs different amounts from different cities. A run from Milpitas to San Jose International is roughly 12 minutes, while the same vehicle from Milpitas to SFO is closer to 51 minutes in normal traffic. Each of our city service pages publishes the drive time and distance to SFO, SJC and OAK from that city, and the airport hubs cover terminal-by-terminal pickup procedure. For a full worked example, read the SFO airport transfers guide.
Add-ons, fees and what is already included
The list below is the complete set of charges that can appear on a reservation. Bottled water, phone chargers, a uniformed chauffeur, door service at every stop and written confirmation with a named driver are included in every rate and are never billed separately.
Meet-and-greet at San Jose International (SJC)
Complimentary
Luxury Sedan and Chevrolet Suburban LT SUV passengers are greeted inside baggage claim with a name sign. Sprinter groups use the Charter Service booth at their arriving terminal.
Meet-and-greet at San Francisco (SFO) and Oakland (OAK)
$45
Request this indoor welcome when you want a chauffeur waiting with a name card and help with luggage. At SFO, the standard curbside alternative begins only when your party is outside and ready to board.
Child safety seats and boosters
On request
Requested at booking so the correct seat is installed before dispatch. Tell us the child's age and weight.
Airport wait time
Included, then hourly
Airport arrivals include 60 minutes of complimentary wait time. Beyond that, wait bills at the vehicle's hourly rate in 30-minute increments.
Gratuity
Optional, never automatic
Gratuity is not added silently to your confirmation. Add it on the reservation, in the car or afterwards, entirely at your discretion.
Tolls, parking and airport fees
At cost
Bridge tolls, event parking and airport access fees are passed through at cost and itemised on the final receipt.
Cancellation
Free outside the window
Sedan and SUV reservations can be cancelled free of charge up to 4 hours before pickup; Sprinter reservations up to 24 hours before pickup because the vehicle is held off the schedule.
What your quote is built from
Five inputs decide the number on your confirmation. Knowing them makes it easy to compare quotes honestly between operators, and to tell whether a lower headline rate is genuinely cheaper or simply leaves the add-ons off the page.
Vehicle class and passenger count
Pricing follows capacity and cargo, not trim. A group of five with checked bags is quoted as a Suburban LT even when the party could physically squeeze into a smaller vehicle, because luggage and comfort determine the correct assignment.
Distance, direction and time of day
Point-to-point transfers are priced on the actual route between pickup and drop-off. A Palo Alto to SFO run at 6am prices differently from the same route at 5pm because the drive window and the return position of the vehicle are different.
Duration for hourly reservations
Hourly service is billed from the requested pickup time to the final drop-off with a five-hour minimum in Silicon Valley, then in 30-minute increments. The meter does not restart between stops, so a day with six stops costs the same as a day with two if the hours match.
Stops, waiting and route changes
Additional scheduled stops are added to the quote before dispatch. Changes made during the ride are billed at the hourly rate rather than repriced afterwards, so nothing appears on the receipt that you did not agree to in the car.
Pass-through costs
Tolls, parking, and airport access fees are added at cost. Nothing is marked up, and each line appears separately on the receipt so finance teams can reconcile it against a purchase order.
Corporate accounts can standardise all of this once. Submit the corporate reservation form and we will hold your billing details, preferred vehicle class and cost-centre references so future rides need only a date, a time and an address. Browse the full service catalog to see which structure fits each type of trip.
Pricing questions we are asked most
- How much does a chauffeur cost per hour in the Bay Area?
- Published Silicon Valley hourly rates are $130/hour for a Luxury Sedan, $150/hour for the Chevrolet Suburban LT SUV up to 6 passengers, and $175, $200 or $225/hour for the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Van configured for up to 6, 7–10 or 11–14 passengers. Every tier requires a five-hour minimum and then bills in 30-minute increments.
- Is there a minimum booking for hourly chauffeur service?
- Yes. Hourly service in Silicon Valley has a five-hour minimum. Shorter needs are usually better served as a point-to-point transfer, which is priced on the route rather than on time, so a single airport run or a dinner drop-off does not require you to buy five hours.
- How much is an airport transfer to SFO?
- Airport transfers are quoted per route and vehicle class rather than by the hour. Luxury sedan transfers from Palo Alto, Mountain View or Sunnyvale to San Francisco International start in the low-$200 range; Suburban LT and Sprinter transfers are quoted on party size and luggage. Every transfer is confirmed in writing with the rate before dispatch.
- Do you add gratuity automatically?
- No. Gratuity is never added silently. Your written confirmation shows the base rate, any add-ons you requested and pass-through costs. You can add gratuity on the reservation, in the vehicle or afterwards, at whatever level you think the service earned.
- Is meet-and-greet included in the price?
- At San Jose International (SJC), Luxury Sedan and Chevrolet Suburban LT SUV passengers receive a complimentary indoor baggage-claim greeting; Sprinter groups meet at the Charter Service booth for Terminal A or Terminal B. Indoor greeting costs $45 at San Francisco (SFO) or Oakland (OAK). At SFO, choosing curbside means your chauffeur pulls in only after you have reached the meeting area with your luggage and are ready to leave.
- What is your cancellation policy?
- Lincoln Aviator and Chevrolet Suburban LT reservations can be cancelled at no charge up to 4 hours before the scheduled pickup. Mercedes-Benz Sprinter reservations require 24 hours because the vehicle is held off the schedule for your date. Flight delays and cancellations outside your control are not treated as late cancellations.
- Can I get a written quote before booking?
- Yes, and we recommend it. Send your date, pickup and drop-off, passenger count, luggage count and any car-seat requests to blackchauffeurlimo@gmail.com, text (408) 394-3575, or call (408) 461-8899. You will receive a written quote with the vehicle class, the rate and any add-ons before anything is dispatched.
Request a written quote
Send the date, pickup and drop-off, passenger count, luggage count and any car-seat requests and you will receive a written quote with the vehicle class and rate before anything is dispatched. Reserve online at blackchauffeurlimo.com/book, call (408) 461-8899, text or WhatsApp (408) 394-3575, or email blackchauffeurlimo@gmail.com. Black Chauffeur Limo Service LLC operates The Premium Chauffeur under California TCP #46320-B.