Meter starts at the curb outside Terminal T
Eagle Taxi waits directly outside Charlottesville Albemarle Airport’s Terminal T arrivals doors, usually in the first taxi lane by baggage claim exit 1. You walk 50–100 feet from the carousel to the lineup, so figure 2–3 minutes from bags on the belt to a cab on a normal day.
A typical ride with Eagle Taxi from CHO to downtown Charlottesville runs about 20–25 minutes for the 10–12 mile trip, depending on traffic on US-29 and US-250. Most drivers go via Seminole Trail and then cut over toward the Downtown Mall, but you can ask for I-64 if you prefer highways.
Fares are meter-based; expect a rough $30–$45 range from the airport to central Charlottesville addresses, with higher totals if you’re heading out toward Crozet or Lake Monticello. Ask the driver for a ballpark before you pull away from Terminal T, especially late at night or during a football weekend.
Eagle Taxi generally has cars on-site during the airport’s first wave of morning departures around 5:00–6:00 a.m. and again around the evening arrival banks from 6:00–10:00 p.m. If you’re landing after 11:00 p.m. or on a lighter Saturday schedule, call ahead at least 30 minutes before landing to confirm a car.
Most Eagle Taxi drivers accept both cash and major cards, but the card readers do fail sometimes, especially after long days in hot Virginia summers in the 80–90°F range. If your fare is under $50, carry at least $60 in cash as backup so you’re not stuck at the curb trying to find an ATM.
From CHO, Eagle Taxi can drop you at the University of Virginia Grounds in roughly 15–20 minutes, Barracks Road Shopping Center in about 18 minutes, and Charlottesville Amtrak Station in about 20 minutes. If you’re splitting rides among 3–4 people, the per-person cost comes out close to or below many hotel shuttle fees.
One last tip: if you know your exact flight number and arrival time, text or call Eagle Taxi once you’re wheels-down and again when you reach baggage claim; that 5–10 minute heads-up often shaves your curb wait to under 5 minutes.