Meter starts at the curb outside Terminal T
Express Cab waits directly outside the arrivals area at Charlottesville Albemarle Airport’s Terminal T, by the single public exit near baggage claim. You walk maybe 50–70 yards from the carousel to the taxi stand, and drivers usually pull up within 5–10 minutes of calling if no cars are already in the line. This is a standard taxi service, so meters run from the airport to town, not flat fares.
A typical Express Cab ride from CHO to downtown Charlottesville runs about 8–10 miles and takes 15–20 minutes in light traffic. Recent riders report paying roughly $25–$35 before tip for that downtown run, depending on traffic and exact address. If you’re heading farther out, like to UVA’s North Grounds or Crozet, expect the total to push into the $35–$55 range.
Express Cab operates day and night, with most activity matching the first and last flights between roughly 5:30 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. If you land on the last inbound of the night, around 10:30–11:00 p.m., call as soon as you have your bags to avoid a wait. During the middle of the day, when CHO can be quiet between banks of flights, it’s common to have to call rather than finding a line of cabs already staged.
Inside CHO T, you’ll come down one short escalator from the secure area to baggage claim, then step outside at Door 1, near the single rental car row. That curb is the pickup point Express Cab drivers recognize, so give that exact location when you call. If you’re traveling with checked bags, you’re usually curbside 5–10 minutes after the belt starts, so factor that into your pickup time.
Express Cab runs on a standard meter that counts both distance and time, so a 15-minute trip at 5:00 a.m. can cost a bit less than the same route at 5:00 p.m. in I-64 traffic. Drivers accept cash and usually major cards, but the card reader can be hit-or-miss at smaller local operators in Virginia, so keep at least $40–$60 in cash if you’re headed beyond central Charlottesville.
Tip: If you want a taxi waiting, call Express Cab as soon as your plane’s wheels touch down, then walk straight from baggage claim to the Terminal T curb for a near-zero wait.