BlaakLane.com provides chauffeur service in Richmond, Virginia, for Richmond International (RIC) airport transfers, meetings downtown and in the West End, General Assembly business at Capitol Square, convention and university travel, and one-way trips to Washington, Williamsburg and Norfolk. Enter your trip and the booking engine shows a fixed fare before you confirm. A vetted Virginia affiliate drives it, and the confirmation names the operator and chauffeur.
What's included in a Richmond chauffeur booking?
Every fare shown in the engine includes the chauffeur, the vehicle, fuel and the included waiting time. Gratuity and any RIC airport parking are charged at actual cost and added to the booking. There is no meter and no surge on race weekends or during the legislative session. Airport pickups are flight-tracked and come with 30 minutes of waiting after a domestic landing, 60 minutes after an international one and 15 minutes on other pickups, then 15-minute blocks. Child seats are free on request. The general structure of fares is set out on rates.
To book, open /book/, enter the flight number or address, the destination and the vehicle class, and confirm. The Toronto desk works 24/7 and assigns a vetted local affiliate. Multi-vehicle movements, such as a board retreat, a university commencement programme or a conference shuttle, are planned by a coordinator and confirmed in writing.
Richmond International Airport (RIC): the pickup
RIC is in Henrico County near Sandston, about 10 miles east of downtown. It has one terminal building with two concourses, A and B, feeding a shared baggage claim on the lower level. Standard pickup is curbside at the airport's commercial pickup lane outside baggage claim; the chauffeur texts the vehicle and position once you land. RIC also allows pre-arranged drivers to meet passengers inside baggage claim, and that name-board greeting is booked as the meet and greet add-on; add-ons are only available in selected locations. The drive downtown on I-64 or Williamsburg Road typically takes 15 to 20 minutes. Airport details are on flyrichmond.com.
Downtown, Capitol Square and the neighbourhoods
Downtown Richmond climbs from the James River to Broad Street. Capitol Square holds the Virginia State Capitol, designed by Thomas Jefferson, and the Executive Mansion; the financial district and the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond sit just south along the riverfront. Shockoe Slip and Shockoe Bottom, below the Capitol, have cobbled streets, restaurants and the city's oldest warehouses, and Church Hill rises to the east. West of downtown come Monroe Ward, the VCU campus, the Fan District with its grid of row houses, Monument Avenue, Carytown and the converted industrial streets of Scott's Addition. Many corporate offices are in the West End at Innsbrook and Short Pump, 15 to 20 miles out, which makes an hourly chauffeur service useful for days split between the city and the suburbs.
Hotels, the convention centre and venues
The Greater Richmond Convention Center occupies several blocks between Broad and Marshall streets. Landmark hotels include The Jefferson, the 1895 Beaux-Arts hotel on West Franklin Street, the Quirk Hotel on Broad Street, the Omni Richmond by the river and the Richmond Marriott beside the convention centre. Performances are held at the Altria Theater and the Dominion Energy Center, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts anchors the Boulevard, and Richmond Raceway sits in Henrico County north of the city.
Events by month
- January to March: the General Assembly session at the Capitol, 60 days in even years and 30 days (usually extended) in odd years.
- Spring: the first NASCAR weekend of the year at Richmond Raceway.
- May: Dominion Energy Riverrock, the outdoor sports festival on Brown's Island and the James River.
- Summer: a second NASCAR weekend at the raceway, usually in August, when roads around the track close in the evening.
- October: the Richmond Folk Festival, a free three-day festival on the riverfront that draws large crowds downtown.
- November: the Richmond Marathon, which closes city streets on a Saturday morning.
Race dates are on the Richmond Raceway site. For groups on these dates, see event transportation.
Drive times from downtown Richmond
| To | Distance | Typical time |
|---|---|---|
| RIC airport | 10 miles | 15-20 min |
| Short Pump or Innsbrook | 15-20 miles | 20-35 min |
| Richmond Raceway | 7 miles | 15 min (much longer on race nights) |
| Williamsburg | 50 miles | 50-60 min |
| Charlottesville (UVA) | 70 miles | 1 h 10 min-1 h 25 min |
| Norfolk | 95 miles | 1 h 45 min-2 h 15 min |
| Washington, D.C. | 110 miles | 2 h-3 h |
Washington, Norfolk and Williamsburg transfers
Richmond sits on I-95 halfway between Washington and North Carolina, so many clients book a car instead of a short flight. Trips to Washington, D.C. and to Dulles or Reagan National airports are common, especially when RIC flights are limited. I-95 through Northern Virginia is often congested, and optional express lanes there charge variable tolls. East on I-64, transfers run to Colonial Williamsburg and on to Norfolk and Virginia Beach; south on I-85 and I-40 lies Raleigh. See intercity transfers for longer trips.
Rail stations
Richmond has two Amtrak stations. Staples Mill Road, in Henrico County north-west of downtown, handles most services, including long-distance trains to Florida and New York. Main Street Station, the restored 1901 station in Shockoe Bottom, is served by some Northeast Regional trains. Book with the train number and the chauffeur is timed to the arrival; timetables are on Amtrak. The GRTC Pulse bus rapid transit line runs along Broad Street for short hops across the city.
Driving realities
Driving is on the right. The Downtown Expressway and Powhite Parkway are toll roads run by the Richmond Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and the Pocahontas Parkway (Route 895) near the airport is also tolled. Rush hours are milder than in Washington, but I-95 and I-64 overlap through the city and back up at peak times. Summers are hot and humid with thunderstorms; ice storms occur in some winters. Visitor information is at Visit Richmond.
Choosing a vehicle in Richmond
| Situation | Vehicle class |
|---|---|
| Solo traveller, RIC to downtown | Standard Sedan |
| Client or senior executive | Luxury Executive Sedan |
| Family with luggage, or a trip to Charlottesville | Executive SUV |
| Team to a West End offsite or wedding guests | Standard Black SUV or Sprinter Van |
| Wedding at a historic Richmond venue | Stretch limousine or Rolls-Royce (partner) |
| Convention delegates | Minicoach or motorcoach |
Full details are on the fleet. Every vehicle is four model years old or younger.
Who books us in Richmond
Banking and insurance teams, law firms near Capitol Square, state government visitors, pharmaceutical and tobacco-industry suppliers, VCU and University of Richmond families, and airline crews. Frequent travellers open corporate accounts for monthly invoices and traveller profiles.
Cancellation
More than 72 hours before pickup: no charge. 72 hours or less: 10%. 48 hours or less: 50%. 24 hours or less, or a no-show: 100%.
