Booking, Payment & Cancellation: How Barefoot Transfers Works
Quick Answer: Booking is one WhatsApp message — flight number plus hotel — answered with a fixed written quote in minutes. No deposit, no card details, no booking forms: you pay the driver on arrival, in cash, in euros, US dollars or Mauritian rupees, and the quote is the exact price at the kerb. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before pickup, flight changes cost nothing (we track your flight anyway), every child seat is free, and the only surcharge that exists — for pickups between 9 PM and 5 AM — is disclosed in the written quote before you ever confirm.
[ WhatsApp your flight number and hotel — fixed quote in minutes, nothing to pay today ]
How booking works (the whole process)
Send two things on WhatsApp: your flight number and your hotel, villa or pin. We reply with a fixed quote — one number, all-inclusive: tolls, airport parking, the name-board meet, live flight tracking, 60 minutes of waiting and any child seats. You say yes. That's the booking. No form, no account, no deposit, no card. The confirmation lives in the same WhatsApp thread as everything else about your trip — which is also where you'll reach us at 2 AM if anything ever needs reaching about.
How payment works
On arrival, to the driver, in cash — euros, US dollars or rupees, whichever you're carrying. The amount is the number from the quote, not a number discovered at the kerb. Why cash on arrival, in 2026? Because it keeps the promise symmetrical: you risk nothing before we've delivered, and we've worked that way since 1998. You'll find operators requiring online prepayment, payment links and card-on-file; there's nothing wrong with those models — ours simply asks for your trust after the service instead of your card before it. Need a receipt for business travel? Say so at booking and it's provided.
How cancellation and changes work
Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before pickup — one WhatsApp message, no forms, no fee, and since nothing was prepaid, nothing needs refunding. Inside 24 hours, talk to us: real emergencies are treated like real emergencies. Changes are simpler still: flight moved, delayed or rescheduled? We track it live and the pickup moves with it, at no charge — roughly 41% of flights into Mauritius land off schedule, which is why tracking is built into every booking rather than sold as an extra. Changing the destination, the date or the vehicle is a message, not a process.
The only surcharge we have
Pickups between 9 PM and 5 AM carry a night surcharge — disclosed in the written quote before you book, never discovered at the car. That's the complete list. No fuel surcharges, no luggage fees, no per-child-seat charges (every seat is free — infant carrier, toddler seat, booster), no charges for oversize sports luggage, no waiting fees inside the included hour, no charge for flight delays. If a number isn't in your quote, it doesn't exist.
What about bad weather and cyclone season?
Mauritius has a cyclone season (roughly December to March), and we handle it the way locals do: sensibly and early. In an official weather warning, we may propose an earlier pickup for departure flights — some coastal roads flood before others — always agreed with you first. If authorities close the roads, nobody drives, your booking moves without penalty, and the WhatsApp thread keeps you informed. Weather has never been a reason to lose money with us.
What do you need from us? (Documents and details)
Almost nothing: the flight number, the destination, the passenger count, children's ages if seats are needed, and a note about oversize luggage (golf, surf, kite, dive, bikes — all free) so the right vehicle class comes; the classes and their honest capacities are on our vehicles page. No passport copies, no booking references, no printed vouchers — your name on the driver's board is the voucher.
The Barefoot Index: policy facts
One WhatsApp message books any journey on the island at a fixed all-inclusive price — €50 per vehicle for airport transfers, from €70 by minivan. Zero deposit, zero card details, payment in cash on arrival in EUR, USD or MUR. Free cancellation to 24 hours; free changes always; free tracking and 60 minutes of waiting on every flight; free child seats in every vehicle, every time. One disclosed surcharge exists (9 PM–5 AM pickups) and no undisclosed ones ever have. Family-run and PSV-licensed since 1998 — these policies aren't a page we wrote, they're how the family has always worked, written down.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to pay a deposit to book a transfer in Mauritius? Not with us — no deposit, no card details, no prepayment. The booking is confirmed on WhatsApp and paid to the driver on arrival.
Can I pay by card? Our standard is cash on arrival in euros, US dollars or rupees — the quote tells you the exact amount to carry. If cash is genuinely difficult for you, mention it when booking and we'll advise options honestly.
What happens if my flight is delayed? Nothing you need to do: we track the flight live and the driver adjusts automatically, with 60 minutes of waiting included beyond landing — no delay charges, ever.
How do I cancel, and is there a fee? One WhatsApp message, free, up to 24 hours before pickup. Nothing was prepaid, so there's nothing to claw back.
Are there hidden fees — luggage, child seats, fuel, waiting? None. Every child seat is free, oversize sports luggage is free, waiting inside the included hour is free, and the only surcharge that exists (night pickups, 9 PM–5 AM) is written into the quote before you confirm.
What details do you need to confirm a booking? Flight number, destination, passenger count, children's ages for free seats, and any oversize luggage — that's the entire checklist.
What happens in a cyclone warning? We may propose an earlier pickup for departures, always agreed with you first; if roads close, the booking moves without penalty.
Is my WhatsApp information kept private? Yes — the details of how we handle personal data are in our privacy policy.