People usually ask for a vehicle by seat count. The better question is what those seats are carrying. A 12-seater for a stag do in Shoreditch and a 12-seater for a family flying long-haul aren't the same booking, even though the number is.
Every vehicle in our minibus fleet London-wide comes with a driver. Here's what we run:
- 8-seater, for small groups, short airport runs and dinners out
- 12-seater, the usual pick for eight or more people with suitcases
- 14-seater, for groups who want a little more room or have more bags
- 16-seater, our largest minibus, for teams and wedding guests
- mini coach, for bigger groups who want to stay together
Picking a size from our London minibus fleet
Start with the head count, then look at what's coming with them. If every passenger has a large suitcase, a minibus runs out of luggage space well before it runs out of seats.
That's why we often suggest going up a size for airport and cruise runs. It isn't an upsell. A 16-seater carrying 11 people and their bags is comfortable. A 12-seater carrying the same 11 people and the same bags is a game of Tetris on the pavement at 5am.
For nights out and day trips with light bags, the seat count is usually the right answer.
Luggage, sports kit and awkward items
Golf bags, bikes, ski bags and instrument cases take up far more room than they look. Tell us about them when you ask for a quote.
Pushchairs fold, but some don't fold small, and a double buggy takes the space of two cases. Kit bags for a football or rugby squad usually fit in a 16-seater, as long as nobody brings a suitcase too.
Children, wheelchairs and access
Passengers aged 14 and over are legally responsible for wearing their own seat belt.
If a passenger can transfer to a seat, tell us whether the chair folds so we can make room for it.
The step into a minibus is higher than into a car. If anyone in the group has limited mobility, say so when you book and the driver will allow extra time at the pickup.
Clean air zones and the Congestion Charge
ULEZ covers the whole of Greater London, and the Congestion Charge applies in the centre. Birmingham, Bristol and several other cities run their own clean air zones, so we check the route for those before quoting a trip out of London.
Two minibuses or one mini coach
Past 16 passengers, you've got a choice. A mini coach keeps the whole group together, which suits a school or a team where someone needs to do a head count before setting off.
Two minibuses suit groups that split during the day. Wedding guests are the classic case, with some going home after the meal and some staying for the dancing. Minibuses also get down roads a coach can't, and they don't need the coach bays that venues often have too few of.
For help choosing, call 020 7183 0567 and tell us who's travelling and what they're bringing.