How much does it cost to hire a coach?

Looking to hire a coach? Want to know how to get the best value for money for you and your passengers?

Well, there are a few things to think about before making a mini coach or coach booking for your party, tour, or business – but get it right and you might be pleasantly surprised to discover that coach hire doesn’t cost as much as you’d perhaps imagine.

Coach hire costs tailored to your exact needs

Firstly, it’s worth knowing that there isn’t a basic “off the shelf” price list when it comes to coach and mini coach hire services. That’s because every booking is different, and we tailor our coach hire prices to create a cost that is bespoke to you and your requirements.

So what factors should you consider when it comes to calculating your coach hire cost?

How many passengers?

The first thing to take into account is the number of passengers that you need to cater for. How many people are coming with you? Once you know this number, you’ll be able to work out the size of vehicle you’ll need for your journey or trip. From a mini coach to an executive coach, or a luxury VIP coach, each vehicle is priced differently according to its size and capabilities. So, bear that in mind when planning your coach tour.

For instance, if you’re booking a coach for a school trip, you may need a larger vehicle, such as a 71 seater standard coach. However, if your event is a little smaller, such as heading to a sports event, cup final or concert with a group of friends, then a smaller vehicle such as a 16 seater executive mini coach will fit the bill (not to mention your budget!)

If you can work things out so that you only require one vehicle instead of a multiple amount, then you stand a better chance of keeping your coach hire costs down.

Where is your destination?

You’ll also need to work out where you want the coach to travel to. Think first about your A to B – your departure and destination points, and then factor in how many pick-ups, stops and drop-off locations you want or need to include. When you’re able to present those details of your planned coach trip, we can take a look and work out the duration of your journey.

Whether it’s as short as 1 hour, or as long as 24 hours, or even a number of days, the duration of your coach journey will affect the price. The distance and duration needed to get your passengers to their destination impacts upon fuel costs, and the hours that your coach driver has to work. Longer journeys may require more than one coach driver, with a number of them working in shifts to share the workload. Coach hire prices can be calculated according to the amount of hours or days it takes to complete the trip, or the mileage covered. So, the further you go, the more expensive the coach hire can become.

Where are you travelling from?

If your departure point happens to be in London, then this will affect your coach hire cost too. Legislation in London designates areas of the city as Low Emission Zones to help improve the local air quality. Because of this, coach tour operators in London have to supply modern, low emission vehicles to meet the required standards, which tend to be a little more expensive to run than coaches not fitted with similar clean-air technology.

Think about the route

Also, depending on where your coach is going, it might have to cross toll bridges or travel along toll roads that are subject to a charge. These additional fees will be added to the overall cost of the coach hire, as would ferry and tunnel crossings. The longer the route, the more stops will need to be factored in too, adding to the duration – and cost – of the journey.

When are you travelling?