Hire a bus or minibus with a driver: how to book at a good price
What trips this is for
People book passenger transport for weddings, company outings, excursions, airport transfers, and trips for school and children's groups. They all have one thing in common: you need to get several people there at a convenient time, without changes and without finding a cab for each person.
On BlaBlaPrice you don't have to phone ten companies. You describe the trip, and operators reply with offers in the chat: what vehicle, what price, what is included. Each one can see where its offer ranks among the others, so the price often comes out better. It is free for the customer.
Which vehicle to choose
Go by the number of people and the luggage. A car or an MPV suits a small party, a minibus with 8–20 seats suits a group of guests, and a large bus is for more than twenty people. Don't choose “cramped”, because on the road that gets tiresome fast, especially with suitcases or lots of bags.
For a long route, ask about the age of the bus, the air conditioning and the free luggage space. For wedding trips, a neat appearance and the option to decorate the vehicle matter.
What to put in your request
- Route — from where to where, and any stops on the way.
- Number of passengers — a real figure, not an approximate one.
- Date and time — the day of the trip and the pick-up time.
- Type of vehicle — car, minibus, bus, or “you suggest”.
- Type of trip — one way, return, waiting time, hire for several days.
- Luggage — the number of suitcases or bulky items.
- Purpose — transfer, wedding, excursion, company event.
- Budget — if you want to name one.
Example: “I need a minibus for 18 people on 12 July at 6 am: Sydney — Melbourne, 10 suitcases. Transfer of wedding guests, return in the evening with 3 hours of waiting. Budget up to $300.”
How to compare offers
First make the terms equal: the same vehicle, the same number of waiting hours, the same pick-up. The cost may be “per trip”, “per hour” or “per kilometre”, so ask for it to be converted into one format. Check whether tolls, parking and a night charge are included in the total.
Ask them to name the vehicle model and show photos of the interior. Check that the driver has experience of carrying passengers and that passengers are insured. Every offer has reviews next to it, and for group trips reliability matters more than a small price difference.
Common mistakes
Underestimating the waiting time, so the driver goes past his shift and asks for extra money. Not giving exact pick-up addresses. Forgetting about the return trip. Not agreeing what happens if someone in the group is late. Booking at the last minute in peak season: around festivals and the wedding season there are fewer vehicles available.
If you need a trip abroad, see international passenger transport, and for a personal driver there are driver services. All the options are in the “Transport & delivery” section.
