How to hire a bus or minibus with a driver at a good price
Pick the vehicle for the number of people and the trip
Hiring a bus almost always means “with a driver”. So first count the passengers and the luggage. A minibus usually seats around 12–17 passengers, but with a lot of luggage there are really fewer seats. For bigger groups you take a bus, and for 8 people a people carrier is sometimes enough.
The purpose of the trip matters too: a wedding, a sightseeing tour, an airport transfer, a corporate outing or a children's group need different things. For children, the operator must have the right documents and permits for such travel, so be sure to ask.
What the cost depends on
- Duration and distance: many operators charge by the hour with a minimum booking, or by the kilometre.
- Positioning: the drive from the garage to the pick-up point and back adds kilometres.
- Comfort class: air conditioning, reclining seats, entertainment, a large boot.
- Date: on weekends, holidays and in the wedding season demand is higher.
- Waiting: waiting for the group at stops is often charged separately.
What to put in your request
- Number of seats — how many passengers and how much luggage.
- Type of vehicle — bus, minibus, van or a comfort class.
- Date and duration — for example, 14 November, 6 hours.
- Route — from where to where, whether a return is needed, stops.
- Purpose of the trip — wedding, sightseeing, transfer.
- Comfort — air conditioning, luggage space, type of seats.
- Budget, if you want to name one.
Example: “I need a minibus with a driver for 15 passengers on 14 November, Central to Kowloon and back, leaving at 8:00 and returning in the evening, air conditioning and luggage space essential. Budget up to HK$2,400.”
How to get and compare offers
On BlaBlaPrice you do not need to call operators: you describe the trip once, and they reply in the chat with a price, or with what it depends on. The platform shows first the offer that fits best, and reviews of the operator are visible next to each one. Contacts stay hidden until you choose.
Compare like with like: whether positioning, waiting, fuel and tolls are in the price, what the minimum number of hours is, the model and year of the vehicle, and whether a replacement vehicle is provided in case of a breakdown. Ask for the booking to be confirmed in writing, and ask what happens on cancellation. For long routes, ask whether there is a second driver or planned rest stops, and what the operator does if the group has to be picked up later than agreed.
For goods instead of people, see trucks and low-loaders, and for personal trips, a car. More about the service on the page “How it works”.
