Why More Groups in London Are Choosing Minibus Hire Over Taxis and Coaches

And anyone who has ever tried to shuffle ten or more people across London not less than half a dozen times an hour will know the dilemma before it can leave your lips. So you book two cabs: one comes eight minutes early for only half of the party and drives away, while the second car is stuck outside Elephant & Castle forever, your exciting lift to the venue has devolved into three separate WhatsApp groups and an inching procession of people shuffled out onto the pavement.

Our whole business has been built around this exact gap that minibus hire fills, so it is obvious why. Having provided a minibus hire service in London for many years now, we have learnt some of these experiences that most people never consider until they are embroiled in arranging the group trip and it’s too late to put things right.

The Problem With Just Booking a Few Taxis 

It sounds simple on paper. It rarely is in practice. In London taxis and private hire cars don’t wait for each other, plug together a gang across a wedding party or school trip or even corporate away day, you get people arriving at different times, drivers who don’t know the venue and no one point of contact if all hell breaks loose.

This is something we hear all the time from first-time enquiries: we used taxis for our wedding last year and it was a disaster. That’s where, for example, a minibus comes into play with one vehicle and driver with an arrival time. And together is what matters more than most would want to admit, not until the day itself.

Who Actually Books Minibus Hire in London?

• There are a couple of different categories that Bookings typically fall into, and which one you find yourself in is generally a pretty good predictor of the vehicle + driver experience that lies ahead:
• Weddings: Transporting guests from the ceremony to reception (especially if they are at two far-flung locations).
• When it comes to school trips, having a named, DBS-checked driver is just as important as the bus itself for schools & colleges with day trip plans.
• Corporate Events: Companies sending employees to conferences, meetings or offsite Christmas parties!
• Airport Transfers: Groups of families and friends travelling in pairs from to the airport together putting their hands in their pockets, instead of ordering three or four cabs.
• Sports & Societies: Clubs and societies going to fixtures or events away from London.

These have slightly different requirements. A driver for a school trip has to be patient and have the needed documents. When the timings invariably drift by twenty minutes, a wedding driver must be able to go with the flow. A corporate booking requires a driver who dresses for success and is present before, not just on time.

What We’ve Learned About London Specifically

London is not very forgiving if you don’t know it. The Congestion Charge and ULEZ zones trip up inattentive drivers, whilst unexpected delays around Aldwych during rush hour can add thirty minutes to a ten-minute journey from Oxford Circus. We have had drivers with us long enough to know which roads are no-gos at 5pm on a Friday and which pick-up locations hustle you out of the car in order not to get ticketed.

Well, you can’t price a local knowledge list and most of the time that’s what makes the difference between a minibus that arrives on time and one stranded three streets away because the driver didn’t know there were roadworks that morning.

Booking a Minibus With Us

We provide minibus hire across London for weddings, corporate travel, school trips, airport transfers, and pretty much any occasion where a group needs to move together rather than in pieces. Our vehicles range from smaller 8-seaters up to larger 16-seaters, all with licensed, experienced drivers, and we quote a fixed price upfront so there aren’t any surprises about waiting time or congestion charges added on afterwards.

If you want to see vehicle options or get a quote, our minibus hire London page has the details:  https://transporthubuk.co.uk/minibus-hire-london.html 

A Few Questions We Get Asked Often

How far in advance should I reserve?

While planning for weddings and any other event during the vacations should be two to three weeks prior rather than leaving it just a moment before. A couple of days is generally sufficient for a basic airport transfer, although if you have specific timing needs earlier is always better.

Can the minibus make more than one stop? 

Yes, this is probably the most-requested piece of information that we receive, especially during weddings where guests are sleeping at other hotels. During the reservation, simply tell us where  you are going to stop so that you can plan the route.

Do you provide the driver, or is this self-drive? 

All our minibuses come with a driver as standard. Many of our customers choose this option – particularly those travelling into London where parking and congestion zones can cause a headache.

What happens if our event runs late? 

When it comes to weddings in particular, we add flexibility within bookings, as timings never go to plan. Make sure you tell us what type of event you’re booking so we can account for that.

If you’re weighing up options for group travel in London, feel free to have a look at what we offer and get in touch for a quote: https://transporthubuk.co.uk/minibus-hire-london.html