Coach and Minibus Hire in the United Kingdom

East Midlands Airport arrivals for groups

East Midlands Airport, out by Castle Donington, is the natural airport for a Nottingham trip. It's a single terminal and the arrangements are simple, as long as your transport has been booked in properly.

The coach bay, booked ahead

Private hire coaches have a bay of their own here for setting down and collecting, but every coach has to be registered with the airport ahead of time. The airport doesn't publish where the bay is or any waiting area beyond it, so your driver will tell you where to go. Save the meeting point and the driver's details on more than one phone in the party.

Don't mix it up with the coach station just outside Arrivals. That serves scheduled coaches, not your private vehicle.

Mercedes-Benz Vito passenger van, front view
Mercedes-Benz Vito passenger van, front view

Minibuses and cars

The airport sets out no separate minibus arrangement, so your confirmation should state the meeting point. For cars there's the Rapid Drop-Off by the terminal door, with no barrier; it's paid online before midnight the next day, and anyone meeting passengers inside is pointed to the Short Stay 1 car park.

Travelling with a Blue Badge holder? Short Stay 1 and Long Stay 2 both give free time for picking up and dropping off.

The terminals

  • Single passenger terminal

Good to know at East Midlands Airport

  • Blue Badge holders get free time for pick-up and drop-off in Short Stay 1 and Long Stay 2.
  • Cars use the Rapid Drop-Off directly outside the terminal, a barrierless zone paid online by midnight the following day; the Short Stay 1 car park suits those meeting passengers inside.

The road to Nottingham

Nottingham's Old Market Square is 14 or 15 miles up the road, 25 to 30 minutes if traffic is kind, and the city isn't on the list of charging Clean Air Zones. For the castle and the famous old inn, Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, the council's set-down point is Mount Street; like its other drop-off points it's for getting on and off, not waiting.

Southwell Minster, about 15 miles from the city, makes a quieter half-day. Every year, as September turns into October, Goose Fair takes over the Forest Recreation Ground and the roads north of the centre get very busy.

Your questions

Where exactly is the coach bay?

The airport doesn't publish its location. Your driver or the operator will confirm where to meet once the coach is booked in.

Can a coach just turn up and collect us?

No. Every private hire coach has to be booked in with the airport beforehand. That's part of arranging your transport.

Our hotel is near the Motorpoint Arena. Where can the driver drop us?

Belward Street, opposite the arena, is one of the council's coach drop-off points. Like the others, it's for setting down and picking up only, with no waiting.

What else is nearby for a group?

From Nottingham, Sherwood Forest is about 20 miles, Chatsworth about 35 and Lincoln about 40, all comfortable day trips.

Cities

Vehicles