Coach and Minibus Hire in the United Kingdom

Away days for your club, squad and supporters

Whether it's the under-12s off to a tournament, a rugby club on tour or a group of fans heading to a big match, you'll travel better together. A minibus or Sprinter suits most squads, with room for the kit bags if you tell us about them.

Players, staff and a lot of kit

Fourteen players plus two coaches and a physio already makes seventeen, close to the 19 that the largest typical minibus carries. Add tackle bags, a medical case and crates of water and you may want a midi coach, or a second vehicle for the kit. Send the headcount and a rough list of what's coming, and the quote will reflect it.

Driving anything with more than 8 passenger seats needs a category D licence, or D1 for a minibus of up to 16 seats, and professional drivers keep up regular Driver CPC training. That's what you get when you hire with a driver instead of borrowing the club van.

Sprinter minibus cabin
Sprinter minibus cabin

Big match days

On major event days at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, roads round the ground are shut from early on, and group vehicles use special parking areas that must be reserved beforehand. Plan to walk the last stretch and agree a pick-up spot before kick-off.

Elsewhere, set-down points near grounds fill up quickly. Give the driver the time the team needs to arrive, not the kick-off time, and leave some slack for traffic.

Rules worth knowing

  • Professional bus and coach drivers need a Driver CPC and 35 hours of Driver CPC training every 5 years
  • During Royal Ascot, coaches may not use Ascot High Street and drop off and park in Car Park 8 or 10

Tours and long weekends

Taking the team abroad? Outside the UK the AETR drivers' hours rules apply, with some flexibility on weekly rest for occasional coach trips. A driver can't take a full weekly rest in the vehicle, so a multi-day tour needs a room for the driver as well as the squad.

Your questions

Can supporters travel with the team?

Of course. Plenty of clubs book a minibus for players and a second vehicle, or a coach, for families and fans.

Do players have to wear seat belts?

Yes, from age 14 the law says they buckle up whenever the seat has a belt. It's a good habit for the younger ones too.

We're going to the British Grand Prix. Can we be dropped at the gate?

Silverstone doesn't offer a drop-off at the circuit. Groups usually head for a park and ride site instead; those need a shuttle ticket per person plus a pass for the vehicle, so sort them out early.

Cities

Vehicles