In short
- Soft bags beat hard cases in a minibus by a wide margin. They fill the awkward spaces that a rigid suitcase cannot.
- Coaches have a hold; minibuses do not. That single difference changes group capacity more than anything else.
- Festival kit is the heaviest load we carry. Assume a size up from whatever the head count suggests.
- Tell us about anything unusual in advance — instruments, wheelchairs, sports equipment, trade stands, a purchase you expect to make.
- Nothing sits in the aisle. It is a legal requirement, not a preference, and it is why loading is planned rather than improvised.
The basic rule: soft bags travel better
In a car boot, a rigid suitcase is efficient. In a minibus, it is the opposite. Minibus load space is irregular, made up of a rear area and the gaps between and under seats, and soft holdalls compress into those spaces while hard shells do not.
For a group going away, the difference between everyone bringing a wheeled suitcase and everyone bringing a holdall can be an entire vehicle size. If you have a choice, and particularly for a festival or a sporting trip, choose soft.
What each vehicle actually holds
These are working figures rather than manufacturer maximums. They assume every seat is occupied, because that is the situation that matters.
| Vehicle | Passengers | Realistic luggage |
|---|---|---|
| Saloon | 4 | 2 large cases or 3 soft bags |
| Estate | 4 | 3–4 large cases |
| MPV | 6 | 4 cases, or 6 soft bags |
| 8-seater | 8 | 8 soft bags, or 5 cases with a seat down |
| 16-seat minibus | 16 | 16 soft bags. Cases mean fewer passengers |
| 24-seat midi coach | 24 | Full complement, hold luggage |
| 49-seat coach | 49 | Full complement, hold luggage |
The coach difference
Coaches carry luggage underneath in a separate hold, which means passenger capacity and luggage capacity are effectively independent. Minibuses share one interior space between people and bags. For any trip involving real luggage, a twenty-four-seat coach frequently costs less than a minibus plus a second vehicle for the bags.
Packing a group for specific trips
Festivals
The heaviest load we handle. Tents, sleeping bags, chairs, cool boxes, gazebos and a crate of something all travel, and they take more space than the people do. A group of eight going to a festival is a minibus booking, not an eight-seater. Pack food and drink in soft bags or crates rather than rigid coolers where possible, and agree who is bringing the shared items so you do not arrive with four gazebos.
Airports and cruise terminals
The most case-heavy job, because everyone brings a full-size suitcase plus hand luggage. Assume roughly one large case per person and size from there. A family of five with five cases and five hand bags is realistically an eight-seater, not an MPV.
Sports fixtures
Kit bags, boots, balls, bibs, a physio kit and often a water carrier. Squad size plus staff plus kit means going a size up almost every time. Tell us if there is shared team equipment as well as individual bags.
Race days and country events
Lighter than people expect, but not nothing: coats, umbrellas, hampers, folding chairs. An eight-seater usually copes. Add a gazebo or a full picnic setup and it does not.
Exhibitions and trade stands
The awkward one, because the load is bulky rather than heavy: pop-up displays, graphics rolls, boxes of literature and flight cases. This is normally a minibus with seats down rather than a passenger vehicle, and it is worth describing the actual items rather than saying 'some stand kit'.
Things worth mentioning at the booking stage
None of these are problems if we know. All of them are problems if we do not.
- Musical instruments, particularly anything larger than a guitar
- Wheelchairs, walkers or mobility scooters, which need a specific vehicle
- Golf clubs, skis or bikes, which are long rather than bulky
- Anything you expect to buy at a show, fair or market
- Pushchairs and travel cots on family bookings
- Trade stock or equipment for a market or exhibition
What drivers ask in return
A short list, and none of it is unreasonable.
Nothing in the aisle. Blocking the aisle of a minibus or coach is a safety matter and it is not negotiable. If the load will not fit properly, we need a bigger vehicle rather than a creative arrangement.
Let the driver load the hold. On a coach, weight distribution matters and the driver knows how it is done. It is also faster.
No alcohol consumed in the vehicle. Bringing sealed drinks to a destination is fine; drinking on board is not.
Tell us if someone is unwell. Early warning almost always prevents the situation nobody wants, and there is a cleaning charge if it does not.
Take your rubbish. A twelve-hour festival day generates a remarkable amount of it, and the next group deserves a clean vehicle.