How many people fit in a double-decker?

Most double-deckers seat 64 to 92 people, spread over two decks.

What if no double-decker is available?

BusOffer.com then automatically shows a combination of two smaller vehicles from the same coach company.

Is a double-decker suitable for a long journey?

Yes. Mind the height, though: on some routes a double-decker cannot pass under a viaduct or barrier. Give the exact address, so the coach company can check the route.

Can everyone get to the upper deck easily?

Most double-deckers have a staircase in the middle or at the front of the vehicle; this is less suitable for people who have difficulty walking.

How much does double-decker hire cost?

There is a minimum charge per job, and on top of that an hourly and per-kilometre rate that varies by coach company. Because distance and date weigh heavily, an average says little: enter your trip and you'll see what each provider actually charges. The page for 75 people has a worked example: a school trip with a whole year group in one double-decker, calculated with our standard rate.

Can I hire an English or open-top double-decker?

Not through BusOffer.com. The double-deckers you compare here are coaches with two decks and a closed roof, built for long trips. An English double-decker, the red London bus, or a bus with an open upper deck is a different vehicle, offered by specialist hire companies. None appear in the fleets of the coach companies we know. A few coach companies do mention a convertible bus with an open roof on their own website; that is an ordinary bus without a roof, not a double-decker.

Double-decker hire for 64–92 people

Next to the other types

Is a double-decker the right size?

The five standard vehicle types to scale, with the number of people they are meant for. Tap one.

People carrierup to 8 people

Minibus8–19 people

Midibus20–39 people

Coach35–66 people

Double-decker64–92 people

People carrier: up to 8 people. A different size from the double-decker.

Go to this type

Minibus: 8–19 people. A different size from the double-decker.

Go to this type

Midibus: 20–39 people. A different size from the double-decker.

Go to this type

Coach: 35–66 people. A different size from the double-decker.

Go to this type

Double-decker: 64–92 people. You are viewing this type now.

Special versions:Party bus VIP coach Wheelchair-accessible bus

Does your group fit?

Slide to the number of people

The number of seats differs per vehicle: among the double-deckers of the participating coach companies, from 74 to 90. If you choose the smallest one that fits, you don’t travel with empty seats.

People

The most common sizes among the 5 double-deckers of the participating coach companies.

74 seats1 vehicle
80 seats1 vehicle
87 seats1 vehicle
90 seats2 vehicles

Compare double-deckers for your trip

Seating plan of a double-decker with 90 seats

Schematic: two seats on each side of the aisle. How the seats are actually arranged differs per vehicle.

What you get

Standard on a double-decker

Every double-decker has this. What else is on board differs per vehicle, and we have counted that.

Two full decks of seating, sixty-four to ninety-two seats

One driver and one vehicle for the whole group, so a lower price per seat

About four metres high: not every route is possible

Panoramic views from the upper deck

What is actually on board across the 5 double-deckers of the participating coach companies

Counted vehicle by vehicle from the fleets. What is rarely on board is listed too.

Air conditioning5 of 5
Toilet on board5 of 5
Microphone / sound system5 of 5
Fridge on board5 of 5
220V power sockets4 of 5
Adjustable seats / extra legroom3 of 5
USB charging points2 of 5

If you need something near the bottom, switch it on as a filter once you have entered your trip. What a company offers for all its vehicles is included.

Ideal for

What people hire a double-decker for

Festivals and large eventsStaff partiesLarge school tripsLarge club tripsStadium and concert transportCorporate events with many guests

When it fits, when it doesn’t

When is a double-decker the right choice, and when not?

A double-decker is the choice when your group comes to more than sixty-four people and has to travel in one vehicle. The price per seat is then lower than with two smaller vehicles, because you pay for one driver and one vehicle. What it isn't suitable for: a group in which many people have difficulty walking, because the upper deck can only be reached by a narrow staircase.

And a route with a low clearance (a bridge, a tunnel, a barrier or a tree hanging over a driveway) can be impossible where a regular coach drives past without a second thought.

What to look out for with a double-decker

About four metres high: give the exact address, so the coach company can check the route.
The upper deck can only be reached by stairs and so isn't suitable for everyone.
Boarding a full double-decker takes longer than a smaller coach, especially via the stairs: allow extra time per stop.
Not every coach company has one: request well in advance, especially in the summer months.

Request your double-decker with no obligation via BusOffer

Not every company has a double-decker available on your date. BusOffer.com shows straight away who does have one free, and offers a combination of two smaller vehicles from the same coach company as an alternative.

Start a price comparison for a double-decker

Real vehicles

Coach companies with a double-decker

With a company on BusOffer you click through to the price of exactly that vehicle, with the others to their profile. First the checked companies, then the registered ones, then those not yet on BusOffer.