Guide · Choosing a coach

How many people fit in a coach? Overview by type

Choosing the right size of vehicle can easily save you tens of euros. A coach that is too big for a small group is a waste of money, and one that is too small simply won't fit everyone. Below is the capacity per type at a glance.

Part 1 of 5

Capacity by type

Minibus: 8 to 19 people. Midibus: 20 to 39 people. Coach: 35 to 66 people. Double-decker: 64 to 92 people. For special occasions there are also party buses (20-76p), people carriers (up to 8p), VIP coaches (8-36p) and wheelchair-accessible buses (varies).

Part 2 of 5

What if my group falls between two sizes?

With 38 people, for example, you usually choose a coach (with a few empty seats) rather than a midibus that is just too small. BusOffer.com automatically shows the smallest vehicle that fits, with larger options alongside as alternatives.

Part 3 of 5

Groups larger than 90 people

If your group doesn't fit in one vehicle, BusOffer automatically puts together a combination of several vehicles from the same coach company (a double-decker plus a midibus, for example), so you can still transport the whole group with one request and one contact person.

Part 4 of 5

Who counts, and who doesn't

Count everyone who needs a seat: participants, supervisors, and a tour leader or guide who comes along. You don't count the driver; their seat isn't included in the figures above. A photographer or a colleague who only rides on the way back does count, because they need a seat for that part.

The same goes for children: every child is a seat. Only a child under three doesn't need their own seat on a bus, and may then sit on an adult's lap. What the law says about this, and about seat belts, is in the guide on children on the coach.

Seat belts and children on the coach

Part 5 of 5

Two vehicles with the same name aren't the same size

A coach isn't a fixed size. How many seats it has depends on how the company had the vehicle fitted out, and that differs from one vehicle to the next. So below you won't find once again what a type usually has, but what the vehicles of the companies on our site actually have: the smallest, the largest and the most common size.

If your group is right on a limit, don't count on the largest vehicle of a type. Use the calculator to see how many vehicles you need, or fill in your journey: you'll then see per company which vehicle fits.

How many coaches do I need?

Written and checked by Martijn Smeets, founder of BusOffer.com. Last updated on 15 October 2026.

Counted, not estimated

What the fleets tell us

We have the fleets of the affiliated coach companies. These numbers come from them, and change when a coach is added.

Seats per coach at the affiliated companies, from the smallest to the largest; the dot is the most common size.

How many seats the coaches really have, by type

What the affiliated companies run, counted for minibus, midibus, coach and double-decker:

8–19seats in a minibus10 coaches; most often 19 seats (5×)

20–34seats in a midibus23 coaches; most often 20 seats (5×)

35–64seats in a coach38 coaches; most often 50 seats (6×)

74–90seats in a double-decker5 coaches; most often 90 seats (2×)

Counted in our own overview of the affiliated fleets, not estimated, without the driver’s seat. Enter your trip and you will see which of these coaches are available for your group.

Coach types

View these coach types

Frequently asked questions

How many people fit in a minibus?

A minibus usually seats 8 to 19 people.

How many people fit in a coach?

A coach usually seats 35 to 66 people, depending on the model.

What is the largest vehicle you can hire?

With up to 92 seats, a double-decker is usually the largest single vehicle; for even larger groups a combination of several vehicles is used.

Does the driver count towards the number of seats?

No, the capacity given excludes the driver's seat.

Does a child under three need their own seat on the coach?

No. On a bus, a passenger under three is exempt from the rule that everyone sits in their own seat. From the age of three a child counts as a full seat, and uses the seat belt if there is one.

Does a tour leader or guide count in the number of people?

Yes. Everyone except the driver needs a seat, so that includes a tour leader, a guide or a supervisor. Fill in the total, and the form will work with the right vehicle size.

Know enough? See what your trip costs

Fill in your place of departure, your destination and your group, and compare the coach companies with their prices.

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