3 Different kinds of charter busses for your journey

It might be difficult to know about the different types of buses and their equipment. This article aims to provide you with an overview of the various types of buses and their equipment. If you require rare equipment for a charter bus, it may decrease the number of quotes and increase the price. Also, not all bus types may be available all the time. To ensure that you get the charter bus of your choice, it is advisable to tender and book your charter well in advance.

Coach busses

Long-distance coaches are the most commonly used type of bus for charter services. Tourist coaches provide comfortable soft seats and a quiet cabin and are equipped with seat belts, toilets, air conditioning, microphones, and luggage compartments. The length and passenger capacity of the bus vary, with the smallest charter buses having around 30 seats and the largest having over 60-65 seats. In Finland, double-decker buses are commonly used for long-distance transport, but they are rare in charter services. However, in Helsinki, Turku, Tampere, and Oulu, one or more double-decker buses are available for charter, with a comfortable seating capacity of around 80 people.

Tourist bus parked on the side of the road

Tables

Some coaches come equipped with one or more tables, providing a comfortable space to work or enjoy a snack while traveling. The table groups are usually the most preferred seating areas on the bus. When requesting a bus or coach quotation, you can specifically ask for a table group to be included in the offer.

Luggage compartment

When taking longer charter journeys, it is important to carry luggage with you. All coaches are equipped with luggage compartments located under the cabin. Carrying exceptionally large amounts of luggage may be necessary during winter ski trips and summer golf trips. Therefore, it is advised to mention any additional baggage allowance required while requesting a quote. This will ensure that all your luggage can be accommodated without any hassle.

Interior

Long-distance buses, also known as coaches, are designed for long drives and offer great comfort to passengers. The seats are soft and comfortable, similar to those found in a car, rather than the hard seats in local transport. Additionally, most of the seats recline like airplane seats for a more comfortable sleeping experience. Buses usually have two seats on each side of the aisle.

Minibusses

Small group charter services are commonly operated by minibusses due to their size advantages. Unlike large coaches, minibusses can easily traverse small roads, bridges with weight restrictions, and narrow yards. The seating capacity of minibusses usually ranges between 14 and 19 seats, although some models can seat up to 25-30 passengers. However, it is important to note that minibusses have limited luggage space. While some tourist and charter minibusses have storage space beneath the floor, it is not always the case. If you plan to bring a lot of luggage on your journey, it’s best to mention this in your request for a quotation. This will enable the operator to make appropriate arrangements for luggage storage.

Minibusses

Traveling by minibus is a bit less expensive than traveling by coach. This is because the smaller size of the minibus requires less fuel consumption and has a lighter cost structure for the operator. Generally, the smaller the bus, the less expensive the journey. However, it is important to consider the distribution of costs among passengers. When traveling in a larger bus, the costs are shared among several individuals, which results in a relatively small amount paid by each person.

When traveling by minibus, there are a few things to keep in mind:

  • Minibuses have limited luggage space, although it varies from bus to bus.
  • Minibuses do not have toilets. Therefore, taking short breaks at petrol stations during longer journeys is advisable.
  • For elderly people, minibusses are often more comfortable than high-sided coaches. As minibusses are lower, getting on and off the vehicle is easier and safer. Accessible buses are a separate issue, but minibusses are a good choice for groups of pensioners.
  • On average, minibusses have a shorter life span than coaches. This is why the average minibus is newer than the average coach.
Lapset tilausajolla leirikouluun
Pikkubussin matkustamo

Minibussien saatavuus on hyvä ympäri Suomen, mutta erityisesti Helsingissä, Espoossa, Vantaalla Turussa, Tampereella, Kuopiossa ja Oulussa. Omabussi.fi sivustolla minibussi tilausajon kilpailuttaminen käy käden käänteessä.

Kaupunkibussit

Kaupunkibussit ovat varmasti kaikille kaupungeissa asuville suomalaisille tuttu näky. Pääasiassa paikallisliikenteessä käytetään kaupunkibusseja, mutta myös tilausajoissa. Suuremmissa kaupungeissa on yleensä mahdollista järjestää tilausajokuljetus myös paikallisliikenteen linja-autoja käyttäen, mikäli haluaa. Suuret massakuljetukset esimerkiksi shuttle bus festivaalien tai opiskelijatapahtumien aikana on helppoa kaupunkibusseilla, sillä matkustajat pääsevät nopeasti nousemaan ja poistumaan bussista. Tilausajokäytössä paikallisliikenteen bussit ovat hinnoittelultaan yleensä turistibussien kanssa suurinpiirtein saman hintaisia.

Paikallisliikenteen busseissa ei ole rappusia sisään noustaessa. Bussit ovat myös varusteltu invarampeilla, mikäli tarvitaan esteetön linja-auto. Matkustajia kaupunkibusseihin mahtuu yleensä istumaan noin 40-60 ja seisomaan 20-40. Maksimikapasiteetti on suuri, mikäli seisomapaikat sopivat asiakkaalle.

Vasemmalla kuvassa Helsingissä ajava sähkökäyttöinen kaupunkiliikenteen linja-auto. Suurien kaupunkien yhteydessä sähkökäyttöiset linja-autot ovat yleistyneet. Myös näitä on mahdollista saada tilausajolle ryhmän niin halutessaan. Toki kaupunkiliikenteen bussien saatavuus tilausajokäyttöön on rajoitetumpaa turistibusseihin verrattuna.