Midi coach hire for mid-size groups

A midi coach usually seats 29 to 35 and handles narrow streets, small venues and historic centres more easily than a full-size coach. It is often the answer for a group too big for a minibus.

Built for awkward places

Country hotels, wedding venues, college courts and village lanes all favour a shorter vehicle. A midi coach turns tighter and fits bays a full-size coach would overhang. It still has luggage space, underfloor or at the rear, though less than a big coach.

Some limits do not change with length. York bars anything over 16 seats from inside the walls, so a midi coach sets down outside them like any coach. Oxford's set-down bays take it, but there is still no coach parking in the centre.

At a glance

Seats: 29-35
Luggage: Underfloor or rear luggage space, smaller than a full-size coach

Typical features

Easier than a full-size coach on narrow streets, in historic centres and at small venues
More than 16 passenger seats or over 8 m long needs a category D licence rather than D1
PSV operator's licence from the Traffic Commissioner, as for any vehicle carrying 9 or more passengers for hire or reward
Operator licence discs must be displayed so they can be read from outside the vehicle
On trips outside the UK the AETR rules apply, including tachograph use; on international occasional coach trips the weekly rest can be postponed for up to 12 days

Licence and paperwork

Because a midi coach has over 16 passenger seats, or is longer than 8 m, its driver must hold a full category D licence; D1 is not enough. As for any vehicle carrying 9 or more passengers for hire or reward, the operator needs a PSV operator's licence, and its disc must be displayed where it can be read from outside.

At home and on the continent

In Britain, a midi coach on a private hire trip runs under the assimilated rules, the same as a full-size coach. Abroad, AETR rules take over and the tachograph stays in use. For an occasional coach tour across borders, the driver may push the weekly rest back by as much as 12 days.

On a touring week, check where the driver sleeps as well as where the group does.

Questions

One midi coach or two minibuses?

One midi coach keeps the group together with one driver. Two minibuses suit split pickups or venues with very tight access. Ask for both options if you are unsure.

Is a midi coach good for airport runs?

It suits a mid-size group carrying ordinary bags. With long-haul cases, ask about hold capacity first; a midi coach holds less than a 49-seater.

Does a midi coach have a toilet?

Some do and many do not. If it matters for your route, say so when you ask for a quote.