Minibus hire with a driver costs about £245 to £340 for a 12 seater on a typical London airport run, and £300 to £400 for a 16 seater. Those are real one-way fares from the Onward Travel Solutions booking system, for the whole vehicle. Split across a full group, most airport transfers come to about £19 to £28 a head. This guide shows sample prices, explains what changes the fare, and covers how to keep the cost down.
For an exact price on your own journey, enter the pickup and drop-off in the booking form above. The fare is fixed at that point and you pay the driver on the day.
Minibus Hire Prices: Sample Fares
Sample one-way weekday fares from the OTS Taxi booking system, quoted in October 2026 from a full pickup address, for the whole vehicle with driver. Minibus fares are worked out from the driving route when you book, so your own quote may differ by a few pounds.
| Journey | 8-seater | 12 seater | 16 seater |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crawley → Gatwick | £65.54 | £216.16 | £266.89 |
| Victoria → Wembley Stadium | £126.32 | £232.54 | £284.68 |
| Central London → Heathrow | £136.35 | £249.51 | £302.44 |
| Brighton → Gatwick | £108.51 | £277.89 | £332.69 |
| Central London → Luton | £149.52 | £299.04 | £355.23 |
| Central London → Gatwick | £150.50 | £313.12 | £370.24 |
| Central London → Stansted | £157.33 | £316.89 | £374.26 |
| Heathrow → Gatwick | £137.80 | £327.43 | £385.49 |
| Victoria → Oxford | £237.94 | £364.39 | £425.22 |
| Heathrow → Southampton cruise terminals | £234.02 | £382.69 | £444.39 |
| Central London → Southampton cruise terminals | £271.28 | £411.87 | £475.82 |
| Oxford → Cambridge | £297.90 | £429.61 | £494.74 |
Cost Per Person
The fare is per vehicle, so the more seats you fill, the cheaper each seat becomes:
| Journey | 12 people in a 12 seater | 16 people in a 16 seater |
|---|---|---|
| Central London → Heathrow | £20.79 each | £18.90 each |
| Central London → Gatwick | £26.09 each | £23.14 each |
| Central London → Stansted | £26.41 each | £23.39 each |
| Central London → Southampton cruise terminals | £34.32 each | £29.74 each |
What Affects the Price
Distance. Minibus fares are made up of a fixed starting charge for the vehicle and driver, plus a rate per mile. That is why short trips cost more per mile than long ones: the starting charge is spread over fewer miles.
Vehicle size. A 16 seater costs more than a 12 seater on the same route, but the gap is usually only £50 to £70. That buys four extra seats and four more large cases.
Fixed airport fares on smaller vehicles. Our cars and 8-seaters have fixed fares on many airport routes, which is why an 8-seater can cost less than half the minibus fare on the same journey.
Airport fees. Trips to or from an airport include a small airport drop-off and pickup charge. It is shown in the quote, not added later.
Extra stops. Each additional pickup is priced on the extra distance it adds, not as a flat fee. A stop a few streets away barely changes the fare.
What does not change the price: the time of day, the day of the week, school holidays or traffic. Minibus fares do not include a charge for time spent in traffic, so a slow M25 does not cost you more.
One Minibus vs Two 8-Seaters
| Journey | Two 8-seaters | One 12 seater | One 16 seater |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central London → Heathrow | £272.70 | £249.51 | £302.44 |
| Central London → Gatwick | £301.00 | £313.12 | £370.24 |
| Brighton → Gatwick | £217.02 | £277.89 | £332.69 |
| Central London → Southampton cruise terminals | £542.56 | £411.87 | £475.82 |
Which option is cheaper depends on the route. For Gatwick, and for short airport runs from the towns around it, two 8-seaters are often the cheapest way to move 9 to 16 people, and they carry 16 large cases between them. To Heathrow from central London, the 12 seater is cheaper. On long runs, such as the cruise ports, one minibus clearly wins. The booking form shows all of these together, so check before you choose.
How to Keep the Cost Down
- Fill the seats. Twelve people in a 12 seater pay far less each than nine people in the same vehicle.
- Pick the right size. If you are 8 or fewer, an 8-seater minivan costs roughly half the minibus fare or less.
- Compare with two 8-seaters. For airport runs, especially Gatwick, two 8-seaters can beat a minibus. For long runs, one minibus nearly always wins.
- Book the return together. The return leg is 5% off when booked with the outward trip.
- Use the nearer airport. If your group can choose between flights, the closer airport can save £50 or more on the transfer.
- Count luggage honestly. A vehicle that cannot take your cases means a second vehicle on the day, which costs far more than booking the right size in advance.
Worked Examples
14 friends flying from Gatwick. They are all leaving from central London, each with one large case. A 12 seater is too small, so the choice is a 16 seater at £370.24 or two 8-seaters at £301.00. The two 8-seaters are £69.24 cheaper, at £21.50 each, and carry all 14 cases with room to spare. Book the return at the same time and the round trip comes to £586.95, or £41.93 each.
14 people sailing from Southampton. The same group going on a cruise from central London pays £475.82 for one 16 seater, against £542.56 for two 8-seaters. On this longer run the minibus saves £66.74 and keeps everyone together.
Comparing Quotes From Other Companies
When you compare minibus quotes, check what the number covers. Some quotes are per hour, with a minimum number of hours, so a one-way airport run is charged as a half day. Others leave out airport fees, waiting time or late-night supplements and add them later. Some show a per-person price that assumes every seat is filled. Our fares are per vehicle, one way, with the airport fee, flight tracking and the first hour of waiting already included, and they do not change with the time of day.
What the Fare Includes
Every fare covers the vehicle and driver for the whole journey, the airport fee where one applies, and luggage up to the vehicle’s limit. On airport pickups it also includes flight tracking and the first hour of waiting after landing. There is no surge pricing. You pay the driver on the day and nothing is charged online. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before pickup.
Self-Drive or With a Driver?
Self-drive minibus hire can look cheaper per day, but you add fuel, parking, insurance excess and a driver who needs the right licence category and has to stay sober. For one-way airport and cruise trips, the minibus is also parked at the far end while you are away. A minibus with a driver is a single fixed price, door to door, and nobody in the group has to drive.
Minibus Hire Prices FAQs
How much does it cost to hire a 16 seater minibus?
With a driver, from about £267 for a short airport run, such as Crawley to Gatwick, to around £370 to £375 from central London to Gatwick or Stansted.
How much does a 12 seater minibus cost?
From about £216 for a short run, and £249.51 from central London to Heathrow.
Is minibus hire charged by the hour?
Our transfers are priced per journey, not per hour. If you need a driver to stay with your group for a day, ask the OTS team before booking.
Are there extra charges at night or weekends?
No. The fare is the same at any time.
Is a deposit needed?
No. Nothing is paid online. You pay the driver on the day.
Get Your Exact Price
Use the booking form at the top of this page to see the fixed fare for your route. Then see the details for each size: 12 seater minibus hire and 16 seater minibus hire. Local guides: London, Surrey and Brighton.