The Midibus: Room for Thirty, Small Enough for Hill Towns

For a group of thirty, two minibuses split the party and a full coach may be too long for where you are heading. The midibus sits in between, with 29 to 35 seats and luggage space underneath or at the back.

Built for Italy's smaller roads

A midibus is easier to handle than a full-size coach on narrow lanes, in hill towns and at small venues such as an agriturismo or a village church. On the Amalfi Coast, where the longest buses are banned, midibuses and minibuses within the limits are the ones that can run.

It is still a bus, booked with its driver under the bus-hire law, and because it has more than 16 passenger seats, the driver must hold a full D licence, not just D1.

Midsize coach cabin with forward-facing seats

What it is like on board

On a single occasional coach trip, national or international, the driver may postpone the weekly rest for up to 12 days
In Italy the driving time and its checks follow Regulation (EC) No 561/2006 (art. 174 c. 1, Codice della Strada): at most 9 hours of driving a day (10 hours twice a week) and a 45-minute break after 4.5 hours
It is hired with a driver under Legge 218/2003, like a full-size coach
With more than 16 passenger seats, or longer than 8 m, it needs a category D licence rather than D1 (art. 116 c. 3 n and p, Codice della Strada)
Easier than a full-size coach on narrow roads, in hill towns and at small venues

A day's driving

Driving time follows the EU regulation that Italy applies through the Codice della Strada: no more than 9 hours on a normal day, 10 on two days of the week, and a 45-minute break once four and a half hours have been driven. On a single occasional tour, the weekly rest can be deferred by as much as 12 days, letting a midibus and its driver stay with a group through a week in Tuscany or Puglia.

Who chooses it

Mid-size wedding parties, company shuttles between hotel and venue, and day tours where everyone wants to hear the same guide. Luggage room is smaller than on a full coach, so for an airport run with big suitcases, say how many.

What travellers ask us

A midibus or two minibuses?

One midibus keeps everyone together and on the same timetable; two minibuses can go separate ways for part of the day. Tell us how the day should work and we suggest the better fit.

Can it reach Positano and Amalfi?

A midibus within the length limits for the SS163 can. The operator confirms the vehicle, and the stopping point in Positano is agreed beforehand, since no official coach stop is published there.

Does it have seat belts?

Where belts are fitted, everyone over three wears them while seated.

Is it comfortable for a long transfer?

Yes, with breaks built in. Bus speed limits make long legs slower than by car, so allow extra time between cities.