Six Vehicle Sizes, from the Reisecar Down
Count the passengers, then the bags, then look at the narrowest place on the route. Those three answers pick the vehicle.
Seats, weight and licence
The Reisecar seats 45 to 57 and the midi coach 25 to 35; both need a category D driver. A Kleinbus or Sprinter-style minibus carries 9 to 16 passengers on a D1 licence. With up to 8 passengers the vehicle is a car, driven by a chauffeur with the professional transport permit. An accessible minibus gives up seats for each wheelchair place.
Weight decides the road charge. Coaches and minibuses over 3.5 t pay the PSVA heavy vehicle fee; lighter vehicles carry the motorway vignette.
Size decides some routes. On the Lötschberg car train, a bus may have no more than 22 seats. At the Matterhorn Terminal Täsch the covered garage is only 2.30 m high, which sends coaches to the outdoor area.
What organisers ask us
Can we mix vehicles on one trip?
Yes. A coach with an accessible minibus, or a coach with a car for VIP guests, can run to the same programme.
Which model will we get?
The operator supplies the vehicle, and the quote states its type and seat count.
How much luggage fits?
A full-size coach takes a group's cases in its underfloor holds. In a full minibus the space behind the last row fills fast, so give the number of large bags.
Choose a vehicle
- Full-size coach (Reisecar) — Seats: 45-57
- Midi-coach (Midibus / Midicar) — Seats: 25-35
- Minibus (Kleinbus) — Seats: 9-16 passengers plus the driver
- Executive Sprinter-style minibus — Seats: 8-16 passengers plus the driver
- Executive car with driver (limousine service) — Seats: 1-3 (up to 8 passengers in a van-type car)
- Wheelchair-accessible minibus — Seats: Varies by layout; wheelchair positions replace seats