Is there anything that makes you feel more liberated than taking to the wide road? Indeed, there’s nothing quite like the sensation you get on your first day of vacation—a sense of adventure and the realisation that the world is your oyster in a new place.
The UK is a great place for a road vacation. In addition to miles and miles of untamed coastline, our small but abundant nation is home to hundreds of sites, ruins, and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
It was where William Shakespeare was born. There are battlegrounds there that shaped history. In addition, there are lakes, rivers, mountains, palaces, crown jewels, and, let’s not forget, fish and chips. It would be difficult to fit it all in.
Which brings us to our topic for the day: is hiring a minibus necessary when travelling to the UK?
We do, after all, have a respectable train system and daily coaches that travel between cities. Isn’t hiring a minibus just one more thing you have to plan ahead for and budget for? (Let’s not even talk about how stressful parking is.)
In this post, we’ll look at UK transit choices and a few sample routes to get you started on your trip planning.
An overview of UK public transport is provided here. This ought to give you some notion of how it stands in relation to other parts of the US or Europe.
Trains
Rail access is available in most mid-size towns and all cities.
Most of the time, trains run frequently, however they are pricey in comparison to other nations. For example, if you book a train on the day, it will cost you between £60 and £90 ($75 and $112) per person from London to Newcastle. Three hours and fifteen minutes are needed for the trip.
Buses and coaches
Similar to trains, several sizable coach companies consistently operate schedules in all major cities.
Because local services are generally slower and less frequent in the countryside, getting about may be a little more difficult. There may only be one or two buses each day in certain isolated places.
On the other hand, they are reasonably priced, particularly if you make your reservations in advance.
Planes
Domestic travel is not very common in the UK because it is a tiny nation. There aren’t many options for routes, and there might only be one flight every day.
Travelling can be costly as well, particularly when compared to the cost of flying into cities in Europe. Naturally, they’re also not the greenest choice.
But there are some exceptions. You should anticipate affordable flights from big airports to Ireland or a major Scottish city if you’re travelling from England. Budget airlines offer one-way tickets to Dublin or Edinburgh for as little as £20 ($25) per person.
But be ready for a brief nap because these cheap flights might depart as early as 5:30 a.m.
Taxi
In addition to flag-me-down rides akin to those in black cabs, larger communities now provide private-hire taxi services. These come in particularly handy while travelling short distances or going to and from the airport.
But on longer trips, they can rapidly become pricey. If you’re not wealthy enough to purchase a private island, don’t expect to travel the UK by taxi.
The most obvious advantage of hiring a minibus is the unmatched freedom it affords. A minibus allows you to explore every corner and remote settlement, while a train can only take you where the tracks lead.
And there are the expenses. Although the daily ticket price for a hireal minibus can be more than that of a coach trip, keep in mind that the cost of public transportation increases quickly for larger groups of people.
The cost of those tickets may not seem all that much. However, if you double or triple them, the cost can soon mount up, particularly if you intend to visit more than one or two locations.
Four adults and a fair amount of luggage can fit in a hireal minibus of average size. The cost of the trip per person decreases as more seats are filled.
Out of those three rounds, it appears that the minibus won two. Nevertheless, in practice, it all depends on your destination, your itinerary, and the size of your group.
In general, travelling between large cities may be accomplished quickly and affordably by train or bus.
But hiring a minibus is a far better option if you want to take a party out and see the countryside.
Therefore, hiring a minibus is the most sensible choice if you want to see a lot of the UK while you’re there or if you’re the kind of person who prefers to venture off the beaten path.
For many years, London Minibus Hire has offered dependable and affordable minibus hire in London. Do you need a minibus for your trip? As standard, expect excellent value in addition to a helpful, accommodating service.
We provide minibus hireal for larger groups and are within a short distance from London International Airport.
