Hiring a Coach

Finding the right coach.

You would think finding the right coach for your event shouldn't be too difficult, but in fact it is a minefield out there. Lots of companies with different vehicles and different prices, so we would suggest to know what you have in mind before you start. 

Avoid Brokers!

Try if you can to go direct to the coach hire company. There are plenty of brokers, who look like they are a coach company, who will acquire a selection of quotes for you.  Remember they will be adding on a premium for their time, so the coach will work out more expensive than if you go direct and if there is a problem on the day, you may be left stranded.

A good coach company will help you plan what you want and give you plenty of ideas about timings for pickups, ferries etc.  We are able to book your ferry and Eurotunnel crossings if you wish...

Check what you are getting.

The standard of vehicles and their quality can vary from company to company.  Here at Ellisons, we have a large number of vehicles, most are no more than three years old, so you know they will be safe and up to date.

Ask how old the vehicle is that you are hiring and what facilities there are on board.  The older the coach, the less reliable it will be. We have our own team of specialised mechanics working at our main site, which ensures every vehicle is checked and maintained to the highest standard - we do after all transport some expensive clients.

Are there the facilities you need?

All Ellisons coaches have air conditioning and W.C's as standard, some even have tea and coffee facilities. All have leather interiors and comfortable VIP seats. There are fridges on every coach, to keep the drinks cool, TV monitors and DVD. Premiership vehicles may have up to 10 monitors.

The 'posher' the vehicle the more extras you get such as kitchens, Sky TV, Bose sound  and  WiFi - they may cost a little more than a seated coach but probably not as much as you would think!

What impression do you want to make? 

Ask any coach company to email you some photos of the selection of vehicles they have.  Very often we will upgrade at no extra cost.  For example, if you want a particular vehicle, we may not know if it is available at the time of booking, but if it is, it is yours and a very, very nice coach, becomes an 'extra special' one!

There are coach hire companies who run older vehicles with no toilets or refreshments.  You may find the curtains are tatty and the coach is not clean, all these things won't create a good impression, but they are cheap.

Ellisons coaches are cleaned inside and outside after each hire, we are pleased to say that our coach drivers are proud of the Ellisons brand and the coaches they drive.

Is your vehicle suitable for your event?

Think carefully what you need before getting quotes, it is easy to be talked into something you may not want.

Decide if you need tables, not all vehicles have them, but they do make the journey a little more pleasurable, especially if for business purposes.  It is also much friendlier to be facing each other.  

Work on maximum numbers, it is always good to have a few spare seats, so you can spread out.

Are you entertaining clients?  Will the coach be parked at the venue? A kitchen could be just what you need to provide snacks or breakfast on the way.  Ideal as a base for them to come back to and wonderful to have refreshments on the way home! 

Get some quotes and compare

It is always worth looking around to see what is available.  A good coach company will be more than happy to discuss your requirements and provide a quote.

Make sure that you compare 'like for like', not everyone has the same standards in cleanliness and appearance.  At Ellisons we pride ourselves on our vehicles.  Our image is as important to us as it is to you.  

Not many companies have the same standard of vehicles as Ellisons, or will take as much care over your booking as we do, so drop us an email at info@ellisonstravel.com and we will be happy to help if we can or point you in the right direction if we can't.

As one client told us recently ..."once you have been on an Ellisons coach, you won't use anyone else".