Choosing the Right Transfer Vehicle: Matching Luggage and Group Size

When people book a transfer, they naturally count heads: four of us, so a car for four. The mistake hides in the boot. A vehicle rated for four passengers is not always rated for four passengers' worth of holiday luggage, and the gap is where a comfortable ride turns into a suitcase on someone's knees. Matching the vehicle to both the people and the bags takes a minute and saves the whole journey.

The number that catches people out is luggage, not passengers. A standard sedan comfortably seats three or four adults but its boot is built for their everyday bags, not four large holiday suitcases plus hand luggage. As a rule of thumb, once you have one big case per person plus cabin bags, you are at or beyond a sedan's real capacity — even if the seats technically fit everyone. Booking the next size up is almost always the right call for a holiday.

• Sedan — ideal for 1–3 passengers with modest luggage. Couples, solo travellers, short city trips.
• Estate or larger sedan — 2–3 passengers who are carrying more, or want the extra boot space.
• Van / V-Class — the workhorse for families and small groups: 4–6 passengers with full holiday luggage, room for a stroller, and an easy step-in.
• Minibus — 7–16 passengers, larger families, friend groups, or a lot of gear. One vehicle instead of splitting the party.

Standard suitcases are easy to plan for; it is the odd-shaped items that catch people out. Mention these when you book so the right vehicle turns up:

• Golf clubs — bulky and long; a group heading to Belek's courses needs van or minibus space, not a sedan boot.
• Strollers and travel cots — a stroller eats the space of a large case; a van keeps it whole rather than folded and wedged.
• Wheelchairs or mobility aids — flag these so a suitable, easy-access vehicle is assigned.
• Sports and diving gear, oversized bags — anything unusual is better declared than discovered at the kerb.

The extra cost of the next vehicle class up is usually modest, and the comfort difference over a 45-minute-plus transfer is large. Nobody remembers saving a small amount on the car; everybody remembers the drive spent with a suitcase across their knees and a stroller wedged against the door. When in doubt, give yourself the extra boot — a little spare space is exactly what makes the ride feel easy.

Match the vehicle to your bags, not just your headcount, and mention anything unusual when you book. Do that, and the car that arrives fits everything and everyone — which is the entire point of arranging a transfer in advance rather than gambling on whatever is at the rank.