How Much Luggage Is Included in a Private Transfer
Included is one suitcase and one piece of hand luggage per person, within what the booked vehicle holds. The second half of that sentence is the important one: a VIP van takes six people and six cases — six people with eight cases is a different proposition.
- Included
- 1 case + 1 cabin bag pp
- VIP van
- 6 people / 6 cases
- Extra item
- €10 each
The rule
One suitcase and one piece of hand luggage per travelling person is covered by the fixed price. There is no weight limit — in a vehicle it is volume that counts, not kilos. A heavy case is fine; an additional case is not automatically fine.
Why vehicle capacity is the real ceiling
Every class has a seat count and a luggage count, and they are the same number:
- VIP van — 1 to 6 passengers, 6 items
- Minibus — 7 to 14 passengers, 14 items
- Midibus — 15 to 24 passengers, 24 items
- Coach — 25 to 45 passengers, 45 items
As long as your group fills the class and everyone has one case, the arithmetic works. It stops working when four people travel with seven cases: passengers count toward the VIP van, and so do cases — and seven is more than six. At that point the luggage decides the vehicle class, not the headcount.
What to declare
Anything beyond one case per person, and anything that is not shaped like a case. Extra luggage is €10 an item and is added in step two of the booking, up to five items. That is not a charge for telling us — it is the reason a suitable vehicle turns up.
The everyday cases are golf bags, pushchairs, travel cots, surfboards and wheelchairs, the last of which carries its own flat rate. What applies to which item, and what to write for each, is in declaring oversized luggage.
What happens when there is more than was declared
The vehicle is dispatched against what the booking says. If the booking says four passengers, a VIP van comes — and four people with seven cases and a golf bag will not fit into it. It can be sorted out on the spot, but it costs time and possibly a second vehicle.
Declaring in advance is therefore always cheaper than resolving it afterwards. And if you realise mid-trip that something has been added, a short message is enough, even on the day.
Do the sum again for the return leg
People rarely go home with exactly what they arrived with. If an extra item has appeared between the two legs, mention it when the pickup time is confirmed — a conversation you will be having anyway as part of planning the journey back.
Common questions
Is there a weight limit for suitcases?
No. In a vehicle it is space that counts, not weight. What matters is the number of items against the vehicle's capacity.
Does a backpack count as an item?
One piece of hand luggage per person is included on top of the suitcase, and a backpack or cabin bag falls under that. Only a second full-size case counts as extra luggage.
There are four of us with seven cases. Is a VIP van enough?
Not without checking first. The VIP van is rated for six items. Declare the extra luggage when booking and either a suitably loaded vehicle or the next class up will be sent.
How do I declare a pushchair or a golf bag?
As extra luggage in step two of the booking, €10 an item, and describe it briefly in the notes field as well. Then the driver knows what he is loading before he arrives.
Related reading
Golf Bags, Pushchairs and Wheelchairs: Declaring Oversized Luggage
Anything not shaped like a suitcase needs declaring — item by item, with what it costs and why.
Read the articleLuggageWhen Luggage, Not Group Size, Decides Your Vehicle
Four people is not always a VIP van. The sum takes two minutes before booking and saves half an hour afterwards.
Read the articleBookingWhat You Need Before You Book an Airport Transfer
Six pieces of information and the booking is done. What to have open before you start, and what can follow later.
Read the article