A three or four-day trip with two or three classes is often decided at a class council meeting in November, and by April it has to work in every detail. On school trips by coach from Rome the vehicle stays with the group from departure to return: it takes the class from the hotel to the museums and, with its timings, determines how much can be seen in a day.
From our Rome base we organise trips all over Italy with the vehicles we use for coach and bus hire in Rome. Below we look at what changes compared with a day trip and how to build a realistic programme.
The coach stays with the class: how the programme is built
On a trip of several days the driver travels and sleeps with the group. The programme therefore has to be written day by day, with three pieces of information for each day: what time the coach leaves the hotel, what transfers it makes during the day and what time the service ends. Without this outline the quote is only an estimate.
The point that surprises teachers most is the driver’s overnight rest. Regulation (EC) 561/2006 requires a daily rest of 11 hours, which can be reduced to 9 hours no more than three times between two weekly rests. An example: if in the evening the coach brings the class back to the hotel after the theatre and the driver’s service ends at 23:00, with a full rest the next morning’s departure is at 10:00. With a reduced rest you can leave at 08:00, but it is a card you can play only a few times during the trip. Evening outings therefore have to be decided together with the next day’s programme.
The hotel matters too. Give us the address at quote stage: we need to know whether the coach can stop in front of it for loading and unloading and where it parks overnight. If the trip crosses a border, international coach trips also require specific on-board documents.
School trips with a second driver: when you need one
The daily driving limit is 9 hours, extendable to 10 no more than twice a week, with a break of at least 45 minutes every 4 and a half hours of driving. Ministerial circular 291/1992 requires two drivers when the vehicle is on the move for more than 9 hours in a day. In practice the second driver is needed on long transfer days, for example to Sicily, or when a day of visits involves a lot of moving around.
On long trips we organise the driving shifts within the legal limits, and every solution affects the quote. It is often better to work on the programme: breaking a long transfer with a visit halfway lets you stay within the driver’s driving time limits with a single driver and adds a stop to the trip.
The same circular generally prohibits night travel, so no 04:00 departures to gain half a day. The rules on school trips by coach also cover vehicle documents, checks by the Polizia Stradale (the traffic police) and seat belts.
Three classic itineraries from Rome
Naples, Pompeii and the Reggia di Caserta
A classic for history and archaeology. It can be set up with a single base in Naples and daily trips to Pompeii, Herculaneum and Caserta: the coach moves little and the hotel stays the same. The streets in the historic centre of Naples are narrow, so some visits are done on foot from the drop-off point.
Florence, Siena and San Gimignano
Suited to art history and the Renaissance. Here too a single base works best, in Florence or nearby, with a day dedicated to Siena and San Gimignano. The Comune di Firenze (Florence City Council) regulates tour coach access with paid permits: this is one of the items to check when working out the budget.
Sicily with the ferry
The coach leaves Rome, crosses the Strait on the ferry from Villa San Giovanni to Messina and stays with the group for the whole tour of the island, taking in Taormina, Syracuse, Agrigento and Palermo. Of all coach trips from Rome across Italy, this is the one where driving shifts and intermediate stops matter most: the transfer from the capital to the Strait has to be broken up and organised within the legal limits.
What is included in the price and what is not
The written quote includes the driver, fuel, passenger insurance and maintenance. Tolls, the driver’s overnight accommodation and any extra routes are shown separately. Hours beyond the programme have an hourly rate set in advance, so an unplanned change does not become a surprise on the invoice.
On trips of several days there are also items that depend on the destination: the ferry for the coach, tour coach access permits in the cities of art, parking areas. Ask for them to be listed in the quote, even if only as an estimate. For a rough idea of rates there is our price guide to coach hire in Rome.
For trips of several days the most comfortable vehicle is the 54-56 seat Gran Turismo coach, with an underfloor luggage hold and, depending on the model, USB sockets and reclining seats.
How to request a quote for a school trip
For a spring trip it is best to write to us 2-3 months ahead, even if the programme is not yet final. We need:
- departure and return dates, with the school address;
- an outline programme day by day, with visits and any evening outings;
- the address of the hotel or hotels;
- number of pupils and accompanying staff;
- any ferries or special legs.
With this information we prepare a written quote. If the programme goes beyond the driving limits, we tell you how to change it to keep a single driver or how much the second one costs. One-day school trips follow the same quote procedure.
Lombardy schools organise their school trip from Milan with our Lainate base.
Phone: +39 06 4882027. Email: info@toddebus.it.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a coach cost for a three-day school trip?
It depends on the kilometres, the daily hours of service, the type of vehicle and how the driving shifts are organised. Tolls and the driver’s overnight accommodation are shown separately. With the day-by-day programme we prepare a written quote.
Who pays for the driver’s hotel on a school trip?
The driver’s overnight accommodation is an item in the quote, shown separately. It can be booked together with the group’s hotel or left to the transport company: this should be clarified before confirming.
Can the coach go to Sicily with the class?
Yes. The coach crosses the Strait by ferry and stays with the group for the whole trip. The cost of the ferry for the vehicle should be shown in the quote.
Can we leave at night to reach the destination sooner?
Ministerial circular 291/1992 generally prohibits night travel for schools. The exceptions mainly concern trains and some trips abroad by ship, not coaches.
Is a second driver always needed on a trip of several days?
No. One is needed when the vehicle is on the move for more than 9 hours in a day or when the programme exceeds the driving limits of the European regulation. It can often be avoided with an intermediate stop.
