The question almost always comes up in the first phone call: how many seats does a coach have, and will we all fit? The answer depends on the vehicle. Our fleet ranges from the 8 seats of a minivan to the 56 of a Gran Turismo coach, and each size in between has a specific use. These are the same vehicles we use for coach and bus hire in Rome, where we have worked since 1956.
Since September 2025 part of the fleet, all of it Euro 6, has been based in Lainate and serves coach hire with driver in Milan. Below are the real capacities of our vehicles and a few criteria for getting the count right.
Todde Bus fleet capacities
We have more than 100 vehicles of our own. This is the capacity for each category, always in addition to the driver’s seat:
| Vehicle | Passenger seats |
|---|---|
| Executive cars and minivans | up to 8 |
| Minibuses | 16 to 27 (the smallest have 8) |
| 20-seat vans and coaches | 20 |
| Buses | up to 36 |
| Gran Turismo coaches | 54 to 56 |
Our Gran Turismo coaches are the Irisbus Magelys Pro and the Irisbus New Domino, with 56 seats, and the Mercedes Tourismo, with 54 or 56 seats depending on the layout. Each of the Gran Turismo coaches in our fleet has a data sheet with engine, emission class and equipment.
How many seats a Gran Turismo tour coach has
By tour coach people usually mean the Gran Turismo, the long-distance vehicle. Ours have 54 or 56 seats, reclining seats, individual air conditioning and an underfloor luggage hold. It is the right choice for groups of more than 36 passengers and for journeys longer than an hour.
The limit is size. A Gran Turismo does not fit everywhere: narrow streets in historic centres, country roads leading to villas and agriturismi (farm stays), tight courtyards. In those cases we consider two smaller vehicles or a transfer point. When choosing between a minibus and a Gran Turismo coach, size matters as much as the number of seats.
36-seat buses, 20-seat vans and minibuses: when they are enough
The bus with up to 36 seats is the standard vehicle for school day trips: a class with its teachers fits comfortably, and the cost is lower than a Gran Turismo. For groups of 28 to 36 people it is almost always the most sensible size.
In Rome, 20-seat van and coach hire covers medium-sized groups, for example a company department or a sports team with its staff.
Minibuses with 16 to 27 seats can enter historic centres and the courtyards of hotels and schools, where a large coach cannot reach. They work well for transfers, employee shuttles and weddings, and in Rome we provide them through minibus hire with driver.
For groups leaving from Lombardy, the Lainate base handles minibus hire with driver in Milan.
A regulatory detail that helps when reading minibus capacities: according to the Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, a D1 licence allows you to drive vehicles with up to 16 passengers in addition to the driver and no longer than 8 metres. Above that threshold a category D licence is required.
How many seats a double-decker coach has
A double-decker coach carries more people than a single-deck Gran Turismo: a model such as the Setra S 531 DT was described at its launch in 2017 as having 83 seats split between the lower and upper decks. Before considering one, it is worth checking with the company whether the route and the stopping points are suitable for a double-decker.
In our fleet the largest vehicles are the 54-56 seat Gran Turismo coaches. For a larger group we work with several coordinated vehicles: two Gran Turismo coaches carry up to 112 people, and a 36-seat bus adds seats without moving to a vehicle that then cannot pull up outside the hotel.
How to work out the seats you need
The first mistake is counting only the participants. The number must include escorts, teachers, guides, photographers and anyone else travelling on board. The seats shown are always passenger seats, in addition to the driver.
The second is filling the vehicle to the limit. With 55 people signed up on a 56-seat coach, one last-minute addition is enough for someone to be left behind. If the numbers are not final, tell us the range (48 to 60, for example) and we will suggest a combination that works either way.
The third concerns luggage. On multi-day trips the Gran Turismo’s underfloor hold matters as much as the seats; minibuses have less room for suitcases, and for a transfer with heavy luggage it makes sense to go up a size. On the vehicles used for schools every seat has a seat belt.
Seats and price: how they relate
More seats do not mean a higher cost per person. A Gran Turismo costs more per hour than a minibus, but split across 50 passengers the cost per person stays in the same range. Capacity is one of the factors in the cost of coach hire in Rome, together with hours of service and distance.
For services in Lombardy, with full-day prices and the changes during trade fair weeks, there is our guide to coach hire costs in Milan.
How to request a quote with the right vehicle
You do not need to know in advance which vehicle to choose: we take care of that. We need the date, the departure time, the departure point and destination, the number of passengers (with the range, if it is not final), the type of service, any luggage or materials to load and any stops. If the destination is hard to reach, give us the exact address: we will check whether the coach can get there.
Phone: +39 06 4882027. Email: info@toddebus.it (for the Milan base, subject line: “Milan”). We reply within a few hours during working hours.
Frequently asked questions
How many seats does a Gran Turismo coach have?
In our fleet, 54 to 56 passenger seats, in addition to the driver. The Irisbus Magelys Pro and the Irisbus New Domino have 56 seats, the Mercedes Tourismo 54 or 56 depending on the layout.
How many seats does a bus for school trips have?
For day trips the standard vehicle is the bus with up to 36 seats. For long journeys or groups of several classes you move up to the 54-56 seat Gran Turismo. On the vehicles used for schools every seat has a seat belt.
Is the driver’s seat included in the number of seats?
No. The capacities we give are always passenger seats, in addition to the driver. Escorts, teachers and guides, on the other hand, must be counted as passengers.
What vehicle do you need for a group of 70 people?
A single coach from our fleet is not enough. We usually suggest a 56-seat Gran Turismo alongside a minibus, or two medium-sized vehicles if the destination has narrow access. The choice depends on the route and the luggage.
How many seats does a minibus have?
Our minibuses range from 16 to 27 seats, the smallest from 8. For groups of up to 8 people there are also minivans with driver.
