Minibus Hire Across Germany

Coaches for school trips and Klassenfahrten

A Klassenfahrt by coach comes down to seats, times and stops. Your school and its Land set the rules for the trip itself. This page covers the road rules that apply to every class on a coach.

Seat belts and child seats

Every pupil wears a seat belt wherever the seat has one, on coaches as in cars. On a bus over 3.5 t, passengers may leave their seat briefly. Agree with the class when that is acceptable.

Booster seats are a different question. The rule covers children below 12 years of age and under 150 cm tall, in any vehicle fitted with belts. Buses heavier than 3.5 t are exempt, so a full-size coach needs no booster seats. A car or a small minibus may need them. Tell us if part of the group travels separately.

Setra 49-seat touring coach, exterior
Setra 49-seat touring coach, exterior

Sundays, holidays and the long trip

The Sunday and holiday driving ban covers lorries over 7.5 t, not buses. A class can leave on a Sunday or come home on a public holiday.

On a long Klassenfahrt, the driver's limits set the timetable: at most 9 hours behind the wheel in a day, with a 45-minute pause once 4.5 hours are done. On one occasional trip, the weekly rest can wait up to 12 days, so the same driver can stay with a class all week. Daily rest still counts, so plan evening outings with that in mind.

Rules the organiser should know

  • Children under 12 and shorter than 150 cm need a child restraint on seats for which seat belts are required, but this rule does not apply in buses over 3.5 t
  • On a single occasional coach trip, national or international, the driver may postpone the weekly rest for up to 12 days

Stops in the cities classes visit

Berlin has no booking system for coach parking but signposts its coach parks. Coaches may set down where a no-stopping sign carries the extra sign “Ein- und Aussteigen frei”, but not wait there. A visit to the Reichstag dome needs each visitor's name and date of birth in advance, and visitors aged 16 or over must carry photo ID.

In Dresden, set-down points are for getting on and off only, so the class should be ready when the coach arrives. In Nürnberg, coaches cannot enter the Altstadt and use stops at its edge.

Questions organisers ask

Can we travel on a Sunday?

Yes. The Sunday and holiday driving ban is for heavy lorries. Coaches may run.

Do younger pupils need booster seats on the coach?

Not on a bus over 3.5 t. They do in vehicles where the child-restraint rule applies, such as a car with seat belts.

Does this page cover our school's own rules?

No. Consent forms, supervision and approval are set by your school and its Land. Follow that guidance; we arrange the coach.

What do you need for a quote?

The number of pupils and adults, the dates, the addresses, the programme, and any pupil who needs step-free access or a wheelchair place.

Cities

Vehicles with a driver