23-Seater vs 45-Seater Bus Charter in SingaporeLTA-Licensed | UEN 53379842J | Established 2018
Compare the 23-seater minibus and the 45-seater coach on cost per head, luggage, seat comfort and access, then book the size that fits your group.
Should I book a 23-seater minibus or a 45-seater coach?
Book the 23-seater minibus for 23 people or fewer, from SGD 85 per trip. Book the 45-seater coach for 24 to 45 people, from SGD 100 per trip. Divide each price by its seats: about SGD 3.70 a head on the minibus, about SGD 2.22 on the coach. Beyond the seat count, the 45 has an underfloor luggage hold and reclining seats. The 23 is the shorter vehicle for a narrow driveway or an estate road. Send your headcount to +65 8065 3479 and we will size it for you.
Groups We Size Buses For
We help groups like these choose between a minibus and a full coach.
- Corporate & HR Teams
- Schools & Student Groups
- Wedding Parties
- Religious & Community Groups
- Tour & Travel Groups
- Sports Clubs & Teams
Where the size decision goes wrong
Picking between two bus sizes fails in the same few ways. Here is what each mistake costs, and how we head it off.
Your headcount is 24 and the minibus stops at 23.
What we do: One 45-seater coach at SGD 100 covers it. Two minibuses would be SGD 170 for the same trip, so the coach is both cheaper and simpler.
The pickup is a narrow HDB driveway and a full coach may not get in.
What we do: The 23-seater is the shorter vehicle, so it suits tight pickup points. Send us the exact address and we will tell you which size fits before you book anything.
Guess low and six people stand on the kerb while the rest of the group drives off.
What we do: We confirm the final headcount in writing on the quote, and the vehicle named on it is the one that turns up.
Splitting 40 people across two minibuses costs SGD 170 and produces two arrival times.
What we do: One 45-seater is SGD 100 for those same 40 people, SGD 2.50 each, and everyone gets there together.
You have counted the group three times and the number still keeps moving.
What we do: Give us the range instead. We hold the size that covers the top of it. Changing the size later is a re-booking, so it comes down to what is free on your date. Ask as early as you can and we will do our best at no penalty.
Every quote you have collected covers different things, so you cannot compare the two sizes fairly.
What we do: You get one all-inclusive figure per vehicle, covering driver, fuel, ERP and parking. We are not GST registered, so nothing is added at the end.
You are afraid we will talk you into the bigger coach simply because it bills more.
What we do: Both rates sit on our public pricing page, and the table below works out the cost per head at seven common group sizes. Check the numbers yourself before you call.
You are paying up front for a vehicle you have never seen, to a company you found this morning.
What we do: Ask for the written quote before you pay anything. It names the vehicle and every charge, the invoice comes under UEN 53379842J, and we are licensed by the Land Transport Authority to operate private hire buses.
The 23-seater and the 45-seater side by side
Here are the rows that decide it, each one priced from the published rate card.
| 23-seater minibus | 45-seater coach | |
|---|---|---|
| Seats | 23 | 45 |
| Point to point, from | SGD 85 | SGD 100 |
| Airport transfer, from | SGD 100 | SGD 110 |
| Two way return, from | SGD 170 | SGD 200 |
| Hourly, 4 hour minimum | SGD 50 per hour | SGD 60 per hour |
| Eight hour day | SGD 400 | SGD 480 |
| Cost per head when full | about SGD 3.70 | about SGD 2.22 |
| Large bags | About 15 | About 35 |
| Where the bags go | Overhead racks, a small undercarriage compartment and a fold down rear row | Underfloor hold below the cabin |
| Reclining seats | No | Yes |
| Air conditioning | Yes | Yes |
| Seat belts | One on every seat | One on every seat |
| Tight access | Shorter vehicle, suits narrow driveways and estate roads | Needs room to turn, may use a nearby drop off point |
| Microphone and PA | Yes | Yes |
| Wheelchair ramp | On request | On request |
Every rate is all-inclusive of driver, fuel, ERP and parking, and we are not GST registered. The full card sits on the pricing page.
Cost per head, with the working
Divide the trip price by the seats you get. The 23-seater is SGD 85 for 23 seats, which is about SGD 3.70 a head. The 45-seater is SGD 100 for 45 seats, which is about SGD 2.22. The bigger vehicle is cheaper per person, but only when it is full.
That last part is the whole argument. Carry only 20 people and the minibus works out at SGD 4.25 a head, against SGD 5 on the coach. A coach only wins once the group is large enough to use the seats you are paying for.
There is a hard line at 23. Above that number the minibus needs a second vehicle, so two of them cost SGD 170 while one coach stays at SGD 100. A group of 24 therefore books the coach, unless the pickup point is too tight for it.
Cost per head at your actual headcount
These rates are divided by the people actually travelling, not by the seats on the vehicle.
| People travelling | On 23-seaters | On one 45-seater | Better value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | SGD 85, about SGD 5.67 each | SGD 100, about SGD 6.67 each | 23-seater |
| 20 | SGD 85, SGD 4.25 each | SGD 100, SGD 5 each | 23-seater |
| 23 | SGD 85, about SGD 3.70 each | SGD 100, about SGD 4.35 each | 23-seater |
| 24 | Two needed, SGD 170, about SGD 7.08 each | SGD 100, about SGD 4.17 each | 45-seater |
| 30 | Two needed, SGD 170, about SGD 5.67 each | SGD 100, about SGD 3.33 each | 45-seater |
| 40 | Two needed, SGD 170, SGD 4.25 each | SGD 100, SGD 2.50 each | 45-seater |
| 45 | Two needed, SGD 170, about SGD 3.78 each | SGD 100, about SGD 2.22 each | 45-seater |
These are point to point rates. Two minibuses seat 46 between them, so they can carry the group. They just cost more than one coach at every headcount from 24 to 45.
Which size to book in four common cases
Each of these four situations settles the question before you do any sums.
Choose the 23-seater when
Your group is 23 or fewer and is not going to grow. The pickup is an HDB block, a condo driveway or a narrow estate road. The whole group has about 15 large bags or fewer. See the 23-seater minibus.
Choose the 45-seater when
You have 24 to 45 people. Or the group has more than about 15 large bags, which is where the underfloor hold matters. Or it is a long day out where reclining seats change how everyone feels at the end. See the 45-seater coach.
When the number is still moving
Take the coach. On a point to point trip it is SGD 15 more, and it absorbs late additions, which beats adding a second minibus at SGD 85.
When 45 seats are not enough
The 49-seater coach carries four more people for SGD 10 more on a point to point trip. Above 49 you need two vehicles, so read how many buses a large group needs.
The differences that are not about seats
The licence, the driver standard, air conditioning, a seat belt on every seat and the all-inclusive rate are identical on both vehicles. Here is what genuinely changes.
The 45-seater has an underfloor hold and takes about 35 large bags. The 23-seater takes about 15, using overhead racks, a small undercarriage compartment and a fold down rear row. Folding that row down makes room for bags, not for extra people. Our luggage guide works through it.
Reclining seats are fitted on the 45 and 49 seater coaches. The 23-seater has fixed seats, which is fine for a short hop across town and less so for a full day.
The minibus is the shorter vehicle, so it is the easier one to bring into a driveway or an estate road. A 45-seater needs room to turn and park, and may use a drop off point nearby. Send us the pickup address and we will confirm the size.
The minibus is cheaper per trip. The coach is cheaper per person once you are past 23 people, because one fare is shared across far more of them.
Both vehicles carry a microphone and PA for announcements. Neither has wifi, charging points or a toilet, so plan a comfort stop into a long day.
Available on request on both sizes. A motorised chair needs a size and weight check first, so mention it at the time you book.
When your group sits right on the line
The decision is tightest between 20 and 26 people. At 23 or fewer the minibus is cheaper on every rate we publish. At 24 it stops being an option, because the seats are not there.
The gap between the two rates is SGD 15 on a point to point trip, SGD 30 on a two way return and SGD 10 an hour on hourly hire. That is the price of headroom. A second minibus costs another SGD 85 on a point to point trip, so the coach is the cheaper way to buy room.
The one thing money does not solve is access. If a 45-seater cannot get into your pickup point, two 23-seaters can still do the job for up to 46 people. Send us the address before you book and we will tell you which size fits.
The only four surcharges, identical on both
The same short list for the minibus and the coach. Nothing else is added, and each one is itemised in writing before you confirm.
| Surcharge | When it applies | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Midnight | Any trip touching 11pm to 7am | SGD 20 per vehicle |
| Public holiday | A gazetted public holiday | SGD 30 per vehicle |
| Extra stop | Each stop added beyond the agreed route, on point to point bookings | SGD 20 per stop, per vehicle, waived on hourly hire |
| Excess waiting | Beyond the free waiting time, charged per 15 minute block | SGD 15 per block |
Free waiting is 45 minutes on airport transfers and 15 minutes everywhere else. On hourly hire there is no waiting charge and no extra stop charge, because you are already paying for the time. Demand rises in the festive season but the rate card does not, and only a gazetted public holiday changes the price.
Both Sizes in Service
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people fit in each bus?
Which one is cheaper?
I have 24 people. What do I book?
Do both buses have luggage space?
Do both buses have reclining seats?
Can a 45-seater reach my condo or HDB pickup point?
Can I change the size after I have booked?
Do you charter to Malaysia or Johor Bahru?
Compare all three sizes on the fleet page, check every rate on the pricing page, or read the passenger capacity guide. Deciding between the two big coaches instead? See 45 vs 49 seater.
Not Sure Which Size to Book?
Send your headcount, your pickup address and your date to Singapore Bus Charter on +65 8065 3479, by call or WhatsApp. We will tell you which vehicle fits and put an all-inclusive quote in writing.
