When one van beats two cars.

Start with capacity, not price

Before comparing fares, check what physically fits. These are the published limits for each of our vehicle classes, also shown on private transfer vehicles.

The point that surprises people: two sedans hold fewer passengers and fewer bags than one van. A pair of sedans tops out at six people and four bags; the van takes seven and five. So the question is rarely whether two cars give you more room. They do not.

Bags count as much as people

A party of three fits a sedan by seat count, but only with two bags. Three travellers with a case each already need a van or a second car. Golf bags, prams and surfboards push this further, so be honest about luggage when you book.

Child seats take a seat

Child seats (rear-facing, forward-facing or booster) are added by quantity and cannot exceed the number of passengers. A child in a car seat still uses one of the seven places in a van or three in a sedan. Our guide to child seat rules in Queensland and NSW explains which seat each age needs.

Two sedans or one van: route by route

Here is the core comparison. For each route, the cost of two Executive Sedans is set against one Executive V-Class.

On these routes a van costs between about 22% and 27% more than a single sedan, so two sedans always cost far more than one van. The longer the trip, the bigger the saving in dollars: $95 on a short airport run, $329 from Brisbane Airport to Byron Bay.

The Executive Vito-Tourer is priced the same as the V-Class on most of these routes. On a few short ones it was a little higher when we checked; for example $169 against $159 from Gold Coast Airport to Burleigh Heads. Both seat seven with five bags.

The answer by group size

Taking Brisbane Airport to Surfers Paradise as the worked example (sedan $229, van $289), here is the cheapest booking that fits each group, assuming each traveller has no more than one bag.

Three thresholds stand out. At three passengers, luggage decides: two bags fit a sedan, three do not. At four to seven passengers, one van is always cheaper than two sedans and holds more. At eight to ten passengers, a van plus a sedan is the cheapest combination, $60 less than two vans on this route, as long as you have no more than seven bags between you.

The same pattern holds on the other routes in the table above, because the van fare is less than twice the sedan fare on every one. If you are more than fourteen people, read group transfers Gold Coast and Brisbane.

The costs that are not on the fare

Airport fees and kerb time

If you are comparing against taxis or rideshare, remember that charges apply per vehicle. Brisbane Airport's transport options page lists a $4.86 fee on each taxi and rideshare fare collected at the airport, so two cars mean two fees. Our wider cost comparison is in private transfer vs taxi vs rideshare.

At Gold Coast Airport, the pick-up and drop-off page says the zones at the front of the terminal are for immediate pick-ups only, with no parking. Getting one vehicle and one group to the kerb at the same moment is simpler than coordinating two.

Staying together

With one van, everyone leaves together and arrives together. With two cars, one half of the group can end up waiting at the hotel for the other, and any change to the plan has to be passed on to two drivers.

When two cars are the right call

The maths favours the van whenever the group is travelling together. Two vehicles are better in a few situations:

• Different destinations. If half the group is going to Surfers Paradise and half to Burleigh Heads, two separate bookings may suit better than one van making two drops. Each booking is priced for its own route.
• Different times. Guests on different flights need separate pickups whatever the vehicle.
• More than seven passengers. Eight or more always need a second vehicle; see the group-size table for the cheapest combination.
• A business traveller who needs to work. Some prefer a sedan to themselves. Companies booking for staff can read corporate transfers Gold Coast and Brisbane.

How to book the right vehicle

Getting the vehicle right at booking saves a scramble at the kerb. A few minutes with the group before you book is enough.

1. Count heads, including childrenEvery traveller takes a seat, whatever their age. Babies and toddlers in car seats count too.
2. Count bags honestlyCount each suitcase, golf bag, pram and board.
3. Apply both limitsThree passengers and two bags for a sedan, seven and five for a van. Whichever limit you hit first decides the vehicle.
4. Book the return at the same timeChoose Return on the form so both legs sit in one booking, with the same vehicle class or a different one if your luggage changes.
5. Use the driver notesMention anything unusual, such as a surfboard or a wheelchair that folds, so the driver knows what to expect.

The fare for every vehicle class is shown before you pay, so you can compare a sedan and a van on your own route in the booking form rather than relying on the examples here. Card payment is taken online at the end.

Reading the per-person figure

Per-person numbers make a van look cheap, and for a full van they are. But the fare is per vehicle, so the per-person cost only falls if the seats are filled. Two people in a van pay the van fare between them. If you are two or three travellers with light luggage, a sedan is the cheaper fit; it is from the fourth passenger, or the third bag, that the van pulls ahead.

Four worked examples

Fares for these trips are on Gold Coast Airport to Surfers Paradise transfer, Brisbane Airport to Gold Coast transfer, private transfers Brisbane to Byron Bay and Gold Coast Airport to Byron Bay transfer.

Other routes worth checking

Every fare we publish is on private transfer prices. For airport trips, start with Gold Coast Airport transfers or Brisbane Airport private transfers. Groups heading north can look at Brisbane to Noosa private transfer; groups starting in the city can use private transfer Brisbane to Gold Coast; and for a connection between the two airports, see Brisbane Airport to Gold Coast Airport transfer.

Short airport runs south of the coast include Burleigh Heads to Gold Coast Airport and Gold Coast Airport to Kingscliff transfer. Day trips that suit a van include Gold Coast to Tamborine Mountain transfer and Gold Coast theme park transfers. Moving guests for a wedding? See wedding guest transfers.

Frequently asked questions

Other booking questions are answered on private transfer questions. For a group or route we do not price online, see Contact MyPrivateTrips.

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