Transport for church groups and pilgrimages
A pilgrimage or parish trip carries real meaning for the people on board, and the travel should be gentle and dependable. We book minibuses and coaches through licensed partner operators, planned around services, masses and the pace of your group.
Rome and the Vatican coach quota
The Vatican area runs a daily quota for coaches, seven days a week, so a visit to St Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Museums needs planning well in advance. Tourist buses are kept out of the historic centre, ZTL BUS C, with exceptions only for disabled passengers, school trips and hotels that have at least 40 rooms.
Choosing the right hotel can make a real difference to how far older pilgrims walk each day, so it is worth asking the room count before you book.
What the rules require
- Weekly rest is 45 continuous hours, reducible to 24 h every second week
Fátima, Notre-Dame and other day journeys
Fátima lies about 130 km from Lisbon, usually 1.25-1.5 hours by road, a comfortable day in a coach or minibus. Paris saw Notre-Dame reopen in December 2024, and Sacré-Cœur stands in the 18th arrondissement. In Budapest, St Stephen's Basilica is the largest church in the city, and Matthias Church is in the Castle District, where coaches need a BABU permit.
Tell us which services or masses you plan to attend, so pickups can be timed around them rather than cutting them short.
Multi-country pilgrimages and the 12-day rule
Longer pilgrimages often cross several borders. A driver's weekly rest is 45 hours in one block, reducible to 24 hours every other week, and on a single international occasional service a driver may use the 12-day rule to postpone weekly rest. That flexibility is what lets many groups keep the same driver for a long tour, and the operator plans the schedule around it.
Questions
Can a coach take us to St Peter's?
Coach access to the Vatican area is quota-limited, so book early and the operator will arrange the permit.
How far is Fátima from Lisbon?
About 130 km, usually 1.25-1.5 hours by road.
Can we keep one driver for a two-week pilgrimage?
Often yes. The 12-day rule and the weekly rest rules allow it on a single international service, planned by the operator.
Can we visit Matthias Church in Budapest by coach?
It is in the Castle District, where coaches need a BABU permit and may stop for 15 minutes to set down or pick up.
Cities
Vehicles
- Full-size coach — 49-57 seats
- Midi coach — 29-35 seats
- Minibus — 16-19 seats
- Executive van (Mercedes V-Class / Sprinter class) — up to 8 seats
- Executive car (E-Class sedan class) — 1-3 seats
- Wheelchair-accessible minibus — 10-16 plus wheelchair spaces seats
Planning a pilgrimage?
Send us your itinerary and group size and we will look for a licensed partner operator who suits your journey.
Request a quote or call 442046529800