How is a transfer price set? Six criteria when choosing a sedan, minivan or minibus

There are a few reasons you receive different prices from different companies for the same route. A transparent price structure spells those reasons out. Six criteria help you compare quotes correctly.

1. Distance and time

The basis of the price is kilometres and approximate journey time. The difference between a 45 km route such as Istanbul Airport – Taksim and a 125 km route such as Antalya – Alanya is naturally high because of both fuel and chauffeur time.

2. Vehicle class

The sedan is the base price with a factor of 1.0. A luxury sedan is multiplied by 1.4, a VIP minivan by 1.5, a VIP minibus by 2.1 and a midibus by 3.0. If your party is close to a minivan's capacity, check your luggage before moving up to a minibus.

3. Time of day

Transfers between 22:00 and 06:00 carry a 15% surcharge because of chauffeur and operations costs. In holiday periods and peak tourism weeks some companies add a surcharge; a company giving a fixed price should state this at booking.

4. Waiting

The waiting time included in the price is very important. At airport meet and greet, 60 minutes free from the landing time is a good standard; anything less can lead to extra charges with delayed baggage reclaim.

5. Included costs

Are bridge, motorway, airport parking and VAT included or excluded? In many quotes these items are listed as "payable by the passenger", adding 10-20% to the total. In our prices these items are included.

6. Extra services

The costs of services such as child seats, extra stops, name boards and pram carrying should be written up front. In our calculator a child seat is 150 TRY and an extra stop 400 TRY.

A worked example

Istanbul Airport – Taksim, VIP minivan, return trip without a night leg: 2,150 × 1.5 = 3,225 TRY one way; for the return 3,225 × 1.85 = 5,966 TRY. With six passengers that is about 994 TRY per person.

Compare rather than haggle

Instead of haggling over transfer prices, it is healthier to put two or three quotes with the same items side by side. Check whether the quote states the vehicle class, passenger and luggage capacity, waiting time, bridge, motorway and VAT status, payment plan and cancellation terms. If one of these six headings is missing, a cheap-looking quote can become expensive later.

Return trips and package advantages

On return bookings we apply a 7.5% discount on the total. For corporate customers, books of 10, 25 and 50 reduce the per-coupon price from 2,100 TRY down to 1,840 TRY. If you travel often, a coupon package saves up to 14% compared with individual bookings.

Final checklist

• Is the price in lira or foreign currency, and when is the rate fixed?
• Are the chauffeur's name, plate and phone number shared?
• Do you receive a written confirmation and e-invoice after booking?