Getting your colleagues there and home again
Whether it's a team away day in Kerry or two days of sessions in the Docklands, people remember how easy it was to arrive and to leave. Here's how to get that part right.
Match the vehicle to your team
For a department of fifteen, a minibus is often all you need. It collects from the office door, and nobody has to drive home after the dinner. Once you pass about 19 people, a midi coach with 29 to 35 seats keeps everyone together, and a full-size coach takes a whole company.
Two minibuses can beat one coach when colleagues start from different offices.
Arriving at a city venue
The Convention Centre Dublin at Spencer Dock seats 2,000 in its auditorium, so a crowd leaves the closing session together. Ask the venue where vehicles may pull in, and stagger the return runs.
In Dublin's centre, on-street coach bays are for parking, not boarding. Your group gets on and off at a signed coach stop, and a vehicle with hours to spare between runs can wait at the NTA Docklands Coach Park off North Wall Quay. The quays bus gates on Bachelors Walk and Aston Quay operate from 07:00 to 19:00, and College Green's never switches off, so hotel loops need realistic routes.
Rules worth knowing
- A break of at least 45 min is required after 4.5 h driving, splittable 15 + 30 min
When breakfast meets the gala dinner
EU limits on driving time apply in Ireland: 9 hours on most days, 10 on no more than two days in a week, and a 45-minute pause once four and a half hours are done. A 07:30 pickup and a 00:30 return can be more than one driver's day, so share the full timetable and the operator can plan a second driver for the evening.
Away days beyond Dublin
Killarney's Gleneagle INEC Arena sits roughly 1 km out of town along the Kenmare road, and a boat trip on Lough Leane from Ross Castle makes an easy afternoon. Galway Racecourse at Ballybrit hosts conferences in its grandstand, and SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh in Cork has event space too.
Questions
Can people leave the staff party at different times?
Yes, with a little planning. Book two or three return runs instead of one, and give the times up front so the driver's hours cover the last one.
What checks should a company bus have passed?
A bus with more than 8 passenger seats has to pass the yearly CVRT roadworthiness test once it is over a year old. You're welcome to ask the operator to confirm that in writing.
When do we need final numbers?
A rough headcount is enough to get a quote. Firm it up when registration closes; stepping up from a minibus to a midi coach is simpler with a bit of notice.
Cities
Vehicles
- Full-size coach — 49-57 seats
- Midi coach — 29-35 seats
- Minibus — 16-19 seats
- Executive van (Mercedes V-Class / Sprinter class) — 7-8 seats
- Executive car (E-Class saloon class) — 1-3 seats
- Wheelchair-accessible minibus — 10-16 plus wheelchair spaces seats
Tell us about your event
Share the venue, hotels, session times and a rough headcount. A licensed, insured partner operator will quote a vehicle and driver, and the decision is yours.
Request a quote or call 35312659159