Driving-hour rules for coach groups in Europe

The limits in short

In the EU and in Switzerland a coach driver may:

• drive at most 9 hours in a day (10 hours on two days a week);
• take a 45-minute break after 4 hours 30 minutes of driving (it can be split into 15 + 30 minutes);
• have at least 11 hours of rest before the next working day, so a single driver's day ends about 13 hours after it starts;
• drive at most 56 hours in a week and 90 hours in two weeks.

What this means for your itinerary

Driving time is only part of the day. Waiting at sights, meal stops and loading luggage all count as working time. A day with 6 hours on the road and 7 hours of sightseeing can already reach the limit.

Routes such as Madrid to Lisbon (about 6 hours 30 minutes of driving) or Stockholm to Oslo (about 6 hours) fit one driver only if the rest of the day is short. Add long visits and the plan needs a second driver or an overnight stop.

Second driver or overnight stop?

A second driver lets the coach keep moving for a longer day and adds the driver's day rate and accommodation to the price. An overnight stop keeps one driver but adds a night on the road.

Our estimate adds a second driver automatically when the day you enter is longer than one driver may work, so the price you see already respects the rules.

Japan is different

In Japan the limits are set separately: a coach driver's working day is limited to 13 hours and long daytime runs by one driver are capped at about 500 km. The same principle applies — plan the day, not just the distance.