“How many seats do I actually need” is a more common question than it should be, mostly because most booking pages just say “maxi taxi” without saying what that means in practice. A 7-seater and a 13-seater are genuinely different vehicles with different luggage space, and booking the wrong one means either paying for room you don’t use or turning up to find your group doesn’t fit. Here’s the plain version.
The quick guide
- 7 seater – Best for a family of five or six with normal luggage, or a group of six travelling light. This is the most commonly booked size for airport runs and everyday group trips.
- 8 seater – One or two extra people over a 7-seater without stepping up to a full-size van. Good middle ground for a family plus a couple of extra passengers, or a small group with a moderate amount of luggage.
- 10 seater – Suited to a larger family group, a work team heading to the same event, or a group with more luggage than passenger count alone would suggest (think: cruise terminal pickups, where two suitcases per person is normal, not the exception).
- 13 seater – The largest option, for full group bookings : sports teams, wedding parties, larger family gatherings, or any group of nine or more who’d otherwise need to split across two separate cars.
Why the seat count isn’t the only number that matters
Passenger count tells you who fits. It doesn’t tell you what fits with them. A 7-seater technically seats seven people, but seven people each with a full suitcase for an international flight is a different vehicle requirement than seven people heading to a day trip with backpacks. When you book, the honest move is to mention the luggage, not just the headcount – a group transfer booking that accounts for bags upfront means nobody’s standing at the curb realising the boot won’t close.
This matters most for airport transfers, where luggage volume is usually higher than a casual day-trip booking, and for cruise pickups, where arriving or departing passengers often have significantly more baggage than a typical group outing.
One vehicle vs splitting the group
The actual reason people search for maxi taxi sizing in the first place is usually this: a standard taxi or a regular Uber caps out at four passengers, and a group of six, eight or ten either needs multiple cars or a vehicle built for the group size. Splitting a group across two cars means two fares, two pickup times, and someone always arriving separately from the rest of the party. Booking the right size the first time solves that in one trip – whether that’s a wheelchair accessible vehicle with the right configuration for a mobility aid, or a straightforward 13-seater for a full group heading to the same Perth Airport flight.
What’s the difference between a 7 seater and a 13 seater maxi taxi?
A 7-seater comfortably fits a family or small group with normal luggage. A 13-seater is built for full group bookings – nine or more passengers, or a smaller group with a large amount of luggage – so you’re not splitting across two cars.
How many people fit in a maxi taxi with luggage?
It depends on luggage volume as much as passenger count. A 7-seater fits 5–6 passengers comfortably with standard bags; heavier luggage (a cruise trip or an international flight) usually means stepping up a size even with the same number of passengers.
Do I need to specify the number of passengers when booking?
Yes – mention both passenger count and roughly how much luggage you’re bringing, so the right vehicle size is booked the first time rather than discovering a mismatch on the day.
Is a bigger maxi taxi more expensive per person, or overall?
Fares are quoted per trip, not per seat, so a larger group in one bigger vehicle is typically cheaper overall than splitting the same group across two smaller cars.
Can a maxi taxi fit a pram or wheelchair as well as passengers?
Yes, this can be arranged at booking – for wheelchair-specific transport see the wheelchair accessible transport page, and mention prams or baby capsules when you book so the right vehicle and equipment are ready.
