FLF Minivan taxi
Minivan taxi for 1 to 8 passengers: pre-booking, fixed price and accessible vehicles
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and Volkswagen Crafter minivan taxis for eight passengers and their luggage. Every minivan we run is wheelchair-accessible, and group rides are priced in advance.
A minivan taxi is the right choice when there are more passengers than fit in an ordinary taxi, or when the group travels with a lot of luggage, a wheelchair or sports equipment. Our minivans carry eight passengers plus the driver, so one vehicle replaces two or three ordinary taxis. We serve Helsinki, Vantaa, Espoo, Lahti, Hämeenlinna, Hyvinkää, Riihimäki and Heinola and the routes between them, for example from Lahti to Helsinki-Vantaa Airport.
Our minivan fleet consists of the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, Volkswagen Crafter and Crafter VIP, plus the smaller Volkswagen Caddy Maxi. Each has a wheelchair space with a lift or ramp, so the same vehicle serves a passenger using a wheelchair as well as a work group with suitcases. Drivers are FLF employees, and a pre-booked ride is driven in the agreed vehicle at the agreed time.
The price of a minivan taxi depends on the distance, time of day, any waiting time and whether a return ride is needed. For pre-bookings we give the price in advance, and contract customers get fixed prices on regular routes. We do not publish a price list, because the same route costs a different amount on a weekday morning than on a Saturday night, but you usually get a quote the same working day with no obligation.
1+8
passengers per minivan
100 %
of our minivans wheelchair-accessible
60–90 min
Lahti to Helsinki-Vantaa
8
cities in our service area
What a minivan taxi is
A minivan taxi, in Finnish tilataksi, is a taxi that carries more passengers than an ordinary saloon, in practice five to eight, along with their luggage. In Finland these are usually passenger conversions of Sprinter- or Crafter-class vans with a high interior and a separate luggage compartment. Because there are at most eight passenger seats, the driver needs a taxi driver's licence and an ordinary car driving licence. That is also why 1+8 is the upper limit: larger vehicles count as buses and require a different licence and a different driver.
In British English you may also hear people carrier taxi or 8-seater taxi. If you are booking for visitors from abroad, those are the terms they are likely to use. With us a minivan taxi always means an accessible vehicle with a wheelchair space as standard.
What minivan taxis are used for
Groups to the airport
A family or travel party with luggage in one vehicle to Helsinki-Vantaa. One departure time, one price, no splitting bags between two taxis.
Work groups
A team travelling to a client meeting, training or team day. The conversation continues on the way and everyone arrives together.
Celebrations
Wedding guests from the church to the venue, a birthday party to the restaurant and back. The driver can wait or return at an agreed time.
Sports clubs
A team or coaching group to a match, tournament or camp with their kit. Stick bags and holdalls fit in the luggage compartment.
A wheelchair user in the party
When one member of the group uses a wheelchair, everyone travels in the same vehicle. Every minivan we run has a lift or ramp.
Lots of luggage
Trade-fair stand materials, instruments, sports equipment or a few moving boxes: a minivan holds more than an estate car.
Pre-booking and fixed price
A pre-booked minivan taxi is priced in advance. This is what the price is made of.
- Distance: the route between pick-up and destination is the biggest single factor. On long routes such as Lahti to the airport the price is given as a total.
- Time: a weekday ride and a Saturday-night ride are priced differently. State the time in your quote request.
- Waiting: if the driver waits during an event or a meeting, the waiting time is agreed and priced separately.
- Return: a return trip in the same vehicle is often cheaper than two separate rides, because the vehicle and driver are already on the route.
- Contract customers: regular routes get a fixed price that does not change with the time of day, invoiced monthly.
Minivan fleet
Every minivan we run has a wheelchair space that meets Traficom's accessibility requirements.
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
Our roomiest vehicle: eight passengers, high interior and a large luggage compartment. Ideal for airport runs and long routes.
Volkswagen Crafter
Eight passengers and a wheelchair space with a lift. Our most common minivan for groups and contract rides.
Volkswagen Crafter VIP
Same size, fitted out for executive use: more comfortable seats and a quieter cabin for guests and delegations.
Volkswagen Caddy Maxi
A smaller accessible vehicle for fewer passengers with a wheelchair on board. Easy to manoeuvre in tight yards.
Minivan taxi in each city
In Helsinki, Vantaa and Espoo minivans are mostly used for airport, harbour and event rides: Helsinki-Vantaa Airport and Aviapolis, the West Harbour and Vuosaari Harbour, and Messukeskus in Pasila. Our Helsinki office is in Malmi on Ormuspellontie, where rides in the capital region start. In the capital region a minivan can often be found at short notice, but a group ride is still best booked ahead so the vehicle is the right size.
In Lahti our minivans depart from the Asentajankatu office. Typical destinations are the Matkakeskus travel centre, Sibelius Hall, Isku Areena and the Sports Centre, where many groups travel during the Salpausselkä Games. From Lahti to Helsinki-Vantaa the trip is about 110 km and takes 60 to 90 minutes. From Heinola we drive towards Vierumäki and to the airport, which takes about 1 hour 45 minutes.
In Hämeenlinna the minivan takes you to Verkatehdas, Aulanko and the railway station, and to the airport about 100 km away. From Hyvinkää the airport is only about 45 km and from Riihimäki about 60 km, so groups from these towns reach the airport in under an hour. Each city has its own page with more detail on local routes.
Larger groups in several vehicles
We do not run minibuses for more than eight passengers. For groups of 9 to 24 we use two or three minivans leaving at the same time from the same place. In practice this often works better than one big vehicle: the group can split between, say, the hotel and the office, return rides can be staggered, and one of the vehicles always has a wheelchair space. Charter transport, where the driver is at your disposal for a whole day, has its own page.
How to book a minivan taxi
- 01
Tell us the journey
Pick-up address, destination, date and time. For airport rides also the flight number, so we can track changes.
- 02
Tell us passengers and luggage
Headcount, number of suitcases, wheelchair or other aids. This is how we choose the right size of vehicle.
- 03
Receive the price
We usually reply with a quote the same working day. The price is a total and does not change unless the journey does.
- 04
Confirm and travel
You confirm the booking, and the driver is at the agreed place at the agreed time. Pay by card, cash or, as a contract customer, by invoice.
Pricing
A minivan taxi's price depends on distance, time, waiting and any return ride. Pre-bookings get a price in advance; contract customers get fixed route prices.
Route price
A total price for one journey, for example Lahti to the airport. Agreed at the time of pre-booking.
Return trip
The same vehicle takes you and picks you up. Waiting or return time is agreed separately, the price is given as one sum.
Contract price
For companies and organisations with recurring group rides. Fixed prices on regular routes and monthly invoicing.
Ask for a minivan taxi price
Tell us the route, time and headcount and you will usually have a price the same working day. No obligation.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a minivan taxi cost?
The price depends on distance, time of day, any waiting and whether you need a return ride, so there is no single figure. For pre-bookings we give a total price in advance, and it does not change during the journey. For a group of eight a minivan is almost always cheaper than two or three ordinary taxis. Request a quote to compare with real numbers.
How many passengers fit in a minivan taxi?
Our minivans carry eight passengers in addition to the driver, each with their own seat and seat belt. If one passenger uses a wheelchair, they travel in their own wheelchair in the dedicated space, leaving seven seats for the others. Groups larger than eight travel in two or three minivans leaving at the same time.
What does pre-booking cost and how early should I book?
The pre-booking price is given as a total in the quote, so any extras are visible in advance. Book a minivan at least the day before so a vehicle of the right size is certainly free; around public holidays, the Salpausselkä Games and major events, preferably a week ahead. It is always worth asking for the same day, as vehicles are often available.
Will suitcases and a wheelchair fit?
Yes. The Sprinter and Crafter luggage compartments take eight passengers' suitcases, and there is a dedicated wheelchair space with a lift or ramp and restraints. A powered wheelchair fits when you give us its dimensions and weight at booking. Also mention large items such as skis or golf bags so we reserve the right vehicle.
Can I pay by invoice?
Invoicing is available to companies and organisations under an invoicing agreement; a single ride can be paid by card or cash in the vehicle. Contract customers' rides go on a monthly invoice itemised by cost centre. If a club or association books a one-off group ride, we agree the payment method with the quote.
What is tilataksi in English?
Tilataksi translates as minivan taxi or large taxi, in Britain also people carrier taxi or 8-seater taxi. There is no exact equivalent, because large taxis are less common in other countries than in Finland. If a visitor from abroad books the ride themselves, they should mention the number of passengers so the right vehicle is sent.
Can I get a minivan taxi from Lahti to Helsinki?
Yes. Lahti to Helsinki is one of our most common minivan routes, both to the city centre and to Helsinki-Vantaa Airport. The trip to the airport is about 110 km and takes 60 to 90 minutes depending on traffic. A return trip can be arranged in the same vehicle, and contract customers get a fixed price on the route.
Book a minivan taxi for your group
Tell us the route, date and headcount and you will usually have a price the same working day.