A van to the mountains for a group: luggage and gear in one go

A van to the mountains for a group mainly solves the luggage

You can't travel light to the mountains. Backpacks, gear, supplies for a week, board games, a guitar and usually something to cook with too. When a group of eight people goes, there's so much that the luggage fills a whole vehicle. A van to the mountains for a group takes everyone's things at once and the rest of the crew travels in comfort.

How many people it carries

A van is first and foremost a goods vehicle. The number of seats in the cab varies by model, and you'll find it listed for each van in our fleet. A tried-and-tested approach is one van for the luggage and part of the group, and a second car for the rest of the people.

Meet in one place

You can leave your own car parked at the location free of charge for the duration of the rental. So the group meets in one place, transfers the things and sets off together. When you get back, everyone picks up their car where they left it.

What fits besides backpacks

A van can also take what you'd otherwise leave at home. Sledges, bobsleds, cross-country skis, a big goulash pot or supplies for the whole week. Depending on the model, the payload ranges from roughly 1 100 to 1 450 kilograms, and a group's luggage won't use it up — the limit is the volume.

Split the cost in advance

Agree how you'll share the cost of the rental. Payment is online by card only and we don't accept cash, so one person books and pays for the van on behalf of everyone. Sort it out before you leave, not at the cabin.

Agreements within the group

Agree in advance who's driving. Only the person named in the contract may drive. If you want to take turns on the way, the second driver must be reported and added to the contract in advance, not during the journey.

Check the type of gearbox. All the vans run on diesel and have a manual gearbox, so you can't drive them with a driving licence restricted to automatics. With a group, it's worth clearing this up before you start dividing up roles.

For pick-up you need two valid proofs of identity, one of which is a category B driving licence. There's no deposit and nothing is blocked on your card; payment is online by card only.

Mileage within the Czech Republic is unlimited and the motorway vignette is included in the price. So in terms of kilometres, the Krkonoše, the Jeseníky and the Šumava are all the same trip. The vehicles are driven exclusively within the Czech Republic.

Load up and set off

Split the luggage by arrival

Load last the things you'll need as soon as you arrive. Food for the first dinner, slippers and toiletries. Backpacks that won't be opened until the morning go at the front, against the bulkhead.

Secure the load

Even soft backpacks start moving when you brake hard. Strap them to the side wall or wedge them so they have nowhere to slide. Carry bottles and glass in crates, not loose on the floor.

Winter gear and wet things

Snowy things melt and the water stays in the cargo area. Cover the floor with a tarpaulin and carry wet clothes in bags. The van is returned in the condition in which you picked it up.

Driving into the hills

Drive with a safety margin

A loaded van takes longer to brake and accelerates less well. Increase your following distance and don't expect to overtake the way you would in a car. Slow down earlier for bends — the load shifts around in the cargo area.

Downhill, brake with the engine

A long descent from the mountains on the brakes alone is a bad idea. Select a lower gear and let the engine slow the van down. A manual gearbox gives you more control here than an automatic.

Parking at the cabin

Check in advance where you can drive with a taller vehicle. Access roads to mountain cabins tend to be narrow, narrowed further by snow in winter and with no room to turn around. Low shelters and gates are the most common cause of a scraped roof.

Guitar, laptop and fragile things

Carry fragile items in the cab, not in the back. A guitar in a soft case between the backpacks doesn't stand a chance. If it has to go in the back, lay it on top of soft things and make sure nothing can slide onto it.

Breaks on a long journey

Driving a taller vehicle is more tiring than driving a car. Take a break roughly every two hours and choose rest areas where you can park without reversing between cars. If the drivers take turns, both must be named in the contract.

The return

The van is returned with a full tank to the same location. Fill up on the way down from the mountains. We operate non-stop, so you can return the van even on a Sunday night. You'll find other customers' experiences in the reviews section.