Coach transport regulations
Passenger transport by coach is governed by French Decree No. 85-891 of 16 August 1985 and European regulations. At LGD Paris, we scrupulously comply with these standards to ensure your safety. Here are the essential rules every traveler and organizer should know.
Maximum continuous driving time
Continuous driving must not exceed 4h30 during the day and 3 hours at night.
Beyond this, a mandatory 45-minute break must be observed. This break may be split into two periods: 15 minutes followed by 30 minutes.
What this means for you: On a Paris-Brussels journey (~3h30), your chauffeur can drive without interruption. For Paris-Amsterdam (~5h30), a stop will be scheduled after 4h30 of driving.
Daily driving time
The maximum daily driving time is 9 hours per day.
This duration may be extended to a maximum of 10 hours twice a week per driver.
What this means for you: For long-distance journeys (Spain, Italy, Portugal), we systematically plan a two-driver crew so that the drivers rotate without exceeding legal limits.
Daily rest
Daily rest must be at least 11 consecutive hours.
It may be reduced to 9 consecutive hours, up to 3 times between two weekly rest periods.
Rest may also be split: an initial period of at least 3 hours followed by a second of at least 9 hours.
Daily duty period
The maximum daily duty period is 12 hours for a single driver.
In exceptional cases and under strict regulatory conditions, it may be extended to 14 hours.
Beyond 14 hours, a second driver is mandatory. The duty period can then reach a maximum of 18 hours.
What this means for you: For a day excursion (departure 7 a.m., return 9 p.m. = 14-hour duty), one chauffeur is sufficient. For an overnight trip or an extended day, we assign two chauffeurs.
Weekly rest
After 6 consecutive working days, the driver must receive a weekly rest period.
Normal weekly rest is 45 consecutive hours.
It may be reduced to 24 hours once every two weeks, provided the missing time is compensated before the end of the third week.
A 45-hour rest period must be taken at least once every 15 days.
Legal reference
These rules are set out in French Decree No. 85-891 of 16 August 1985 relating to urban passenger transport and non-urban road passenger transport, and in Regulation (EC) No. 561/2006 of the European Parliament.
LGD Paris holds all the licenses required to operate passenger transport activities (APE code 4939B). Our chauffeurs hold a Category D license and the FIMO (Initial Compulsory Training) certification.