Turlago - First-Time Private Transfer? A Step-by-Step Airport Guide

Booking a private transfer looks almost too simple: a car shows up, you get in, you get out at your hotel. Then the questions start. What happens if my flight is delayed? Where exactly does the driver wait for me? Will my suitcases fit? Is the motorway toll included, or will I be asked for extra cash at the end? Should I tip?

This guide follows one real journey from beginning to end — deciding whether a transfer is worth it, filling in the booking form, walking out of arrivals, and stepping into the hotel lobby. No prior experience assumed. If you want to see what vehicle categories actually look like before you book, you can browse the VIP car rental service on Turlago.

The vocabulary you will meet on every booking page

Most confusion around private transfers is not about money. It is about words. Booking sites use a handful of terms that change what you actually get, so a five-minute glossary saves a lot of guessing.

Private transfer: The vehicle is reserved for you and your travel companions only. A shared shuttle may stop at several hotels and wait for other passengers; a private transfer goes directly from your pickup point to your drop-off point.
Meet and greet: The driver waits inside the terminal holding a sign with your name. Without meet and greet, you usually meet the driver at a designated spot outside, such as a car park or a specific kerb.
Flight tracking: The operator monitors your flight number in real time, so the driver arrives according to the actual landing time rather than the scheduled one. This is the single most useful feature for first-timers.
Free waiting time: The window you are given after landing to clear passport control and collect baggage. Going over it may trigger an hourly charge.
One-way vs. return: A one-way covers a single journey. A return books both directions at once; you normally supply the return flight number separately.
Hourly hire (chauffeur service): The car and driver stay at your disposal for a set number of hours within an area. Useful when you have several stops in one day rather than one destination.
Intercity transfer: A long-distance, fixed-price journey between two cities, with different planning needs from a short airport run.
Door to door: Both pickup and drop-off are defined by a full address, not just a city or an airport name.
Extras: Tolls, bridges, parking, night surcharge, child seats, extra stops. These are what make two apparently similar quotes very different.
Name board: The printed sign with your name. It sounds trivial until you are standing in a crowded arrivals hall.

Step 0: decide whether a private transfer is actually right for you

There is no universal answer here. Getting from an airport to a hotel has four realistic options, and each one suits a different kind of traveller. Ask yourself: how many of us are there, how much luggage, does the flight land at night, is the address central or remote, and is this my first time in the city?

Public transport: Cheapest by far. The trade-off is hauling suitcases through stairs and transfers, navigating an unfamiliar network, and coping with reduced service late at night.
Taxi: Available at the kerb, flexible, no booking. But the meter runs in traffic, luggage and tolls can be added, and the airport queue can eat twenty minutes before you even sit down. You rarely know the total in advance.
Car rental: Sensible if you need a vehicle for several days. For a single airport-to-hotel hop it adds parking, deposits, traffic rules and unfamiliar driving on the wrong side of the road.
Private transfer: Fixed price, door to door, driver included, no queue. The advantage grows sharply with late arrivals, children, large groups, bulky sports equipment and business travel.

In short, a private transfer trades money for time and calm. If arriving stressed on day one of a holiday bothers you more than the price difference, it usually earns its cost.

Image note (alt text suggestion): Private transfer car waiting outside an airport terminal with a luggage trolley beside it.

Step 1: write down the route before you open the booking form

Three pieces of information should already be on paper before you start: where you are collected, where you are dropped off, and at what time. It sounds obvious, and yet this is where most problems begin.

Pickup: the airport name alone is not enough

Large cities often have more than one airport, and major airports often have separate domestic and international terminals that are not walkable from one another. Always give the airport and the terminal. Better still, add your flight number so the operator can track the arrival and position the driver at the right exit.

Drop-off: the hotel name may be ambiguous

Hotel chains frequently reuse names across a city, and main entrances sometimes sit on a side street. Give the full address and, if you are staying in a private apartment, the building number and floor. Small details save large detours.

Time: the landing time, not the departure time

This is the classic first-timer error. For an arrival transfer, you enter the time your flight lands. For a return transfer, the pickup time is calculated backwards from departure, allowing for the drive, check-in and security. If you supply the correct flight number, the operator does that maths for you.

Step 2: count people and count bags separately

Seats and luggage space are two different limits, and luggage is often the one that catches people out. Four travellers fit comfortably in a standard sedan — until those same four people arrive with two large suitcases, two cabin bags and a folded stroller.

Passengers: Children occupy seats too. Even an infant on a lap affects the legal and safety configuration, so state the real number.
Luggage: List large cases, cabin bags and strollers separately. Cabin bags are often excluded from headline luggage counts, but the driver still needs to know.
Oversized equipment: Skis, snowboards, bicycles, surfboards, golf bags, wheelchairs, musical instruments. These typically require a larger vehicle class or an extra fee.
Child seats and boosters: Request them at the time of booking. Last-minute requests are not always possible.

When this information is accurate, the vehicle class is selected correctly, nothing surprising happens at the kerb, and you avoid paying for an on-the-spot upgrade.

Step 3: choose a vehicle class that matches the trip, not the brochure

Vehicle classes describe comfort and capacity, not a specific badge. For a first booking, four broad tiers cover almost everything.

Economy / standard: One or two passengers with normal luggage on a short city transfer. Budget-focused and perfectly adequate.
Comfort: More cabin space and a larger boot, air conditioning, well-maintained vehicles. The natural choice for families and two-to-three suitcase trips.
VIP: Higher-grade vehicles, a more personal welcome and generous luggage capacity. Common for business travel, special occasions and hosting guests.
Minibus and group vehicles: Six or more passengers, extended families, friend groups and team transfers. Luggage capacity must be planned alongside headcount.

To compare categories side by side and see what each one includes, review the VIP car rental service on Turlago before you commit to a class.

Step 4: the eight fields on the booking form that actually matter

Pickup date and time: Always in local time. If you are flying in from another time zone, do not convert it yourself.
Flight number: The key to flight tracking, delay handling and gate changes.
Terminal: Essential where domestic and international arrivals are in separate buildings.
Passenger count, including children and their ages: Ages determine which seat type is required.
Luggage count and type: Cases, strollers and sports gear listed separately.
A reachable phone number: If you are using a foreign SIM, ask whether the operator can communicate via a messaging app instead.
Name for the board: Spell it exactly as you want it printed, and note any difference from your passport name.
Special requests: Child seat, extra stop, meet inside the terminal, pickup from an apartment door rather than a hotel lobby.

Fill these in properly and almost every uncertainty at the airport disappears before you travel.

Step 5: understand what the price covers — and what it does not

Two quotes rarely differ because one company is greedy. They differ because the inclusions are different. A cheap-looking quote may exclude tolls, parking and night charges; a more expensive one may bundle meet and greet, waiting time and all road fees into a single number.

Typically included: Vehicle, fuel, driver, insurance, standard waiting time, airport meet and greet, name board.
Typically excluded: Motorway and bridge tolls, parking, night surcharge, extra stops, child seats, ski or bike carriage, extended waiting.
Tipping: Optional, not obligatory. Given directly to the driver if the service deserved it.
Currency and payment method: Prepaid online, paid in the car, card or cash. Confirm before booking, not after.

When comparing two offers, ask one question: what is inside this price, and when would an extra charge appear? The answer tells you which quote is genuinely cheaper.

Step 6: three things to do after the confirmation email

Save the voucher offline. It should show the date, time, flight number, meeting point and an emergency contact. Keep it accessible without airport Wi-Fi.
Learn the meeting point. Inside the terminal, at the exit door, or in the car park? Knowing this in advance prevents a lot of unnecessary walking with luggage.
Send a short confirmation message 24 to 48 hours before travel. Restate your flight number and arrival time, especially if your schedule changed.

Step 7: the first thirty minutes at the airport, minute by minute

This is the part first-timers worry about most. Here is the sequence as it usually happens.

The plane lands. Flight tracking means the driver is not standing around hours early, and is not late either.
Passport control and baggage. This is on you, and it is where most of the waiting time is spent. Free waiting windows are usually set with baggage delivery in mind.
Walking into arrivals. Head for the exit where arriving passengers emerge.
Finding the driver. With meet and greet, the driver stands just outside the exit with your name on a board. If you cannot spot the board, do not panic — call or message the number on your voucher.
Loading luggage. The driver handles the cases. Keep valuables, passports and laptops with you rather than in the boot.
Checking the vehicle. Match the plate and vehicle description against your voucher. This one check removes any risk of getting into the wrong car.
Confirming the destination. Repeat the address once more, particularly in cities where similar hotel names exist.
Seatbelts on and departure. Factor traffic into your expectations for arrival time.

Without meet and greet, the flow is slightly different: the driver waits at an agreed point outside, often a car park or a specific kerb. In that case, having the meeting instructions saved offline is essential.

Image note (alt text suggestion): Driver holding a name board at an airport arrivals exit.

Step 8: what to expect during the drive

A clean, well-presented vehicle with working air conditioning and seatbelts is the baseline of the service.
Passenger insurance should cover the vehicle; ask about the scope if it matters to you.
The right to a quiet journey. Drivers do not need to chat, and asking to rest is completely normal.
Breaks on long routes. Mention in advance if you want a stop; on intercity transfers, break time is sometimes added to the total journey time.
Cabin temperature is set for your comfort — say so if you want it changed.

Step 9: arrival, payment and closing the loop

Correct door: Confirm you are at the main entrance, the right building number or the right terminal exit.
Final luggage check: Chargers, glasses and cabin bags are the most commonly forgotten items.
Payment: Use the method agreed at booking, and keep the receipt if you paid in advance.
Invoice: Request one on the spot if you are travelling for business; getting it later is rarely simple.
Review: A two-line review helps the next first-timer decide.

The ten mistakes first-time transfer users make

Entering the departure time instead of the landing time.
Leaving the terminal field blank and waiting at the wrong exit.
Under-reporting luggage and booking a vehicle that is too small.
Omitting the flight number and losing contact during a delay.
Assuming meet and greet is included when the service is actually point-to-point.
Not asking whether tolls, parking and night charges are inside the price.
Trying to add a child seat after booking rather than during it.
Travelling without knowing the meeting point.
Keeping the voucher only in an email inbox with no offline access.
Putting valuables in the boot instead of keeping them in the cabin.

Special situations worth planning for

My flight is delayed

With a flight number supplied, the operator re-plans around the actual landing time. For long delays, a quick message still helps. Check in advance that the company has a contact channel that stays open late at night.

Late-night arrivals

Public transport thins out and taxis become harder to find, which is exactly when a pre-booked transfer earns its keep. Confirm whether a night surcharge applies and whether your accommodation has a staffed reception at that hour.

Travelling with children

Request the child seat or booster at booking, reserve boot space for the stroller, and ask about breaks on longer journeys. Those three points make a family transfer noticeably calmer.

Reduced mobility

Clarify wheelchair capacity, ramp or step access, and whether assistance inside the terminal is needed. Airport special assistance and the transfer service complement each other — plan them together rather than separately.

Skis, bikes and boards

These do not fit standard luggage assumptions. Choose a class with the right carrying capacity, give dimensions, and book early in winter, when ski transfers are in heaviest demand.

Larger groups

Plan luggage distribution, not just headcount. Eight people travel far more cheaply and cohesively in one minibus than in two cars — provided the bags genuinely fit.

Hotel transfers, intercity transfers and hourly hire are not the same product

A hotel transfer is a short city journey: fixed price, duration determined by traffic. An intercity transfer is long-distance and needs different planning — break points, motorway and bridge fees, total duration, sometimes a driver change. Hourly hire is different again, because you are buying time rather than distance: the car stays with you while you move between several places. Pick the model from your itinerary, not from the price list. One destination means point-to-point; a day of appointments or viewings means hourly.

Safety, insurance and the paperwork behind the service

The vehicle should be licensed for commercial passenger transport.
The driver should hold a valid licence and professional competence certificate.
Passenger insurance should be in force for the vehicle.
Safety equipment on board should be regularly checked.
The operator should provide a reachable emergency line.

You do not need to interrogate anyone about these points. You do need to book through a platform that verifies them, because the cheapest unverified offer is where the real risk sits.

Quick answers to the last questions people ask

What if the driver is late?

Call or message the number on your voucher first. A few minutes of delay at an airport is usually traffic. Re-confirming that you are standing at the correct meeting point solves more cases than waiting does.

When do I pay?

It depends on the booking terms. Some fares are prepaid, others are settled in the vehicle. The confirmation states which; if it does not, ask before you travel.

Can I add a stop during the journey?

Usually yes, but it needs to be agreed in advance. Extra stops can change both the route and the price, and unplanned additions may void a fixed fare.

What are the cancellation terms?

They vary by provider. Check whether free cancellation applies up to a certain number of hours before pickup — that flexibility matters when flights change.

Shared shuttles are cheaper. Why choose private?

Shared shuttles may wait for other passengers and stop at multiple hotels along the way. If your time is tight, you arrive at night, or you are travelling with children, the difference is felt immediately.

What if my luggage goes missing?

It depends on the waiting time included in your booking. Tell the driver as soon as you know, rather than after the window has passed; most operators will find a solution within reason, though long waits may be chargeable.

Summary: six things that make a first transfer go smoothly

The whole process reduces to six actions. Confirm the route and the terminal. State passengers and luggage accurately. Choose the vehicle class by need, not by price alone. Add your flight number. Ask what the price includes. Learn the meeting point before you fly. Do those six things and the only thing waiting for you after baggage reclaim is a name board and a planned journey.

If you want to compare vehicle categories and service inclusions before booking, explore the VIP car rental service on Turlago and match the option to your itinerary. A good transfer is the least memorable part of a holiday — and precisely for that reason, it deserves to be planned properly.