In China’s tier-one cities, anyone who has handled business receptions has probably run into situations like these:
It’s “just an airport pickup”, yet quotes range anywhere from 200 to 800 RMB;
The boss has six client visits in one day, and the admin assistant ends up tortured by “traffic delay charges + overtime fees”;
On the day of an event, drivers can’t find the right entrance, guest lists don’t match, and several VIPs arrive late;
An expatriate executive arrives with their spouse, child, and several large suitcases, but a sedan was arranged and the luggage simply doesn’t fit.
Why is there such a huge difference when it’s all just “car service”?
The reason is simple: different service modes come with completely different service logic and risk profiles.
This article looks at things from an industry perspective and explains the five main business car service modes in one go, so that when you choose a provider, look at quotes, or plan a trip, you really know what you’re doing.
1. The 5 Main Modes of Business Car Service
(The source of almost all price differences)
No matter how complex your itinerary is, virtually all business car usage can be categorized into the following five modes:
01｜Point-to-Point Transfer
This is the most common and seemingly simplest mode – but it’s also where the most hidden details lie.
Typical scenarios:
Airport pickup / drop-off
Railway station transfers
Sending guests from the venue back to the hotel after a meeting or event
Short transfers from high-speed rail stations
One-way intercity transfers (e.g., Shanghai → Suzhou)
Characteristics:
Clear starting and ending points
Time and distance are reasonably predictable
Waiting time is the key variable (especially with flight delays)
Best suited for:
Corporate admin teams handling routine guest reception
First-time visitors to China (especially foreign guests)
Business travelers who frequently go to and from airports / train stations
Common pitfalls:
Treating it like a random on-demand ride (e.g., calling a taxi or ride-hailing last minute)
Ignoring flight delays → resulting in significant waiting fees
Arranging a sedan when guests have lots of luggage → the trunk can’t hold it all
02｜Hourly Charter (Hourly / Disposal)
The best option when routes and times are uncertain.
Typical scenarios:
Visiting 4–6 clients in one day
Store or site inspections around the city
Full-day itineraries for expatriate executives
Multi-stop transfers during an event
Typical pricing structure:
4 hours / 50 km
8 hours / 100 km
(Standards may vary by about 20%–30% between providers.)
Why do companies love this mode?
Flexible routes that can be adjusted on the fly
Fewer disputes due to traffic jams or detours
Driver stays with the guests the whole time and won’t be reassigned to other jobs
Common pitfalls:
Only looking at the “starting price” instead of time + distance
Not clarifying overtime and extra mileage rules in advance
Using sedans for multiple people on a busy itinerary → cramped space and delays
Key takeaway:
Hourly charter isn’t “designed to be expensive” – it’s designed to avoid mistakes, avoid disputes, and avoid wasting time.
03｜Multi-Day Car Service (Multiday)
When you have long routes, multiple cities, or inspection tours, this is the most reliable option.
Typical scenarios:
Regional store/branch visits by a multinational’s China or APAC lead
(e.g., Shanghai → Hangzhou → Ningbo → Suzhou)M&A roadshows or due diligence trips
Multi-day business visits for foreign guests
Multi-city market research or brand activation fieldwork
Characteristics:
The driver accompanies the guests for several consecutive days
Driver accommodation, parking, and fuel must be arranged
Intercity routes require professional planning
For complex scenarios, there should be a day-by-day itinerary alignment
Why do companies choose this mode?
Saves time and mental energy – no need to re-book cars every single day
Driver becomes familiar with the itinerary → significantly lowers the risk of delays
Especially friendly for foreign guests, for whom stability is crucial
Common pitfall:
Assuming “booking cars day by day is cheaper”
(In reality, empty returns and repositioning between cities often make it more expensive and less stable.)
04｜Long-Term Chauffeur Service (Long-term Chauffeur Service)
This is the most stable mode and also one of the fastest-growing types of demand.
Typical scenarios:
Long-term car service for expatriate executives in China
Daily transport for owners / founders / family members
Dedicated vehicles for chairmen or board members
Daily use for high-net-worth families
Companies that don’t want to directly manage drivers and vehicles themselves
Characteristics:
Billed on a monthly or yearly basis
Car + driver are long-term paired
Many service details: privacy, boundaries, driver stability, family interaction, etc.
Often requires backup driver and backup vehicle mechanisms
Why is long-term chauffeur service one of the most “repeat-purchased” business services?
Vehicle depreciation + driver management are handled by the service provider
No need to coordinate cars and drivers every day
Service experience is stable → dramatically reduces the burden on admin / HR / family
Ideal for organizations or families with long-term, stable car usage needs
A truth many people overlook:
The real core of long-term chauffeur service is not the car, but:
Driver selection
Management and risk control
Backup / contingency plans
Service stability
These elements have a huge impact on both families and senior executives.
05｜Event & Conference Transport
(Events / PR / Luxury Events)
This is the mode where you absolutely cannot afford mistakes.
Typical scenarios:
Luxury brand launches
Brand PR events
Weddings / annual parties
Summits, forums, large conferences
Situations with multiple flights, multiple hotels, multiple VIPs, and multiple vehicle types
Why is this the hardest mode?
Because it’s not just “a few cars” – it’s essentially a small project:
Needs and requirements consolidation
Flight / hotel data reconciliation
Route planning
Entrance and drop-off point planning
Driver grouping and assignment
On-site dispatch and command
Backup vehicles
Exception handling
Last-minute changes management
What event organizers fear most isn’t the price, but:
VIPs arriving late
Entrances being blocked or jammed
Drivers not finding the correct entrance or waiting area
Last-minute additional guests with no cars available
On-site chaos
No backup plan when something goes wrong
In one sentence:
Event transport is a test of system capability, not the number of vehicles.
2. What Happens When You Choose the Wrong Service Mode?
(Real cases)
① Using “airport transfer” pricing for a multi-stop day → overtime charges explode
Common admin mistake:
Treating a multi-stop visit as if it were a simple point-to-point transfer.
Result: heavy traffic + boss decides to add extra stops →
The final overtime and extra charges end up higher than a proper hourly charter.
② Using ride-hailing on event day → late VIPs and on-site chaos
Ride-hailing platforms cannot provide unified dispatch and cannot guarantee backups.
Some events have been forced to start 40 minutes late because of this.
③ Assigning a sedan to a foreign family → luggage doesn’t fit, everyone is squeezed
2 adults + 1 child + 3 large 28" suitcases →
A typical sedan trunk is instantly overwhelmed, and the in-car experience suffers as well.
④ Booking separate cars day by day for multi-city store visits → more expensive than multi-day service
Because drivers often have to travel empty between cities to get to the next day’s starting point.
Result: higher total cost and lower stability compared to proper multi-day planning.
⑤ Choosing long-term chauffeur service based only on price → frequent driver changes, terrible experience
Long-term chauffeur service is absolutely not something you can buy purely on price.
Otherwise:
Driver changes frequently
Service style is inconsistent
Admin and family members are constantly frustrated
3. How to Choose the Right Mode for Each Scenario?
(A simple decision table)
Here’s a very practical “service mode decision table”:
| Usage Scenario | Best Mode | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Airport pickup / simple one-way transfer | Transfer | Distance and time are predictable |
| Multi-stop visits | Hourly | Routes are uncertain and plans may change |
| Multi-city store tours / field inspections | Multiday | Driver knows the full trip, intercity stable |
| Long-term stable use by bosses / executives / families | Long-term | Service stability matters more than unit price |
| Luxury events / PR / large conferences | Event | Needs systematic dispatch + backup mechanisms |
One picture is worth a thousand words:
The real question is not “Is it expensive or not?”, but “Is this mode appropriate for the scenario?”
4. Final Thoughts:
Understanding Service Modes Is the Foundation of Good Corporate Hospitality
Many people think “arranging a car” is the simplest part of reception.
In reality, the truly difficult part is ensuring that:
Nothing goes wrong
No disputes arise
No one’s time is wasted
VIPs feel respected and comfortable
Events don’t fall apart because of logistics
The company doesn’t lose face because of small operational mistakes
And all of this often comes down to one thing:
Did you choose the right business car service mode in the first place?