If you're tired of mining, exploring, and blasting apart pirates, there is a more laid-back career choice in Elite Dangerous: escorting passengers from place to place as a Liner. While this might not sound very exciting, there's a lot of credits to be made and you get to explore the universe of Elite Dangerous while you're at it.

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To get started, you're going to need a ship capable of carrying passengers. Every ship in Elite Dangerous has the capability to install a Passenger Cabin onboard, but some are better than others. Here's a comprehensive list of the best ships to start your space-taxi empire.

Updated June 5th, 2021 by Harry Alston: With the release of Elite Dangerous: Odyssey it makes sense there are more players jumping into the Milky Way. Playing the game as a sort of space coach driver is one of the most enjoyable ways to experience the game's expansive universe, and is a popular choice for newcomers.

Passenger ships come in all shapes and sizes in Elite Dangerous. While most ships can be fitted with passenger cabins, there are very specific ships that do the job better than most. This guide has been updated with extra ships, as well as some added details about each ship, to help you get started.

The Adder, Because You've Got To Start Somewhere

adder ship elite dangerous

The Adder is a small, robust, and reliable ship that probably most closely resembles what you'd expect of a space taxi. It's cheap at less than 100,000 credits, has space for 10 economy-class passengers, and is suitable for short-range ferrying missions.

You won't be transporting any VIP or important human cargo anywhere, but it's a good place to start. Passenger missions are a great way to start exploring the world of Elite Dangerous. You can scan planets along the way, get a better understanding of what's around you, and make some credits while you're at it.

Ship specifics:

  • Top speed of 255 m/s while at max upgrades
  • 2 Utility, 2 Small Hardpoints, and 1 Medium Hardpoint (more than capable of being kitted out for combat)
  • 32 lightyear jump range before engineering, more than suitable for passenger missions
  • A cargo capacity of 30 tonnes, not the biggest, but enough

Here's what a passenger-ready Adder build might look like:

  • Lightweight Alloy, Power Plant, Thrusters, FSD Drive, Life Support, Power Distribution (these are all the core internals of your ship)
  • 2 x 3E Economy Passenger Cabins and 1 x 2E Economy Passenger Cabins, enough room for 10 passengers
  • Shield Generator and Fuel Scoop, because your passengers don't like coming under attack, or getting stuck in the middle of space
  • Chaff Launcher and Heat Sink Launcher, because sometimes even taxis have to fight back

Anaconda, Massive Ship Great For Fast Trips

anaconda elite dangerous

The Anaconda is a serious upgrade on the Adder, it costs close to 150,000,000 credits, so it might take you a while to get there through just ferrying passengers. However, once you've got the credits, the Anaconda is a good choice for a Liner because of its size, speed, and defensive capabilities.

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With the right build, you can fit over 140 economy passengers on board and travel to destinations faster than the luxury Beluga. Plus, while you're out on these expeditions you get to experience one of the best parts of Elite Dangerous: the adventure. You can also carry first-class and business-class passengers for those extra credits.

Ship specifics:

  • Max speed of 209 m/s, one of the slower ships on the list due to its immense size
  • Jump range of 41 light-years with max upgrades
  • 470 tonnes of cargo capacity (massive!)
  • 8 Utility Mounts, 2 Small Hardpoints, 2 Medium Hardpoints, 3 Large Hardpoints, 1 Huge Hardpoint (yeah, this ship comes stacked with a lot of potential load-outs)

Here's a sample build:

  • Lightweight Alloy, Power Plant, Thrusters, FSD Drive, Life Support, Power Distribution (these are all the core internals of your ship)
  • 3 x 6C First Class Passenger Cabins and 3 x 5D Business Class Passenger Cabins
  • Shield Generator, DS Scanner (to impress your passengers), and a Field Maintenance Unit to keep the ship going at long distances
  • Heat Sink Launcher and Chaff Launcher for defensive capabilities

Dolphin, A Luxury Passenger Ship That Looks The Part

elite dangerous
(Via: YouTube)

The Dolphin is a fantastic entry-level passenger carrier, coming in at around one million credits. Though it has a reasonable asking price, its ability to fit Luxury Cabins onboard lets players have a chance at accepting some of the higher-rated passenger missions. You can make some serious credits with the Dolphin.

It has one slot for Luxury Cabins, though plenty of room for other passenger cabins. However, due to its relatively small size compared to some of the other passenger ships and its high jump-distance capability, the Dolphin is better suited to smaller (in terms of passenger numbers) but longer distance high-quality passenger missions — the sorts of missions that take passengers several lightyears across the Milky Way. The sightseeing missions, for example, a great option for the Dolphin.

Ship specifics:

  • A top speed of 290 m/s with maximum upgrades
  • Max cargo capacity of 88 tonnes (enough space for trading, but poor in comparison to the similarly-priced Type-6)
  • 3 Utility Mounts and 2 Small Hardpoints (this ship won't excel at combat, but can survive minor action thanks to the Hardpoints)
  • Maximum jump range of 35 lightyears (great for long-range passenger missions)

A sample passenger build for the Dolphin might look like this:

  • Lightweight Alloy, Power Plant, Thrusters, Frame Shift Driver, Life Support, Power Distributor, Sensors, Fuel Tank (these are your ship basics)
  • One passenger cabin, consider Luxury and Business Class, though Economy can work for fresh-faced space Taxi drivers.
  • Fuel Scoop and Shield Generator, and three Cargo Racks
  • Heat Sink Launcher and Shield Booster, because passengers like to feel safe while onboard

Beluga, A Stylish Ride For Stylish Passengers

beluga elite dangerous

The Beluga is massive. It's the longest ship in the game and it can be fitted out with luxury-class cabins for the highest-paying passengers. With a full load of VIPs, you can make a lot of money via the Beluga, but there are a couple of things you need to keep an eye out for.

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This ship is massive and its maneuverability suffers as a result. It's also a bit tricky to take it on extremely long journeys, as the power, fuel, and overall running costs make it less efficient. You might want to opt for the Anaconda if you're planning long journeys.

Ship specifics:

  • Top speed of 230 m/s
  • Jump range of 30 lightyears (a bit shorter than some other ships on this list)
  • 370t max cargo space
  • 6 Utility Mounts and 5 Medium Hardpoints (this provides some room for defensive capabilities)

A sample Beluga passenger build looks like this:

  • Lightweight Alloy, Power Plant, Thrusters, FSD Drive, Life Support, Power Distribution (these are all the core internals of your ship)
  • 2 x Luxury Cabins, 2 x First Class, 3 x Business Class
  • Shield Generator and Fuel Scoop, as well as a DS Scanner
  • Heat Sink Launcher and Chaff Launcher

Orca, A Liner For Space Celebrities

orca elite dangerous

The Orca is a luxury Liner through and through. Specifically designed for the role, this is the ship you want to choose if you're chasing after consistent VIP contracts. You can fit it out with lots of luxury cabins to make loads of credits.

Luxury passengers are in it for the long haul: they like long-range expeditions and plenty of sightseeing. At 48 million credits this is quite an investment, but you should be able to make your money back relatively quickly if you're efficient with your trips, and it's still nowhere near as expensive as a Fleet Carrier.

Ship specifics:

  • Top speed of 348 m/s with max upgrades
  • Jump range of 36 lightyears
  • 194 tonnes of cargo capacity
  • 4 Utility Mounts, 2 Medium Hardpoints, 1 Large Hardpoint (does provide some defensive capabilities)
  • Should note the Beluga's turn speed, acceleration, and ability to turn on a dime

An example Orca build looks like this:

  • Lightweight Alloy, Power Plant, Thrusters, FSD Drive, Life Support, Power Distribution (these are all the core internals of your ship)
  • 2 x Luxury Cabins, 1 x First Class, 1 Business Class
  • Fuel Scoop, Shield Generator, Detailed Surface Scanner
  • Heat Sink Launcher, Chaff Launcher

Python, An All-Around Versatile Ship

elite dangerous python ship

There isn't much the Python can't do in Elite Dangerous. It's one of the best medium-class ships for its total versatility. You can kit it out as a passenger liner one day, then swap it over to be a brilliant mining ship the next. For this reason alone, it's one of the top choices for flexible players.

The Python has a great jump range for short and medium-range missions, enough space for over 100 passengers in economy-class cabins, and the ability to refuel faster than most other ships on this list.

Ship specifics:

  • Top speed 267 m/s
  • Jump range of 30 ly
  • Cargo capacity 294 tonnes
  • 4 Utility Mounts,  Medium Hardpoints, 3 Large Hardpoints (very capable of defending itself)
  • The Python benefits from engineering to boost its speed, jump range, and other facets

An example Python build looks like this:

  • Lightweight Alloy, Power Plant, Thrusters, FSD Drive, Life Support, Power Distribution (these are all the core internals of your ship)
  • 2 x First Class, 2 x Business Class, 1 x Economy Class (you can chop and change this according to your needs, though)
  • Fuel Scoop, Shield Generator, Detailed Surface Scanner
  • Heat Sink Launcher, Chaff Launcher

NEXT: Elite Dangerous: Best Upgrades For Your Ship And How To Get Them