Eleven hulls, judged for passenger transport and ranked 1–100. The role splits into two distinct trades: bulk economy tourism packing crowds into economy cabins, and luxury VIP work running a handful of wealthy, demanding passengers for outsized payouts. The dedicated Saud Kruger liners own the top; multipurpose hulls and transporters drafted in for cabin space fill the budget and bulk-economy tiers below them. Cabin class, comfort bonus, jump range, and shield strength each matter — the right hull depends on which trade you fly and which pads you can dock at.
Passenger transport means carrying people, not cargo — from bulk sightseeing tours to pampered VIPs — in cabins fitted in place of cargo racks. It splits sharply into two trades, and the right ship depends on which you fly.
Cabin capacity and cabin class first — economy for crowds, first/luxury for VIPs. Then comfort (the Saud Kruger liners carry a happiness bonus), jump range for tour length, and a strong shield: a frightened or injured VIP cancels the mission. Speed helps you keep to a schedule and dodge scans.
The 1–100 passenger rating weighs, in order:
This is a top-heavy field — the dedicated Saud Kruger liners (Beluga, Orca, Dolphin) and the armoured Cutter cluster near the ceiling, while multipurpose hulls and transporters pressed into cabin work trail well behind, pulling the floor down into the mid-50s. The Beluga tops it on capacity-plus-comfort; the Cutter holds more economy berths but lacks the comfort bonus and the liner polish, which is why it scores just below the dedicated ships.
The cost tables also list an approximate rebuy (~5% of insured value) — what you pay each time the ship is destroyed. It is the number that really governs how boldly you can fly.
This 1–100 rating is a roster-relative, fully-engineered editorial verdict — not a hidden formula. See the shared rating methodology for the full rubric and worked examples.
All 11 hulls on one scale, best to worst, with approximate economy berth count as the headline. Luxury fits trade many berths for far higher-paying passengers. Per-class breakdowns and costs follow.
| Ship | Class | Max berths | One-line verdict | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beluga Liner | Large | ~250 | The flagship liner — the definitive passenger ship. | 95 |
| Lynx Highliner | Medium | ~110 | The medium-pad liner — bulk tourism that reaches outposts. | 90 |
| Imperial Cutter | Large | ~340 | The armoured megaliner — capacity and safety over charm. | 89 |
| Orca | Large | ~118 | The luxury speedster — comfort and pace for VIP work. | 88 |
| Anaconda | Large | ~170 | The long-range generalist — great berths, no liner polish. | 82 |
| Dolphin | Small | ~26 | The boutique tourer — small, comfortable, and charming. | 80 |
| Python | Medium | ~146 | The armed all-rounder — high cabin count and a real shield, no comfort bonus. | 70 |
| Krait Phantom | Medium | ~94 | The cheap medium sightseer — pad flexibility and range over cabin depth. | 64 |
| Imperial Clipper | Large | ~90 | The speed pick — fastest hull in the role, shallow cabin suite. | 64 |
| Asp Explorer | Medium | ~32 | The budget tourer — cheap reach and medium-pad access, few berths. | 60 |
| Type-7 Transporter | Large | ~150 | The budget berth-hauler — cheapest economy seats, slow and undefended. | 56 |
Read it in a narrow band: every ship here is between 80 and 95, because there are few passenger hulls and all are good at it. The real choice isn’t good-vs-bad — it’s bulk economy vs luxury VIP, and large-pad capacity vs medium-pad reach.
The small class offers one true liner — and it’s a gem. The Dolphin proves a passenger ship doesn’t need to be huge: it’s cool, comfortable, lands anywhere, and runs small luxury and long-range VIP contracts beautifully.
| Ship | Class | Max berths | Pros & cons for passenger | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dolphin | Small | ~26 | Cool, comfortable, lands anywhere, with a lovely Saud Kruger cabin feelCheap, and superb for small luxury and long-range VIP runsOnly a handful of berths — not a bulk-tourism ship | 80 |
| Ship | Hull | A-rated fit | To engineer | ~Rebuy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dolphin | 1.3M | ~5.7M | materials · Moderate | ~283k |
The Dolphin (80) is the boutique choice — a few comfortable berths, a Saud Kruger comfort bonus, a cool-running hull and a tiny rebuy. It can’t do bulk tourism, but for a couple of well-paid VIPs on a long, scenic run it’s delightful and nearly free to operate.
The medium class is about reach: a liner that docks at the outposts the big Saud Kruger ships can’t. For the Robigo-style bulk-tourism loop, where the destination is often a medium pad, that access is decisive.
| Ship | Class | Max berths | Pros & cons for passenger | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lynx Highliner | Medium | ~110 | A dedicated medium-pad liner — docks where the big liners can’tPurpose-built passenger slots; the natural Robigo bulk-tourism hullRestricted FSD slot caps its jump range; medium-scale capacity | 90 |
| Python | Medium | ~146 | Most berths of any armed medium, behind a real shield and gunsDoubles as your warship, trader or minerNo comfort bonus; modest loaded jump range | 70 |
| Krait Phantom | Medium | ~94 | Most berths and best loaded range of the armed mediumsCheap, no rank gate, re-roles to an explorerShallow internals; one large VIP cabin; no comfort bonus | 64 |
| Asp Explorer | Medium | ~32 | Cheapest entry, with long FSD reach for scattered beaconsMedium pad and outposts the large liners can’t useFew berths; only two slots take premium cabins | 60 |
| Ship | Hull | A-rated fit | To engineer | ~Rebuy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lynx Highliner | 69M | ~93M | materials · Heavy | ~4.6M |
| Python | 55.3M | ~80M | materials · Moderate | ~4M |
| Krait Phantom | 35.7M | ~50M | materials · Moderate | ~1.8M |
| Asp Explorer | 6.1M | ~30M | materials · Moderate | ~1.5M |
The Lynx Highliner (90) is the dedicated medium-pad liner — purpose-built passenger slots and the natural hull for bulk Robigo tourism that needs to reach outposts. Its restricted FSD slot caps jump range, so it’s a loop-runner, not a deep-tour ship — but on its home turf nothing medium matches it.
Large pad is where capacity and luxury peak. The dedicated Saud Kruger liners bring comfort bonuses and banks of suites; the Cutter and Anaconda bring sheer berth count, shielding and (for the Anaconda) range. The cost is a large pad and a large price.
| Ship | Class | Max berths | Pros & cons for passenger | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beluga Liner | Large | ~250 | The flagship dedicated liner — vast cabin capacity and Saud Kruger passenger comfortEqually at home with bulk economy tours or banks of luxury suitesLarge pad, expensive, and ponderous to fly | 95 |
| Imperial Cutter | Large | ~340 | The most economy berths in the game, plus a warship shield to protect VIPsFast for a large — outruns the trouble that wealthy passengers attractImperial Duke rank, very expensive, no passenger-comfort bonus | 89 |
| Orca | Large | ~118 | A fast, beautiful luxury liner with excellent passenger comfortLighter and quicker than the Beluga — lovely for scenic VIP toursLarge pad; fewer berths than the bigger liners | 88 |
| Anaconda | Large | ~170 | Big cabin capacity and the jump range for the longest sightseeing toursNo rank gate; doubles as everything else you ownNo comfort bonus, large pad, heavy rebuy | 82 |
| Imperial Clipper | Large | ~90 | The fastest hull in the role — quick loops, dodges interdictionCheap and stylish; gated only by Imperial BaronShallow cabin suite, large-pad-only, no comfort bonus | 64 |
| Type-7 Transporter | Large | ~150 | The cheapest economy berths in the game, in bulkSwaps straight back to a cargo haulerSlow, lightly shielded, large-pad-only, no comfort bonus | 56 |
| Ship | Hull | A-rated fit | To engineer | ~Rebuy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beluga Liner | 85M | ~161M | materials · Very heavy | ~8.0M |
| Imperial Cutter | 209M | ~451M | materials · Very heavy | ~23M |
| Orca | 49M | ~66M | materials · Very heavy | ~3.3M |
| Anaconda | 147M | ~366M | materials · Very heavy | ~18M |
| Imperial Clipper | 21.1M | ~30M | materials · Heavy | ~1.5M |
| Type-7 Transporter | 16.8M | ~30M | materials · Heavy | ~800k |
The Beluga Liner (95) is the definitive liner — vast capacity and the best comfort. The Orca (88) is its faster, prettier luxury sibling. The Imperial Cutter (89) holds the most economy berths and the best shield for risky VIPs, and the Anaconda (82) adds the jump range for the longest tours.
The right liner is decided by your trade: bulk crowds or pampered VIPs, and which pads your destinations use. Pick the description that fits you.
Cheap, comfortable, cool, and lands anywhere — perfect for a couple of well-paid luxury passengers on a scenic route. The friendliest way into the trade.
A dedicated medium-pad liner that reaches the outposts bulk-tourism missions love — purpose-built passenger slots and capacity tuned for the loop.
The flagship — vast capacity, the best comfort bonus, and the flexibility to run bulk economy or banks of luxury suites. If you carry passengers seriously, this is the ship.
Fast, beautiful and supremely comfortable — the liner for pampering a handful of wealthy passengers on a scenic tour and arriving early.
The most berths in the game behind a warship shield, fast enough to flee a scan — the safe choice when your passengers attract trouble.
Big cabin capacity plus the jump range and fuel tank for tours to distant landmarks — and it’s the same hull you already explore and fight in.
A liner’s engineering is gentle — the goal is reach, comfort and safety, not combat performance. The tour is short and shared across the hulls here.
| Module | Blueprint (G5) | Experimental | Engineer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frame Shift Drive | Increased Range | Mass Manager | Felicity Farseer |
| Shield Generator | Reinforced | Hi-Cap | Lei Cheung |
| Thrusters | Clean Drive Tuning | Drag Drives | Prof. Palin |
| Power Plant | Low Emissions | Thermal Spread | Hera Tani |
| Life Support | Lightweight | — | Felicity Farseer |
The expense is the cabins — especially first-class and luxury suites, which cost a fortune and eat huge slots, but pay many times more per passenger. A bulk economy fit is cheap; a luxury VIP fit is where the money (and the earnings) live. Engineering costs materials, not credits; a liner’s materials tier is Moderate on the small/medium hulls and Heavy on the larges — mostly just FSD range and a shield.
For the definitive passenger ship, buy the Beluga Liner (95). For fast, stylish luxury VIP work, the Orca (88). For the Robigo bulk-tourism loop into outposts, the medium-pad Lynx Highliner (90) is the specialist’s pick — and the Dolphin (80) remains a delightful, near-free way to carry a VIP or two in comfort.
Figures on this page are verified against the sources below.
