Charter Bus Prices

Charter buses are the perfect means of transportation for large groups, however the cost of a charter bus rental isn't as simple as you might think. There are many factors that determine the price such as destination, group size, location, time of year, and more. But with Price4Limo, you can rest assured knowing that you're making the right choice in booking your next trip. With over 10 years of experience and 2,500 positive reviews from customers just like you, we've helped everyone from large corporations to schools and wedding planners find an affordable rate for their transportation needs. We'll find you the perfect bus for your needs—no matter who you are or what your budget is.

We foster flexibility through our 24/7 customer service and dependability through our extensive network of partner fleets nationwide. Let us help you optimize your travel dollars by providing you easy access to book a charter bus rental with one simple phone call to 866-265-5479. Our representatives are available 24/7 and when you call, they'll be able to get you an instant bus pricing with pictures so you can browse the different options.

Charter Bus Price Estimates

You may or may not know that there are several different types of buses available for hire. Each bus serves its purpose based on your needs, and the bus rental prices will reflect this. Let's take a closer look at your options with some estimated prices.

Bus Type	Bus Capacity	Hourly Rate*
Motorcoaches and Charter Buses
Full-sized Charter Bus	56 passengers	$110 - $220 per hour
Executive Charter Bus	50 passengers	$110 - $220 per hour
Coach Bus	50 passengers	$110 - $220 per hour
Entertainer Bus	35-40 passengers	$170 - $220 per hour
Shuttle Buses	30 passengers	$139 - $179 per hour
Minibuses
25-Passenger Minibus	25 passengers	$110 - $180 per hour
20-Passenger Minibus	20 passengers	$110 - $170 per hour
18 Passenger Minibus	18 passengers	$110 - $160 per hour
School Buses
Full-sized School Bus	60 passengers	$125 - $185 per hour
Mini School Bus	32 passengers	$109 - $155 per hour

*Prices may vary. Service fee, gratuity & fuel included.

With Price4Limo, we'll provide you with quotes tailored to each group's itinerary and your actual costs will vary from the above averages. We'll guide you through every step of the process, whether you need a quote for a single ride or a multi-day trip. Our team is always available to answer any questions you may have about our services and make sure that your experience with us is nothing but positive. Call 866-265-4579 to get your bus rates.

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If you're ready to make a reservation for a charter bus in your area, simply complete a search on Price4Limo.com and find the ride that best suits your needs. On our site you find many options with charter bus rates and reviews at your fingertips. It is easier than ever to make a reservation using on online booking portal. Start your search today!

How Much Is A Charter Bus? Here’s What Influences The Price

What exactly influences the price of chartering a bus? And how can you ensure that you’re getting the best deal possible? There are a number of factors that influence the price and here's what you need to know about them.

Number of Passengers

The first step is getting an accurate headcount. This will help you find the right bus and keep costs down for everyone in your group. Understanding how many people there are before you start shopping will also help you find the right solution faster, whether that's a charter bus or a minibus rental. A charter bus is ideal if your group has more than 56 passengers; otherwise, renting a minibus may be more economical. For groups of 20-35 people who want to rent one vehicle, consider renting a minibus instead of a full sized bus to save money without sacrificing space or comfort. The general rule of thumb is that charter buses are more expensive than minibuses because they can accommodate more riders at once.

Accessibility and Features

The more features your bus has, the more it will cost. Keep in mind that some features are worth paying extra for. For example, if all you need is a charter bus to take your employees to a meeting or event, then you can save money by renting an older model with fewer amenities than if you were looking for something with entertainment centers and on-board restrooms. However if you are chartering a group of company executives you will likely need to get an upgraded bus with Wi-Fi, premium sound systems, Bluetooth, Smart TVs and leather seating to impress your peers. You can contact our reservations department and request amenities that are appropriate for your trip and we will do our best to accommodate them.

Duration of Rental

It's also important to note that the length of your trip will affect how much you pay for a charter bus rental. If you plan to rent a bus for multiple days, or even multiple weeks, you'll save money overall compared with renting it only for a few hours at a time. This is because there's less fuel usage per hour over shorter distances - and therefore less cost associated with using the vehicle.

Time and Season of Rental

The time of year you rent a charter bus and the day of the week you travel are also factors that influence pricing. For example, private charters during peak travel seasons like summer and holidays can cost much more than they do in other times of the year. Weekend rentals tend to be pricier as well because most people don’t want to drive their own car on weekends when they could be spending time with their family or friends instead. The same is true for winter months, which see a decrease in demand for private transportation due to inclement weather conditions (e.g., snow storms). However, this doesn’t mean you should avoid booking a charter during these seasons—just be prepared for higher prices since supply is lower than demand during this time of year

Destination

The destination is a significant determinant of charter bus prices. If you’re traveling to a popular tourist destination, you may have to pay more. However, the price of the charter bus will also depend on the distance you are traveling. Longer distances will cost more than shorter distances. The type of vehicle that is used for transportation also has an impact on how much money is spent on hiring a tour bus service provider.

Distance and Availability

The distance you're traveling is a major factor in determining the cost of your charter bus trip. The further you travel, the more it's going to cost. For example, taking an 8 hour trip will likely be cheaper than a 20 hour trip (assuming all other factors are equal). That being said, there are also other factors that come into play when calculating distance-based pricing such as availability and destination availability. In short: if you need to go somewhere at a specific time of year or day of week (say, school holidays), then there may not be many options available for booking something on short notice on those dates which could raise prices significantly.

On-Duty Time

When you're looking at the cost of chartering or renting a minibus, you'll want to take into account the driver's driving and on-duty time. This can have a big impact on how much you end up paying for your trip. Drivers are paid for their total driving time, including any stops and breaks, so if you're planning on taking a long trip with multiple stops along the way, it's important to know that this will increase the price of your charter or minibus rental.

Get Your Charter Bus Quote From Price4Limo

1. Figure out your itinerary. To start, you need to figure out your itinerary. The first things to consider are: who, and where? Who do you need to transport? Where are they going? When are they going (time of day)? How long will they be there (duration)? Our team will need to know about your trip in order to get you a price quote. For example, if your client is a corporate event planner in Miami and wants a group of 25 people transported from their hotel in downtown Miami to an event at the American Airlines Arena on Tuesday at 7pm, this is the kind of information we would want from them so that we can price out the charter bus quote accordingly.

2. Choose your pickup and drop off locations. Then, you'll need to figure out where you will be starting and ending your trip. We would need to know this so that we can plan a route personalized to your journey as well as connect you with the local vehicles and bus companies in that area. Bus availability varies depending on location, so it's important for us to know exactly where you plan on traveling so we can make sure there's an appropriate vehicle available at that time. If you need help choosing your locations, we'll be happy to guide you through that process.

3. Gather the headcount. The next step is to figure out how many people you want to transport. There are a multitude of different chartered buses that can accommodate anywhere from 15-56 passengers, so it's important to know the headcount of your group before you book. You don’t want to book a bus too big and have a bunch of empty seats and you definitely do not want to not have enough seats for everyone. This is the best way to make sure that you don’t pay too much for an oversized bus or have complications transporting your group.

4. Browse the different bus types. Now that you have the important details of your trip together, it’s time to select your bus. Our website will show you all the buses local in your area along with pictures and prices to help you decide. The passenger counts will be listed so that you will find a bus to fit your group’s size. You are able to choose from shuttle buses, coach buses, motorcoaches, minibuses, charter buses, and even school buses. They all have varied amenities which you will be able to see on the bus pricing page. Generally, shuttle buses and charter buses are more high end with leather seating, power outlets, and similar features, while school buses are the no frills option for the budget conscious. You can head over to our pricing page to see these options or call 866-265-5479 to speak with a reservation expert.

5. Book your reservation. Now that you’ve decided what bus you are going to lock in, it’s time to make your payment and officially lock in your ride. You can do this online by selecting your vehicle and paying the first payment with credit card, debit card, or Affirm monthly payment plan. Be sure that you are confident in the vehicle that you’re booking as all payments are nonrefundable in the event of a cancellation.

6. Enjoy the ride. You got your bus. It’s time to relax. After reserving, you’ll get an email confirmation and phone call from our team to verify your trip and make sure that you're ready for an amazing experience.

Ways to Save on Your Bus Rental

Gather the details ahead of time. You can save time and money by having the proper details of your trip. When you provide exact addresses and times, we are able to cut down on any excess travel and wait time to ensure that you get the best possible rates. As an example, if you tell a company that you are picking up in the city of “Miami” but do not have the exact pick-up point, they will charge a higher rate since one end of Miami could be an hour or more of drive time to the other side. To ensure you maximize your savings, tell our reservations team your complete itinerary.

Book early. When you're planning a trip with your family, friends, or business associates, you want to make sure that everything goes smoothly. That's why we recommend booking your bus charter at least 3-4 months in advance. When you book early, you can secure the best rates on vehicles and get guaranteed availability on the vehicle of your choice. Plus, when you book early, there is more time for us to work with you to customize your experience based on your needs and find ways to offer you a discount. All options are on a first come first serve basis, so the longer you wait the less that will be available.

Cut down on deadhead. Dead head refers to the amount of time the company needs to travel to and from their garage (or base or operations). When your pick-up and drop-off locations are not the same, that distance will be added into your total cost as a head head charge. For example if you get picked up in New York City and travel over to Philadelphia with a final drop off in that city, the bus company will need to return back to its base in New York City. The travel time for this will be included in your rate. To ensure that you get the best prices you'll want to try to pick up in the same spot that you get dropped off.

Use per person cost. While the bus charter prices may seem expensive when you are looking at the total prices, these buses are designed to hold many passengers (up to 56) so when you take the total price and divide that by each person, the per-person rate you're paying is actually very affordable. As an example, if you're taking a school trip to a football game and rent out a 56 passenger bus for five hours at a $1,200 total price, that’s only $21 per person.

Travel during the slow season. Demand is a huge factor in how much a charter bus will cost. The busiest months are March, April, June and July. This is when many people have their weddings, proms and summer trips which take up many of the buses. Additionally, August, September and October see an uptick in demand as well since this is the season for sports including high school and professional football games. November and December will see a slowdown as well as January and February so if you have flexibility in when you're planning your trip, you should opt for these months. You might be able to save $400-600 dollars off of your charter bus rental by doing so.

If you're ready to make a reservation for a charter bus in your area, simply complete a search on Price4Limo.com and find the ride that best suits your needs. On our site you find many options with charter bus rates and reviews at your fingertips. It is easier than ever to make a reservation using an online booking portal. Start your search today!

Frequently Asked Questions About Charter Bus Pricing

What is the booking process?

After you've gotten your quote either online or by phone, you can reserve a vehicle right through our booking page on our website. You will be required to make an initial deposit and sign your reservation when booking.

Will I have to pay a deposit?

There will be a deposit due at the time of booking, and the exact amount varies depending on your trip details and the total price. You can expect to pay around 30% up front when you reserve, with an additional payment due shortly after that. For reservations that are far out (months or years away), you will likely have the final payment due closer to your date of service giving you some flexibility. All payments will be made in full prior to your trip.

How can I pay?

Through debit card, credit card, or monthly payments at low or zero interest rates through our partner Affirm.

When is the final balance due?

The final payment is due before your trip, and the exact time frame will vary. If your trip is scheduled for 2 or more months out, you can generally expect the final balance to be due 1 or 2 weeks prior to the run. For trips that are departing within 30 days, expect to make full payment at the time of booking.

Is there a minimum rental time?

The minimums vary by vehicle, season, date of service, and event type. To get the most accurate hourly minimums, you can call our team at 866-265-5479 or use our online quote tool. Generally, charter buses and minibuses will have at least a 3 hour minimum on most rentals, however, we are able to be flexible at Price4Limo, so just let us know what you need.

How much do you tip charter bus drivers?

You are not obligated to tip the driver as this is included in your online rate. But if you feel that the driver went above and beyond, you can leave an additional amount. Gratuities are typically anywhere between 10-20%.

If I don't need the bus all day, do I still need to pay for it?

It depends. Some trips are flexible where you would not have to pay for the down time while others aren’t. As a rule of thumb, if you are going on a trip out of town and staying for a couple days, then any wait time will need to be included in your total price. However, if you are planning to stay local with long wait times during the day, say a wedding with an initial pick up time of 10am to head over to the reception and then just some transfers at 9pm to take your attendees home, then wait time may not be included. The best way to check downtime will be included in your rate is to call us at 866-265-5479.

Do I need to pay for a hotel room for the driver?

Once you have booked your reservation with us, it is typically the responsibility of the client to book a room for the driver. If you are traveling with a large group the hotel you are staying out may even offer a complimentary room.

Are there charges for parking or tolls?

Parking passes and tolls are not included in your quote. This is the responsibility of the customer, so please be sure to factor these costs into your travel expenses.