Party bus services cost between $750 and $1000 on average, nationwide. Several factors affect the total cost of the ride, including the type of vehicle, when the party bus is needed for pick up and drop off, party bus packages, any luxury features or special requests, and the number of passengers.
Party buses, stretch limos and stretch SUVs are commonly hired for birthdays, prom season, brewery tours, bachelor/bachelorette parties, bar crawls, sporting events, and weddings. Services can be contracted for one-way, multi-location or round trips.
Renting a party bus, limo or SUV means renting the experience. Clients are not only paying for the one-way, multi-stop or round-trip ride, but they are also paying for the drivers time to and from the business depot, the time spent preparing the vehicle prior to departure and cleaning it after. For example, it takes Limo drivers an hour and a half to get ready for a job before they even pick up the customerso a one-hour ride in the vehicle requires almost three hours of work.
The length of time a customer needs services affects the total cost. Often, party buses and limos are offered in four-hour time blocks, which means even if clients only need one hour, they will still be charged a base rate that covers four hours. If clients need the party bus to drive them to and from an event, they will still be charged for the wait time even if the passengers are not using the bus. Still, for transporting large parties to special events such as weddings or bachelor parties, the marginal extra cost could well be worth it to keep the party together.
Where the depot is located in relation to the customer location affects the cost of rental services. For example, for Limo in Scottsdale, Arizona, driving from one end of the metro area to the other covers 100 miles. The companys limousine services include a 30-mile service area in its base cost, and prices generally increase if drivers have to travel more than 30 miles to arrive at the customer location. There may also be additional surcharges if the party bus needs to travel long distances, such as from Connecticut to Manhattan, or if there are parking charges at the site of the event.
After 5 p.m. is prime time for party bus, shuttle bus and limousine services, so costs will likely be higher for evening reservations. If a bachelorette party, birthday party or special event is expected go into the wee hours of the morning, some companies charge an additional fee after midnight. Ask customer service about the best time to secure your party bus rental when you make your reservations.
How fancy the ride is and how many passengers it can accommodate also affects the overall cost. Types of vehicles include luxury party buses, stretch limousines, limo buses, Cadillac Escalade party vehicles and SUVs, such as stretch Hummers. Many coach buses or passenger party buses have special features such as DVD players, sound systems and laser lights. All these extras add to the cost of party bus rental. In addition, the cost of gas for each vehicle is a factor, with some buses and stretch SUVs only getting three or four miles per gallon, depending on how many passengers there are. Heres what Limo charges for various vehicles.
| Number of Passengers | Total Cost |
|---|---|
| 10-passenger, stretch Lincoln | $100 per hour with a four-hour minimum, Sunday Thursday |
| 14-passenger, white stretch Bentley | $125 per hour with a four-hour minimum, SundayThursday |
| 20-passenger, super-stretch Escalade | $150 per hour with a four-hour minimum, SundayThursday |
Saturdays make up 80 percent of business for most of these companies. Many companies receive five times as many requests for business on weekends as on weekdays. On Saturdays, Limos base rates increases for every type of vehicle.
| Party Bus | Total Cost on a Saturday |
|---|---|
| 10-passenger stretch Lincoln | $125 per hour with a four-hour minimum |
| 14-passenger, white stretch Bentley | $150 per hour with a four-hour minimum |
| 20 passenger, super-stretch Escalade | $150$200 per hour with a four-hour minimum |
A party bus typically charges in 4 hour blocks, and the cost is between $750 and $1000 on average
Transportation is a part of almost every event, so why not make it fun? Get the party started early and keep your crew safe by having a sober, professional driver behind the wheel. Organize a fun brewery tour for a friend reunion, or turn your wedding reception travel time into one more chance to celebrate. From better birthday parties to more bar crawls to mobile bachelorette party adventures, hiring a professional party bus opens up a whole new world of possibilities.