Charter Bus Prices: How to Calculate Your Boston Bus Rental Costs
For those of you who wonder how much it costs to book a bus for a trip, there’s never one simple answer. The price of your trip will vary according to several key factors, but we’ve created a chart to give you a better idea of how motorcoach pricing works.
| Bus Type | Per Hour | Per Day | Per Mile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 56-Passenger Charter Bus | $142 – $195 | $1,330 – $1,685 | $4.85 – $5.70 |
| 25-Passenger Minibus | $140 – $175 | $1,285 – $1,585 | $4.60 – $5.45 |
| 20-Passenger Minibus | $132 – $170 | $1,235 – $1,470 | $4.55 – $5.45 |
| 18-Passenger Minibus | $130 – $145 | $1,230 – $1,450 | $4.25 – $5.25 |
*Rental pricing is determined by travel factors listed below and the above rates are only an estimate. A 5-hour rental minimum is required for all trips and multi-day trips may include additional charges for mileage overages.
Factors Determining Bus Rental Cost
There are a few things to consider when you’re ready to book your bus. A number of these factors will offset the prices above:
- Amount of Passengers: The average minibus seats 18-25 people, while a charter bus seats 56 passengers. Depending on which one you book, prices can vary tremendously. If your group contains more than 56 people, you may even have to book multiple charter buses.
- Distance: If your trip is local, your rate is calculated by the hour. Longer trips are calculated by day or per-mile.
- Time of Year: Spring and early summer are peak seasons for bus rentals, so prices often increase during this time. Depending on the local events happening around the time of your rental, you may also see increased costs.
- Other Travel Costs: Other fees may accrue according to the demands of your trip. If you’re traveling through the night, you will need to book a hotel for your charter bus driver to rest. Your destination may also require parking permits, tolls, and a number of other expenses that aren’t included in your quote.
We’ve also provided a few examples to show you how distance, time, and passenger total may affect pricing:
The St. Patrick’s Day Shuttle
Danny wants to enjoy St. Patrick’s Day responsibly with his friends, so he’s looking for a small, efficient solution that will allow him to go watch the parade, enjoy some Irish Music at Faneuil Hall, and participate in a downtown pub crawl. The trip won’t be very far, as his group of 10 is only navigating the streets of inner-city Boston, but they do plan on being out for the entire day. Since his group is relatively small and he will need the coach for a whole day, his reservation specialist quotes him a minibus at $1,300, which totals about $130 per person.
Tailgating for the Patriots Game
Jimmy, a die-hard Patriots fan, is finally going to his first playoff game. He’s excited he was able to rally a group of 16 friends to watch the game--a divisional playoff matchup against the Steelers-- with him. He and his friends plan on meeting up at his house, riding to Foxborough, tailgating through the evening, and then watching the game that night. After a short conversation, his reservation specialist booked an 18-passenger minibus for 9 hours, totaling $1,305 for the day, or $77 per person.
Servicing Our Servicemen and Women
Captain Robert Davis, stationed at the Boston Coast Guard Base, is planning a big awards ceremony for his fellow officers. He’s got a group of 133 passengers, and they’ve made reservations at Boston Chops near downtown. They’ll need a ride there and back, so he’s thinking he’ll need a 3-hour rental. Captain Davis’s reservation specialist booked two 56-passenger charter buses and a 25-passenger minibus to accommodate the entire group. Since the group needed the rental for approximately three hours, the trip totaled $1,560 for the unit.
Book a Bus in Beantown Today
Although we’ve outlined a number of scenarios for hypothetical trips, prices will still vary according to the aforementioned variables. Because of this, it’s important that you speak to a reservation specialist and provide the full details of your trip. If you’re ready to book, contact us now at 617-314-7577 for your free quote!