Charter Bus Prices: How to Calculate Your Madison Bus Rental Costs
We know that when it comes to booking a charter bus in Madison, price is one of the first things you want to know. And while we can’t give you an exact estimate on your charter bus rental until you call our 24/7 reservation team, you can use this guide as a rough estimate on how much it will cost to rent a charter bus in Madison.
| Bus Type | Per Hour | Per Day | Per Mile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charter Bus | $160 – $230 | $1,620 – $2,100 | $5.75 – $7.20 |
| Minibus | $145 – $200 | $1,500 – $1,920 | $5.00 – $7.00 |
*The prices listed above are estimates. Rates will vary depending on the season and trip specifications.
**Daily rentals require a 5-hour minimum. Extra charges may incur for mile overages on daily rentals.
Madison Charter Bus Pricing Factors
While the above table can serve as a general guide to the pricing of your Madison charter bus, there are other factors to consider. For example, if your bus is rented by the hour, there is a five-hour minimum requirement to keep in mind. Your reservation specialist is trained to provide tailored bus rental quotes for your unique travel needs and can break down every cost associated with your rental when you call our team at (608) 471-7478.
Below are a few other pricing factors to consider when renting a Madison charter bus:
- Travel dates: Madison charter buses can be more expensive during peak seasons like summer and around major holidays like Thanksgiving or Christmas. Due to less availability, your charter bus will cost more if you book during the busy season.
- Travel duration and distance: If you are taking a short or local trip, expect to pay less than you would if you are traveling long distance or over the course of multiple days.
- Destinations: If you have numerous stops on your itinerary, or are traveling to attractions outside of Madison, this can impact the cost of your charter bus by adding extra mileage or hours traveled to your quote.
- Passenger count: The number of people in your group determines which type of charter bus rental you end up renting. Smaller buses are rented at a slightly cheaper rate than full-size charter buses, which is why it’s important to have your passenger count finalized when you secure your reservation.
- Booking time: The sooner you can book, the better. Renting further in advance can help you get the best rate, especially if you are traveling during the busy months or around holidays. We recommend calling at least six months in advance before your trip.
When you call our team with your itinerary, we can get you a free, no-obligation quote on your Madison charter bus rental in just minutes. We will break down every cost associated with your rental, with no hidden fees or surprises.
The following is included in your Madison bus rental cost: The hourly or daily cost of your rental, pay for your professional driver, fuel, and full coverage insurance.
The following is NOT included in your Madison bus rental cost: Parking and tolls outside of our control, lodging for your driver during multi-day trips, and a tip for your driver. Tips are not required, but a 5-10% tip in cash at the end of your trip is a great way to thank your charter bus driver for keeping your group safe.
Need some real-life examples? Check below for some sample itineraries and price breakdowns for popular trip types in Madison.
The School Field Trip to Madison Children’s Museum
An elementary school teacher wants to organize a class field trip for the fifth graders to go to the Madison Children’s Museum in order to celebrate their upcoming graduation. After doing some research online, she finds Madison Charter Bus Company and decides to book a field trip charter bus rental through our extensive network. The fifth grade class has a total of 120 students across five different classes. After the teacher gives out permission slips to sign, only 109 students are given permission by their parents to go.
The teacher is quoted for two full-size charter bus rentals at $200 each for eight hours. This totals up to $3,200. She is able to secure a charter bus with a wheelchair ramp for a student in a wheelchair for no extra cost, and each student only pays $30 for their portion of the transportation. The school allocates money to give the charter bus driver a 5% tip for a job well done, adding $160 to the total for a final cost of $3,360.
The Wedding at The Bur Oak
A couple planning their wedding for next year has found the perfect venue in The Bur Oak. And while they adore the look and feel of the venue, they realize that parking will be limited. To ease logistics, they decide to rent a wedding shuttle for the day of the wedding to take guests from nearby hotels to the venue without parking struggles. Their wedding is medium-sized, at 65 guests, so they decide to rent a 25-passenger minibus to handle the extra cars and provide a valuable service for their guests. Because the minibus is available to them all day, they also use their services to have a special morning-of brunch for the wedding party and to bring guests safely back to their hotel after the festivities.
They end up getting quoted $1,600 to rent the bus for the day and ease logistics for their guests. Afterward, they give their charter bus driver an 8% tip of $128, bringing their grand total to $1,728.
A Weekend Convention from Alliant Energy
Alliant Energy is hosting its yearly convention at the Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center, where they share best practices and aim to increase brand awareness. The event will have nearly 2,000 attendees over the course of the long weekend, and the logistics planner quickly recognizes the need for extra logistics help. The planner finds Madison Charter Bus Company online and explains their transportation needs in detail. An experienced reservation specialist is able to quote them for different corporate charter bus rentals that can fill the transportation gaps.
The planner ends up renting an 18-passenger minibus to pick up the CEO and other C-Suite executives at the airport, take them to lunch, and then take them to the hotel. They are quoted at $150 an hour for five hours. This brings the cost for the first minibus to $750, plus a 10% tip for the driver to make it $825 total. The planner then rents two full-size charter buses for the two days of the convention. The buses seat up to 56 passengers each, are available all day to shuttle attendees to and from their hotels to the convention center, and end up being $1900 each for the day. This rounds out to $3,800 for the two full-sized charter buses, plus a 10% tip of $380 divided between both drivers for a grand total of $4,180 for both full-size buses.