How Much Does a Party Bus Cost in New Orleans, Louisiana?
Planning a Mardi Gras crawl down St. Charles Avenue, a Saints tailgate at Caesars Superdome, or a wedding shuttle looping between the Garden District and the French Quarter? Whatever brings your group together in the Crescent City, the price question comes first. New Orleans Party Bus gives you an all-inclusive quote in under 30 seconds — no phone tag, no surprises.
Our pricing covers everything up front: your vehicle, your route, and your hours, so you know exactly what the trip costs before you ever commit. Call 504-264-9429 or use the online quote tool right now to lock in your date.
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How Much Does It Cost to Rent a Bus in New Orleans?
New Orleans party bus and charter bus rental prices depend on vehicle size, trip duration, and the date. Here are the current ranges: 14-passenger Sprinter limos run $170–$344/hour; 15–20 passenger party buses run $204–$378/hour; 20–30 passenger party buses run $244–$414/hour; 35–50 passenger party buses and minibuses run $294–$490/hour; and 40–56 passenger charter buses run $150–$300/hour or $1,200–$2,500/day. Mardi Gras week, Jazz Fest weekends, and Essence Festival dates sit at the top of those ranges.
Every quote is all-inclusive — you see the number, you know the number. Call 504-264-9429 for your personalized quote.
| Type of Bus | Cost Per Hour Weekdays | Cost Per Hour Weekends | Cost Per Day |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Passenger Sprinter Limo | $170 – $318+ | $219 – $344+ | $1,526 – $3,113+ |
| Sprinter Van Rental | $187 – $273+ | $218 – $366+ | $1,395 – $2,748+ |
| 15 Passenger Party Bus | $204 – $330+ | $241 – $312+ | $1,396 – $2,817+ |
| 18 Passenger Party Bus | $266 – $330+ | $268 – $378+ | $2,121 – $2,563+ |
| 20 Passenger Party Bus | $244 – $338+ | $268 – $340+ | $1,939 – $2,796+ |
| 25 Passenger Party Bus | $248 – $326+ | $265 – $360+ | $1,827 – $2,854+ |
| 28 Passenger Party Bus | $255 – $337+ | $279 – $351+ | $2,147 – $2,653+ |
| 30 Passenger Party Bus | $297 – $374+ | $318 – $414+ | $2,331 – $3,021+ |
| 40 Passenger Party Bus | $297 – $338+ | $321 – $478+ | $2,297 – $3,473+ |
| 50 Passenger Party Bus | $294 – $441+ | $337 – $490+ | $2,173 – $4,043+ |
| 15–35 Passenger Minibus | $113 – $246+ | $147 – $261+ | $1,098 – $2,105+ |
| 40–56 Passenger Charter Bus | $158 – $327+ | $162 – $348+ | $1,331 – $2,841+ |
| Rates vary by trip length, travel dates, passenger count, amenities, and availability. Use our online quote form or call 504-264-9429 for exact pricing. | |||
Factors Affecting Party Bus Rental Costs in New Orleans
Four variables shape every New Orleans bus rental quote: the size of the vehicle, the total hours on the reservation, the date, and the route. New Orleans layers in a few extra wrinkles — Mardi Gras parade-route road closures, Jazz Fest traffic backing up on Gentilly Boulevard, and the French Quarter's street restrictions mean routes sometimes run longer than the crow flies. A trip from Metairie to the Warehouse District looks short on a map and can run 45 minutes during a Sugar Bowl weekend.
We factor all of that in when we build your quote, so the number you see is the number that holds. Call 504-264-9429 any time.
How Vehicle Type and Group Size Shape New Orleans Party Bus Rates
Paying for 56 seats when your crew is 18 people is money left on the table. A 14-passenger Sprinter limo handles a tight bachelorette group heading from the Marigny to Bourbon Street with room for everyone's bags and good energy. A 25-passenger party bus fits a birthday crew bar-hopping through the Warehouse Arts District.
Once your headcount clears 40 — Saints game groups, convention shuttles running between hotels and the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center — a full-size charter bus is the right pick, with undercarriage bays for tailgate gear and an onboard restroom for longer hauls. The rate per head drops sharply as the vehicle fills up. Get your vehicle match at 504-264-9429.
How Trip Duration and Hourly Rates Build Your New Orleans Quote
Most New Orleans bus rentals are booked in blocks of hours, and total hours is the single biggest lever on your final price. A Mardi Gras night out typically runs six to eight hours once you factor in parade viewing time, bar stops on Frenchmen Street, and the post-parade scramble back through congested Uptown streets. A Jazz Fest shuttle might be just four hours round-trip from a Mid-City hotel to the Fair Grounds Race Course on Fortin Street.
Corporate shuttles running continuous loops between MSY Airport and the Convention Center often go longer. More hours means a higher total — but a longer block also gives you more flexibility to linger. Nail your hour count before you call and the quote comes back faster: 504-264-9429.
How Date, Season, and Day of the Week Shift New Orleans Rates
New Orleans has more peak-demand windows than almost any other U.S. city, and prices reflect it. Mardi Gras (February–March) and Jazz & Heritage Festival (late April–early May) are the two biggest demand spikes; vehicle supply tightens weeks out, and late-booking rates climb sharply. Essence Festival in early July, Sugar Bowl weekend in late December, and French Quarter Festival in April each spike demand for three to five days.
Weekend rates run 20–30% higher than weekday equivalents year-round. Prom season — April through May across Jefferson, Orleans, and St. Tammany parishes — fills the mid-size party bus inventory fastest. If your date falls in any of these windows, booking four to six months out is the right call.
Call 504-264-9429 to confirm availability for your date.
How Distance and Route Complexity Affect New Orleans Quotes
New Orleans is not a grid city. The Mississippi River bends through the metro, I-10 carries both local and bypass traffic through the same narrow corridor, and the French Quarter's one-way streets and pedestrian-priority blocks force every vehicle to plan an approach route before the day of. A trip from the Central Business District to Caesars Superdome on Poydras Street looks like six blocks and can turn into a 20-minute bus approach on game day once road closures are in effect around the stadium.
Routes crossing the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway or heading east toward the Northshore add mileage quickly. Long-distance hauls to Baton Rouge (about 80 miles on I-10) or Gulfport (about 90 miles on I-10 East) are quoted differently from local loops. Tell us your full route when you call 504-264-9429 — that's what locks in an accurate number.
Examples of Party Bus Quotes
Garden District Wedding Shuttle: Sample Quote
Last spring, we ran wedding guest shuttles for a 90-person celebration with the ceremony at Commodo in the Warehouse District (701 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70130) and the reception at The Columns Hotel (3811 St. Charles Ave, New Orleans, LA 70115) in the Garden District. The guest list was split between a hotel block at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside (2 Poydras St) and a second block at the Ace Hotel (600 Carondelet St). Two 40-passenger minibuses ran staggered loops starting at 4:00 PM, collecting guests from both hotel blocks and delivering them to the Magazine Street ceremony entrance — a route that threads St. Charles Avenue carefully to avoid Saturday afternoon streetcar congestion.
Post-reception shuttles ran until 11:30 PM, returning guests to both properties. Total 7-hour all-inclusive contract for two vehicles: $5,040 (~$56/guest). Pro Tip: St. Charles Avenue streetcar traffic slows mid-evening on weekends — build a 15-minute buffer into every shuttle departure and your timeline holds.
Check NORTA's real-time service page for current streetcar schedules and any detours active on your date.
Bourbon Street Bachelorette Night: Sample Quote
This past February, we ran a bachelorette night for a group of 18 starting in the Marigny at The Spot (930 Bourbon St, New Orleans, LA 70116), moving through a drag show in the Quarter, then closing out at The Spotted Cat Music Club (623 Frenchmen St, New Orleans, LA 70116) on Frenchmen Street before a 2:00 AM return to their hotel block in the CBD. We put them in a 20-passenger party bus — onboard bar, color-changing LED lighting, Bluetooth sound — picked up at the Loews New Orleans Hotel (300 Poydras St) at 8:30 PM. The challenge on a February Friday: parking on Bourbon Street is functionally nonexistent, and rideshare surge pricing after midnight in the Quarter runs three to four times base rate.
The party bus dropped the group curbside at each stop on Frenchmen and Bourbon, waited on nearby side streets, and was waiting at the agreed-upon pickup point for the return leg. No hunting for a ride at last call. 6-hour all-inclusive rental: $2,100 (~$117/person). Pro Tip: For any French Quarter night out, confirm your pickup window with our team before the evening starts — Bourbon Street has rolling pedestrian closures on busy weekend nights that affect where the bus can wait.
Check New Orleans traffic and street closure information for current French Quarter access rules.
Saints Game-Day Tailgate at Caesars Superdome: Sample Quote
For a regular-season Saints home game last October, a 38-person fan group booked a 40-passenger party bus. Pickup at 11:00 AM from a Metairie hotel block on Causeway Boulevard, arriving at the Caesars Superdome (1500 Sugar Bowl Dr, New Orleans, LA 70112) tailgate area by 11:45 AM — well ahead of the 1:00 PM kickoff and before Poydras Street and the I-10 Claiborne Avenue interchange backed up entirely. The undercarriage bays held a folding table, a large cooler, and gear for tailgating in Champions Square.
Post-game, the bus waited in the Smoothie King Center lot on Loyola Avenue for a 5:15 PM pickup after the crowd cleared. Without the bus, this group was looking at a $30–$40 per-car parking cost, the Poydras Street post-game crawl on foot, and a 40-minute rideshare wait during the post-game surge. 6-hour all-inclusive rental: $2,200 (~$58/person). Pro Tip: Champions Square opens for pregame around three hours before kickoff — your bus arrival time should match that window.
Review the official Caesars Superdome parking and directions page for current lot assignments and approach road guidance before game day.
Ernest N. Morial Convention Center Corporate Shuttle: Sample Quote
Last January during the Sugar Bowl week convention overlap, we ran a three-day corporate shuttle for 120 attendees moving between the Hyatt Regency New Orleans (601 Loyola Ave, New Orleans, LA 70113), the Marriott New Orleans (555 Canal St, New Orleans, LA 70130), and the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center (900 Convention Center Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70130). Two 56-passenger charter buses ran a continuous morning-and-evening loop starting at 7:30 AM daily, dropping attendees at the Convention Center's Hall D entrance on Convention Center Boulevard and returning at 6:00 PM and 9:00 PM each evening. Convention Center Boulevard sees heavy commercial vehicle traffic during major events — we time the bus arrival to work with the center's loading dock schedule, not compete with it for curb space.
WiFi and power outlets on both buses meant the morning commute doubled as working time for the group. Three-day all-inclusive contract for two vehicles: $12,600 (~$105/person over three days). Pro Tip: Convention Center Boulevard curbside access is managed by the venue's event operations team during large conventions — contact the Morial Convention Center transportation and parking office at least two weeks before your event to confirm your drop-off point and bus approach.
Frequently Asked Questions About New Orleans Bus Rental Prices
Do New Orleans party bus prices change during Mardi Gras?
Yes — significantly. Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest are the two highest-demand windows of the year, and rates sit at or near the top of our ranges during those dates. Vehicle supply tightens weeks before Fat Tuesday, so groups that wait until January or February for a Mardi Gras trip are often looking at limited availability and premium pricing.
Book by October for a Mardi Gras date and you'll have both more vehicle options and more favorable rates.
Is there a difference in price between a party bus and a charter bus in New Orleans?
Yes — the vehicle type and its amenities shape the rate. Party buses (15–50 passengers) include onboard bars, LED lighting, and sound systems, and their hourly rates reflect those entertainment features. Charter buses (40–56 passengers) are built for longer hauls and large group comfort — reclining seats, undercarriage luggage bays, onboard restrooms — and tend to run lower per hour for the same headcount.
If your trip is a night out on Frenchmen Street, a party bus fits. If it's a convention shuttle or a trip to Baton Rouge, the charter bus is the smarter match.
What's the minimum number of hours I need to book a bus in New Orleans?
When you call 504-264-9429, our team will walk you through the options that fit your specific itinerary and date. New Orleans trips naturally run longer than people expect — parade routes, French Quarter street access, and post-event traffic all add time. We recommend thinking through your full itinerary before calling so we can build the right block of hours around your actual trip.
Can I split the cost across my group to make a New Orleans party bus more affordable?
Absolutely — and the math usually works in your favor. A 40-passenger charter bus to a Saints game at $2,200 splits to about $55 per person. Compare that to per-car parking at the Superdome ($30–$40 per vehicle), plus rideshare surges after the game, and the bus is often the less expensive option per head once your group is above 15 to 20 people.
The bigger the group, the better the per-person value.
Do you charge extra for long-distance trips like New Orleans to Baton Rouge or to the Gulf Coast?
Long-distance routes — Baton Rouge is roughly 80 miles west on I-10; Gulfport, Mississippi is about 90 miles east — are quoted based on total mileage and hours rather than a flat hourly rate. Mileage, drive time, and the vehicle size all factor in. Call 504-264-9429 with your full itinerary and we'll give you an all-inclusive number for the whole trip, no surprises on arrival.
How far in advance should I book a bus for Jazz Fest or Essence Festival in New Orleans?
Jazz & Heritage Festival (late April–early May) and Essence Festival (early July) are the two biggest multi-day demand events after Mardi Gras. For Jazz Fest, the right-size vehicles go quickly — book by January for a late April date. Essence Festival draws enormous crowds from out of town, particularly for the July 4th weekend, and local vehicle supply is committed well in advance.
For either event, four to six months of lead time gives you the best vehicle selection and the lowest rate on the range.