How Much Is the Deposit?
- A 20 to 30% deposit is required to make a reservation.
- Your quote shows the exact payment schedule, with the balance due before your trip date.
charter
Columbus Charter Bus Prices
Getting an exact Columbus charter bus rental price isn't one-size-fits-all, capability-wise, but you can get quotes in under 30 seconds right online through our form or by calling (234) 900-0344! Below, you'll learn about all the factors affecting rates across Ohio and how to score the best deals.
For special deals, call us! Call (234) 900-0344
Get Instant Pricing & Availability in 30 Seconds
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- 30 sec.to see online pricing and availability, with no account needed
- Great dealson every bus size, plus special deals when you call us
- Same dayrentals for last-minute plans in Columbus
- Up to 56passengers on one charter bus, plus minibuses and vans
How To Get Your Quote
How to Get Columbus Charter Bus Prices in 30 Seconds
Every group trip is unique, so just enter your pickup city, date, and headcount once into our quick online form to compare live buses, photos, and prices in under 30 seconds—with no account needed! You'll even get your free quote sent by text and email, and after you book on the national booking platform, a confirmation team calls to verify every stop on your Columbus itinerary.
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Fill Out One Quick Form
Enter your pickup city, date, passenger count and hours in the bar right below, then finish the quick form. It takes under 30 seconds, there's no account to create, and your pricing comes by text and email too.
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Compare Buses & Prices
See available buses, interior pictures, rental packages and online prices for your trip side by side, from bus companies serving Columbus, without calling company after company.
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Book Online & Get a Confirmation Call
Book with a deposit through the national booking company, and you'll see your full payment schedule before you pay. You get an instant booking confirmation, and its confirmation team calls to go over your whole itinerary.
For the best deals, call us! Call (234) 900-0344
Our Pricing & Rates
Columbus Charter Bus Rental Pricing
| Type of Vehicle | Cost Per Hour (Weekdays)* | Cost Per Hour (Weekends)* | Cost Per Day* | Cost Per Mile* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 56 Passenger Charter Bus | $205–$385+ | $225–$410+ | $1,650–$2,950+ | $6.20–$8.95+ |
| 35 Passenger Minibus | $225–$370+ | $255–$385+ | $1,815–$2,415+ | $6.20–$8.95+ |
| 30 Passenger Minibus | $205–$365+ | $240–$380+ | $1,670–$2,335+ | $5.90–$8.60+ |
| 28 Passenger Minibus | $190–$355+ | $220–$370+ | $1,540–$2,255+ | $5.65–$8.25+ |
| 25 Passenger Minibus | $190–$350+ | $195–$365+ | $1,420–$2,180+ | $5.40–$7.90+ |
| 20 Passenger Minibus | $190–$340+ | $190–$355+ | $1,300–$2,080+ | $5.15–$7.50+ |
| 18 Passenger Minibus | $190–$330+ | $190–$350+ | $1,210–$1,990+ | $5.00–$7.25+ |
| 15 Passenger Minibus | $180–$310+ | $180–$330+ | $1,150–$1,880+ | $4.75–$6.95+ |
| 15-50 Passenger Party Bus | $248–$426+ | $265–$460+ | $1,827–$2,954+ | $6.75–$9.95+ |
| Sprinter Van with Driver | $190–$373+ | $218–$466+ | $1,395–$2,848+ | $5.00–$6.95+ |
*Rates shown are general estimates from one of the largest networks of independent bus companies serving Columbus. Your exact price depends on your travel date, trip length, and the bus you pick—and you can see it in under 30 seconds on your online quote, with no account needed! Standard hourly minimums are typically 2 hours Monday through Wednesday (or earlier in the day), 3+ hours after 5 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and up to 5 hours on peak dates. Don't need that much time? Just call us at (234) 900-0344 any day of the year—we can often set up less time, a one-way transfer, a split-time shuttle, or a custom package built around YOUR schedule!
Book Ahead
Peak Columbus Dates: When Prices and Minimums Go Up
Charter
| Peak Date | Date or Season |
|---|---|
| Columbus Blue Jackets Home Games | November 3, 2026 – April 8, 2027 |
| Ohio State Buckeyes Football Home Games | Nov 7, Nov 14 & Nov 28, 2026 |
| Ohio State Buckeyes Men's Basketball Home Games | November 6, 2026 – March 7, 2027 |
| Ohio State Buckeyes Women's Basketball Home Games | November 2, 2026 – February 28, 2027 |
| Columbus Zoo WILDLIGHTS | November 20, 2026 – January 3, 2027 |
| Ohio State Fair | July 28–August 8, 2027 (Wednesday–Sunday) |
| Dublin Irish Festival | August 6–8, 2027 (Friday–Sunday) |
| Circleville Pumpkin Show | October 20–23, 2027 (Wednesday–Saturday) |
| Prom season | April–May 2027 |
| Homecoming season | September–October 2026 |
Event dates can change, so check yours before you book.
Before You Book
What's Included in Columbus Charter Bus Prices?
Charter
What's Included in Your Price
- Your bus and its driver
- Your driver's gratuity
- Use of the bus for the hours or miles you book
- Unlimited stops during your booked time
- An instant booking confirmation, then a call from the confirmation team to verify your itinerary
- Your driver's contact information before your trip date
Extra Costs: Tolls, Parking, Tax & Driver Hotel
- Tolls and parking
- The driver's hotel room each night of an overnight trip, which you book
- A second driver, when your itinerary needs one
- Overtime past your booked hours, billed by the hour
- Extra charges if your final drop-off isn't near your pickup
- Changes to your date, time or route, which may cost more
Charter Bus Fees to Avoid
- No smoking: violations bring a fine.
- A surcharge applies for vomit incidents.
- Your group pays for any damage it causes.
Know Before You Pay
A Note on Payment Terms for Columbus Bus Rentals
Charter
How Can I Pay?
- All major credit cards are accepted, including Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover.
- Corporate or custom billing is set up by phone with the booking company.
Can I Cancel and Get a Refund?
- Cancellations and refunds follow the national booking company's terms, which you'll see before you book.
- Read them before you pay, and call us with any question first.
What If My Plans Change or Run Over?
- Your booked hours are the minimum you pay, so book enough time for your event.
- Overtime is billed by the hour, and only if the bus is free to stay.
- Date, time and route changes aren't guaranteed. You can upgrade to a bigger bus if one is available, but downgrades aren't allowed.
What Affects Your Price
6 Factors That Affect Columbus Charter Bus Prices
Charter
Factor 1: The Type of Bus
Get access to TONS of bus types in one search—from 11- to 14-passenger sprinter vans and 15- to 35-passenger minibuses to 15- to 50-passenger party buses and 56-passenger charter buses. Because one local company might only own minibuses, our network lets you pick the exact size and amenities that fit YOUR budget!
Factor 2: How Far and How Long You Travel
Charter
Factor 3: When in the Year You Travel
View instant online quotes early if you're traveling during high-demand months like April, May, June, or October! Spring brings school field trips to COSI, prom nights, and graduation at the Schottenstein Center, while fall packs out every weekend for Buckeyes football.
Factor 4: Your Route's Travel Fees
Ready to compare sports team bus rentals to ScottsMiracle-Gro Field or Nationwide Arena? Keep in mind that external route fees—like oversized vehicle parking permits at the Greater Columbus Convention Center or turnpike tolls—are not built into your base quote and are handled separately by your group.
Factor 5: Long Days and Your Driver's Hotel
If your itinerary includes an overnight trip out of state, you'll need to provide a private 3-star (or better) hotel room with bus parking so your driver stays rested. Our live specialists can factor multi-day logistics into your plan in minutes!
Factor 6: Which Day You Ride
Got 30 seconds to check a Tuesday or Wednesday date instead of a Saturday? Friday and Saturday nights see the highest demand for bachelorette parties in the Short North Arts District and weekend festivals along the Scioto Mile, which means higher hourly minimums and rates. Shifting a corporate shuttle or campus tour to a weekday between Monday and Thursday often unlocks lower typical hours and better daily pricing! You choose the day and package that works for YOUR group.
Ways to Save
Top 5 Ways to Save on Your Columbus Charter Bus Rental
Ride on a weekday. Weekday hourly rates in the table start below weekend rates for most buses, and Sunday through Thursday typically run the lowest rates.
Fill the seats you pay for. A bigger bus costs more per hour but less per person: a full 56-passenger charter bus starts under $4 per person, per hour.
Book early. Booking early gives you the widest choice of buses for your date.
Keep your pickups together. Every extra pickup adds time on the clock, so one meeting spot keeps the hours, and the price, down.
Ask about less time. Standard minimums apply, but call us at (234) 900-0344 and we can often set up less time, a one-way, split time or a custom package.
Sample Trips
Examples of Columbus Charter Bus Quotes
Below are sample quotes to help you plan your trip.
Example #1: Executive Team to CMH
A Columbus-based financial services firm is sending its 12-person executive team to John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH) for an 8:00 AM Monday departure to a conference. The team is scattered across German Village and Dublin, Ohio, and juggling rideshares for a dozen people with luggage in construction traffic is not a realistic plan. The company decided to find and book a Columbus airport transportation shuttle bus through Charter
- Itinerary
- 5:30 AM pickup in German Village, 6:00 AM second stop in Dublin, Ohio, 7:00 AM drop-off at CMH
- Vehicle
- Sprinter van with driver
- Booked time
- 2 hours (the weekday minimum)
- Rate
- $190–$373 an hour (weekday) × 2 hours
- Paid separately
- Tolls and parking
$380–$746about $32–$62 per person
Example #2: KEMBA Live! Concert Night
A group of 35 friends from German Village is heading to a sold-out show at KEMBA Live!. The roads back into Columbus after a late concert are not something anyone wants to navigate. The group decided to find and book a Columbus concert charter bus rental through Charter
- Itinerary
- 5:30 PM pickup in German Village, 6:30 PM arrival at KEMBA Live!, 11:30 PM post-show return to German Village
- Vehicle
- 35-passenger minibus
- Booked time
- 6 hours on a Saturday evening
- Rate
- $255–$385 an hour (weekend) × 6 hours
- Paid separately
- Tolls and parking
$1,530–$2,310about $44–$66 per person
Example #3: Hocking Hills State Park Day Trip
A Columbus tech company is rewarding its 40-person sales team with a day trip to Hocking Hills State Park. Rather than splitting into a caravan of rental cars for a Friday day trip, the company decided to find and book a Columbus corporate charter bus rental through Charter
- Itinerary
- 6:30 AM pickup at the company's downtown Columbus office, 9:00 AM arrival at Hocking Hills State Park, 4:30 PM departure, 7:00 PM return to Columbus
- Vehicle
- 56-passenger charter bus
- Booked time
- About 12 hours (full day)
- Rate
- Full-day rate, $1,650–$2,950
- Paid separately
- Tolls and parking
$1,650–$2,950about $41–$74 per person
Example #4: Columbus Crew Game Day
A group of 25 Columbus Crew season ticket holders from Dublin, Ohio wants to make a home game at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field into a proper tailgate without losing anyone to parking nightmares or a midnight rideshare shortage. They decided to find and book a Columbus sporting event party bus rental through Charter
- Itinerary
- 11:00 AM pickup in Dublin, Ohio, 12:30 PM arrival at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field, 5:30 PM post-game pickup and return to Dublin, Ohio
- Vehicle
- 25-passenger party bus
- Booked time
- About 6.5 hours on a Sunday
- Rate
- $248–$460 an hour (weekday low to weekend high) × 6.5 hours
- Paid separately
- Tolls and parking
$1,612–$2,990about $64–$120 per person
Frequently Asked Questions About Columbus Charter Bus Prices
Not sure what you need? Let us help! Just call us at (234) 900-0344, every single day of the year.
Contact usHow can I get a Columbus charter bus quote without creating an account?
Just enter your pickup location, travel date, and passenger count into our 30-second online quote tool—no account needed! You'll instantly see buses, interior photos, and live prices right on your screen.
Does Charterbuscolumbus.com own the buses in Columbus?
No, and that's the whole point! We're a bus rental comparison website, not a local bus company, so you're never stuck with whatever one single fleet happens to have parked in its lot on your date.
Are airport pickup fees included in my quote for John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH)?
Your quote covers the bus and driver for your Columbus airport transfer, while any commercial staging or airport gate fees at CMH are calculated based on your exact terminal pickup. Our confirmation department calls you after booking to verify your flight details and ground transportation zone!
What types of buses and packages can I compare in one search?
Through one of the largest networks of independent bus companies in Columbus and all of Ohio, you can compare 11- to 14-passenger sprinter vans, 15- to 35-passenger minibuses (15, 18, 20, 25, 28, 30, 35), 15- to 50-passenger party buses, and full-size 56-passenger motorcoaches through one of America's largest national booking platforms! You can book hourly, one-way, round-trip, multi-stop, or multi-day group transportation services—and even reserve a single same-day bus or a fleet of 10+ buses for a major convention. Plus, every online quote is sent to your text and email so it's easy to share with your group!
Book With Charter
Get Columbus Charter Bus Prices Now!
A fast, no-obligation quote is waiting for you in under 30 seconds—with no account needed! Fill out one quick form right now to compare buses, photos, and live pricing from independent providers competing for your business across Columbus and Ohio. Prefer to talk with a person? Call the live reservation team 365 days a year at (234) 900-0344 to get custom packages and our very best deals!