St Paul Charter Bus Pricing & Rates
When you need to move a group in St. Paul, the price of a charter bus depends on more than just the number of seats. The type of bus, the day of the week, how far you're going, and when you book all push the number up or down. There's no single flat rate — but getting a quote for your specific trip takes under a minute right here online, or you can call 651-212-9400 any time.
Keep reading to learn every factor that shapes your quote and how to put yourself in the best position to save!
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The form takes only a few seconds to complete! After you submit your trip details, you can review pricing and available vehicles through a national booking company that works with bus companies serving St Paul.
How Much Does It Cost to Rent a Charter Bus in St. Paul, Minnesota?
Bringing a group together in St. Paul means picking the right vehicle first — and the price follows from that choice. Charter buses (40–56 passengers) run $205–$385+ per hour on weekdays, $225–$410+ per hour on weekends, and $1,650–$2,950+ per day. Minibuses (15–35 passengers) run $225–$370+ per hour on weekdays, $255–$385+ per hour on weekends, and $1,815–$2,415+ per day.
Party buses (15–50 passengers) run $248–$426+ per hour on weekdays, $265–$460+ per hour on weekends, and $1,827–$2,954+ per day. These are ranges — your actual quote depends on the details of your trip. Fill out the form or call 651-212-9400 to see pricing for your date!
| 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+ |
| Sprinter Limo | $190 – $340+ | $190 – $355+ | $1,300 – $2,080+ | $5.15 – $7.50+ |
| School Bus | $205 – $365+ | $240 – $380+ | $1,670 – $2,335+ | $5.00 – $7.60+ |
| ABOVE PRICES ARE JUST EXAMPLES. Your final price and vehicle options depend entirely on your specific trip details. To get an instant price quote for your trip, request an online quote or call 651-212-9400. | ||||
What Factors Affect Charter Bus Rental Prices in St. Paul, Minnesota?
Six main factors shape every charter bus quote in St. Paul: the type and size of bus, the distance and duration of the trip, the day of the week, your starting location, the time of year, and how far in advance you book. Each of those factors is covered in its own section below, so you can see exactly what will influence your quote and how to prepare. Read through each one before you fill out the form — you'll know what to expect and where there's room to save!
How the Type of Bus Changes the Price in St. Paul, Minnesota
It depends on what you're actually looking for. Bigger buses, newer buses, and buses with more amenities cost more per hour than simpler ones. Charter buses and minibuses have forward-facing seating and are the practical, lower-cost way to move a large group from point A to point B. Party buses and Sprinter limos add LED lighting, flat-panel TVs, and lounge seating — and they cost more per hour as a result.
Because Stpaulcoachbuscompany.com connects you to a network of transportation companies serving St. Paul, you can compare something on the straightforward, less expensive side against the more premium options and find the vehicle that actually fits your group and your budget!
How the Distance and Duration of Your Trip Affect Charter Bus Rates in St. Paul
It depends on what you're actually planning. Buses are rented by the hour, by the day, or by mileage depending on the trip details — which structure applies to yours depends on the total distance, how long the vehicle is in use, and whether you need it for one event or across multiple days. A short shuttle loop around downtown St. Paul prices differently than a full-day run to the Minnesota State Fairgrounds and back.
Fill out the quote form and you'll see pricing for your specific trip in seconds. If nothing on the results page is quite the package you need, call for quote-request help at 651-212-9400 and they'll work to put a custom package together for you!
How the Day of the Week Changes What a Bus Costs in St. Paul, Minnesota
Yes, the day matters — and it's one of the details you have the most control over. Saturday evenings typically price highest across the St. Paul market. Friday evenings come in next.
Sunday through Thursday are typically the lowest, and Friday or Saturday daytime trips cost less than those same evenings. Season, location, and time of day all feed into it too. If your event has any flexibility, a trip that comes back too high on a Saturday may work for less on a Thursday or Wednesday — and shorter bookings tend to be easier to find on those days as well.
That said, certain St. Paul dates make the whole market disappear early no matter what day they fall on. The MSHSL State Hockey Tournament at Xcel Energy Center in late February or early March draws entire families from across Minnesota and books out fast. The St. Paul Winter Carnival in late January through early February fills downtown with group travel demand.
Minnesota United FC playoff runs at Allianz Field, Minnesota Wild playoff games, and the Minnesota State Fair (late August through Labor Day) all drive enormous demand across the metro. Prom season across St. Paul Public Schools, South St. Paul, Roseville, Maplewood, and White Bear Lake districts runs April through May. April, May, and June are more expensive across the board.
For any of those dates, book as far in advance as possible — waiting costs more and risks no availability at all!
How Starting Location and Deadhead Affect Charter Bus Rates in St. Paul
Where your group boards changes what the platform prices against. Many operators serving the St. Paul metro are based in Minneapolis, Roseville, Eagan, Bloomington, or near Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP). If your pickup is in downtown St. Paul or close to those staging areas, the bus doesn't cover much ground before anyone boards.
If your pickup is in a far suburb — White Bear Lake, Cottage Grove, or Woodbury — the bus travels more before the trip even begins, and that distance is factored into the price. Choosing a central pickup point or keeping your pickup and drop-off closer together is one of the most direct ways to bring your quote down.
How Seasonality and Peak Times Affect Charter Bus Rates in St. Paul, Minnesota
The St. Paul market has two distinct busy stretches that don't always line up with what people expect. Summer — June through August — is peak season for outdoor events, Saints games at CHS Field, and the massive Minnesota State Fair. But winter is NOT uniformly cheap in St. Paul.
The St. Paul Winter Carnival in late January and the MSHSL State Hockey Tournament in late February create real demand spikes right in the middle of what looks like the off-season. The cheapest windows to rent a bus in St. Paul are typically mid-March through early April (after tournaments, before prom season) and October through mid-November (after the State Fair, before the holiday rush).
Hypothetical Bus Rental Pricing Examples
Example only. These sample scenarios are for illustration only. They are not real quotes, guaranteed prices, or offers. Your actual trip price and availability may be higher or lower depending on your city, date, vehicle, passenger count, route, trip length, booking details, fees, gratuity, and other details. Submit your trip details to compare quote options for your specific request.
Example Quote #1
Thirty-five hockey fans from Woodbury want a round-trip shuttle to a Minnesota Wild game at Xcel Energy Center (175 W Kellogg Blvd, St. Paul, MN 55102) on a Saturday evening in February. They've chosen a 35-passenger minibus. On a weekend, a 35-passenger minibus runs $255–$385+ per hour.
The bus picks up the group at 5:00 p.m. in Woodbury, makes the run down I-94 to downtown St. Paul for a 7:00 p.m. puck drop, waits through the game, and returns the group by 10:30 p.m. — roughly five and a half booked hours total.
At the lower end of the weekend range, five and a half hours at $255 per hour comes to approximately $1,403. At the higher end of $385 per hour, the same block of time reaches approximately $2,118. A Saturday evening in February during Wild season sits toward the higher half of that spread — and if the date lands during the MSHSL State Hockey Tournament weekend, availability across the entire metro tightens significantly.
This is an example to give you a general sense of what a trip like this costs, not a guaranteed price. Your actual quote depends on the operator available, the specific vehicle, and your confirmed route. Fill out the form or call 651-212-9400 for pricing on your date!
Example Quote #2
Fourteen women are planning a Saturday bachelorette night starting in downtown St. Paul — cocktails at Union Depot (214 E 4th St, St. Paul, MN 55101) in Lowertown, dinner along the West Seventh Street corridor, and a late-night stop near Rice Park (109 W 4th St, St. Paul, MN 55102) before a hotel return near the Capitol. They want a party bus with a built-in bar, LED lighting, and a Bluetooth sound system. On a weekend, a 15–50 passenger party bus runs $265–$460+ per hour.
With pickup at 6:00 p.m. and a hotel return at 1:00 a.m., the group is looking at roughly seven booked hours.
At the lower end of the weekend party bus range, seven hours at $265 per hour comes to approximately $1,855. At the higher end of $460 per hour, the same seven hours reaches approximately $3,220. Late Saturday evenings in St. Paul sit at the busiest point of the week, so a night like this tends to price toward the upper half of that range more often than the lower.
This is an example to give you a sense of scale — not a guaranteed price or final quote. Your actual number depends on the operator, the specific vehicle, and your itinerary. Use the quote form or call 651-212-9400 to see what's available for your date!
Example Quote #3
A group of fifty friends and family from South St. Paul wants a round-trip charter bus to the Minnesota State Fairgrounds (1265 Snelling Ave N, Falcon Heights, MN 55108) on a Saturday in late August. They've selected a 40–56 passenger charter bus. On a weekend, a charter bus runs $225–$410+ per hour.
The bus picks up the group at 9:00 a.m., makes the run up to the fairgrounds in Falcon Heights, waits while the group spends the day at the Fair, and returns by 7:00 p.m. — roughly ten booked hours total, including standby time while the group is inside.
At the lower end of the weekend range, ten hours at $225 per hour comes to approximately $2,250. At the higher end of $410 per hour, the same ten hours reaches approximately $4,100. State Fair weekend is one of the highest-demand stretches of the entire year across the Twin Cities metro — vehicles get taken early and pricing reflects the competition.
Keep in mind that bus parking at the fairgrounds is free with prior authorization per the Minnesota State Fair transportation page, and that cost is separate from your rental quote. This is an example to give you a general sense of what a trip like this costs, not a guaranteed price. Call 651-212-9400 or use the quote form to get pricing for your date!
Example Quote #4
A St. Paul-based company needs a weekday shuttle to move twenty-five employees between their downtown St. Paul office and a conference venue in Minneapolis for two full days. They've selected a 25-passenger minibus. On a weekday, a 25-passenger minibus runs $190–$350+ per hour.
The bus makes two morning runs from St. Paul to Minneapolis beginning at 7:30 a.m. and two afternoon return runs, with the last drop-off back in St. Paul at 6:30 p.m. — roughly eleven booked hours each day, including standby time between runs.
At the lower end of the weekday range, eleven hours at $190 per hour comes to approximately $2,090 per day. At the higher end of $350 per hour, the same eleven hours reaches approximately $3,850 per day. For a two-day booking, the total estimate falls between roughly $4,180 and $7,700 depending on the operator and vehicle.
Most of those hours are standby rather than driving time — that's what separates a repeat-run shuttle from a single point-to-point trip, and it's reflected in the daily structure. This is an example to give you a sense of what a multi-day corporate shuttle costs, not a guaranteed price. Call 651-212-9400 or fill out the form for pricing on your specific dates!
Frequently Asked Questions About St Paul Charter Bus Rental Prices
Stpaulcoachbuscompany.com helps you compare buses rental options; it is not a transportation company and does not rent, own, or operate vehicles. When you submit the quote form, your trip details go through a booking company so you can review pricing and available vehicles for your date. You compare the options and book through the process shown with your quote.
Stpaulcoachbuscompany.com is an advertising and quote comparison website. It is not a bus operator, not a motor carrier, and it does not set prices. You fill out the quote form with your trip details, and those details go to an online booking platform that returns pricing based on what independent operators have available for your trip.
Booking is completed on that platform, not on this site. Stpaulcoachbuscompany.com helps you find and compare options — the transportation itself is provided by independent operators.
Enter your pickup city, date, passenger count, trip times, and any stops as accurately as possible — those details are what the booking platform prices against. More complete trip details return more accurate vehicle options. Weekday trips, shorter routes, earlier booking, and flexible timing may help with pricing when those options are available for your date and route.
The more specific your information, the better your results!
Stpaulcoachbuscompany.com passes your trip details — pickup location, date, group size, timing, and stops — to the online booking platform. The platform then prices the trip against what independent operators in the network have available for those specifics. The result reflects availability on your date, not a published flat rate.
Different trip details produce different pricing, which is why entering accurate information matters.
Different operators in the network price the same itinerary differently. Each independent operator sets its own rates based on its fleet, its costs, and its availability on a given date. The booking platform returns what each operator has available for your trip.
Two quotes for the same route on the same day can differ because two different operators are behind them — and that's exactly why comparing through a network gives you more options than calling one company.
Demand is higher on weekends. Saturday evenings in St. Paul — Wild games, bachelorette parties, wedding shuttles, State Fair runs — pull from the same pool of available vehicles at the same time. When more groups compete for the same buses, pricing goes up.
Tuesday through Thursday, demand is lower and pricing reflects that. A party bus runs $248–$426+ per hour on weekdays versus $265–$460+ per hour on weekends — the gap is real and consistent.
Every additional stop adds time to the trip, and more time means more hours booked. Multiple pickup locations — say, one hotel in downtown St. Paul and a second pickup in Roseville before heading to a venue — extend the vehicle's schedule before the main event even begins. The more stops on the itinerary, the more accurately you need to map the timing when you fill out the quote form, so the platform can price the full block of hours correctly.
Significantly. The MSHSL State Hockey Tournament at Xcel Energy Center in late February or early March, the St. Paul Winter Carnival in late January, the Minnesota State Fair from late August through Labor Day, Minnesota Wild playoff runs, Minnesota United FC playoff matches at Allianz Field, and prom season across Metro-area school districts in April and May all drive demand across the entire Twin Cities market at once. When every group in the region needs a bus on the same weekend, available vehicles get taken early and pricing reflects the competition.
Book as far in advance as possible for any of those dates.
Mid-March through early April is typically the lowest-demand window — after the State Hockey Tournament ends and before prom season begins. October through mid-November is also relatively quiet after the State Fair wraps up. Avoid assuming January and February are cheap: the St. Paul Winter Carnival and the MSHSL State Hockey Tournament create real demand spikes in both months.
April, May, and June are consistently more expensive.
Book three to six months out for most St. Paul trips. For State Hockey Tournament weekend, State Fair dates, Wild or United playoff runs, Winter Carnival, and prom season across Metro school districts, six months or more is the safer window. The Twin Cities market moves fast on high-demand dates — waiting until the last minute means higher rates and fewer vehicles to choose from.
Total distance and how much of the day the vehicle spends in motion versus parked are the primary factors. Short in-city trips — a shuttle loop between a St. Paul hotel and Xcel Energy Center — typically cost by the hour. Long-distance trips where the bus covers significant highway miles, like a charter to Duluth or a multi-day run, are more likely to be priced by the day or by mileage.
The booking platform determines the structure based on your specific itinerary.