San Mateo Charter Bus Pricing & Rates
Whether you are shuttling a corporate team to a conference in San Francisco, organizing a group trip to a 49ers game at Levi's Stadium, or coordinating a prom night across the Peninsula, the price of a charter bus rental in San Mateo, California is never one-size-fits-all. Your group size, the day of the week, how far you are going, and the type of bus you choose all push the number up or down. The fastest way to see pricing for your trip is to fill out the quote form on this page — you will have options in under a minute.
Keep reading to learn every factor that shapes your quote and how to put yourself in the best position to save!
Instantly Receive San Mateo Bus Rental Pricing In Seconds
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 San Mateo.
How Much Does It Cost to Rent a Charter Bus in San Mateo, California?
Check the ranges below to get a general sense of what different vehicle types cost in San Mateo. Charter buses cost $205–$385+ per hour on weekdays, $225–$410+ per hour on weekends, and $1,650–$2,950+ per day. Minibuses run $180–$370+ per hour on weekdays, $180–$385+ per hour on weekends, and $1,150–$2,415+ per day.
Party buses cost $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 specific details of your trip. Fill out the form or call 650-853-9040 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 650-853-9040. | ||||
What Factors Affect Charter Bus Rental Prices in San Mateo, California?
Six factors shape every charter bus quote in San Mateo: the type and size of bus you choose, how far and how long you need it, the day of the week, the time of year, where the bus is starting from, and any extra stops along the route. Each of these is covered in its own section below, so you can see exactly what will influence your quote and how to prepare. Understanding them before you fill out the form means you will know what you are looking at when pricing comes back — and which details to adjust if you want to bring the number down.
How the Type of Bus Changes the Price in San Mateo, California
It depends on what you are actually looking for. Bigger buses, newer buses, and buses loaded with amenities cost more per hour than simpler ones. Charter buses and minibuses have forward-facing seats and overhead storage — they are the practical, lower-cost way to move a large group from San Mateo to SFO or down to a 49ers game in Santa Clara.
Party buses and Sprinter limos add LED lighting, flat-panel TVs, a built-in bar, and lounge seating, and they cost more per hour as a result. Because Sanmateocoachbuscompany.com pulls from a large network of independently owned transportation companies serving San Mateo, you can compare a straightforward 28-passenger minibus against a 30-passenger party bus side by side and find what actually fits your group and your budget.
How Distance and Duration of Your Trip Affect Charter Bus Rates in San Mateo
It depends on what you are planning. Buses are rented by the hour, by the day, or by mileage — which structure applies to your trip depends on the total distance, how many hours the vehicle is in use, and whether you need it for one event or across multiple days. A two-hour airport transfer from San Mateo to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) (San Francisco International Airport, San Francisco, CA 94128) prices very differently than a full-day charter to a Stanford graduation weekend or a multi-stop winery tour over the Santa Cruz Mountains.
Fill out the quote form and you will see pricing for your specific trip in seconds. If the results page does not show the exact package you need, call for quote-request help at 650-853-9040 and they will work to put a custom package together for you.
How the Day of the Week Changes What a Bus Costs in San Mateo, California
Yes, the day matters — and it is the detail you have the most control over. Saturday evenings typically price highest across the San Mateo 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. 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 available on those days too. That said, certain Peninsula dates make the whole market disappear early regardless of what day they fall on.
The San Mateo County Fair at the San Mateo County Event Center (1346 Saratoga Dr, San Mateo, CA 94403) runs approximately ten days in June and fills local transportation early. Stanford graduation in mid-June, 49ers home games at Levi's Stadium (4900 Marie P DeBartolo Way, Santa Clara, CA 95054) from September through January, and Giants home games at Oracle Park (24 Willie Mays Plaza, San Francisco, CA 94107) all pull Peninsula demand at once. Prom season across San Mateo Union High School District and Sequoia Union High School District in late April and May is one of the single busiest stretches of the year.
Book six months out or more for any of those dates. April, May, and June are more expensive across the board.
How Starting Location and Deadhead Affect Charter Bus Rates in San Mateo
Where your group boards changes what the platform prices against. Many operators serving the San Mateo area are based near SFO or in the broader Peninsula corridor between San Francisco and San Jose. If your pickup is in downtown San Mateo or near Hillsdale Shopping Center (60 31st Ave, San Mateo, CA 94403), those staging areas are close by.
If your pickup is farther out — deep in Woodside, out near Coyote Point Recreation Area (1701 Coyote Point Dr, San Mateo, CA 94401), or across the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge in the East Bay — the bus covers more ground before anyone boards, and that distance is part of the trip cost. 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 San Mateo, California
The Peninsula bus market does not follow a simple summer-high, winter-low pattern. Spring is the most expensive stretch of the year: prom season in April and May, Stanford graduation in June, and the San Mateo County Fair in June all stack demand at once. Fall drives a second peak with 49ers home season running September through January and Giants playoff runs extending the baseball calendar.
Winter is not reliably cheap — corporate off-site season and holiday party season keep demand elevated through December. January and February are typically the quietest months for most Peninsula trips, making them the best windows to find lower rates and more vehicle availability. September and October outside of 49ers home Sundays can also be reasonable.
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
A group of 22 employees needs a round-trip airport shuttle from their San Mateo office to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) (San Francisco International Airport, San Francisco, CA 94128) on a Wednesday morning, with a return pickup after the last team member lands that afternoon. They have chosen a 25-passenger minibus.
On a weekday, a 25-passenger minibus costs $190–$350+ per hour. The outbound run leaves the office at 7:00 a.m. and reaches SFO departures in roughly 20 to 30 minutes off-peak. The return pickup is staged for 4:30 p.m. at the Level 1 Arrivals courtyard, with the bus holding at the TCP staging area on N McDonnell Road until the group is assembled curbside.
Total booked time from first pickup to final drop-off is approximately six hours.
At the lower end of the weekday range, six hours at $190 per hour comes to approximately $1,140. At the higher end of $350 per hour, the same six hours reaches $2,100. What your trip costs inside that spread depends on the operator, the specific vehicle, and how much demand is on that Wednesday.
This is an example to give you a general sense of scale — your actual quote depends on your specific pickup location, the operator available for your date, and the vehicle selected. Fill out the form or call 650-853-9040 for pricing on your date.
Example Quote #2
Fourteen guests are planning a Saturday bachelorette night starting in downtown San Mateo, heading north on US-101 to the Mission Bay waterfront in San Francisco, with stops in SoMa and a late finish near the Embarcadero before returning to a hotel in San Mateo. 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 costs $265–$460+ per hour. With pickup at 6:30 p.m. and a return to San Mateo at 1:30 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 $460 per hour, the same seven hours reaches $3,220. Late Saturday hours in the Bay Area sit at the busiest point of the week, so this kind of itinerary prices toward the upper half of that range more often than the lower.
This is a sample quote. The actual number depends on the operator, the specific vehicle, and your confirmed itinerary. Use the quote form or call 650-853-9040 to see what is available for your date.
Example Quote #3
A group of 45 friends and family members wants a game-day charter from a parking lot in central San Mateo to Levi's Stadium for a Sunday afternoon 49ers home game, with tailgate time before kickoff and a return trip after the final whistle. They have chosen a 40–56 passenger charter bus.
On a weekend, a 40–56 passenger charter bus costs $225–$410+ per hour. With pickup at 10:00 a.m. and a return drop-off estimated around 7:00 p.m. after post-game traffic clears on US-101, the group is looking at approximately nine booked hours.
At the lower end of the weekend range, nine hours at $225 per hour comes to approximately $2,025. At $410 per hour, the same nine hours reaches $3,690. Home Sundays at Levi's Stadium are among the highest-demand days in the entire Peninsula market, which pushes pricing up and availability down — book as early as possible, ideally four to six months out.
This is a sample to give you a general sense of scale, not a guaranteed price. Use the form or call 650-853-9040 for pricing on your specific date.
Example Quote #4
A group of 20 high school seniors from San Mateo High School (506 N Delaware St, San Mateo, CA 94401) is planning a Saturday prom night with pickup from a private residence in San Mateo, a stop for dinner in Burlingame, and a late return after the dance. They have chosen a party bus with LED lighting, a sound system, and perimeter seating.
On a weekend, a 15–50 passenger party bus costs $265–$460+ per hour. With a 5:30 p.m. pickup and a final drop-off around midnight, the group is looking at approximately six and a half booked hours.
At the lower end of the weekend party bus range, six and a half hours at $265 per hour comes to approximately $1,723. At $460 per hour, the same block of time reaches $2,990. Prom season across the San Mateo Union High School District in late April and May is one of the busiest stretches of the year for party bus rentals on the Peninsula — vehicles fill months in advance, and waiting means fewer options and higher rates.
This is an example only. Fill out the form or call 650-853-9040 for pricing on your prom date.
Frequently Asked Questions About San Mateo Charter Bus Rental Prices
Sanmateocoachbuscompany.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.
Sanmateocoachbuscompany.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. Sanmateocoachbuscompany.com helps you find and compare options — that is its role, and nothing more.
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 more useful your results will be.
Sanmateocoachbuscompany.com passes your trip details — pickup location, date, group size, timing, and stops — to the online booking platform, which 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 rate card. Two trips that look identical on paper can price differently because different operators are behind them.
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 — which is exactly why comparing through a network gives you more options than calling one company.
Demand is higher on weekends. Saturday evenings in San Mateo — prom nights, bachelorette parties, 49ers game days — 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 costs $248–$426+ per hour on weekdays versus $265–$460+ per hour on weekends.
Every additional stop adds time to the trip, and more time means more hours booked. Multiple pickup locations — say, a hotel in downtown San Mateo and a second pickup in Burlingame before heading to Oracle Park — 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 San Mateo County Fair at the San Mateo County Event Center runs approximately ten days in June and drives strong Peninsula demand. Stanford graduation in mid-June, 49ers home games at Levi's Stadium from September through January, and Giants home games and playoff runs at Oracle Park all tighten availability across the market.
Prom season across Peninsula school districts in late April and May is one of the single busiest stretches of the year for party buses and minibuses. When every group in the region needs a bus on the same weekend, available vehicles get taken early and pricing reflects the competition. Book six months out or more for any of those dates.
January and February are typically the lowest-demand windows in the San Mateo market. The post-holiday period before prom season and the county fair sees the fewest competing bookings, and more vehicles are available. September and October can also be reasonable outside of 49ers home Sundays.
Avoid assuming December is slow — corporate holiday parties and year-end off-sites keep demand elevated through the end of the year. Spring is consistently the most expensive stretch, with prom, graduation, and the county fair stacking demand from April through June.
Book three to six months out for most San Mateo trips. For prom season, 49ers home games, Stanford graduation, and the San Mateo County Fair, six months or more is the safer window. The Peninsula market moves fast on high-demand dates, and 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 moving versus parked are the primary factors. Short in-city trips — a shuttle loop between a San Mateo hotel and SFO — typically cost by the hour. Long-distance trips where the bus covers significant highway miles are more likely to be priced by the day or by mileage.
The booking platform determines the structure based on your specific itinerary.