Knoxville Charter Bus Pricing & Rates
View instant online quotes from a network of transportation companies serving Knoxville, Tennessee in under a minute — no account required and no callbacks to wait for! Charter bus rental costs in Knoxville are not one-price-fits-all. Your group size, the type of bus you need, the day of the week, and where you are headed all push the number up or down.
Fill out the quick quote form on this page to see pricing for your specific trip in seconds, or call 865-230-8110 any time. Keep reading to learn every factor that shapes your quote — and how to put yourself in the best position to get the best deal.
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How Much Does It Cost to Rent a Charter Bus in Knoxville, Tennessee?
Wherever your group is headed in Knoxville or across East Tennessee, here is a look at what different bus types cost. Charter buses (40–56 passengers) run $215–$400+ per hour on weekdays, $235–$425+ per hour on weekends, and $1,720–$3,040+ per day. Minibuses (15–35 passengers) run $190–$385+ per hour on weekdays, $190–$400+ per hour on weekends, and $1,200–$2,495+ per day.
Party buses (15–50 passengers) run $260–$445+ per hour on weekdays, $280–$480+ per hour on weekends, and $1,905–$3,065+ per day. Sprinter vans with a driver run $200–$390+ per hour on weekdays, $230–$485+ per hour on weekends, and $1,455–$2,950+ per day. Sprinter limos run $200–$355+ per hour on weekdays, $200–$370+ per hour on weekends, and $1,355–$2,155+ per day.
These are ranges — your actual quote depends on the specifics of your trip.
| Type of Vehicle | Cost Per Hour Weekdays | Cost Per Hour Weekends | Cost Per Day | Cost Per Mile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 56 Passenger Charter Bus | $215 – $400+ | $235 – $425+ | $1,720 – $3,040+ | $6.40 – $9.15+ |
| 35 Passenger Minibus | $235 – $385+ | $265 – $400+ | $1,890 – $2,495+ | $6.40 – $9.15+ |
| 30 Passenger Minibus | $215 – $380+ | $250 – $395+ | $1,740 – $2,415+ | $6.10 – $8.80+ |
| 28 Passenger Minibus | $200 – $370+ | $230 – $385+ | $1,605 – $2,335+ | $5.85 – $8.45+ |
| 25 Passenger Minibus | $200 – $365+ | $205 – $380+ | $1,480 – $2,260+ | $5.60 – $8.10+ |
| 20 Passenger Minibus | $200 – $355+ | $200 – $370+ | $1,355 – $2,155+ | $5.35 – $7.70+ |
| 18 Passenger Minibus | $200 – $345+ | $200 – $365+ | $1,260 – $2,065+ | $5.20 – $7.45+ |
| 15 Passenger Minibus | $190 – $325+ | $190 – $345+ | $1,200 – $1,950+ | $4.95 – $7.15+ |
| 15-50 Passenger Party Bus | $260 – $445+ | $280 – $480+ | $1,905 – $3,065+ | $6.95 – $10.20+ |
| Sprinter Van with Driver | $200 – $390+ | $230 – $485+ | $1,455 – $2,950+ | $5.20 – $7.15+ |
| Sprinter Limo | $200 – $355+ | $200 – $370+ | $1,355 – $2,155+ | $5.35 – $7.70+ |
| 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 865-230-8110. | ||||
What Factors Affect Charter Bus Rental Prices in Knoxville, Tennessee?
Six main factors shape every charter bus quote in Knoxville: the type and size of bus you choose, how far and how long you need it, the day of the week and time of year, where the bus is coming from, any extra stops along your route, and how much demand exists on your specific date. Each of these is explained 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 You Choose Changes the Price in Knoxville, Tennessee
It depends on what you are 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 seats and overhead storage — they 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, a built-in bar, and lounge seating, and they cost more per hour as a result.
That is the real difference. Charterbusservicesknoxville.com connects you to a network of independent transportation companies serving Knoxville, so you can compare a straightforward 28-passenger minibus against a 30-passenger party bus side by side — and find the vehicle that actually fits your group and your budget, without calling five companies to do it.
How the Distance and Duration of Your Trip Affect Charter Bus Rates in Knoxville
It depends on what you are actually 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 the bus for one event or across multiple days. A two-hour airport transfer to McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) (2055 Alcoa Highway, Alcoa, TN 37701) prices differently than a full-day charter out to Dollywood (2700 Dollywood Parks Blvd, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863) and back.
Fill out the quote form and you will see pricing for your specific trip in seconds. If nothing on the results page is the exact package you need, call for quote-request help at 865-230-8110 and they will work to put a custom package together for you.
How the Day of the Week Changes What a Bus Costs in Knoxville, Tennessee
Yes, the day absolutely matters — and it is the detail you have the most control over. Saturday evenings price highest across the Knoxville 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. If your event has any flexibility, a trip that came 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 weekday dates too.
That said, certain Knoxville dates make the entire market disappear early no matter what day they fall on. UT Volunteers football home games at Neyland Stadium (1600 Stadium Drive, Knoxville, TN 37996) are the single biggest demand driver in the market — book six months out for any home Saturday. Big Ears Festival in late March, the Dogwood Arts Festival and Rhythm N' Blooms (postponed until further notice), Boomsday on Labor Day weekend, and the Tennessee Valley Fair at Chilhowee Park (3301 E Magnolia Ave, Knoxville, TN 37914) in September all pull heavy demand.
UT graduation in May and prom season across Knox County schools in late April and May fill the calendar fast. April, May, and June are more expensive across the board. Book early for any of those dates — waiting costs more and risks no availability at all.
How Your Starting Location and Deadhead Miles Affect Charter Bus Rates in Knoxville
Where your group boards matters more than most people expect. Many operators serving the Knoxville market are based near the airport corridor along Alcoa Highway (US-129) or in the west Knoxville area along Kingston Pike. If your pickup is in downtown Knoxville or on the UT campus, those staging areas are close.
If your group is picking up in a farther suburb — Farragut, Maryville, or Lenoir City — or if the trip starts in a different county entirely, 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. Enter your exact pickup address in the quote form so the pricing you see reflects your actual route.
How Seasonality and Peak Times Affect Charter Bus Rates in Knoxville, Tennessee
Knoxville's bus market has two distinct busy stretches, and they do not always line up the way people expect. Fall is the most competitive window: UT home football Saturdays from September through November drive enormous demand across the entire market, and Boomsday on Labor Day weekend kicks it off. Spring is the second peak — Big Ears in late March, Dogwood Arts and Rhythm N' Blooms in April, UT graduation in May, and Knox County prom season all stack on top of each other.
The cheapest windows to rent a bus in Knoxville are typically January and February (outside of any bowl game travel), early March before festival season starts, and mid-November on non-game weekends. If your dates are flexible and none of those demand drivers apply, you will find more options and better pricing in those quieter stretches.
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 48 Volunteers fans wants a game-day shuttle from a hotel on Kingston Pike in West Knoxville to Neyland Stadium for a Saturday afternoon home game, with a return trip after the final whistle. They have chosen a 40–56 passenger charter bus.
Saturday is a weekend rate, so a charter bus costs $235–$425+ per hour. The group wants pickup at 10:00 a.m. for a noon kickoff, and the return trip after a game that runs until roughly 3:30 p.m. — with post-game traffic on Neyland Drive and the I-275 corridor, they estimate a return drop-off around 5:00 p.m. That puts the total booked window at approximately seven hours.
At the lower end of the weekend range, seven hours at $235 per hour comes to approximately $1,645. At the higher end of $425 per hour, the same seven hours reaches $2,975. UT home Saturdays are among the highest-demand days in the entire Knoxville market, so pricing tends toward the upper portion of that range — and availability disappears months in advance.
This is an example to give you a general sense of scale, not a guaranteed price. 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 865-230-8110 for pricing on your date.
Example Quote #2
Twelve women are planning a Saturday bachelorette night starting in downtown Knoxville — cocktails at Peter Kern Library (407 Union Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37902), dinner on Market Square (Knoxville, TN 37902), and a bar crawl through the Old City along Jackson Avenue. 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 $280–$480+ per hour. With pickup at 6:30 p.m. and a return to their hotel near Gay Street at 1:30 a.m., the group is looking at approximately seven booked hours.
At the lower end of the weekend party bus range, seven hours at $280 per hour comes to approximately $1,960. At $480 per hour, the same block of time reaches $3,360. Late Saturday hours in downtown Knoxville 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 865-230-8110 to see what is available for your date.
Example Quote #3
A church group of 52 adults and teenagers is planning a Saturday day trip from their meeting point in East Knoxville to Dollywood, roughly 35 miles southeast of Knoxville via US-441 through Sevierville. They have chosen a 40–56 passenger charter bus for the full day.
Saturday is a weekend rate, so a charter bus costs $235–$425+ per hour. The bus picks up at 8:00 a.m., arrives at Dollywood around 9:15 a.m., waits through the day while the group enjoys the park, and returns the group by 7:00 p.m. That puts the total booked window at approximately eleven hours — most of which is standby time at the park while the group is inside.
At the lower end of the weekend range, eleven hours at $235 per hour comes to approximately $2,585. At $425 per hour, the same eleven hours reaches $4,675. Note that Dollywood's designated motorcoach parking is separate from car parking and is free for buses — a detail worth confirming when you book.
This is a sample to give you a general sense of what a full-day charter costs, not a guaranteed price. Call 865-230-8110 or use the form for pricing on your specific date.
Example Quote #4
A regional conference organizer needs a shuttle to move 25 attendees from two downtown hotels to the Knoxville Civic Auditorium & Coliseum (KCAC) (500 Howard Baker Jr. Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37915) for a full-day Wednesday conference, with two morning pickup runs and two afternoon return runs. They have selected a 25-passenger minibus.
On a weekday, a 25-passenger minibus costs $200–$365+ per hour. With the first pickup at 7:30 a.m. and the last return drop-off at 6:00 p.m., the vehicle is in service for approximately ten and a half hours — with most of that time as standby between runs rather than active driving.
At the lower end of the weekday range, ten and a half hours at $200 per hour comes to approximately $2,100. At $365 per hour, the same day reaches $3,833. What your trip costs inside that spread comes down to the operator, the vehicle, and demand on that Wednesday.
This is an example to give you a general sense of what a full-day convention shuttle costs, not a final price. Fill out the form or call 865-230-8110 for pricing built around your specific schedule.