Limos, party buses, and guest shuttles — hourly rates, minimums, and tip
| Vehicle | Typical Hourly | Common Range | Usual Minimum | Typical Wedding Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stretch limo (6-10 pax) | $115 | $75 – $150 | 3 hours | $345 |
| SUV / stretch limo (14-20) | $200 | $120 – $300 | 3 hours | $600 |
| Party bus (10-30) | $210 | $140 – $350 | 4-5 hours | $840 |
| Charter bus (40-56) | $225 | $175 – $300 | 5 hours | $1,125 |
| Vintage / classic car (2-4) | $200 | $90 – $500 | 2-3 hours | $400 – $1,100 pkgs |
Typical totals are minimum hours at the typical rate. Full motorcoaches often price as a ~$1,000 base plus ~$200 per additional hour rather than a straight hourly rate. Rates run highest in the Bay Area, LA, and New York; flat off-peak packages ($800 for 4 hours in some markets) undercut everything.
| Region | Average Transportation Spend |
|---|---|
| National (WeddingWire) | $750 (most couples: $500 – $1,100) |
| Midwest | $934 |
| South | $1,039 |
| Mid-Atlantic | $1,443 |
| Northeast | ~$1,500 |
Regional averages from The Knot's Real Weddings data. The spread tracks local labor costs more than distance — a 3-hour limo costs roughly the same in Omaha and Boston; the driver's hourly rate doesn't.
Transportation is the most hourly-rate-driven line in a wedding budget: vehicle type sets the rate, minimums set the floor, and gratuity rides on top of all of it. The calculator prices two vehicles — the couple's car and, if needed, a guest shuttle — at your hours and rates, then adds the tip.
Subtotal = (couple's hours × rate) + (shuttle hours × rate), with hours clamped to each vehicle's minimum in the table above. Gratuity = subtotal × tip %. Total = subtotal + gratuity. Cost per guest divides the total by your headcount, which is the number that tells you whether a shuttle is worth it.
Pick the couple's vehicle first — most weddings need one car for photos and the getaway, not a fleet. Add a guest shuttle only if your ceremony and reception are 15-20+ minutes apart, parking is tight, or the bar is open with no safe way home. Adjust the hourly rate to your market: quotes in major metros come in at the high end of each range.
A 120-guest wedding with a ceremony and reception 25 minutes apart. The couple books a stretch limo for 3 hours at $115 (the rate's typical midpoint): $345. Guests get a party-bus shuttle for 4 hours at $210: $840. Subtotal: $1,185. Gratuity at 18% adds $213.30 for a total of $1,398.30 — $11.65 a guest, comfortably under the per-plate catering line and less than the Northeast average.
Trim to one vehicle and the math moves fast: drop the shuttle (venue parking was fine after all) and the total falls to $407.10 with tip — half the national average for a wedding that still photographs like a million dollars.
Couples spend about $750 on average, with most landing between $500 and $1,100. Region matters: Midwest averages run near $934, the South $1,039, the Mid-Atlantic $1,443, and the Northeast about $1,500. The typical setup is a 3-hour limo for the couple plus a 4-hour shuttle for guests.
Standard stretch limos (6-10 passengers) run $75-$150 an hour with a 3-hour minimum on weekends; larger SUV and stretch limos (14-20 passengers) run $120-$300. Vintage and classic cars span $90-$500 an hour with 2-4 hour minimums and flat wedding packages of $300-$1,100.
Party buses run $140-$350 an hour depending on size and market, with most couples paying $175-$250 for a mid-size bus, and they carry 4-5 hour minimums. Large 40-50 passenger buses run $250-$500 an hour, and full motorcoaches price closer to a $1,000 base plus about $200 per additional hour.
You need a shuttle when the ceremony and reception are more than about 15-20 minutes apart, when venue parking is limited, or when guests will drink and can't drive. The rule of thumb is one 30-50 passenger shuttle per 75-100 guests, running loops between hotel, ceremony, and reception.
Sometimes. Many operators add a built-in gratuity of 18-20% to the invoice, others leave it to you. Check the quote line by line; if it's not included, budget 15-20% of the vehicle subtotal for the driver, paid in cash on the day.
As soon as your ceremony and reception venues are signed, because the same limo and shuttle companies serve every wedding in town. Peak-season Saturdays in larger metros can commit operators months ahead; off-peak and winter dates book comfortably with 2-3 months of lead time.