If you have a lot of guests coming from out of town, you will need a way to transport them to the wedding venue.
Transporting people together saves guests from the cost of a cab (or renting a car) and it also alleviates the question of who will be the designated driver. Guests can be transported to and from the hotel without having to worry about the risks of drinking and driving.
While the gesture of providing transportation for wedding guests is a nice thought, the cost can sometimes be prohibitive. In this article, we will go over all the transportation options for wedding guests along with a way to get the hotel to provide transportation for free.
Let’s start with the best option, the hotel shuttle.
Hotel Shuttle
If you are blocking hotel rooms for wedding guests, then the hotel may provide complimentary shuttle service to nearby wedding venues. While the shuttle is usually smaller in size (7-15 passenger van), it suffices most weddings.
If you don’t know which hotels provide complimentary shuttle service, then either ask your wedding venue or fill out this group hotel rates booking request form.
In the comments section, add the following:
“We are getting married at [name of venue] and would like to block hotel rooms nearby. We will give preference to the hotel that provides complimentary shuttle service to and from the event”.
Even if you can’t get free shuttle service, many hotels will provide it at a nominal cost (usually around $50 per round trip) which still ends being cheaper than some of the other options.
Coach
For large weddings, this is the most elegant and cost effective method to transport a large number of guests all at the same time. While prices may differ across cities, the range for a coach bus is $700-$1200 for 6-8 hours. They provide one pickup and one drop-off for that price.
The advantage in renting a coach is that it provides transportation for anywhere from 40-56 people at the same time. Most companies will provide at least 2 trips each way for the price.
Passenger Van
A passenger van (minivan) can be rented from a local car rental company for $100. Hire a local or even a relative for $50 bucks to drive a few times from the hotel to the wedding venue. For less than $200, you will have transportation back and forth throughout the day.
Alternately, you can rent a large 15 passenger van from a local transportation company (Most limo companies have theses) for around $400 for six hours. Prices, of course, vary based on the city.
School Bus
If you have a lot of guests, but don’t have the budget for a coach bus, then consider renting a school bus. Yes, the real yellow school bus from a local school district. They run anywhere from $200-$500 for 8 hours depending on the location.
Try looking for a local company that owns the school bus instead of renting it from the school district. Buses from private companies tend to be cleaner and better maintained.
Trolley
Romantic, rustic, and fun is how we would describe the experience of being transported to the wedding by a trolley. In fact, if you are renting one, consider taking the trolley with your future husband to the ceremony along with guests.
Many of these trolleys come with guides that can provide the historical backdrop during the trip from the hotel to the venue. Plus, the trolley makes for such a great photo opportunity.
These usually run from $400-$800 depending on your needs. An example of a trolley is http://www.americantrolleytour.com/weddings.htm
Limo
If you have a small number of out of town guests and you want to treat them like royalty for making the trip, consider renting a limo for them. You can rent a limo a few hours before the wedding and a few hours after to transport 20-30 wedding guests.
The limo will run you $70-$100 per trip depending on the size of the limo and the city you’re in (Manhattan limos are priced very differently than limos in Las Vegas).
As we have learned, the costs to transport wedding guests can be anywhere from free to $1200, depending on your needs. The best option, in most cases, is to block hotel rooms at a place that provides free shuttle service to the wedding venue.
What should you do next?
Read about how you can get a free shuttle to your wedding venue when you block hotel rooms.