Charter Bus Rentals in Houston, Texas

Why Rent a Charter Bus in Houston?

If you’ve been to The Bayou City before, you know that it’s exciting to visit but not easy to navigate. Traffic can get heavy, and because Houston is so sprawling, most residents rely heavily on cars. Here are a few transportation options you can find within the city and some of their benefits and drawbacks:

1. METRORail and METRO
METRORail and METRO, Houston’s public transit services, are affordable and eco-friendly. The rail system works great if you’re exploring downtown, and buses are available outside of the downtown area. However, public transportation doesn’t cover all parts of the city. You may have to call a rideshare to even reach the bus station, and once you get there, you could spend a long time waiting for a bus to pick you up.

2. Local taxis
Most taxi services in Houston require you to call ahead to book your ride, though some also have an app that lets you book a taxi the same way you would a rideshare. With a taxi you’ll have a professional driver, but your large group will have to split into separate cars, and the costs of each ride could quickly add up. 

3. Rideshares
Both Lyft and Uber operate in Houston. Although rideshares are typically cheaper than taxis, you’ll probably need more than one vehicle and end up paying a lot if you’re with a large group. You also won’t be driven by a professional, and you won’t have any control over amenities (no air-conditioning can be a real problem in the Texas heat).

4. Shofur charter buses
When you rent a charter bus from Shofur, you’ll have air-conditioned transportation provided by a professional driver. You can request amenities like TVs and WiFi, you can go anywhere in the city on your schedule, and you can keep your entire group together in one vehicle.

The biggest downside of charter buses is that they can be expensive. If you have a small group, you may want to stick to public transit and Uber. But for large groups, a charter bus rental can be more affordable—and a lot less stressful—than a succession of rideshares. Check out the chart below to get a better idea of what kind of transportation will work for your group:

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Field Trips in Houston

Houston’s ties to the U.S. space program and incredible museums make it a popular destination for school trips. If you’re traveling to Space Center Houston from Austin or Galveston Shofur can find a charter bus rental with free WiFi to keep your students entertained during the drive. Let them work on assignments or listen to music while you lean back in the air-conditioning and take care of some grading.

We understand that when you’re traveling with kids, safety is your top priority. That’s why Shofur only works with highly qualified professional drivers. All of the buses in our network are thoroughly inspected, and drivers must pass background checks and drug tests before they can provide transportation for your kids.

If you’re taking a multi-day trip to explore the Children’s Museum of Houston and the Houston Museum of Natural Science, a coach bus can be a life-saver for your class or after-school group. Although school buses are often affordable, they aren’t especially comfortable to sit on for hours. Charter buses come with reclining seats, legroom, and overhead storage space so all of the passengers can stash their backpacks above their heads and stretch out their legs during the journey.

College Tours in Houston

The University of Houston and the prestigious Rice University have made Houston a hotspot for college tours. Unfortunately, that means the campuses can get crowded, making it difficult to find parking and keep your group together.

A coach bus or minibus offers one easy solution to this dilemma. All of your students will be in one place, you’ll only need one parking spot, and none of your kids will have to drive. You can also request WiFi and power outlets if some of your overachievers want to do homework on their way to the two campuses.

University of Houston

4400 University Dr, Houston, TX 77204

Houston’s largest public university boasts top-tier research facilities and a deep commitment to diversity. The school is known for its healthcare and renewable energy programs as well as its commitment to community service and the arts. You can ask your motorcoach to drop you off at the UH Welcome Center, where guided tours begin.

Rice University

6100 Main St, Houston, TX 77005

This highly selective private university occupies a 300-acre, tree-filled campus in the heart of Houston’s Museum District. Rice has a reputation for groundbreaking scientific research, especially in healthcare, and for creating a strong sense of community on campus. If your students want to experience this sense of community for themselves, your coach bus can drop your group off at the Office of Admission for a tour.

Weddings in Houston

Houston features dozens of wedding venues, ranging from hotels and mansions to gardens and ranches. But just because you and your partner know and love Houston doesn’t mean your father-in-law, Aunt Marcia, and roommate from college are prepared to navigate it.

Save your wedding guests from the stress of searching for rideshares or getting lost by renting transportation to shuttle them from their hotel to your wedding ceremony and reception. A Houston charter bus rental will guarantee that:

• None of your guests get lost.
• You don’t run out of parking.
• Every guest has a DD.

Shofur can help if you’re planning a bachelor or bachelorette party before your wedding, too. Rent a minibus to take you to bars in Montrose or The Heights, and your driver will make sure you get back to your hotel safely at the end of the night. If you request it, our charter bus company can even find a vehicle that will let you drink onboard.

1-800-436-8719 Call Us Today to Charter a Coachbus, Minibus, or Shuttle

Corporate Events in Houston

Given its importance in the petroleum, healthcare, and technology industries, it’s not surprising that Houston draws in thousands of business travelers for conferences and meetings. When you and your coworkers or clients arrive in Houston, Shofur can send a shuttle bus to pick you up from George Bush Intercontinental Airport and take you straight to your hotel in the Central Business District.

Houston’s most popular conference destination, the George R. Brown Convention Center, lies in the heart of downtown Houston, close to Discovery Green and Minute Maid Park. If you manage to book a hotel in the downtown area, you can just hop on the METRORail line to reach the convention center. However, if you’re staying farther out to save some money, you’ll need another method of transportation.

Shofur can get you to the George R. Brown Convention Center from any part of the Houston area. If you’re faced with a long drive, you can plug your phone in to charge while you listen to music or check email with free WiFi (available by request).

Houston charter bus services can also help groups trying to reach NRG Park. Because it’s so large, the park lies roughly 20 minutes from the center of the city. Your charter bus driver can take on Houston’s traffic to get you there while you sit back in a reclining seat and watch a sitcom on the flat-screen TV.

George R. Brown Convention Center

1001 Avenida De Las Americas, Houston, TX 77010

NRG Park

1 NRG Pkwy, Houston, TX 77054

Friday Night Lights: Houston Sports

Like the rest of Texas, Houston loves sports. If you’re taking your youth sports team to the city for a basketball, football, or soccer tournament, Shofur can provide a charter bus to help you get from your hotel to the stadium and back again. The buses in our network include abundant undercarriage space where you can stash nets, racquets, bats, and balls. You can also request optional amenities like flat-screen TVs with DVD players to ensure your athletes don’t get bored.

We know high school football is a big deal in Texas, so Shofur has you covered there too. Need more comfortable transportation for your team than a school bus rental can provide? Try a charter bus with plush, reclining seats, air conditioning and ample legroom to take you to your next Friday night game.

And what if you want to cheer on a team instead of playing on one? Easy. Book a minibus so you don’t have to worry about appointing a DD at the game, or reserve a full-size charter bus to hold all of your tailgating equipment.

Whether you want to see the Rockets, the Astros, or the Texans, your driver can drop you off at the stadium and then find a parking spot so you only have to walk a short distance. If someone in your group has a mobility-related disability, you can rent an ADA-accessible bus and, in many cases, get dropped off even closer to the entrance. Check out these arenas to see your favorite Houston teams in action.

Minute Maid Park

501 Crawford St, Houston, TX 77002

Home of the Houston Astros (MLB)

NRG Stadium

NRG Pkwy, Houston, TX 77054

Home of the Houston Texans (NFL)

Toyota Center

1510 Polk St, Houston, TX 77002

Home of the Houston Rockets (NBA)

Transportation to the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo

Every spring, the largest indoor livestock show and rodeo in the world takes over NRG Stadium in Houston. Bring your school group or extended family to experience two weeks of professional rodeo competitions, carnival rides, country, pop, and hip-hop concerts, and livestock exhibitions.

Before the rodeo officially begins, NRG Stadium hosts the World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest, where international teams compete to determine who rules the grill. The official rodeo then kicks off with a parade, followed by events like the calf scramble—where local students try to catch a calf that they can then take home and raise—and the horse, donkey, and mule shows.

The main attraction, though, is the Super Series, a 19-day rodeo competition where professionals try to win at events like bareback riding, steer wrestling, and tie-down roping.

If this sounds like a can’t-miss event for your group, book a minibus to take you from your hotel to the rodeo each day. You won’t have to worry about walking from distant parking lots or driving through rodeo traffic—you can just sit back and watch rodeo YouTube videos with the bus’s optional WiFi.

Charter Bus from Houston to New Orleans

Houston lies only five hours from New Orleans, meaning it’s completely feasible to drive to NOLA, spend a long weekend eating beignets and listening to jazz in the French Quarter, and be back in Houston a few days later. If you’re taking your entire sorority or wedding party along for the ride, you can rent a bus and spend the trip there watching movies or singing along to Lizzo instead of driving.

Not in a rush? Stop in Holly Beach or Cameron for a Gulf Coast beach day on your way to NOLA. Just add the destination to your itinerary when you book your Houston charter bus. Once your group is done swimming and sunbathing, you can climb back on the bus to head to Mardi Gras or the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.

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Charter Bus from Houston to Atlanta

Atlanta has a lot to offer visitors, from events like Dragon Con and Atlanta United games to attractions like the King Center and the World of Coca-Cola. Although the drive from Houston to Atlanta is long—about 12 hours—taking a bus can be much cheaper for a large group than flying. A charter bus can keep your group comfortable during that long drive with reclining seats, legroom, and optional flat-screen TVs.

The route from Houston to Atlanta is also popular with school or community groups learning about the Civil Rights Movement. You can stop in Montgomery to visit the Rosa Parks Museum and learn about the famous bus boycott before continuing on to Atlanta to see the King Center and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthplace.

Our Favorite Group-Friendly Destinations in Houston

Space Center Houston

Great for: Field Trips, Scouting Troops, Tour Groups

If you love outer space (and who doesn’t?), it’s hard to pass up this museum where you can experience fascinating exhibits and tour the NASA Johnson Space Center. See a SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket, spacecraft from the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo eras, and real astronaut suits from the Gemini, Apollo, and shuttle eras.

When you get to the museum, make sure you sign your group up for a behind-the-scenes tram tour of mission control and the astronaut training facilities at Johnson Space Center. You can also sign up for the Stars & STEM educational program ahead of time if you’re leading a class of K-12 students or a scouting group.

Tips for groups: You can receive a discounted price of $15.95 per ticket when you bring a group of at least 20 people and pay 7 days in advance. Houston charter buses are allowed to park in the Space Center’s paid parking ($5 per vehicle), and your bus driver will receive free admission to the center.

Best parking address: 1601 E NASA Pkwy, Houston, TX 77058

Group tickets: You can register your group online or by calling 281-283-4755.

Houston Museum of Natural Science

Great for: Field Trips, Scouting Troops, Tour Groups, Corporate Team-Building

The largest science museum in Houston houses dinosaur fossils, gems and minerals, a butterfly center, and a planetarium. Stroll past displays about African wildlife, ancient Egypt, and renewable energy before sitting down in the planetarium for a show about black holes or the Apollo astronauts.

Tips for groups: Groups receive discounted rates when they have at least 10 people and book at least 2 weeks in advance. Teachers can choose from a selection of themed field-trip packages and reserve one here.

Best parking address: 5555 Hermann Park Dr, Houston, TX 77030

Group tickets: You can register your group online or by calling 713-639-4629. 

Houston Zoo

Great for: Field Trips, Scouting Troops

Your class, scouting troop, or after-school group can meet elephants, chimpanzees, gorillas, and zebras at the Houston Zoo in Hermann Park. Let a zookeeper lead you through an animal encounter, feed the giraffes, and watch the staff train sea lions before taking your kids to one of the cafes to cool off from the heat.

Tips for groups: Groups of 20 or more receive a discount, as do schools. Title I schools may receive free admission Mondays through Thursdays, though they still need to reserve their visit online.

Best parking address: Once everyone has been unloaded at 6200 Hermann Park Dr, Houston, TX 77030, your bus can drive to the off-site parking area located at 1505 Cleburne St, Houston, TX 77004.

Group tickets: Book here if you’re with a non-school group or here for field trips.

Rent a Charter Bus to Explore Houston

It’s hard to over-sell just how cool Houston is as a place to visit with a group. In addition to beautiful wedding venues and huge convention centers, you’ll find the Houston Space Center, multiple museums, and the homes of the Astros, Texans, and Rockets. Shofur can help you discover all of it, without the stress of getting lost or trying to figure out Houston’s interstates on your own. Call us at 1-800-436-8719 to book your trip to Texas’s biggest city today.