Merced School Field Trip Charter Bus Rentals
We help you compare field trip buses across Merced, California in seconds — no account required, No waiting for callbacks to get pricing, no calling five companies to get five different answers. Whether your class is heading to Castle Air Museum in Atwater, making the 75-mile run up CA-140 to Yosemite Valley, or rolling south on SR-99 to the Fresno Chaffee Zoo, Busrentalmerced.com puts the right bus in front of you fast. Fill out one quick form and instantly see vehicles and pricing from a large network of independently owned transportation companies serving Merced and the entire Central Valley.
Or call 209-819-5850 any time — a free quote is always one call away!
Stop Calling Company After Company for School Event Transportation Quotes
Fill out one quick form and you'll land on a results page showing different buses, photos, and pricing from a network of transportation companies serving Merced — all through a national booking platform, all in under a minute. Busrentalmerced.com is not a local bus company and doesn't own any vehicles. Because the site pulls from a large network of independently owned operators, you're never stuck with whatever one fleet happens to have open on your date. A 15-passenger minibus for a small group heading to Applegate Park Zoo (1045 W. 25th St, Merced, CA 95340)?
A 56-passenger motorcoach for an entire grade level heading to Sacramento? Compare them side by side, choose the one that fits your headcount and your budget, and book right online. Call 209-819-5850 or use the online quote tool to get started!
Compare Buses, Packages, and Prices for School Event Transportation All in One Place!
For a small group of 15 students heading across town to UC Merced (5200 N. Lake Rd, Merced, CA 95343) for a campus tour, a compact 15-passenger minibus keeps things simple and affordable. For a full class of 56 students making the run up CA-140 to Yosemite Valley, a full-size motorcoach gives everyone room to stretch out, stores backpacks and lunches in overhead bins, and gets the whole group there in one trip. Minibuses seat 15 to 35 passengers and are great for shorter hops and tighter budgets.
Full-size charter buses seat up to 56 and come with reclining seats, climate control, WiFi on many models, and large undercarriage luggage bays — perfect when the destination is 90 minutes away and every student needs a bag. Whatever your headcount, you can compare both side by side and find exactly what you need!
56 Passenger Charter Bus
35 Passenger Minibus
30 Passenger Minibus
28 Passenger Minibus
25 Passenger Minibus
20 Passenger Minibus
18 Passenger Minibus
15 Passenger Minibus
15-50 Passenger Party Buses
Sprinter Van with Driver
Sprinter Limo
School Bus
Vehicles shown above are NOT the exact makes and models available for every trip. We are NOT a transportation company and do not own or operate vehicles. Photos are examples only and may show stock or typical vehicles, not the exact vehicle offered for your reservation. Fill out the online quote form or call 209-819-5850 to view current vehicle options, photos, availability, and pricing. Confirm the exact vehicle details and amenities before booking.
Castle Air Museum Field Trips From Merced Made Easy
Whatever grade level you're bringing, a trip to Castle Air Museum (5050 Santa Fe Drive, Atwater, CA 95301) is one of the most popular field trip runs in the entire Central Valley — and one of the easiest to arrange with a charter bus. The museum sits about 8 miles north of Merced via SR-99 to Buhach Road, and the large on-site lot accommodates buses with no advance parking coordination required. Your group unloads steps from the outdoor aircraft exhibits, the bus stages in the lot, and pickup is right where you dropped off.
Advance group reservations with the museum are recommended, but the transportation side is simple. Compare minibuses and full-size coaches for your class size, get pricing in under a minute, and check Castle Air Museum transportation off your list. Call 209-819-5850 to get started!
Castle Air Museum is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with last admission to the aircraft exhibit area at 3:15 p.m.; school and group tours start at 15 people with a 10:1 student-to-chaperone ratio, as detailed on the Castle Air Museum visitor information page. Your bus can bring the full class for the morning window and keep the schedule moving without guessing at the museum's hours.
The Yosemite Field Trip Run — What Merced Schools Need to Know
The 75-mile run up CA-140 from Merced to Yosemite Valley is the most iconic field trip in the region — and the one that requires the most advance planning on the transportation side. During 2026, Yosemite National Park does not require timed-entry reservations for vehicles, including charter buses, and commercial tour operators must hold a valid Commercial Use Authorization. Buses park at Yosemite Valley Lodge's special bus parking area — not in general visitor parking.
The free Yosemite Valley Shuttle System connects those drop-off points to trailheads and visitor centers once your group arrives. Spring trips in April and May fill the available buses fast. Book your Merced-to-Yosemite charter bus at least three to four months out, and confirm current timed-entry requirements on the NPS Yosemite bus and group visit page before your trip date.
In Yosemite Valley, your bus unloads in front of Yosemite Valley Lodge and then parks in the special bus area about a five-minute walk away; take backpacks and lunches off the bus at the drop-off because the bus does not stay at the curb, as shown on the Yosemite National Park field trip logistics page. Your class gets a clean unload at the lodge, and the bus is already positioned for the ride home.
Find Exactly the Right Bus for Fresno, Sacramento and Bay Area Day Trips
Find exactly what your group needs for the longer day trips that Merced schools take every year. The Fresno Chaffee Zoo (894 W Belmont Ave, Fresno, CA 93728) is about 60 miles south on SR-99 — roughly an hour each way — and bus parking is available in the main zoo lot on W. Belmont Ave. The California State Capitol (1315 10th St, Sacramento, CA 95814) is about 130 miles north, a popular civics field trip for MUHSD high school groups, with bus drop-off coordinated along L Street and 10th Street. For science trips, the Monterey Bay Aquarium (886 Cannery Row, Monterey, CA 93940) is about 135 miles west via CA-152 and US-101 — school bus drop-off directly in front of the Bechtel Education Center, not on Foam Street.
Full-size 56-passenger motorcoaches with reclining seats, WiFi, and undercarriage luggage bays make every one of those runs comfortable. Compare what's available for your date in under a minute! For Aquarium field trips, your bus turns from Cannery Row onto Hoffman Avenue after unloading and parks on **Foam Street**, **David Avenue**, or **Prescott Avenue**, while the student pickup zone is on Cannery Row near Hovden Way and the Member Entrance; the Monterey Bay Aquarium bus-driver directions keep the bus off the congested loading zones.
Your class gets the education-center curb, and the bus is ready at the named pickup point when the visit ends.
Call for a Quote on Merced High School and Middle School Field Trips
Call 209-819-5850 any time and a live agent will build a custom quote around your school's exact headcount, travel date, and destination — whether that's a short hop to Lake Yosemite Regional Park (7799 N. Lake Rd, Merced, CA 95340) for an outdoor education day or a full-day run to San Francisco for the California Academy of Sciences (55 Music Concourse Dr, San Francisco, CA 94118) in Golden Gate Park. Merced Union High School District schools including Merced High School (205 W. Olive Ave, Merced, CA 95340), Golden Valley High School (1900 Sycamore Ave, Merced, CA 95340), and El Capitan High School (1060 W. Olive Ave, Merced, CA 95340) all have field trips that look different — different headcounts, different distances, different schedules. A live agent can match the right vehicle to your specific trip and walk you through every option.
Call 209-819-5850 right now! UC Merced also gives charter buses a defined staging point on the south side of Bellevue Lot, with room for up to four buses; if that zone is full, the bus must leave campus and return later, according to the UC Merced bus staging page. Your bus has a named place to stage instead of circling campus while students finish their tour.
Moving Elementary Classes Around Merced and Merced County
Moving a group of second-graders to Applegate Park Zoo looks nothing like moving a group of high school juniors to Sacramento — and the bus should reflect that. For shorter in-city and in-county elementary school field trips, a 15- to 35-passenger minibus is often the right call: compact enough to navigate neighborhood streets near Merced City School District campuses, affordable for a shorter trip, and sized right for a single classroom. Bus drop-off at Applegate Park is along W. 25th Street near the park entrance, with the bus staging nearby until pickup.
ADA-accessible vehicles are available through the network too — just mention it when you fill out your quote. Compare minibus options for your elementary school field trip, get pricing in seconds, and move your class without the carpool scramble. Use the online quote tool or call 209-819-5850 to get started!
School Event Transportation in Merced and All the Surrounding Areas
That's the power of a large network — it doesn't stop at Merced city limits! Busrentalmerced.com helps you find field trip buses serving Merced and every nearby community across Merced County and the broader Central Valley. Need transportation from Atwater, Livingston, Los Banos, or Turlock? Schools in those communities book through the same network and compare the same vehicles and pricing.
Whether your school is in the heart of Merced or out in the surrounding district, a bus is available for your date. Enter your pickup city, your travel date, and your headcount, and the results page shows what's available across the region — no account needed, no waiting on a callback. Call 209-819-5850 to get your Merced-area field trip quote right now!
How Much Does School Event Transportation in Merced Cost?
| 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 209-819-5850. | ||||
Frequently Asked Questions About Merced School Event Transportation Services
Busrentalmerced.com is an advertising and quote comparison website — not a local bus company. You fill out one quick form with your school's pickup location, travel date, destination, and headcount, and you're taken to a results page showing available buses and pricing from a network of independently owned transportation companies serving Merced and the Central Valley. Compare vehicles and prices side by side, no account required.
Or call 209-819-5850 any time for a free quote!
You enter your trip details — pickup address, destination, date, and number of students and chaperones — into the online quote tool. In under a minute, you land on a results page through a national booking platform showing available vehicles, photos, and pricing from independent operators serving Merced. Review your options, choose the bus that fits your group, and book right online.
A live agent is also available at 209-819-5850 to walk you through the options and help you put together a custom package.
Yes. Commercial charter buses entering Yosemite National Park must hold a valid Commercial Use Authorization (CUA) issued by the National Park Service. During 2026, timed-entry reservations are not required for vehicles.
Buses park at designated areas in Yosemite Valley, not in general visitor lots. Confirm current requirements on the NPS Yosemite bus and group visit page well before your trip date, and book your charter bus at least three to four months out for spring and summer trips.
Castle Air Museum has a large on-site lot that accommodates buses with no complex advance parking coordination. Your group unloads near the outdoor aircraft exhibits, and the bus stages in the lot until pickup. The museum is about 8 miles north of Merced via SR-99 to Buhach Road — a short, easy run for any bus size.
Advance group reservations with the museum directly are recommended; check the Castle Air Museum education page for current group tour information before your visit.
For most local field trips — Castle Air Museum, Applegate Park Zoo, UC Merced campus tours — booking two to four weeks out is workable outside of May and June. For Yosemite trips during spring (April–May) or summer, book three to six months out; available buses and timed-entry permits both fill fast. End-of-year field trips in May and June are the highest-demand window for Merced-area buses, so the earlier you lock in your date, the better your options and pricing.
For a single classroom of 20 to 30 students plus chaperones, a 28- to 35-passenger minibus is usually the right fit — compact enough for neighborhood streets near MCSD campuses and sized to your actual headcount. For a full grade level or a multi-classroom trip, a 56-passenger motorcoach keeps everyone together in one vehicle. ADA-accessible buses are available through the network; mention any accessibility needs when you fill out the quote form or call 209-819-5850.
Yes — easily. Fresno Chaffee Zoo is about 60 miles south of Merced on SR-99, roughly 55 to 65 minutes each way. Bus parking is available in the main zoo lot on W. Belmont Ave. A full-day round trip is very manageable, and the zoo offers group rates for school visits.
Confirm group pricing and bus parking details directly with the zoo, then compare charter bus options for your class size using the online quote tool or by calling 209-819-5850.