TLDR: A party bus or charter bus is the cleanest way to move a Broncos fan group or concert crowd from Arvada to Empower Field at Mile High — one pickup, one drop near the gates, and nobody stuck navigating the I-25 southbound crawl solo.
Here's how a Broncos game day goes when one person in your group ends up behind the wheel: they take the I-70 East on-ramp near Ward Road while everyone else settles in for the ride, they spend the last 40 minutes of the drive threading the I-25 southbound bottleneck as every other fan from the north and west suburbs funnels toward the same Colfax exit, and they miss half the fourth-quarter celebration because they're the one who has to get everyone home. A Broncos game-day party bus from Arvada eliminates every one of those trade-offs at once. One vehicle picks up the whole crew, the pregame energy runs from the moment you pull away from the neighborhood, and the ride home is settled before kickoff.
Empower Field at Mile High (1701 Bryant St, Denver, CO 80204) holds 76,125 fans, consistently ranks as one of the loudest outdoor stadiums in the NFL, and doubles as Colorado's biggest concert venue from May through September. Whether your group is heading to a divisional game or a sold-out stadium concert, this guide covers exactly where a bus drops off and picks up, which vehicle fits your crew, how tailgate lot rules work, and what drives the price — everything you need to compare options and find the right fit.
Charter Bus Drop-Off and Pick-Up at Empower Field at Mile High
Charter buses and party buses serving Empower Field at Mile High typically stage on the north side of the stadium, near the Gate 1 cluster, which puts your group within a direct walk of the main entry points without crossing active traffic lanes. The exact staging location and approach route shift by event — the Broncos organization updates the vehicle flow plan based on anticipated attendance and the specific lot configuration for each game.
Checking the official Empower Field at Mile High directions and parking page for event-specific routing before you travel is always smart.
That detail matters because of where rideshare groups end up. The stadium's designated rideshare staging area sits at a distance that means a 15-to-20-minute walk under a Colorado August sun — made twice, once on the way in and once after you're already tired after three hours of game. A bus drops your crew near the gates, stages in the designated oversized-vehicle area during the event, and is right there when you walk out.
No post-game surge fare, no five separate Uber ETAs, no half the group accidentally picking the wrong meeting point in the app.
Bus groups stage near the Gate 1 / north lot area for direct gate access. The exact approach route can shift by event date — checking the official parking page before game day keeps your group from getting rerouted at a closed intersection on Bryant Street.
Every Way to Get to the Stadium — Honestly Compared
Denver has real options. But "options" for a 30-person group looks very different than for two people hopping an RTD train from Union Station.
| Option | Cost shape | Arrive together? | Group energy from pickup? | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private party bus or charter bus | One flat rate, split across the group | Yes — one vehicle, one arrival | Yes — music and energy start at pickup | 15–56 people |
| RTD light rail (event service) | Per ticket, round-trip | Only if you board the same train | No — public transit rules apply | 1–2 people from a rail-served area |
| Rideshare (Uber / Lyft) | Per car each way + post-game surge | No — multiple ETAs, multiple cars | No | 1–4 per car |
| Everyone drives and parks | $50–$100+ per car pass + gas per car | No — caravans always split | No — someone has to drive home | 1–3 cars before logistics break down |
RTD light rail is genuinely the smart call for one or two people coming from downtown or a stop along the W Line corridor — event service runs frequently and sidesteps the parking situation entirely. For groups, the coordination math collapses fast: keeping 25 people on the same train, managing the gate walk, and navigating the post-event rail schedule adds friction that disappears the moment everyone boards one bus together. See RTD Denver's schedule finder for current event rail schedules and service maps.
What Size Vehicle Does Your Group Need?
arvadapartybuscompany.com makes it easy to compare vehicles across a wide range of sizes for the Denver metro and Arvada area. The full vehicle lineup breaks down cleanly for an Empower Field run.
Groups under 20 heading to a suite or a corporate outing are often a natural fit for a sprinter van or a 15-to-35-passenger minibus — efficient, climate-controlled, and easy to stage in the north lot area. Mid-size groups in the 20-to-30 range get the most out of a 25-passenger party bus, which brings LED lighting, a built-in bar, and a Bluetooth sound system that starts the tailgate before you've cleared Wadsworth. Larger crews — season-ticket holder groups, corporate outings, full fan clubs making a day of it — fit naturally into a 40-to-56-passenger charter bus, with deep undercarriage bays for gear and folding chairs and an onboard restroom for runs from north Arvada or across the western suburbs.
One full-size charter bus replaces roughly 14 cars and 14 separately purchased parking passes. Compare current vehicle options and availability on the Arvada party bus prices page or call 720-390-4024 to request estimates.
What Shapes the Price for a Stadium Bus Run
There is no single sticker on a game-day bus run because the quote wraps in four real variables: vehicle size, total hours (including tailgate window and post-game staging time), the event date and demand level, and your pickup location. As example price ranges to give you an idea — not current quotes or guaranteed pricing — charter buses for Denver-area stadium runs have come in around $150 to $300 per hour for a full-size 56-seat bus, and roughly $100 to $250 per hour for mid-size party buses. A 6-hour Broncos game rental for a group of 30 might work out to $35 to $60 per person all-inclusive — often comparable to or less than parking plus gas across several separate cars, and everyone gets to enjoy the fourth-quarter comeback on the way home.
Peak demand dates — season opener, divisional rivalry games, sold-out stadium concerts — price differently than a mid-November home game. For those dates, request your quote as early as your event is confirmed. The right-size vehicles go first when 76,000 fans are all trying to solve the same problem on the same weekend.
Getting to Empower Field from Arvada: Routes and Timing
Arvada sits roughly 12 to 15 miles northwest of the stadium depending on your starting point in the city. The standard route is I-70 East to I-25 South, exiting at Colfax Avenue (Exit 210A), then directed east toward the stadium approach corridor via the event traffic plan. Under normal conditions that's 25 to 35 minutes.
On Broncos game-day afternoons — especially 2:25 and 4:25 PM kickoffs — budget an additional 30 to 45 minutes for I-25 southbound congestion and the Federal Boulevard and Bryant Street approach. Bryant Street closes to through traffic on most event days, so the approach is directed by stadium traffic management, not GPS.
Groups coming from Westminster or from Denver proper take slightly different approach routes; groups originating in Boulder face similar northwest-to-stadium timing with an additional 20 minutes on US-36. A bus adapts the approach route based on the day's actual traffic and closure map — your group doesn't have to monitor any of it.
Tailgate Lot Rules at Empower Field at Mile High
The Broncos tailgate is a real part of the game-day culture at Mile High, and a charter bus with undercarriage storage is one of the better ways to arrive — tailgate gear, grills, and folding chairs load into the bays at home and show up at the lot with your group. A few rules govern the setup:
- Lots open roughly 3 hours before kickoff for most regular-season home games. Confirm the opening window for your specific game on the official Broncos site before you leave Arvada.
- Grills and charcoal are allowed in designated tailgate areas. Open fires and large propane setups are prohibited. Dispose of hot coals properly — do not dump them on the asphalt.
- One space per vehicle. You tailgate within your vehicle's assigned spot. Adjacent spaces may not be held or claimed for friends arriving separately.
- Kegs and glass containers are prohibited. The stadium's code of conduct is enforced in the lots, and guests visibly in violation can be turned away at the gates.
- Oversized vehicle parking is not available at the gate on event day. Bus parking passes must be arranged in advance. Ask about this specifically when you request estimates so your lot assignment matches your tailgate plan.
- Nothing in tow. Vehicles entering the lots may not pull trailers. For a bus group, the gear rides in the undercarriage bays — which is a better arrangement anyway.
Stadium Concerts at Empower Field: How the Logistics Change
Empower Field runs a full summer concert calendar — stadium-scale tours have included Taylor Swift's Eras Tour, Kenny Chesney, and other headline acts filling 70,000-plus seats across multiple nights. The transportation logic follows the same framework as a Broncos game, but two things shift.
First, the lot configuration often changes when a concert stage occupies part of the field. Some lots that open normally for NFL games may be closed or repurposed for production staging, and bus approach routes are updated accordingly. Your routing for a concert follows the event-specific map — it's not the same as the football-season map.
Second, concert exits run longer than NFL exits because the lots don't start clearing until the headliner wraps, pushing the post-event crawl out by 60 to 90 minutes compared to a typical game-day exit. That buffer needs to be built into your bus rental window. A concert bus rental from Arvada accounts for this automatically, building the right window into your quote and staging the bus for the exit.
For multi-night shows where ticket blocks split across dates, a 30-passenger party bus keeps a full crew together without splitting into two vehicles. For Colorado's other major concert destinations, the Red Rocks Amphitheatre group transportation guide and the Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre summer concert guide cover the outdoor venue logistics in the same depth.
Leaving Empower Field After the Game or Concert
The post-event exit is where a private bus earns its keep most visibly. When 76,000 fans funnel toward the I-25 on-ramps simultaneously, the lots clear slowly, police run one-way traffic flows on Bryant and Federal, and rideshare surge pricing at the designated staging area can double or triple a regular-night fare. Fans who drove are stuck in the same gridlock.
Fans who took the light rail face crowded platforms and reduced late-night service frequency.
With a bus, you set the pickup window before the opening drive. The bus stages nearby during the event, your group meets at the agreed spot when the crowd starts moving, and everyone boards while the parking lot is still locked. The I-25 North to I-70 West run back to Arvada is someone else's problem.
That's the whole logic of the arrangement — the exit is handled before you ever sit down for kickoff.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does a charter bus or party bus drop off at Empower Field at Mile High?
Buses serving the stadium typically stage near the Gate 1 / north lot area for direct gate access. The exact drop-off zone and approach route can shift by event, since the stadium updates vehicle routing for each game. Check the official Empower Field parking page for current game-day advisories before you travel — the approach road configuration changes for high-attendance events.
Does a bus need its own parking pass at Empower Field?
Yes. Oversized vehicle parking at Empower Field is limited and must be arranged in advance — it is not sold at the gate on game or event day. Confirm the oversized vehicle pass and lot assignment for your event date when you request estimates through arvadapartybuscompany.com.
Ask about this specifically when you get your quote so there are no surprises at the lot entrance.
How much does it cost to rent a bus to Empower Field from Arvada?
As example price ranges to give you an idea — not a current quote or guaranteed pricing — charter buses for Arvada-area stadium runs have ranged from roughly $150 to $300 per hour for large vehicles and around $100 to $250 per hour for mid-size party buses. Final pricing depends on vehicle size, total hours including tailgate and post-game staging, the event date, and your pickup location. Use the online quote tool or call 720-390-4024 to compare current rates and availability.
Can guests tailgate with a charter bus at the stadium?
Yes — and a charter bus with undercarriage storage is one of the better tailgate vehicles available. Grills and charcoal are allowed in most Empower Field tailgate lots; kegs and glass containers are not. Your setup fits in the luggage bays, one space per vehicle applies in the lots, and oversized vehicle parking must be arranged in advance.
Confirm the lot's tailgating rules for your specific game when you request your quote, since event-day configurations can vary.
What other Denver venues work well for a group bus day?
Ball Arena is about a mile from Empower Field — the Ball Arena group transportation guide covers Nuggets and Avalanche game-day logistics in detail. For baseball, the Coors Field Rockies group guide walks through LoDo drop-off and parking specifics. For a multi-venue day or a custom itinerary combining more than one stop, the Arvada group transportation services page covers how those requests get coordinated.
How far in advance should I request a bus for a Broncos game or stadium concert?
For regular-season Broncos home games, two to four weeks of lead time is workable on most dates — but season openers, divisional rivalry matchups, and any playoff date move vehicle availability fast. For sold-out stadium concerts, request your quote as soon as your tickets are confirmed. Waiting until the week of a sold-out show usually means accepting a smaller vehicle than you need or paying significantly more for what's left.
Request Estimates for Your Empower Field Bus
arvadapartybuscompany.com makes it easy to compare party buses, charter buses, and minibuses across the Denver metro. Compare vehicle options and get pricing in under 30 seconds using the online quote tool — or call 720-390-4024 any time. Your group arrives at Empower Field together, on schedule, with the tailgate already underway, and the ride back to Arvada handled before kickoff.
For groups originating south of Arvada, Lakewood party bus rental options cover the same I-25 corridor to the stadium.
