College football Saturdays at Stanford Stadium and Cal’s California Memorial Stadium are a Bay Area tradition, and both are easy group outings from Alameda. Whether it is an alumni crew, a tailgate group, or a student org, the same thing applies that does for any game day. The parking near campus fills early and the post-game traffic crawls. A charter bus drops your group close to the stadium, stages through the game, and rolls home together, so the day is about the game and the tailgate, not the lot.
This guide is for the alumni groups, tailgate crews, and student organizations heading to Stanford or Cal games from the Alameda area. It covers the drive and drop-off, tailgating, the Big Game, basketball season, choosing a vehicle, and what it costs. Call 510-356-3260 to plan a date, or request a free quote for a price.
The Drive and the Drop-Off
California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley is about 12 miles and 25 to 35 minutes from Alameda, while Stanford Stadium in Palo Alto is about 35 miles and 45 minutes to an hour down the peninsula. Both campuses restrict and fill parking on game days, and Berkeley’s stadium sits up against the hills with narrow approach streets, so a bus that drops near the gates and stages off-campus beats circling for a spot. The driver waits through the game and loads the group in one place afterward, which is the difference between leaving when you want and waiting out a packed garage.
California Memorial Stadium (Cal Bears)
2227 Piedmont Ave, Berkeley, CA 94720
(800) 462-3277
calbears.com
Stanford Stadium (Stanford Cardinal)
625 Nelson Rd, Stanford, CA 94305
(800) 782-6367
gostanford.com
Tailgating and Game-Day Tips
Both schools have tailgate lots and traditions, and a bus is the easy way to bring the gear without packing car trunks. Rules vary by campus and by game, so check the tailgate and bag policy before the date, especially for a rivalry game like the Big Game between Cal and Stanford, when crowds and security are heavier and parking sells out earliest. Arrive early to set up, pick a clear reboarding time, and let the luggage bays hold the gear. The bus is the group’s home base for the day, and a parked coach gives the tailgate a place to stash coolers and regroup at halftime.
Basketball and Other Campus Games
The same trip works all winter for hoops, with Cal playing at Haas Pavilion and Stanford at Maples Pavilion, where parking is just as tight on a big conference night. An evening tip-off is exactly the kind of game where nobody wants to drive home afterward, so a bus that waits and runs the group back to Alameda makes a midweek game an easy yes. Tell us the sport, the venue, and the tip or kickoff time and we size the trip to it.
Which Bus Fits the Group
Game groups are about headcount, so size to the crew plus a little room.
| Vehicle | Seats | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Sprinter van | Up to 14 | A small crew or a VIP group |
| 20-passenger minibus | Up to 20 | A small office or family group |
| 35-passenger minibus | 15 to 35 | A fan group or a couple of families |
| 56-passenger charter bus | 50 to 56 | A big group, restroom for the highway |
Comfortable seats make the ride home easy. Compare every size on our buses page, and book through our sporting event transportation.
What It Costs and When to Book
How much a game-day charter bus rental costs comes down to the vehicle size, the hours, and which campus, with Berkeley closer than Palo Alto. As a rough guide, a minibus generally starts around $150 per hour while a full-size coach runs about $180 to $500 per hour, so a full day commonly lands in the range of roughly $1,500 to $3,800 depending on the size, the hours, and the distance. Our charter bus prices page shows ballpark ranges. A typical game day with tailgate time is a five to seven hour booking, billed by the hour. Rivalry games and homecoming weekends book up first, so reserve early, and the fastest way to a real number is a quick 30-second quote.
Book Your Stanford or Cal Charter Bus
Get the alumni or the tailgate crew to campus together and skip the game-day parking. Headed to a pro game instead? See our guides to a charter bus to Oracle Park or a charter bus to Chase Center.
Putting together another group trip? Our Alameda charter bus rental guides cover things to do near Alameda, and a Kings game in Sacramento.
Call us at 510-356-3260 to speak with a live representative, or request a free quote for your group. Our charter bus service team is available seven days a week to plan your trip.
