Hampton Boulevard runs four lanes wide from downtown Norfolk to the ODU campus — and on a sold-out Monarchs game night or a major concert at Chartway Arena, every lane fills up well before tip-off. The two parking garages directly across from the building together hold roughly 2,200 cars, both garages strongly encourage advance purchases because on-site rates cost more, and the lower deck levels are restricted to VIP and donor pass holders for basketball. Your group's choice of parking is already the upper deck or overflow — and then you still have to get back through the Hampton Boulevard crawl after the final buzzer.
Renting a charter bus or party bus to Chartway Arena removes that whole sequence from your evening. Your group rides in together, drops at the 45th Street entrance, and has a ride staged and waiting when the event ends.
This guide covers exactly how group transportation works at Chartway Arena at Old Dominion University (4320 Hampton Blvd, Norfolk, VA 23529) — where buses drop off, how the parking garages actually work, which approach routes hold up best on event nights, and which vehicle fits your headcount. Virginiabeachpartybuscompany.com helps you compare charter bus and party bus options from companies serving Virginia Beach and the entire Hampton Roads region. Fill out the quick form or call 948-207-8980 any time to compare options and get pricing in about a minute.
Why Rent a Charter Bus or Party Bus to Chartway Arena?
The arena's location on the ODU campus is both the draw and the logistical wrinkle. It's a 9,520-seat venue — ranked by Pollstar Magazine as the top arena on a college campus in its size category — sitting directly on Hampton Boulevard, one of Norfolk's most congested commuter corridors. Traffic on Hampton Boulevard runs heavy from 3 PM to 6 PM on weekdays, which is precisely when your group is trying to reach a 7 PM tip-off.
Hampton Boulevard is also the only practical road in from downtown — a narrow four-lane city street that can back up in the final mile approaching campus.
Then there's the tunnel factor. Groups coming from Virginia Beach take I-264 West across the Elizabeth River. Groups from Hampton and Newport News cross through the Midtown Tunnel on I-664 South.
Both are tolled crossings, and both queue on event evenings — the tunnel from the Peninsula side can easily double your drive time after a big game. One charter bus for your whole group pays one crossing, sits in one lane, and drops everyone at the same door. Seventeen people in four separate cars pay four tolls, find four parking spaces, and scatter across the garage before anyone's even through the gate.
For groups going to ODU sporting events or concerts, the bus case is even simpler post-event: when 8,000 or 9,000 fans funnel back onto Hampton Boulevard at the same moment, rideshare wait times spike and the garage exit queue stretches. A Virginia Beach charter bus rental that pre-stages nearby means your group walks out and boards — no app, no surge, no waiting.
Charter Bus and Party Bus Drop-Off at Chartway Arena
The main passenger drop-off at Chartway Arena is on 45th Street at the building's north entrance, per the arena's own official directions and parking page. That entrance connects directly to an elevator serving both the main concourse level and the VIP suite level — which makes it the natural approach for group arrivals. From the 45th Street drop, your group walks straight into the lobby without crossing a garage or navigating a surface lot first.
The 45th Street entrance is also the arena's designated accessible drop-off point, so the elevator is right there for any group members who need it.
For most events, doors open one hour before start time. ODU basketball tip times run 7 PM for most midweek home games — plan your bus departure from Virginia Beach or Chesapeake to arrive at the 45th Street entrance no later than 6:15 PM, which lets your group clear the worst of Hampton Boulevard's rush-hour congestion and reach seats before the action starts. Concessions inside Chartway Arena are cashless, so make sure everyone in your group knows: credit and debit cards only, no cash transactions at the food stands.
Parking at Chartway Arena: The 43rd and 45th Street Garages
Two garages serve Chartway Arena events: the Constant Center 43rd Street Garage to the south and the Constant Center 45th Street Garage to the north, both directly across Hampton Boulevard from the arena. Together they hold roughly 2,200 vehicles — which sounds like plenty until you factor in that lower deck levels are reserved for VIP and donor passes on basketball nights, leaving general attendees on the upper decks. The arena's official guidance states plainly that advance parking pass purchases cost less than on-site rates and should be purchased before you arrive.
For basketball games, ODU Transportation and Parking Services notes that enforcement of parking restrictions begins at 4:30 PM on game days. When the primary garages fill, overflow spills to the 43rd & Bluestone Garage and other campus lots, with a campus shuttle system operating between various campus locations and the arena to handle the extra distance. One charter bus or minibus eliminates the parking math entirely for your group — one vehicle, one arrival, zero garage laps.
It's worth checking the official Chartway Arena parking page before your specific event, since lot assignments and any event-day restrictions can shift. The arena is operated by OVG360, and event-specific guidance sometimes supersedes the standard game-day setup.
Getting to Chartway Arena from Virginia Beach and Across Hampton Roads
Every major approach route to Chartway Arena converges on Hampton Boulevard, and at least one tolled crossing stands between the arena and most of Hampton Roads. Here's how the primary routes break down for groups coming from across the region:
| From… | Primary Route | Approx. Distance | Off-Peak Drive Time | Event-Night Reality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach (Oceanfront) | I-264 West → US-460 E → Hampton Blvd | ~18 miles | 25–30 min | 45–55 min at peak; Hampton Blvd backs up within a mile of campus |
| Chesapeake | I-464 North → I-264 E → St. Pauls Blvd → Hampton Blvd | ~16 miles | 20–28 min | Add 15–25 min in rush hour; no tunnel but city traffic stacks on I-264 |
| Hampton / Newport News | I-664 South → I-64 East → Midtown Tunnel → Hampton Blvd | ~20 miles | 25–35 min | Midtown Tunnel queues add unpredictable time on busy evenings; no alternate crossing nearby |
| Portsmouth | US-58 East → Midtown Tunnel → Hampton Blvd | ~10 miles | 15–20 min | Short drive, but the tunnel is the variable — can double the time on event nights |
| Richmond / Northern VA | I-64 East toward Norfolk | ~100 miles | ~1 hr 40 min | Build in extra time for Hampton Roads approach; tunnel backup can begin miles back |
The Midtown Tunnel is a tolled crossing — and for a caravan of eight cars, that toll hits eight times each way before anyone pays for parking. One charter bus handles that toll once. For groups coming from the Peninsula who face the longest, most tunnel-dependent approach, a 40–56 passenger charter bus with onboard restrooms makes the round trip genuinely comfortable rather than a logistics puzzle.
What Size Bus Does Your Group Need for a Chartway Arena Trip?
Chartway Arena pulls groups of every size — a dozen coworkers to a 50-person alumni section. The right vehicle comes down to your headcount and how much you want the ride to be part of the experience. Here's how the full vehicle lineup maps to a Chartway Arena run:
| Vehicle | Seats | Best For | Key Amenities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sprinter Van / 14-Passenger Sprinter Limo | Up to 14 | Small group outings, corporate parties, suite holders | Leather seating, USB charging at every seat, tinted privacy windows |
| Party Bus (15–50 passengers) | 15–50 | Fan groups who want the ride to be part of the night — LED lighting, sound, perimeter seating | Full-length bar area, color-changing LED lighting, Bluetooth sound system, flat-panel TVs |
| 15–35 Passenger Minibus | 15–35 | Mid-size groups, corporate shuttles, graduation family groups | Reclining seats, powerful A/C, overhead storage, greater maneuverability on campus streets |
| 40–56 Passenger Charter Bus | Up to 56 | Large fan groups, alumni sections, graduation extended families, conference groups | Reclining seats, climate control, WiFi, power outlets, onboard restrooms, undercarriage bays |
For most Virginia Beach friend groups heading to an ODU basketball game, a 25-passenger party bus or a minibus is the right fit — comfortable for the 30-minute run through Norfolk traffic, and right-sized for a typical group. For graduation families spanning multiple generations and multiple zip codes across Hampton Roads, a full 40–56 passenger charter bus with undercarriage bays keeps everyone in one vehicle instead of a six-car convoy through the Midtown Tunnel. ADA-accessible vehicles are available — note your needs in the quote request to find the right fit for your date.
Charter Bus and Party Bus Rental Prices for Chartway Arena Events
There's no single sticker price — quotes shift based on vehicle size, total hours, your pickup location, and the date. To give you a planning sense of the ranges: 14-passenger Sprinter limos run $200–$325/hour on weekdays and $225–$350/hour on weekends; party buses in the 15–20 passenger range run $200–$350/hour; 28-passenger party buses run $250–$375/hour on weekends; a 40-passenger party bus runs $300–$500/hour on weekend nights; and a full 40–56 passenger charter bus runs $200–$350/hour with per-day rates in the $1,350–$2,850 range. Those figures are planning ranges — the actual price moves with the date, vehicle, and your itinerary — but you can get an actual quote for your specific Chartway Arena trip in about a minute.
The per-person math usually makes the case quickly. A 30-passenger party bus at $1,200 for a four-hour Wednesday evening works out to $40 per person — less than a parking pass plus tunnel tolls plus a rideshare home for most people coming from Virginia Beach. See the Virginia Beach party bus prices page for a fuller breakdown of planning ranges by vehicle, or call 948-207-8980 for a free quote built around your group's specific headcount and date.
A Sample Chartway Arena Round Trip
To give you an idea: a 22-person group books a 25-passenger party bus for a midweek ODU home game with a 7 PM tip-off. Pickup from the Virginia Beach Oceanfront at 5:15 PM, arriving at the Chartway Arena 45th Street entrance around 6:10 PM — ahead of the worst Hampton Boulevard backup. The group heads in for the game; bus stages nearby.
Post-game pickup at 9:30 PM, back in Virginia Beach by 10:30 PM. A five-hour rental at that size might come to roughly $1,250–$1,600 — about $57–$73 per person, with tunnel tolls, parking, and the post-game rideshare scramble all off the table.
Chartway Arena Events: When Groups Book and What Fills Up Fast
ODU Men's and Women's Basketball is the arena's core draw. The Monarchs compete in the Sun Belt Conference, with the 2026–27 home season kicking off at Chartway Arena in November 2026. The marquee home game every season is the TowneBank Royal Rivalry against James Madison.
Doubleheader nights and rivalry games pack Chartway Arena's 8,472 basketball seats harder than a standard conference date, and the garages fill measurably earlier. Groups planning to attend rivalry games and senior nights should book their bus two to three weeks out at minimum. Check the current schedule at ODU Athletics for home game dates as the 2026–27 season is announced.
Concerts and touring shows flip the arena into its full concert configuration, with retractable seating opening up the floor and capacity reaching toward 9,520. Chartway Arena has hosted major touring artists, comedy acts, wrestling events, and family productions across its calendar — and sellout concerts are when Hampton Boulevard congestion peaks hardest post-show, because every attendee is trying to leave at the same moment. A Virginia Beach concert bus rental pre-stages nearby during the show and has your group moving before the parking garage queue even clears.
For major concert nights, book as soon as the show is announced — these are the dates when demand for group vehicles spikes fastest.
High school graduations and ODU commencement ceremonies represent Chartway Arena's heaviest group transportation period each spring, typically in May. Extended families making the trip from Richmond, the Northern Neck, and beyond benefit most from a single coordinated bus — everyone arrives and departs together rather than managing a convoy through the Midtown Tunnel. A school group bus rental is a natural fit for families coming from farther afield, with undercarriage bays handling luggage for out-of-town guests and onboard restrooms on full coaches covering the longer drives.
Corporate events and conferences at Chartway Arena also pull group transportation requests — the arena hosts career fairs, presentations, and private events alongside its public calendar. For teams traveling from offices in Virginia Beach or Chesapeake, a Virginia Beach corporate bus rental keeps colleagues together and eliminates the per-employee parking pass procurement headache before a work event. See the Virginia Beach group transportation services page for multi-stop and recurring shuttle options.
Booking urgency is real for Chartway Arena. Rivalry game doubleheaders, sold-out concerts, and graduation weekends all draw competing demand for the same pool of vehicles serving Hampton Roads. For peak dates, two to three weeks of lead time is the floor — not the target.
The right-sized vehicles go first, and locking in early also locks in the best available rate.
What to Know Before Your Group Arrives
A few things first-timers consistently underestimate about Chartway Arena, sourced directly from the venue's published policies and its official A-Z guide:
- Doors open one hour before most events. For a 7 PM tip-off, that's 6 PM. Plan your bus departure so the group arrives by 6:15 PM, which clears the Hampton Boulevard rush and leaves time to reach seats before the opening tip.
- Concessions are cashless inside the arena. Credit and debit cards only at food stands — let everyone know before they board.
- No large bags, backpacks, or oversized purses. The A-Z guide is explicit: large purses, backpacks, and oversized bags are not permitted inside. Use the bus's overhead storage or undercarriage bays for anything the arena won't let through the door.
- No outside food or drinks. Glass bottles and aluminum cans are prohibited. Outside food and beverages are not allowed inside the arena.
- No re-entry. Once your group exits the building, re-entry requires your original unused ticket. Set a clear meeting point near the 45th Street entrance before anyone steps outside during the event.
- Non-smoking venue. The arena is non-smoking; the designated outdoor smoking area is near the main lobby. No smoking in seating areas or on the concourse.
- ADA drop-off and accessible parking. The 45th Street north entrance is the accessible drop-off point, with an elevator connecting directly to the concourse and VIP levels. Accessible parking is available in every garage deck near the elevators. Call (757) 683-5762 in advance for wheelchair assistance arrangements.
- Nearest public transit stop. Hampton Roads Transit serves the Hampton Boulevard corridor near campus — useful if any group members are arriving separately. Stops and schedules can change, so confirm the current route and closest stop directly with HRT before your trip. HRT Customer Service: (757) 222-6100.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does a charter bus or party bus drop off at Chartway Arena?
The main passenger drop-off is on 45th Street at the building's north entrance, per the arena's official directions page. That entrance has an elevator connecting directly to the main concourse and the VIP suite level. It's also the designated accessible drop-off point, so groups with members who need elevator access are already at the right door.
Where does the bus wait while the group is inside?
Chartway Arena's two parking garages serve standard passenger vehicles. For a charter bus or large party bus, the practical staging approach is along Hampton Boulevard or adjacent campus streets while the group is inside. For your specific event, it's worth contacting the arena in advance at (757) 683-5762 to confirm any current guidance on large-vehicle staging — arrangements can vary by event size and configuration.
How much does parking cost at Chartway Arena?
Advance parking passes for the Constant Center garages are available online before each event, and the arena's own guidance notes that on-site purchases cost more than advance rates. For basketball games, lower deck levels are reserved for VIP and donor passes; upper decks are available to general attendees, with overflow parking on campus when the primary garages fill. One charter bus eliminates the per-vehicle parking cost entirely for your group.
Check the official parking page for current advance rates for your specific event.
How far is Chartway Arena from Virginia Beach?
About 18 miles from the Oceanfront via I-264 West — roughly 25–30 minutes off-peak. On a game night, plan for 45–55 minutes: the I-264/Hampton Boulevard approach backs up in the final stretch approaching campus, and that timeline is on top of any tunnel delay if your group is coming from points farther south or east.
Is Chartway Arena the same as Scope Arena?
No. These are two separate venues. Chartway Arena is on the ODU campus at 4320 Hampton Blvd in Norfolk — the 9,520-seat arena that serves as the home of ODU basketball and hosts touring concerts and events. Scope Arena is a separate venue in downtown Norfolk.
This guide is specific to Chartway Arena.
How much does a party bus or charter bus rental to Chartway Arena cost?
Planning ranges, not quotes: minibuses run $200–$275/hour on weekdays; party buses in the 15–30 passenger range run $200–$425/hour depending on size and day; and a full charter bus runs $200–$350/hour. The total cost depends on your headcount, pickup location, and total hours. Call 948-207-8980 or fill out the quick form online to get actual pricing for your specific trip in about a minute — no account needed.
How far in advance should I book a bus to an ODU game or Chartway Arena concert?
For standard-season ODU basketball games, two to three weeks of lead time is workable. For rivalry doubleheaders — like the James Madison TowneBank Royal Rivalry game — major concert nights, and graduation weekends in May, book earlier. Three to six weeks out is the right target for peak dates.
The right-sized vehicles go first, and locking in early gets you the best available rate. Call 948-207-8980 as soon as your date is confirmed.
What vehicles work best for an ODU graduation family group at Chartway Arena?
For extended families making the trip from Richmond, Northern Virginia, or the Northern Neck, a 40–56 passenger charter bus is the right call — undercarriage bays handle luggage, onboard restrooms make the longer drive comfortable, and everyone travels together rather than across four separate cars through the Midtown Tunnel. Smaller family groups of 15–20 do well in a minibus, which is easier to maneuver on campus streets than a full coach. See the full vehicle lineup to compare options.
Can we book a round trip from Virginia Beach to Chartway Arena and back?
Yes — round-trip bookings are the standard setup for Chartway Arena group transportation. The bus picks your group up at a hotel, office, or neighborhood in Virginia Beach or anywhere else in Hampton Roads, drops at the 45th Street entrance before the event, and returns post-event. Multi-stop itineraries — dinner in Ghent or the Granby Street corridor before the game, for example — are easy to include in the quote request.
Just note your full itinerary when you call or fill out the form.
Book Your Charter Bus or Party Bus to Chartway Arena
Whether it's a Monarchs rivalry game in November, a sold-out touring concert in the spring, or a May graduation ceremony — Chartway Arena is the kind of event where group transportation makes the difference between a smooth night and a parking-and-traffic ordeal. Your group drops at the 45th Street entrance, walks straight in, and has a bus ready on the way out. That's the version of the night that actually stays on schedule.
Virginiabeachpartybuscompany.com makes it easy to compare charter bus, party bus, and minibus options from companies serving Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Hampton, and all of Hampton Roads. Fill out the quick form or call 948-207-8980 any time — pricing for your specific Chartway Arena trip in about a minute, no account required. Also planning a show across town?
The Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater group guide covers that venue's bus logistics in the same detail.
