Rent a Bus to Footprint Center: The Complete Transportation Guide

If you are moving 20, 35, or 56 people from Glendale to a Suns game, the question that decides the whole night is simple: where does the bus actually drop us, and how do we all get back to it afterward? It is the one detail most rental pages stay vague about — and the one that decides whether your group walks in together or scatters across three downtown street corners in the dark.

This guide answers it plainly, using the arena's own published information, and then walks through everything else a group trip needs: which vehicle fits your party, what the drop-off looks like on game night, how the drive in from the West Valley really goes, and what shapes the price. One heads-up before we start — the building most people still call Footprint Center has a new name as of late 2025, and we will sort that out in a second.

At Party Buses Glendale, downtown Phoenix is a run we make constantly — Suns games, Mercury games, concerts, the lot. The advice below is what we tell our own group clients before they book, written for the person responsible for getting everyone there together, parked, and home without the rideshare scramble at the final buzzer.

Wait — It's Not Called "Footprint Center" Anymore

Here is the mix-up that trips up almost every group planning this trip. The arena most of Phoenix still calls Footprint Center was renamed. The naming-rights deal with Footprint ended in early 2025, the building went by PHX Arena for a stretch, and on October 2, 2025 it officially became the Mortgage Matchup Center under a ten-year deal with United Wholesale Mortgage.

Same building, same Suns, same downtown corner — new sign over the door.

Why does this matter for your booking? Because the address never changed and the searches did. Map apps, ticket sites, and signage are mid-switch, so a rider punching in one name and a friend punching in another can end up routing to the same place under three labels.

When you tell us "the Suns game" or "Footprint," we route to 201 E. Jefferson St — the real front door — no matter what the marquee reads that month.

It sits on the southeast corner of 1st Street and Jefferson in the heart of downtown, home to the Phoenix Suns and the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury, plus a packed calendar of concerts and family shows. Capacity runs to roughly 18,400 for basketball, which is exactly why the streets around it choke up at tip-off. For a big group, that crowd is the whole argument for one coordinated bus instead of a dozen cars.

Where Your Bus Drops Off and Picks Up

This is the part the other rental pages get fuzzy on. Some name "oversized vehicle lots" that do not exist; others tell you to park in a garage that a bus physically cannot enter. So let's go straight to the source.

The arena sends all rideshares and pre-booked rides to set curb zones on 1st Street and Jefferson Street, right alongside the arena plaza, with more drop-off points along Jefferson Street and over toward 3rd Street by the Phoenix Convention Center. Your bus pulls to the curb on the plaza side, the group steps out a short walk from the doors, and the bus clears the lane. Everyone enters together, in one wave, on one sidewalk.

One detail that saves real hassle on the back end: downtown's event-deck garages run a tight height clearance — the covered arena decks top out around 6 feet 6 inches — so a full-size motorcoach or party bus does not tuck into a parking garage the way a car does. Instead, your bus waits nearby and comes back to the same curb at a set pickup time, so the group walks straight from the gate to the door of the bus. No hunting for a vehicle across five levels of concrete.

For pickup after the game, the plan flips but the spot stays the same. We set the meet point and time before you go in, so when 18,000 people pour out at once, your group is walking to a known curb instead of texting a rideshare that cannot find you in the crush.

Confirm the Curb When You Book — Here's Why

Downtown Phoenix runs event-night street closures and lane changes around the arena, and the surrounding blocks shift with conventions at the adjacent Convention Center. Any guide quoting one fixed "pull up to Door X" instruction is a coin flip on whether it still holds for a sold-out Friday. When you book with us, we confirm your group's exact drop and pickup point for your specific date and event — because we keep up with the downtown setup so you do not have to.

Getting There From Glendale

One of the best reasons to charter for this trip is how short the run actually is. Downtown Phoenix sits roughly 9 to 10 miles southeast of central Glendale — normally a 15- to 25-minute drive down I-10 or Loop 101 to the I-10 spur into downtown. Close enough that the bus is barely warmed up before you are there.

The catch is game-night traffic. On a sellout, the last mile into downtown and the scramble for parking is where the clock disappears, which is why "it's only fifteen minutes" can quietly become forty-five once everyone in the Valley is aiming at the same exits. A chartered bus handles that part for you — the group rides in together, and the parking problem is simply not your problem.

It is short enough that plenty of groups treat the ride itself as the warm-up — music on, everyone in Suns orange, the pregame energy already going before you reach Jefferson Street. On a party bus, those fifteen minutes set the tone for the whole night.

Which Vehicle Fits Your Group?

The right vehicle is the one that seats everyone with a little breathing room — and, for a game night, leaves space for the energy. Here is how it breaks down for a downtown arena run.

For a straight game-and-back with a big crowd, a full-size charter bus up to 56 passengers is the workhorse — everyone in one vehicle, one drop, one pickup. For a birthday, a bachelor or bachelorette night built around a Suns game, or any group where the trip is part of the celebration, a party bus turns those fifteen downtown minutes into the opening act. Smaller crews get the same single-pickup convenience from a minibus or sprinter at a right-sized cost.

Need wheelchair-accessible seating or a specific amenity setup? Tell us when you request a quote and we will match the vehicle to the night rather than the other way around.

Bus vs. Rideshare vs. Driving Yourself

Downtown gives you plenty of ways to get to the game — drive and park, split into rideshares, or take the light rail. Each has a place. Here is the honest comparison for a group.

The math is simple. As soon as your party outgrows two or three cars, the cost of separate vehicles — multiple garage fees, surge-priced rideshares home, and the inevitable car that gets stuck in the exit gridlock — outweighs the convenience. One bus turns the logistics into a non-event.

Worth knowing if you live near a station: Valley Metro runs a RailRide event program where your game ticket doubles as a light-rail fare on event day, with the 3rd Street/Washington (westbound) and 3rd Street/Jefferson (eastbound) stations sitting right next to the arena. It is a genuinely good deal for a couple of people who live along the line. For a full group coming from Glendale, though, it means driving to a station, parking there, and herding everyone onto the right train — which is most of the hassle a bus exists to erase.

What It Costs and How Pricing Works

Group bus pricing is not a single sticker number, and any honest operator will tell you that. Your quote is shaped by a handful of clear factors:

• Vehicle size — a 56-passenger coach and a 14-passenger sprinter are different rates.
• Total hours — how long the vehicle is dedicated to your group, including the wait through the game.
• Day and date — a marquee Friday matchup books busier than a Tuesday in February.
• Round trip vs. wait time — most game nights are a there-wait-back block of hours.
• Pickup point — a single Glendale address is simpler than several stops across the West Valley.

Here is the value point worth knowing. Driving yourselves means multiple garage charges in the $10 to $30 range, several tanks of gas, and the slow grind out of downtown when 18,000 people leave at once. Coordinating rideshares for a big party means surge pricing at exactly the moment everyone wants a car.

One private bus gives you a single, predictable quote and keeps everyone in one place — which is usually both simpler and better value once the group passes a handful of people.

The fastest way to a real number is to request an instant quote with your group size, date, and Glendale pickup point. We will price it clearly against the factors above — no mystery add-ons.

Game-Night Trips We Cover Most

Different groups, same goal: everyone arrives together, fired up, and leaves without the parking-lot headache. A few of the trips we cover most often to this arena:

• Suns season-ticket crews. A standing group that goes to a block of games together — one bus, same curb, every time.
• Birthdays and celebrations. A game makes a great centerpiece; a party bus makes the ride there part of the gift.
• Bachelor and bachelorette nights. Tip-off downtown, then onward to dinner or drinks — the bus carries the night, not just the game.
• Corporate and client nights. Move the team or your guests from a Glendale office to the arena and back on one clean schedule.
• Mercury games and concerts. Same building, same drop-off — the WNBA slate and the concert calendar fill the same arena all year.
• Big friend groups. The kind of crowd that would otherwise need five cars and never park near each other.

Booking and Timing

Booking a bus to the game is straightforward, and a little planning makes it smooth:

1. Request a quote with your group size, Glendale pickup point, the date, and the event.
2. Confirm the vehicle and curb. We lock in the right vehicle and verify the current drop-off and pickup point for your date.
3. Set the timeline. We plan the departure to beat the worst of the downtown crawl and agree on a post-game meet time and spot.

A few timing questions we hear constantly:

• How early should we leave Glendale? For a sellout, we build in a cushion so you are inside before tip-off, not stuck on the I-10 spur.
• Where does the bus go during the game? It waits nearby and comes back to the agreed curb at pickup time — you do not pay for a garage it cannot fit in.
• Can we add a stop for dinner or drinks? Yes — downtown and the West Valley both have plenty of options, and the bus can build them into the route.
• How far ahead should we book? The sooner the better for marquee matchups, playoff dates, and big concerts, when the best vehicles go first.

Ready to lock in your date? Get in touch for an instant quote and we will confirm every detail before game day. Questions are welcome any time at 480-546-5015.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is "Footprint Center" the same as "Mortgage Matchup Center"?

Yes — it is the same downtown Phoenix arena at 201 E. Jefferson St. The naming rights changed in 2025: it was Footprint Center, briefly PHX Arena, and officially became Mortgage Matchup Center on October 2, 2025. Same Suns, same building, new name. We route to the address regardless of which name your ticket or map app shows.

Where exactly does the bus drop us off?

At the dedicated passenger curb on the 1st Street / Jefferson side, beside the arena plaza, with additional drop zones along Jefferson and toward 3rd Street. Your group steps out a short walk from the doors and enters together.

Why can't the bus just park in a garage like a car?

Downtown's covered event decks run a low height clearance — around 6 feet 6 inches — so a full-size bus or party bus does not fit. Instead the bus waits nearby and comes back to the same curb at a set pickup time, so your group walks straight from the gate to the bus.

How long is the drive from Glendale?

About 9 to 10 miles, normally 15 to 25 minutes via I-10 or Loop 101. On a sold-out game night, plan extra time for the last mile into downtown — one of the reasons a group lets the bus handle the drive and the parking.

What about the free light rail with a game ticket?

Valley Metro's RailRide program lets your event ticket double as a light-rail fare on event day, with stations right next to the arena. It is a great option for one or two people who live along the line. For a full group from the West Valley, a single bus is usually simpler than driving to a station and boarding together.

Can the same bus take us somewhere after the game?

Absolutely. Plenty of our groups pair the game with dinner, drinks, or a night out downtown or back in Glendale. Tell us the stops when you request a quote and we will build them into the route.

Ready to Book Your Group's Ride?

Skip the parking-garage fees, the rideshare surge, and the post-game scramble. Tell us your group size, your date, and your Glendale pickup point, and we will send a clear quote and confirm exactly where your bus will be waiting at the arena — before and after the final buzzer. Get your instant quote today or call 480-546-5015, and let game night start the moment your group steps onto the bus.