Rent a Bus to Chartway Arena: ODU Basketball & Concert Group Guide (Norfolk)

Getting your group to Chartway Arena should be the easy part of the night. The arena itself is straightforward enough — it sits right on Old Dominion University's campus at 4320 Hampton Blvd, Norfolk, VA 23529 — but Hampton Boulevard between the Downtown Tunnel and the ODU campus is a narrow, four-lane city corridor that backs up predictably on any event night. Add in the two parking garages that fill from the inside out, a no re-entry policy that punishes late arrivals, and a concert capacity pushing 9,500 people all leaving at once, and the case for a single coordinated bus makes itself.

This guide covers the one question every group organizer needs answered first: where exactly does a charter bus drop off, and where does it wait?

It then walks through everything else that actually matters: which events draw the biggest crowds, which vehicle fits your headcount, what the parking picture looks like for groups, and how to keep a Hampton Roads crew from four different cities from splitting into a caravan that reassembles — maybe — at the same parking deck. Party Bus Norfolk runs these trips regularly, and the advice below comes from knowing the campus, not from a brochure.

What Is Chartway Arena?

Chartway Arena — formally the Chartway Arena at Ted Constant Convocation Center — opened in October 2002 as a $47 million arena on Old Dominion University's Norfolk campus. It seats 8,472 for ODU Monarchs basketball and expands to 9,520 for concerts, with 16 luxury suites, 62 courtside seats, and a full upper club section. OVG360 operates the facility on ODU's behalf, which is why the event calendar swings between Sun Belt Conference basketball and touring national acts.

The home court edge is real. ODU men's basketball has compiled a 212-66 record at Chartway Arena since the building opened — a 76.3% winning percentage that ranks among the strongest home-court advantages in the Sun Belt Conference. Big rivalries like the TowneBank Royal Rivalry against James Madison draw the loudest crowds of any non-conference weeknight, and the arena has hosted first- and second-round NCAA Women's Tournament games.

On the concert side, the venue's track record runs from Bruce Springsteen and Elton John to Green Day and UFC events — Elton John sold out in under four hours in 2011 — so when a major act announces a Chartway Arena date, ticket holders are scattered across all of Hampton Roads and moving toward the same campus on the same evening.

Charter Bus Drop-Off at Chartway Arena: The Exact Details

Here is the part most pages skip or answer vaguely. Per the arena's own published guidance, the designated accessible drop-off zone is at the 45th Street entrance — the north side of the building — where an elevator carries guests up to the concourse and VIP levels. That same entrance is the most practical drop point for a charter bus or minibus: your group steps off steps from the main door, not a parking deck away.

For passenger drop-off and pickup on a standard event night, the 45th Street approach off Hampton Boulevard is the cleanest route. After drop-off, the bus waits in or near the Constant Center 45th Street Garage or relocates briefly while the event runs, then returns to the same drop zone for post-event pickup. The 43rd Street side mirrors this — the Constant Center 43rd Street Garage sits on the south side with direct pedestrian access to the arena's lower lobby.

One detail worth knowing before you arrive: the arena enforces a strict no re-entry policy. Once a guest exits, they cannot return. That means late arrivals and anyone who steps out between periods genuinely cannot get back in — which is its own argument for a bus that drops your group before doors open rather than arriving in a fragmented caravan with a few cars stuck in the Hampton Boulevard backup.

Doors generally open one hour before events, so your group should be at the entrance well before that window closes.

For specific oversized vehicle staging on any given event night, we recommend calling the arena directly at (757) 683-5762 or the box office at (757) 683-4444 to confirm current approach instructions — the campus can manage traffic differently depending on whether it's a sold-out basketball night, a graduation ceremony, or a full-capacity concert. We confirm this for your booking date when you reserve with us, so you are not figuring it out in the Hampton Boulevard queue.

The Chartway Arena Parking Picture

Two garages flank the arena. The Constant Center 43rd Street Garage sits on the south side; the Constant Center 45th Street Garage is on the north. Both are free for public event parking, but advance parking passes are offered and cost less than passes purchased on site — so for major events, the garage levels closest to the elevator banks fill first.

Overflow parking is available in the Elkhorn Garage off 43rd Street when the main decks are at capacity.

The access roads matter almost as much as the garages themselves. To reach parking from Hampton Boulevard, you turn onto 43rd Street or 45th Street and follow signage into the decks. The problem on a sold-out night: Hampton Boulevard narrows to four lanes approaching campus, and every car funneling in from Virginia Beach via I-264, from Chesapeake via I-464, or from Newport News via the Midtown Tunnel is trying to make that same left or right onto 43rd or 45th.

The Stadium Journey review of the venue notes the Hampton Boulevard corridor can back up significantly as you get closer to game time from either tunnel direction — not rare congestion, but a documented pattern on heavy event nights.

For a group arriving in separate cars, that congestion hits each car differently. With a charter bus in Norfolk, your whole group loads at one pickup point, the bus handles the route, and there's no coordinating which garage level everyone managed to park on before the tipoff.

Why a Bus Makes Sense for Chartway Arena Groups

The honest reason comes down to Hampton Roads geography. Your group is not in one city — it's spread across Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Hampton, and Newport News, each of which requires a different route into Norfolk. Everyone coming from Virginia Beach takes I-264 West and exits toward Hampton Boulevard.

Everyone from Chesapeake comes up I-464 North through the I-264 interchange. Hampton and Newport News cross the Midtown Tunnel on US-58 East or take I-664 South with the Downtown Tunnel toll. On a concert night, all those routes converge on the same two-block stretch of Hampton Boulevard at the same time.

A charter bus rental in Norfolk puts your whole group in one vehicle, one pickup point, and one approach — and the bus handles every mile of that multi-tunnel, multi-highway drive while your group gets the pregame started instead of navigating it. Add in the no re-entry policy at Chartway Arena and the post-event crunch when 9,000-plus people flow back into the same garages and onto Hampton Boulevard simultaneously, and the case for a single bus with a planned post-event pickup window is clear.

There's also the designated-driver math. For a basketball night with a long tailgate beforehand, or a concert that ends at 11 p.m. on a Thursday, asking one person in a five-car caravan to stay sober for the whole night is a harder ask than booking one vehicle and letting everyone enjoy themselves. Call 757-524-8568 to get started.

What's Happening at Chartway Arena: The Events Worth Planning Around

The event calendar at Chartway Arena runs November through June, with two big busy stretches that groups need to plan around.

ODU Monarchs Basketball Season (November–March)

ODU men's and women's basketball both play their home schedules at Chartway Arena as Sun Belt Conference members. The men's team opens at home in early November and runs conference play through late February, with 14 home games on the schedule. The two highest-demand home matchups to plan around:

• TowneBank Royal Rivalry vs. James Madison — the conference home opener in December, consistently the loudest regular-season crowd of the year. The James Madison rivalry draws fans from both sides of the I-64 corridor and fills the Constant Center garages early.
• Late-season Sun Belt games (February) — rivalry matchups against Coastal Carolina and conference leaders in February bring the most intense game atmospheres and the most traffic, since stakes are higher and weeknight crowds know the team is in postseason contention.

Women's basketball runs on a parallel schedule, with home openers in November against opponents like UMass and conference games through February. The women's program draws strong campus attendance and fills the arena for marquee matchups. Season tickets for both programs run through ODU Athletics — call (757) 683-6963 for group ticket options, which can include courtside seating and suite access.

Concerts and Touring Acts

The 2026 Chartway Arena concert calendar includes Barry Manilow in August, Labrinth's The Undoing Tour in August, "Weird Al" Yankovic in June, Dude Perfect in June, and Meek Mill in April. These events push capacity toward 9,500 — significantly more than a basketball crowd — and the parking garages and Hampton Boulevard approach reflect that. For any major touring act at Chartway Arena, book your bus well in advance.

Concert nights at a 9,500-seat arena in a campus corridor with two garages and one main approach road are exactly when rideshare surge pricing spikes after the show ends.

Check the official Chartway Arena upcoming events page for the current calendar before you lock a date.

Graduation Ceremonies (May–June and December)

Chartway Arena hosts graduation ceremonies for ODU, Norfolk Public Schools (May 26–27, 2026), Portsmouth Public Schools (May 28, 2026), Suffolk Public Schools (May 30, 2026), and Chesapeake Public Schools (June 15–17, 2026). ODU's own commencement runs in December — two ceremonies on December 12, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

Graduation weekends are the single highest-demand period for group transportation at Chartway Arena. Multiple ceremonies stacked on consecutive days, families traveling from out of the Hampton Roads region, and the Elkhorn overflow garage being activated all mean the campus is at maximum vehicle capacity. A Norfolk charter bus rental for a graduation group solves a real problem: one vehicle collects the family from their hotel, drops them at the 45th Street entrance ahead of the ceremony, and returns for pickup so nobody is hunting for their car in a garage after the processional ends.

Book graduation transportation 4–6 months ahead — the right vehicles for graduation groups are claimed early in the spring.

High School Graduations

The late-May window is the busiest stretch on the entire Chartway Arena calendar — three or four school districts holding ceremonies on consecutive days, each filling the arena to near-capacity. Families driving in from Chesapeake, Portsmouth, and Suffolk on back-to-back days mean the garages are operating near overflow conditions through the entire window. A 15- to 35-passenger minibus rental that picks up the extended family from a single meeting point and drops at the 45th Street entrance is a far simpler plan than coordinating six cars from three zip codes and hoping everyone finds the same parking level.

What Size Bus Does Your Group Need?

Not every group trip to Chartway Arena is the same size. Here is how the fleet breaks down for a typical Norfolk arena run.

For a basketball group going out for the game and dinner afterward, a 15- to 35-passenger minibus handles the crew comfortably with powerful A/C for a Virginia spring night and room for everyone's coats overhead. For a concert group that wants the energy up from the first pickup, a party bus in Norfolk with a full bar setup and LED lighting turns the 20-minute drive down Hampton Boulevard into the opening act. For a larger graduation family — grandparents, siblings, cousins, the whole contingent — a 40-56 passenger charter bus with undercarriage bays for flowers and bags keeps everyone in one vehicle and skips the garage search entirely.

ADA-accessible vehicles are always available; just let us know your needs when you book.

Getting to Chartway Arena: Routes and Drive Times

Hampton Roads is a region that connects through tunnels and bridges, and the route to Chartway Arena from each major city crosses at least one of them. Here are realistic drive times on a non-event day — add 15–30 minutes for any major event night when the Hampton Boulevard approach is managing event traffic.

A few route notes that matter for bus logistics. The Midtown Tunnel on US-58 carries toll traffic from Portsmouth and Newport News — tunnel congestion stacks up predictably on event nights when outbound traffic from Norfolk competes with inbound event arrivals. From Virginia Beach, the I-264 Exit 11B toward US-460 East feeds into the Hampton Boulevard corridor, but event-night backups can start a mile before the ODU exit.

A charter bus in Norfolk puts a group from all four directions into one vehicle that handles one route — instead of five cars in five tunnels hoping to meet in the same parking deck.

Chartway Arena Transportation Options: The Honest Comparison

Hampton Roads has Uber and Lyft operating across the region, Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) bus service running routes that pass near the ODU campus, and the obvious option of driving yourself. Here is how each actually works for a group on event night.

We'll be straight with you: for one or two people driving in from Portsmouth or downtown Norfolk, rideshare or driving your own car makes sense. No reason to charter a bus for two. But the moment your group hits five or six people from two or three different cities, the hassle of separate cars — staggered arrival times, scattered parking levels, the no re-entry policy punishing whoever parks last, and post-event rideshare surge as 9,000 people look for rides at once — tips decisively toward one vehicle with a planned pickup window.

Call 757-524-8568 to talk through your group's specifics.

Sample Trips and Pricing

Party Bus Norfolk provides all-inclusive pricing online in under 30 seconds — you will know the exact price before you ever book. Pricing depends on vehicle size, total hours, date, and mileage, but you will never be surprised by hidden costs. Here are the ranges to anchor your estimate:

• 14-passenger Sprinter limos: $170–$344/hour
• 15–20 passenger party buses: $204–$378/hour
• 20–30 passenger party buses: $244–$414/hour
• 35–50 passenger party buses and minibuses: $294–$490/hour
• 40–56 passenger charter buses: $150–$300/hour or $1,200–$2,500/day

Here is how the per-person math typically looks for a Chartway Arena run. A 30-person ODU basketball group books a 35-passenger minibus for 4 hours — pickup from a Virginia Beach hotel block, drop at the 45th Street entrance 90 minutes before tipoff, post-game pickup at the same entrance, return drop-off. At $294–$490/hour for a 4-hour window, the all-inclusive total splits to roughly $40–$65 per person.

Compare that to rideshare for 30 people (6–7 cars each way with post-event surge pricing), plus the parking headache, plus whoever draws the short straw to drive sober — and the bus math works in the group's favor once you're past about 15 people.

For graduation groups: a 4-hour minibus rental for 25 family members coming in from Chesapeake for a May commencement runs on the same hourly structure. One pickup, one drop at the 45th Street entrance, one post-ceremony return, no parking deck scramble while grandma is standing in the lobby. That is the whole point.

Chartway Arena Bag Policy and Venue Rules

A few things your group needs to know before the doors open at Chartway Arena, straight from the venue's own published policies:

• Bag policy: Large purses, backpacks, and other oversized bags are not permitted inside. Small bags and clutches are fine; medically necessary items and diaper bags are inspected at entry. Leave the backpacks on the bus.
• No re-entry: Once you exit, you cannot return. Your group needs to be inside before doors close — another reason to arrive early with a bus that drops you at the 45th Street entrance rather than parking and walking.
• Outside food and beverages: Not permitted. Water bottles, mugs, and thermoses are on the prohibited list. Glass containers and aluminum cans are not allowed.
• Cameras and recording devices: Policies vary by event — check the specific event listing or call (757) 683-5762 for clarification before your show.
• Smoking: Non-smoking facility except in designated outdoor areas near the main lobby.
• Doors open: Generally one hour before events begin. Plan your bus drop-off to arrive 15–20 minutes before door time so your whole group clears entry before the first-period rush.

Review the official Chartway Arena A-Z guest guide for the current full policy list before your visit, as specific events occasionally carry additional restrictions.

Group Trip Types We Handle to Chartway Arena

Different groups, same goal: everyone at the 45th Street entrance on time, together, without the Hampton Boulevard parking scramble at the end of the night. A few of the trips we coordinate most often:

• ODU basketball fan groups. Season ticket holders from Virginia Beach and Chesapeake who want the pregame energy built into the ride, not wasted in a tunnel backup. A party bus rental in Norfolk with LED lighting and a built-in bar turns the drive down Hampton Boulevard into the opening act.
• Graduation families. Multi-generational groups coming in from out of the region for ODU commencement, Norfolk Public Schools graduations, or any of the late-May/early-June ceremonies. One minibus picks up the whole family, drops at the 45th Street elevator, and returns for post-ceremony photos without the Elkhorn overflow garage scramble.
• Concert groups. When Barry Manilow, Labrinth, or any national act fills Chartway Arena to 9,500, the post-event rideshare surge on Hampton Boulevard is the single worst part of the night. A charter bus waits nearby and is at the 45th Street curb when your group walks out.
• Corporate and hospitality groups. Suite holders and company outings that need a smooth arrival for clients and staff — a Sprinter limo or executive minibus handles the pickup from a downtown Norfolk hotel and the return trip without anyone worrying about parking.
• High school celebration groups. Prom groups and post-graduation parties use Chartway Arena events as part of a larger night — combine the game or concert with dinner at the Waterside District and a late-night drop-off, all on one itinerary.

Booking, Timing, and How to Get Your Quote

Booking is straightforward. Have your headcount, the event date and time, your pickup location or locations across Hampton Roads, and whether you want any pre- or post-event stops built into the itinerary. We'll confirm the right vehicle, the drop-off and pickup approach for your specific event, and the all-inclusive price — in under 30 seconds online or over the phone.

A few things we hear often on Chartway Arena bookings:

• How far in advance should we book? For ODU basketball and most regular events, two to four weeks out is workable. For graduation weekends and major national concert acts, book 4–6 months in advance — the right-size vehicles are the first to go during the late-May graduation window and major sold-out concerts.
• Can the bus wait during the game? Yes — the bus is booked as a block of hours. You set the post-event pickup window with our team in advance so the bus is at the 45th Street entrance when your group walks out, not circling Hampton Boulevard.
• Can we make a stop before the arena? Absolutely. Pre-game dinner near the ODU campus or a pickup sweep across multiple addresses in Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, and Newport News are both built into the itinerary. Just tell us your stops when you request a quote.
• What about multi-city pickups? This is where a charter bus rental in Norfolk earns its keep. We can route from Virginia Beach to Chesapeake to Portsmouth in a single sweep before heading up Hampton Boulevard — one bus, one route, one drop at the 45th Street entrance, everybody together.

Give us a call any time at 757-524-8568 for an all-inclusive price quote — or use our online tool for instant availability.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does a charter bus drop off at Chartway Arena?

The accessible drop-off zone published by the arena is at the 45th Street entrance on the north side of the building, with an elevator providing access to the concourse and VIP levels. This is the closest passenger drop point to the main lobby. On major event nights with high vehicle volume, approach instructions can vary — we confirm the current drop protocol for your specific event date when you book, so your group isn't sorting this out in the Hampton Boulevard queue.

Is parking free at Chartway Arena?

General event parking in the two campus garages — the Constant Center 43rd Street Garage and the Constant Center 45th Street Garage — is free for events at Chartway Arena. Advance parking passes are available and cost less than passes purchased on site. Overflow parking is available at the Elkhorn Garage off 43rd Street when the primary decks fill.

For graduation ceremonies and sold-out concerts, the main garages fill early, so advance parking passes or a bus that handles drop-off directly are both smart moves.

How much does it cost to rent a bus to Chartway Arena?

Pricing depends on vehicle size, total hours, your pickup location across Hampton Roads, and the date. As a guide: 14-passenger Sprinter limos run $170–$344/hour; 15–20 passenger party buses run $204–$378/hour; 20–30 passenger party buses run $244–$414/hour; 35–50 passenger party buses and minibuses run $294–$490/hour; and 40–56 passenger charter buses run $150–$300/hour or $1,200–$2,500/day. All-inclusive pricing is available in under 30 seconds — no hidden costs.

Call 757-524-8568 or use our online tool.

How far in advance should we book for graduation at Chartway Arena?

Book 4–6 months in advance for graduation weekends. The late-May window hosts multiple consecutive ceremonies for Norfolk Public Schools, Portsmouth Public Schools, Suffolk Public Schools, and Chesapeake Public Schools — all back to back — which means the Hampton Roads charter bus fleet is at peak demand. Vehicles for groups of 25 and above commit earliest.

For ODU commencement in December, the same early-booking logic applies.

What is the bag policy at Chartway Arena?

Large purses, backpacks, and oversized bags are not permitted inside. Small bags and clutches are allowed and may be inspected at entry. Medically necessary items and diaper bags are permitted with inspection.

Outside food, beverages, water bottles, thermoses, glass containers, and aluminum cans are all prohibited. Leave the large bags in the bus's overhead compartments before you enter — the no re-entry policy means you won't be able to run back out to stow them once the group is inside.

Does the bus need a permit to park on the ODU campus during an event?

The public parking garages flanking Chartway Arena are free and open to event attendees, and drop-off on 45th Street is the designated approach. For specific oversized vehicle staging during a sold-out concert or graduation ceremony, we recommend confirming current campus traffic management with the arena at (757) 683-5762 before the event. We take care of this for your booking date when you reserve with Party Bus Norfolk.

Can a party bus or minibus pick up from multiple cities across Hampton Roads?

Yes — this is exactly the use case a charter bus in Norfolk is built for. We can route from Virginia Beach to Chesapeake to Newport News or Hampton in a single sweep before heading up Hampton Boulevard to the 45th Street entrance. All multi-city pickup logistics are built into your itinerary when you book.

Just tell us your stops and headcount.

What is the re-entry policy at Chartway Arena?

Chartway Arena enforces a strict no re-entry policy — once you exit, you cannot return. Plan your bus drop-off to arrive at the 45th Street entrance at least 15 minutes before doors open so your entire group is inside before the event starts.

Book Your Bus to Chartway Arena Today

The perfect Norfolk bus rental for your Chartway Arena group is one call away. Whether it's an ODU Monarchs basketball night with a pregame sweep across Virginia Beach and Chesapeake, a graduation family group that needs door-to-door service on commencement morning, or a concert crew heading to a sold-out show who want to skip the Hampton Boulevard post-event surge — Party Bus Norfolk has a full fleet of party buses, minibuses, charter buses, and Sprinter vans across Hampton Roads and can have your group at the 45th Street entrance while everyone else is stuck in the tunnel backup. Give us a call any time at 757-524-8568 for an all-inclusive price quote, or use our online tool for instant availability.

Sources & Last Verified

Venue policies, parking details, and event schedules at Chartway Arena change by season and event. Drop-off, parking, and bag-policy details verified against venue and university published sources in June 2026. Confirm current figures against the official pages below before your visit.

• Chartway Arena — Directions & Parking (garages, drop-off, accessible parking)
• Chartway Arena — A-Z Guest Guide (bag policy, no re-entry, prohibited items)
• Chartway Arena — FAQs (accessible drop-off, parking purchase)
• Chartway Arena — Upcoming Events (current concert and event calendar)
• ODU Athletics — Parking & Tailgating (43rd and 45th Street decks, tailgate rules)
• Old Dominion University — Event Parking (Elkhorn overflow, campus parking management)
• Old Dominion University — Commencement (December ceremony schedule)