Merced School Field Trip Charter Bus Rentals
Fill out one quick form and instantly compare field trip buses and rates from a large network of transportation companies serving Merced, California — no account required, and pricing comes back in seconds! Whether your class is heading to Applegate Park Zoo, making the drive out CA-140 to Yosemite National Park, or visiting the Castle Air Museum just seven miles north, Mercedcharterbusservices.com makes it incredibly easy to find the right bus for your group. Call 209-819-5770 or use the 30-second online quote tool to get started right now!
School Event Transportation Options From All Different Sorts of Local Bus Companies
Check the box on transportation for your next Merced field trip in just seconds! Mercedcharterbusservices.com is not a bus company — it's a quote-comparison and referral website that connects you with a large network of independently owned transportation companies serving Merced and the surrounding Central Valley. That means you're never limited to one fleet or whatever a single operator has available. Fill out one quick form, land on a results page showing different buses and prices from that network, and book the vehicle that fits your group right online through a national booking platform.
It's that easy! For any questions, a live team is available every day at 209-819-5770.
Compare Vehicles and Online Rates for School Event Transportation in Seconds
Why settle for one option when you can compare them all? Through Mercedcharterbusservices.com, you can find everything from compact 15-passenger minibuses for a small class group to full 56-passenger charter buses for a large grade-level trip. Smaller minibuses work great for tight drop-off zones like the street staging near Applegate Park, while full-size motorcoaches give you overhead storage, climate control, reclining seats, onboard restrooms, and large undercarriage luggage bays — perfect for longer runs to Yosemite Valley or down CA-99 to the Fresno Chaffee Zoo (894 W Belmont Ave, Fresno, CA 93728).
ADA-accessible vehicles are available through the network too — just mention it when you request your quote!
56 Passenger Charter Bus
35 Passenger Minibus
30 Passenger Minibus
28 Passenger Minibus
25 Passenger Minibus
20 Passenger Minibus
18 Passenger Minibus
15 Passenger Minibus
15-50 Passenger Party Buses
Sprinter Van with Driver
Sprinter Limo
Vehicles shown above are NOT the exact makes and models available for every trip. We are NOT a transportation company and do not own or operate vehicles. Photos are examples only and may show stock or typical vehicles, not the exact vehicle offered for your reservation. Fill out the online quote form or call 209-819-5770 to view current vehicle options, photos, availability, and pricing. Confirm the exact vehicle details and amenities before booking.
Merced to Yosemite National Park Field Trip Buses
Make your Yosemite field trip the one your students talk about for years — and let a charter bus handle everything between the school parking lot and the Arch Rock Entrance. Yosemite Valley is approximately 75 miles east of Merced via CA-140, and one charter bus keeps the whole class together on a road that narrows through the Merced River Canyon before opening up to the Valley floor. The National Park Service charges $20 per person for groups arriving by bus (rather than the $35-per-vehicle rate), and timed entry reservations for Yosemite Valley are not required in 2026 — check the current reservation system at Recreation.gov and verify road conditions at the NPS Yosemite road conditions page before your trip, since the CA-140 corridor through El Portal has a history of seasonal closures.
Compare buses and pricing for your Yosemite run in seconds using the online quote tool!
Castle Air Museum Field Trips From Merced
That's a field trip destination your students won't forget — more than 70 historic military aircraft on outdoor display, just seven miles north of Merced at the Castle Air Museum (5050 Santa Fe Dr, Atwater, CA 95301). The museum's large lot off Santa Fe Drive accommodates buses easily, group admission rates are available by calling the venue directly at (209) 723-2182 in advance, and the museum is open daily 9am–4pm. A 15- to 35-passenger minibus is a great fit for the short hop up CA-99 from Merced — compact enough for easy lot staging, and loaded with the climate control and comfortable seating your group deserves for a STEM or history field trip.
Compare minibuses and charter buses for your Castle Air Museum trip in seconds on this site!
School and group tours require at least 15 people, with a published student-to-chaperone ratio of 10:1, so one charter bus keeps the class together from Merced to the museum; the official Castle Air Museum visitor information page also gives the 3:15pm last-admission cutoff for the aircraft exhibit.
Applegate Park Zoo School Group Transportation in Merced
This one is right in your own backyard! The Applegate Park Zoo (1045 W 25th St, Merced, CA 95340) is a free, city-operated zoo that's one of the most popular K–8 field trip destinations in Merced County. Buses drop off near the park entrance along W 25th Street or Martin Luther King Jr Way, with street staging available while students explore.
Because admission is free and the location is central, the main cost to manage is transportation — and that's exactly where Mercedcharterbusservices.com helps. Compare 15-passenger minibuses through 56-passenger charter buses from a network of companies serving Merced, find the size that fits your headcount, and get pricing in under 30 seconds. Call 209-819-5770 to get a free quote for your Applegate Park field trip!
Merced National Wildlife Refuge Ecology Field Trips
Because the Merced National Wildlife Refuge (7430 W Sandy Mush Rd, Merced, CA 95341) sits just outside the city, getting a class of 30 students there without a fleet of parent carpools is where a charter bus earns its place on the budget. Managed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the refuge is free to visit and its lot can accommodate buses without advance reservation — call the venue directly at (209) 826-3508 to confirm access on your date. The best time to visit for science and ecology curriculum is October through February, when sandhill cranes and snow geese fill the wetlands during migration season.
A 30- to 40-passenger minibus or charter bus keeps the whole class together and on schedule. Compare available buses and pricing for your refuge field trip in seconds using the online quote tool!
Your bus brings the class to the refuge's main entrance, where the 5-mile auto tour route and nature trails are open daily from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset; the full operating window is on the official Merced National Wildlife Refuge visit page.
Gold Rush History Field Trips to Mariposa and the Central Valley
Give your fourth graders a California history experience they can actually walk through! The Mariposa Museum and History Center (5119 Jessie St, Mariposa, CA 95338) sits approximately 45 miles east of Merced on CA-140 — the same highway that leads to Yosemite — and brings the Gold Rush era to life with artifacts, exhibits, and hands-on programming built for the 4th grade state history curriculum. A charter bus handles the mountain highway run comfortably, keeping students together on a road that winds through the Sierra Nevada foothills.
From there, the same bus can extend the day with a stop at the Merced County Courthouse Museum (21st and N Streets, Merced, CA 95340) on the return. Compare buses for your history field trip in seconds — or call 209-819-5770 to build a custom multi-stop itinerary!
You Can Find and Book School Event Transportation in Merced and Any Nearby City!
With Mercedcharterbusservices.com, renting a field trip bus in Merced is just the beginning! The network of transportation companies covers the entire Central Valley region, so you can find buses starting from Atwater, Turlock, Los Baños, Modesto, and every community in between. Whether your school is in the Merced City School District, the Merced Union High School District, or a rural district in Merced County, you can compare vehicles and pricing for your specific pickup location in seconds.
You fill out one form, see your options, and book — all in one place. Call 209-819-5770 any time to get a free quote, or use the online tool right now!
How Much Does School Event Transportation in Merced Cost?
| Type of Vehicle | Cost Per Hour Weekdays | Cost Per Hour Weekends | Cost Per Day | Cost Per Mile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 56 Passenger Charter Bus | $215 – $400+ | $235 – $425+ | $1,720 – $3,040+ | $6.40 – $9.15+ |
| 35 Passenger Minibus | $235 – $385+ | $265 – $400+ | $1,890 – $2,495+ | $6.40 – $9.15+ |
| 30 Passenger Minibus | $215 – $380+ | $250 – $395+ | $1,740 – $2,415+ | $6.10 – $8.80+ |
| 28 Passenger Minibus | $200 – $370+ | $230 – $385+ | $1,605 – $2,335+ | $5.85 – $8.45+ |
| 25 Passenger Minibus | $200 – $365+ | $205 – $380+ | $1,480 – $2,260+ | $5.60 – $8.10+ |
| 20 Passenger Minibus | $200 – $355+ | $200 – $370+ | $1,355 – $2,155+ | $5.35 – $7.70+ |
| 18 Passenger Minibus | $200 – $345+ | $200 – $365+ | $1,260 – $2,065+ | $5.20 – $7.45+ |
| 15 Passenger Minibus | $190 – $325+ | $190 – $345+ | $1,200 – $1,950+ | $4.95 – $7.15+ |
| 15-50 Passenger Party Bus | $260 – $445+ | $280 – $480+ | $1,905 – $3,065+ | $6.95 – $10.20+ |
| Sprinter Van with Driver | $200 – $390+ | $230 – $485+ | $1,455 – $2,950+ | $5.20 – $7.15+ |
| Sprinter Limo | $200 – $355+ | $200 – $370+ | $1,355 – $2,155+ | $5.35 – $7.70+ |
| ABOVE PRICES ARE JUST EXAMPLES. Your final price and vehicle options depend entirely on your specific trip details. To get an instant price quote for your trip, request an online quote or call 209-819-5770. | ||||
Frequently Asked Questions About Merced School Event Transportation Services
Mercedcharterbusservices.com is a quote-comparison and referral website. You fill out one quick form with your trip details — school location, destination, date, and headcount — and you're taken to a results page showing available buses and pricing from a network of independently owned transportation companies serving Merced. You compare your options and book right online through a national booking platform.
No account required, and a free quote is always available by phone at 209-819-5770.
Answer a few quick questions in the 30-second online quote tool and you'll land on a results page showing available vehicles, photos, and pricing from a network of bus companies serving the Merced area. Review the options side by side, pick the bus that fits your student headcount and budget, and book right online. If you'd rather talk it through, the team at 209-819-5770 can put together a custom package around your school's specific itinerary and pickup location.
Yes. Yosemite Valley does not require timed entry permits in 2026, and your group needs to check the current entrance rules through Recreation.gov before your trip. The NPS charges $20 per person for groups arriving by bus rather than the standard $35-per-vehicle rate.
Always check current road conditions on the NPS Yosemite road conditions page before departure — the CA-140 corridor through El Portal can close seasonally.
Applegate Park Zoo does not have a dedicated bus lot. Buses typically drop off near the park entrance along W 25th Street or Martin Luther King Jr Way, with street staging available while students are inside. Admission to the zoo is free.
Contact the City of Merced Parks & Recreation at (209) 385-6840 to confirm access and any current parking arrangements before your visit.
For most field trips in the Merced area, booking four to eight weeks out gives you the best vehicle selection and pricing. Spring field trip season — roughly March through May — is the busiest stretch for Central Valley schools, and Yosemite trips in particular should be arranged as early as possible since both transportation and NPS timed entry reservations fill quickly. The earlier you compare and book, the more options you'll have.
Yes — full-size motorcoaches and minibuses regularly travel CA-140 from Merced to Yosemite Valley. The highway narrows through the Merced River Canyon between El Portal and the Arch Rock Entrance, so your transportation provider will plan accordingly. Always verify current road conditions at the NPS Yosemite road conditions page before departure, as rockfall and seasonal flooding have historically caused temporary closures in that corridor.
Yes. ADA-accessible vehicles with wheelchair lifts and wider aisle configurations are available through the network of transportation companies serving Merced. Just mention your accessibility needs when you fill out the quote form or call 209-819-5770, and the team will match you with a provider that has the right vehicle for your group.
Noting your requirements early gives you the widest selection of available accessible buses for your date.
Absolutely! Multi-stop itineraries are one of the most common field trip setups booked through the network. A single charter bus can pick up at your school, stop at the Merced County Courthouse Museum in the morning, continue east to Mariposa for a Gold Rush history program, and return to campus in the afternoon — all on one flat rate.
List your stops and timing when you fill out the quote form or call 209-819-5770, and the pricing you receive will account for the full route.