Rent a Bus to Empower Field at Mile High: The Complete Transportation Guide

Lakewood groups heading to Empower Field at Mile High have the deceptive geography problem figured out — the stadium looks close on a map, and eight miles east along US-6 should take fifteen minutes. On a Broncos Sunday, that same eight miles regularly takes ninety. The I-25 merge from 6th Avenue stacks up well before the first exit.

Colfax-bound traffic backs up from the interchange. The inner lots nearest the gates sold their passes before preseason ended, and the outer lots that still had space require a walk that makes the rideshare drop feel short. A party bus or charter bus rental to Empower Field at Mile High solves every one of those problems in one booking: your group loads up together in Lakewood, the bus handles the I-25 approach, and you're deposited near the gates on Bryant Street while someone else figures out where to squeeze 76,000 other cars into the surrounding blocks.

This guide covers the full picture for your group — Bryant Street drop-off logistics, the Lots A-through-M tailgate window, the I-25 and Colfax approach, how RTD stacks up for Lakewood riders making the same-day trip, and what changes when the stadium switches from NFL mode to concert mode. Everything here is built from the stadium's own published rules and the real-world routing that groups use to get in and out of Mile High without blowing the budget or the evening.

TLDR: For any Lakewood group of ten or more heading to a Broncos game or stadium concert, one party bus or charter bus to Empower Field beats the combination of individual drives, lot-pass scrambles, and post-game rideshare surges — and the tailgate starts from the moment the bus pulls onto US-6.

Why Rent a Party Bus or Charter Bus to Empower Field at Mile High?

Here is the math on driving yourself to a Broncos home game from Lakewood: each car needs its own pre-purchased lot pass (no day-of sales for inner lots), its own gas, and one person in it who cannot drink. Post-game, that person navigates I-25 southbound in a line of 65,000-plus people all trying to reach the same two exits. If your group fills more than two or three cars, the coordination cost of a caravan — different arrival times, split-up parking in different lot rows, multiple designated driver commitments — adds up faster than the parking fees alone.

One charter bus or party bus rental replaces all of it. Your group loads at a single pickup point in Lakewood, the bus handles the I-25 and Colfax corridor, and everyone is in the same place from the first tailgate beer to the post-game recap on the return trip. The designated driver problem disappears.

Nobody is texting the group chat asking which lot row they ended up in. For groups heading to Lakewood sporting events regularly — multiple Broncos games across a season — the predictability of a flat, all-inclusive quote per trip beats calculating gas, parking, and surge fares for a different headcount every week.

For stadium concerts, where the crowd may be coming from across the Front Range, the energy runs later into the night, and nobody wants to navigate I-25 at midnight after a three-hour show, a Lakewood concert bus rental is the same answer for the same reasons — just with a later pickup window and a bigger sound system for the ride home. Call 720-543-1805 any time to compare options for your specific date and group size.

Charter Bus & Party Bus Drop-Off at Empower Field at Mile High

The key logistical question for any large-vehicle group is where the bus actually lets people out and where it waits while you are inside. Empower Field sits between Bryant Street on the west and the South Platte River corridor to the east, with the main pedestrian gate entries running along the stadium's west and south perimeters. For buses and other oversized vehicles, Bryant Street along the west side of the stadium is the standard passenger drop-off corridor — your group unloads steps from the main gate entries, then the bus clears the area rather than blocking the street.

Because exact drop-off zones and approach routes are adjusted by the Broncos and stadium operations for each event — including temporary road closures that shift by game and by production needs for concerts — the best pre-trip step is to review the official Broncos parking and transportation page and confirm the current charter vehicle guidance for your date. Large-vehicle access points can differ between a regular-season home game, a playoff matchup, and a stadium concert, so what applies to a September afternoon game may not apply exactly to a December Sunday night or a June concert weekend.

Where Does a Large Vehicle Stage During the Game?

After dropping your group, the bus does not park in Lots A through M during the game — those lots are configured for tailgating vehicles, and the approach roads nearest the stadium tighten down once the event begins. Bus operators typically stage at off-site locations in the surrounding Auraria and lower downtown neighborhoods and return to the Bryant Street corridor before the event ends. The specific staging location depends on the vehicle size and the event-day traffic plan — confirm the details for your date when you call for a quote.

The critical thing for your group: agree on a post-game pickup time and a specific meeting point on Bryant Street before everyone heads to their seats, so the bus is positioned and waiting when you exit — not circling while your group tries to navigate 65,000 people heading the same direction simultaneously.

Does the Drop-Off Change for Concerts vs. Broncos Games?

For Broncos games, the stadium's traffic management team runs a consistent pattern each week — lots open several hours before kickoff, the approach roads get controlled in sequence, and the post-game exit flows are planned in advance. For stadium concerts, the production team and local traffic authorities may use different configurations depending on stage placement, load-in corridors for crew, and expected crowd size. The area around Bryant Street and the north plaza has been reconfigured for different show productions.

The core logistics for your bus — drop on the west side, stage nearby, return for post-show pickup — hold across both event types, but confirming the current event-specific guidance closer to your date is the cleaner move than assuming last season's game-day instructions apply to a summer concert.

The I-25 and Colfax Approach to Empower Field: What Your Group Needs to Know

For groups coming from Lakewood and the west metro, the standard route is US-6 (6th Avenue Freeway) east to the I-25 interchange, then a short north run to the stadium exits. Off-peak, that is about fifteen to twenty minutes from central Lakewood. On a Broncos Sunday — or a Saturday night concert with 60,000-plus fans inbound — the US-6 eastbound lanes can slow before you even reach the I-25 merge, and the I-25 north corridor between the 6th Avenue interchange and the stadium exits regularly operates at a standstill for ninety minutes before and after major events.

The two main I-25 exits for the stadium: Exit 210 for Colfax Avenue puts you approximately eight blocks east of the stadium, heading west on Colfax toward Bryant Street, while the approach from further south on I-25 uses the Auraria corridor feeding into the streets just south of the stadium campus. Both get congested on event days. The Broncos and the City of Denver recommend arriving at your parking area or destination at least ninety minutes before kickoff for typical games and two or more hours before for nationally televised prime-time games — which on a game-day schedule means your group needs to be on the bus from Lakewood at least two to two and a half hours before kickoff, accounting for traffic on US-6 and I-25 itself.

The on-a-bus advantage on this route is concrete. The bus uses the same congested roads, but your group uses that time productively — the game-day playlist is running, the group chat is buzzing, and nobody is white-knuckling the on-ramp in their own car. By the time the bus reaches the Bryant Street corridor, your group has already had ninety minutes of pregame, which is more tailgate time than some groups get when they battle lot traffic solo from the suburbs.

Tailgating in Lots A–M: Timing, Rules, and How a Bus Group Works It

Empower Field's tailgate lots are labeled A through M (plus additional numbered lots further from the stadium), with the inner lots closer to the gates priced higher and filling up earliest. For Broncos games, most lots open four and a half hours before kickoff — a 2:25 PM kickoff means the lots open around 9:55 AM. Groups that want a full tailgate window need to be in the lot at opening, which means departing Lakewood early enough to account for game-day I-25 traffic.

The bus handles the timing math: if you want wheels-down in a tailgate lot by 10:30 AM, you are loading in Lakewood no later than 8:30 to 9:00 AM on a heavy game day.

Charter buses and party buses work especially well for the Empower Field tailgate format because the undercarriage bays on a full-size 40–56 passenger charter bus handle everything your group brings: folding tables, camp chairs, and gas grills fit without asking anyone to shuffle seating or lash gear to a roof rack. The lot pass is pre-purchased per vehicle regardless of occupancy, so one bus lot pass covers fifty people as efficiently as it covers fifteen — a real per-head cost advantage over twelve separate cars each buying a pass.

Key tailgating rules the Broncos enforce in the lots:

• Charcoal and gas grills are permitted, but open fires — wood fires, fire pits, or anything burning directly on the ground — are prohibited.
• Tailgate within your designated space, directly behind your vehicle. You cannot set up across multiple spaces or spread into the aisle, and attendants enforce this consistently.
• Generator-powered speaker setups are subject to noise ordinances — keep volume at a level that does not carry across multiple tailgate spaces.
• Directed parking is in effect in many lots even at opening — lot attendants direct which row and space, and this applies to oversized vehicles just as much as to passenger cars.
• All lot passes must be purchased in advance through the official Broncos ticketing site. Day-of parking is rarely available for inner lots and sometimes sold out across all lots for marquee or nationally televised games.

Review the current tailgate rules and lot map on the official Broncos parking and transportation page before your game — policies occasionally update between seasons, and the lot configuration for playoff games or special events sometimes differs from the regular-season setup. And if the lots are sold out for your date, the bus still drops your group at Bryant Street without any lot pass at all — that is one of the clearest advantages of a private vehicle over driving yourself.

Every Way to Get to Empower Field from Lakewood and the West Metro, Compared

Not every group needs a private bus, and this is a comparison site — so here is an honest look at all the main options, scored on what actually matters for a group coming out of Lakewood or Arvada.

For a couple or a pair of friends, RTD light rail is genuinely the smart call — a few dollars per person beats any other option, and the Stadium stop sits directly adjacent to Empower Field's south end. From Lakewood specifically, the W Line east from Lakewood/Wadsworth to Union Station takes about thirty-five minutes, followed by a transfer to the C or D Line south to Stadium station — call it fifty minutes total from the west-end platform to the stadium gates. That is workable for a small group that does not mind a transfer on a crowded game-day train.

The moment your party fills more than three or four cars' worth of people, the calculus shifts decisively toward a bus. Multiple lot passes, multiple cars without a drinking occupant, and the post-game rideshare surge all stack on top of each other. With a 15–35 passenger minibus or a full-size charter bus, one predictable all-in quote covers the whole group — and the RTD transfer situation from Lakewood makes private transportation even more appealing for groups that do not want to navigate two light rail lines on a game-day platform crowd.

What Size Party Bus or Charter Bus Does Your Group Need for Empower Field?

Group size and how much tailgate gear you are hauling are the two variables that drive the vehicle choice. Here is how the vehicle lineup maps to an Empower Field trip from Lakewood:

For fan groups wanting the rolling-pregame experience, 15- to 50-passenger party buses typically feature a full-length bar, color-changing LED lighting, and a Bluetooth sound system to keep the energy up from Lakewood to Bryant Street. For groups hauling a serious tailgate setup — gas grill, folding tables, camp chairs — a full-size charter bus gives you the undercarriage bay space to handle it all without leaving gear at home or cramming it into someone's truck bed. ADA-accessible vehicles are available among the options shown here; note it in your quote request so it can be matched with the right vehicle.

Empower Field Party Bus & Charter Bus Rental Prices: What Shapes the Quote

All-inclusive quotes from transportation providers serving Lakewood come back in under thirty seconds using the online tool on this site — and the price you see covers your entire group, not per person. A handful of clear factors shape that number:

• Vehicle size — a 56-seat charter bus and a 15-passenger party bus are very different hourly rates.
• Total hours reserved — including the drive time from Lakewood, tailgate time if your group is using a lot, and the post-game or post-concert wait and return trip. A typical Broncos game day from Lakewood runs five to seven hours door-to-door.
• Date and event type — a regular-season afternoon game prices differently than a December Sunday night or a playoff game, when every vehicle in the Denver metro is in high demand.
• Pickup location and route — a single Lakewood pickup is straightforward; a route that loops through Arvada, Westminster, and then Lakewood adds mileage and time.

To give you an idea — not a quote or current market data: Sprinter vans run $120–$200/hour; 15–20 passenger party buses run $150–$275/hour; 20–35 passenger buses run $200–$375/hour; 35–50 passenger buses and minibuses run $250–$450/hour; and 40–56 passenger charter buses run $150–$300/hour or $1,000–$2,000/day. Pricing varies by date, itinerary, and vehicle type, and the quotes you compare are all-inclusive. The stadium's lot pass, if your group wants to tailgate in Lots A through M, is a separate, pre-purchased cost on the Broncos ticketing site.

Split across twenty, thirty, or fifty people, the per-head cost of a private bus regularly comes in below the combination of individual lot passes, gas for a caravan of cars, and post-game surge fares for rideshares. Check out the Lakewood party bus prices page to learn more, or call 720-543-1805 any time for a free, all-inclusive price quote at no obligation to you.

After the Game or Concert — Making the Exit Work

The exit from Empower Field is the part of the day that most groups wish they had planned more carefully. When 65,000-plus fans flow toward the same parking lots and I-25 on-ramps at once, the lots take forty-five minutes to an hour to clear, the Colfax and 6th Avenue westbound corridors back up, and the RTD Stadium platform — excellent for arrivals — becomes genuinely miserable for post-game departure. Fans who drove are stuck in the same crawl as everyone else.

Rideshare surge pricing after a prime-time game or sold-out concert regularly runs two to three times the ride-in fare, and the pickup zones away from the stadium mean a long walk before you even reach your car.

With a private bus, the exit plan is set before the game ends. Your group has a specific pickup time and a specific meeting point on Bryant Street, the bus has been staged nearby during the game, and you load and roll while the lots are still clearing. The bus takes the I-25 southbound ramp or the US-6 westbound corridor toward Lakewood — whichever is moving faster for that specific event and that specific time of day — and your group is back on the west side recapping the game while the parking structure near Colfax is still gridlocked.

For late-night concerts that end at 11 PM or midnight, that bus staging also means nobody is standing in the cold waiting for an app to connect them with a rideshare that is ten minutes out and still climbing in price.

Stadium Concerts at Empower Field: Group Transportation Considerations

Empower Field at Mile High has hosted some of the largest stadium concerts in Colorado history — multiple Taylor Swift Eras Tour dates, Kenny Chesney, and other marquee touring acts — and the concert experience differs from Broncos game days in ways that affect your transportation plan. Concert lots typically open two to three hours before showtime rather than four and a half, compressing the pre-show window. However, concert load-in traffic on US-6 and I-25 can start as early as three hours before a major show because fans are arriving from a broader geographic footprint than a typical NFL Sunday crowd.

Some of the largest stadium shows in recent years saw I-25 backing up to the Alameda interchange hours before showtime — so the earlier-departure instinct from game days still applies even though the lot opens later.

A few things to plan around for concert bus rentals to Empower Field:

• Lot passes for major concerts can sell out faster than NFL games, especially for shows with national demand. Buy lot passes as soon as they go on sale if tailgating before the concert is part of your group's plan.
• Tailgate rules for concerts may differ from NFL rules — some shows have more relaxed approaches, others restrict grilling in certain lots because of stage-door and production load-in access needs.
• The post-show exit takes longer than post-game for most concerts. Concert crowds tend to linger and restage near the gates after the headliner, and the rideshare demand spike after a stadium concert at midnight is typically more severe than after a 4 PM afternoon game.
• Colorado summer afternoons add weather timing — the Front Range's classic afternoon thunderstorms arrive fast and clear fast. A party bus or charter bus to the stadium keeps your group out of the parking lot during a downpour and gives you a climate-controlled staging area if the weather shifts mid-pregame.

If your group is making a Denver concert weekend of it and wants to pair an Empower Field show with a Red Rocks night, the Red Rocks Amphitheatre bus rental guide covers the Morrison approach from the west side, the upper and lower lot situation, and why the ride back down after a show is the whole reason groups book transportation for that hill. For Fiddler's Green shows in Greenwood Village, the Fiddler's Green bus rental guide covers the Arapahoe Road and I-25 approach and the lot-exit crawl after a sold-out lawn show.

What's Happening at Empower Field in 2026–2027

Empower Field draws group transportation requests across the entire year, but the busiest windows follow a predictable pattern that determines when to book:

• Denver Broncos regular season — home games run from preseason in August through the regular season (September through January). Prime-time games on Sunday nights, Monday nights, and Thursday nights generate the highest demand for private group transportation from the Lakewood and west-metro area, as RTD traffic management for those games runs later into the night.
• Broncos playoff games — the single highest-demand group transportation event in the Denver market. When the Broncos host a playoff game, vehicle availability across the metro tightens to near zero for the right size. Book the moment the schedule is confirmed, not when the Broncos clinch.
• Stadium concerts — Empower Field's summer concert calendar draws some of the largest touring acts in the country to Denver. Check the official stadium events calendar for the current schedule and confirm your date as soon as concert tickets are in hand.
• Special events — international soccer, college football, and other marquee events run at Empower Field throughout the year, each with its own lot and traffic configuration.

For any event where the stadium is selling out — which for major Broncos games and headline concerts is the norm — get started on group transportation as soon as your event tickets are confirmed. Vehicle supply in the Lakewood and Denver area for popular game days depletes quickly, especially at the right size for a larger group. Call 720-543-1805 now to compare options for your date.

Tips for Your Empower Field Group Visit

A few things every group visiting Empower Field at Mile High should know before they go:

• Buy lot passes well before game day. For Broncos games, lot passes for inner lots (Lots A, B, C, closest to the gates) are not sold at the gate and can sell out weeks before a marquee matchup. If your group is busing it without a tailgate lot, this is not your problem — the bus drops on Bryant Street without a lot pass. If you want the tailgate, buy the pass the day they go on sale.
• The altitude is real at Mile High. Empower Field sits at 5,280 feet above sea level — hence the name — and groups arriving from lower elevations regularly underestimate how quickly altitude affects them, especially combined with outdoor tailgate drinks. Hydrate starting the morning of the game, not just when you get to the lot.
• Colorado weather in the stands is unpredictable. December Broncos games routinely swing twenty-five degrees from lot-opening to the fourth quarter. A bus provides a climate-controlled staging area if the weather turns mid-tailgate, and the return ride home from a cold evening game is significantly more comfortable than waiting on an I-25 on-ramp in the wind.
• The clear bag policy is enforced without exceptions. Each guest may bring one clear plastic bag no larger than 12″ × 6″ × 12″ or a one-gallon clear ziplock bag, plus a small clutch no larger than 4.5″ × 6.5″. Non-clear bags, backpacks, and standard purses are turned back at the gates. Review the official stadium clear bag policy page before your visit so nobody in your group reaches the gate with the wrong bag.
• Designate your post-game meeting point before kickoff. Empower Field is large, and the Bryant Street pickup corridor gets busy after a major event. Pick a specific landmark or section of Bryant Street to regroup — and share it in the group chat before the first play, not during the post-game crowd exit.
• RTD runs extra trains on game and concert days. If any part of your group is connecting via RTD from the Lakewood corridor, check the RTD schedules page for game-day extended service. RTD typically adds trains before and after major events, which helps on both ends — but the Stadium platform post-game can still be densely packed for the first thirty to sixty minutes after final whistle.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does a charter bus or party bus drop off at Empower Field at Mile High?

Large vehicles typically use Bryant Street on the west side of the stadium for passenger drop-off, which puts your group steps from the main gate entries on the west perimeter. After dropping your group, the bus clears the area to stage off-site rather than blocking the street during the event. The specific drop-off zone and approach route are confirmed for your event date closer to the event, since the stadium adjusts its traffic management plan by event.

Always review the official Broncos parking and transportation page for the most current guidance before your visit.

Where does a bus stage or park during the game at Empower Field?

Charter buses and party buses do not typically park in Lots A through M during the game — those lots are configured for tailgating vehicles, and the nearest approach roads lock down once the event is underway. Bus operators stage in the surrounding Auraria and lower downtown neighborhoods and return to the Bryant Street corridor before the event ends. The staging logistics for your specific event date depend on the vehicle and the event-day traffic plan.

What is the best route from Lakewood to Empower Field on game day?

The standard route is US-6 (6th Avenue Freeway) east to I-25, then north on I-25 to the Colfax-area exits for the stadium. Off-peak, that is fifteen to twenty minutes from central Lakewood. On a Broncos Sunday, build in at least seventy-five to ninety minutes for a typical afternoon game and two or more hours for prime-time or nationally televised matchups.

If part of your group is using RTD, the W Line east from Lakewood/Wadsworth to Union Station, then a transfer to the C or D Line south to Stadium station, is the transit route — confirm the current schedule and game-day extra service on the RTD schedules page.

How much does a party bus or charter bus to Empower Field cost from Lakewood?

Pricing depends on vehicle size, total hours reserved (pickup through return), the event and date, and mileage from Lakewood. To give you an idea — not a quote or guaranteed pricing: Sprinter vans run $120–$200/hour; 15–20 passenger party buses run $150–$275/hour; 20–35 passenger buses run $200–$375/hour; 35–50 passenger buses and minibuses run $250–$450/hour; and 40–56 passenger charter buses run $150–$300/hour or $1,000–$2,000/day. Use the online tool for an all-inclusive quote in under thirty seconds, or call 720-543-1805 any time.

Do the lots at Empower Field open earlier for Broncos games than for concerts?

Yes — for Broncos home games, most lots typically open four and a half hours before kickoff. For stadium concerts, lots generally open two to three hours before showtime, though this varies by event and production. The official schedule for your specific event is on the Broncos parking page and the concert's own ticketing site.

Note that even with later lot opening for concerts, traffic on US-6 and I-25 can build two to three hours before showtime for major stadium acts.

Does a private bus solve the designated driver problem for a group headed to Empower Field?

Yes — with a private bus, nobody in the group has to volunteer as the designated driver for the day, which is one of the clearest advantages over splitting up into personal cars. Colorado's public consumption laws apply at the stadium and in the surrounding lots, so review the venue's current tailgate rules before kickoff.

Do lot passes at Empower Field sell out before game day?

For most Broncos home games and major concerts, inner lots (A, B, C, closest to the gates) sell out well before game day. Outer lots tend to have more availability but require a longer walk. A private bus cuts out the lot pass problem for the drop-off itself — the bus stops at Bryant Street, your group walks to the gate, and no lot pass is needed for the vehicle.

For groups wanting to tailgate in the lots, passes must be purchased in advance on the official Broncos parking page.

How early should a group from Lakewood leave for a Broncos kickoff?

For a 1:00 PM or 2:25 PM kickoff, plan to load the bus from Lakewood by 10:00 to 10:30 AM if you want a full tailgate in the lots (which open around four and a half hours before kickoff), or by 11:30 AM for a drop-and-go approach without tailgating. For 4:05 PM or later games, I-25 northbound can build significantly by 2:00 PM — leaving by 1:30 PM gives a reasonable buffer. For Sunday or Monday night prime-time games, add an extra thirty to forty-five minutes to any of those estimates.

What happens at the RTD Stadium stop after a sold-out Broncos game?

RTD runs extended service for major events and the Stadium stop is adjacent to the south end of the stadium — which makes it excellent for arrivals and genuinely difficult for post-game departure. After a sellout, platform crowds can back up through the first sixty minutes post-game, with trains leaving before reaching capacity during the initial surge. For groups that want to control their exit timing and ride home together, the private bus pickup is the cleaner option — you set the time, the bus stages nearby, and your group loads when ready rather than waiting on a platform in a crowd.

Are ADA-accessible vehicles available for Empower Field trips?

Yes — ADA-accessible vehicles are available among the transportation providers serving Lakewood. Note your accessibility needs in the quote request so the right vehicle can be matched for your group. At the stadium itself, the official Empower Field ADA guide covers designated accessible parking, gate entry, and in-stadium accommodations.

Book Your Empower Field Party Bus or Charter Bus Rental Today

Whether it is a full tailgate in the lots before a playoff game, a group run for a stadium concert, or a straightforward drop-and-pick for thirty friends who just want to be at the game without the parking drama, Lakewoodpartybuscompany.com connects you with group transportation options across Lakewood and the Denver metro area. From 15-passenger minibuses for smaller crews to full-size 56-passenger charter buses with undercarriage bays for the complete tailgate setup, there is a vehicle among the options that fits your group and your game-day itinerary. Compare all-inclusive quotes in under thirty seconds using the online tool on this site, or call 720-543-1805 any time for a free price quote at no obligation — and get started before the lots sell out and before the week-of pricing climbs.