If you've ever reached the Constant Center 43rd Street Garage twenty minutes before a sold-out Monarchs tip-off and found the lower levels already roped off for donors — or tried to coordinate four separate family cars from Virginia Beach for a Chesapeake graduation ceremony at 9:30 AM — you already know exactly what makes Chartway Arena tricky for groups. The arena draws tens of thousands of visitors from Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, and Suffolk for everything from Sun Belt Conference basketball to regional high school graduation ceremonies, and every single group faces the same pinch: two on-site parking garages that fill under pressure, Hampton Boulevard running at capacity when events let out, and no real street parking alternative on the ODU campus. Rent a bus to Chartway Arena, and that whole equation changes — your group rolls in together, drops at the 45th Street entrance steps from the doors, and the bus handles the wait while you're inside.
Chartway Arena at the Ted Constant Convocation Center sits at 4320 Hampton Boulevard on the Old Dominion University campus in Norfolk, Virginia — about 18–20 miles west of the Virginia Beach Oceanfront via I-264, a run that takes roughly 25–35 minutes without traffic and can stretch well past 45 minutes on event nights when the westbound I-264 corridor backs up into the interchange. Below, you'll find exactly how bus drop-off works at the arena, which garage levels fill first and when, and everything else a group organizer needs to get a clean trip locked in. Call 757-447-5000 or use the online quote form any time to compare options through Partybusvirginiabeach.com — getting a price comparison from bus companies serving Virginia Beach takes under 30 seconds.
Why Rent a Party Bus or Charter Bus to Chartway Arena?
Chartway Arena holds 8,472 for basketball and up to 9,520 with floor seating added for concerts — and with just two on-site parking garages serving that many fans, the math works against you fast. The Constant Center 43rd Street Garage (corner of 43rd Street and Hampton Boulevard) and the Constant Center 45th Street Garage (corner of 45th Street and Hampton Boulevard) are the only event parking the arena controls. For basketball game days, lower levels of both garages are reserved for VIP donors the moment enforcement kicks in at 4:30 PM.
That leaves upper levels for everyone else — and on a big Sun Belt Conference home game, those fill early. When the upper levels reach capacity, overflow pushes to the 43rd & Bluestone Avenue Garage a block away from the arena.
A charter bus or party bus from Virginia Beach sidesteps all of that. Your group travels together, drops directly at the entrance, and the bus stages nearby while you're inside — no hunting for an open upper-level space, no fragmented caravan arriving in waves from I-264, no surge-priced rideshare wait when the game ends. One bus, one arrival, one pickup window, everybody out together.
A single 40-passenger party bus replaces roughly 10 individual cars — that's 10 fewer parking passes to secure in advance, 10 fewer vehicles navigating the Hampton Boulevard approach at the same moment, and zero chance of someone in the group missing the tip-off because they circled the campus looking for a spot.
Charter Bus & Party Bus Drop-Off at Chartway Arena
The accessible drop-off — and the cleanest passenger unloading point for any arriving group — is on 45th Street at the north entrance, per the arena's official Directions & Parking page. That entrance feeds directly into the arena concourse with elevator access to the concourse and VIP levels, meaning your group steps off the bus and walks straight in without hunting for the right door. The main entrance is on 43rd Street on the south side; the VIP and north entrance is on 45th Street.
For bus groups, the 45th Street side is the cleaner unloading approach — it puts everyone right at the door with room to clear the curb before the bus moves to stage.
For rideshare pickup after events, the arena routes those pickups to Hampton Boulevard — meaning the entire outbound crowd converges on the same corridor at once. Post-event surge demand on Hampton Boulevard after a sold-out show or the final ceremony of a graduation day is real and predictable. A private bus skips that queue entirely: your group sets a pickup window before going in, the bus is staged nearby, and when you walk out, it's already there.
No waiting in a mixed rideshare line, no surge pricing, no crowded curb scramble.
For bus parking coordination at larger events — graduation ceremonies and major concerts in particular, which run back-to-back and bring hundreds of vehicles to campus at tight intervals — the arena's group sales and event coordination line can be reached at (757) 683-5653 well in advance. The box office at (757) 683-4444 handles group ticket questions.
The 45th Street north entrance is the verified drop-off point for bus groups at Chartway Arena — directly at the concourse-level doors, with elevator access inside. Your group walks straight in rather than hunting for a garage-level entry after a long walk from wherever you managed to park.
Parking at Chartway Arena: The Two Garages, VIP Levels, and What Fills First
General attendees at ODU basketball games park free in the upper levels of both Constant Center garages — a genuine benefit for groups driving, but the timing constraint matters more than most people expect. Parking enforcement begins at 4:30 PM on game days, and the lower levels of each garage are blocked for VIP donors from that point forward. On a sold-out men's game with a 7 PM tip-off, you're arriving right when upper levels are actively filling and garage attendants are directing cars.
For non-game events — concerts, graduation ceremonies, wrestling and UFC shows — parking passes are sold in advance, and the arena highly encourages advance purchase because on-site pricing runs higher, per the arena's official FAQ page. When both Constant Center garages fill, overflow goes to the 43rd & Bluestone Avenue Garage — that's one more block from the 45th Street entrance, one more block your group covers on foot.
A charter bus replaces all of that with a single arrangement. There's no garage permit to buy in advance, no upper-level-versus-VIP calculus to navigate, no risk of overflow. The bus drops your group at the 45th Street entrance and stages nearby — and the only planning that matters is your pickup window at the end of the event.
For special events requiring campus-wide coordination, ODU Transportation & Parking Services (757-683-4004, parking@odu.edu) handles event parking requests through a separate form process. It always pays to review the official Chartway Arena parking page before your visit to confirm the current advance-purchase options for your specific event.
Getting to Chartway Arena from Virginia Beach: Routes & Timing
The standard approach from Virginia Beach is I-264 West to Exit 11B (US-460 E/VA-168 N/Brambleton Avenue), then right onto Church Street, left onto East 27th Street, and right onto Hampton Boulevard — Chartway Arena comes up on the right past 43rd Street. That's roughly 18–20 miles from the Virginia Beach Oceanfront, and about 25–35 minutes without traffic.
The friction is in the timing. I-264 West is a major commuter corridor, and a 7 PM basketball tip-off or 7:30 PM concert puts your group heading toward Norfolk right through or just after the evening rush. The corridor backs up at the I-64/I-264 interchange and stays congested through the Hampton Boulevard exit.
On event nights, add 15–20 minutes to any off-peak estimate. For graduation days in late May and June — when Chartway Arena runs back-to-back ceremonies with new waves of families arriving at 90-minute intervals — the last mile on Hampton Boulevard itself becomes the slowest part of the trip, not the highway. Groups that leave Virginia Beach with the highway in mind and forget about the on-campus approach are the ones standing outside wondering why the ceremony already started.
Routes from Chesapeake, Portsmouth, and the Surrounding Region
Groups traveling from Chesapeake take I-464 North, merge onto I-264 East, and exit at St Pauls Boulevard — then right onto St Pauls, then follow VA-337 East/Hampton Boulevard straight to the arena. That run is typically 12–15 miles and 20–30 minutes off-peak. Portsmouth groups follow a similar final approach through downtown Norfolk onto Hampton Boulevard.
From Suffolk, US-58 East connects to I-664 and the Hampton Roads Beltway before cutting north into the Norfolk corridor. Each of those routes feeds Hampton Boulevard from a slightly different direction, which is exactly why a multi-city pickup — one bus looping through Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, and Portsmouth before heading to Chartway Arena — is a common and practical arrangement for graduation-day families who live spread across Hampton Roads.
The same I-264 congestion that affects Virginia Beach groups affects anyone coming from Chesapeake on I-464 heading into Norfolk during the evening rush. A charter bus from Virginia Beach handles its own approach so none of your guests has to.
Rent a Bus to Chartway Arena for ODU Monarchs Basketball Games
ODU Monarchs basketball is the single most consistent reason Hampton Roads groups request a Virginia Beach charter bus rental to Chartway Arena. The men's team plays in the Sun Belt Conference and has led the conference in attendance three of four recent seasons — on a sold-out game night, the arena's 8,472-seat capacity fills from the student section out to the upper concourse. Alumni groups heading back to campus from Virginia Beach face the full westbound I-264 commuter corridor at game time, followed by a parking situation where enforcement starts at 4:30 PM and the lower garage levels are reserved before most fans even reach the exit ramp.
The TowneBank Royal Rivalry matchup against James Madison — the home date is set for February 17 at Chartway Arena in the 2026–27 season — is the basketball-calendar date that draws the biggest alumni groups and books the fastest.
A party bus or charter bus changes all of that. The group loads at one address in Virginia Beach, the energy builds on the I-264 run over, and the bus drops everyone at the 45th Street entrance before the tip-off scramble. After the game, the bus is staged and waiting — no dispersed group trying to regroup in a dark upper-level garage, no Uber surge while 8,000 people compete for the same Hampton Boulevard pickup.
The Virginia Beach sporting event transportation page covers the full regional sports travel calendar, including both the men's and women's basketball schedules. For marquee game nights, book the bus early — the right-size vehicles move first when demand is high.
Chartway Arena Charter Bus Rentals for Concerts and Events
Chartway Arena books touring acts that skew larger than its under-10,000-seat footprint might suggest. AEW wrestling, major touring musicians, Virginia Symphony Orchestra collaborations, and family entertainment shows all run through here, and every one of them creates the same post-event dynamic: a packed arena, two on-site garages at capacity, and Hampton Boulevard moving at a crawl when the crowd exits. Josh Groban with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra, Meek Mill, AEW Presents Dynamite, Gabriel Iglesias, and CeCe Winans are all on the 2026 calendar — on sold-out concert nights, the exit flow from 9,500 people onto a two-lane residential boulevard is exactly the situation most groups wish they had avoided.
For Virginia Beach concert transportation to Chartway Arena, the post-show timing is where the bus earns its keep most. Your group has a specific pickup window, the bus is already staged on the campus approach, and you walk out of the 45th Street exit without touching the rideshare queue. Party buses for concert nights typically come with LED lighting and premium sound — the ride over is part of the experience, and the ride back is already handled.
Call 757-447-5000 to compare available vehicles for your event date.
Graduation Groups at Chartway Arena: Charter Bus & Party Bus Rentals for the Big Day
Chartway Arena hosts graduation ceremonies for multiple Hampton Roads school systems each spring — Norfolk Public Schools (late May), Portsmouth Public Schools (late May), Suffolk Public Schools (late May), and Chesapeake Public Schools (mid-June) — in addition to Old Dominion University commencement ceremonies each May. That creates a three-week stretch from late May through mid-June when the arena runs back-to-back graduation ceremonies almost every day, thousands of families descend on the ODU campus from across the region, and the two on-site garages are under maximum pressure at the start of every 90-minute ceremony window. It is Chartway Arena's busiest and most logistically compressed period of the entire year.
A charter bus or minibus for a graduation family group solves the coordination problem most acutely felt that morning: getting everyone to campus on time, keeping extended family together, and not spending the post-ceremony hour hunting for a garage exit in an unfamiliar part of Norfolk. One bus picks up grandparents in Virginia Beach, parents and siblings in Chesapeake, and arrives at Chartway Arena's 45th Street entrance with enough time to find good seats before the procession begins. After the ceremony, everyone loads at the same spot — no fragmented caravan regrouping across a campus that most of the family has never visited before.
For most graduation family sizes, a 15–35 passenger minibus is the right fit — comfortable reclining seats, powerful A/C for a late-May Hampton Roads morning, and the right footprint for navigating the ODU campus approach. Larger extended family groups and multi-family graduation outings step up to a charter bus, which adds undercarriage storage for flowers, gifts, and anything the graduate is carrying out, plus an onboard restroom for the drive home. For school group transportation and graduation runs across the Hampton Roads region, the late-May booking window fills fast — especially for Chesapeake ceremony dates in June, when the bus calendar already has Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Suffolk dates stacked just ahead of it.
What Size Bus Does Your Group Need for a Chartway Arena Trip?
The right vehicle depends on your headcount, whether you're carrying gear, and whether the event calls for a comfortable ride or a bigger experience on the way over. Here's how the vehicle lineup maps to a Chartway Arena run from Virginia Beach.
| Vehicle | Typical seats | Best for | Key amenities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sprinter Van / 14-passenger Sprinter Limo | Up to 14 | Small alumni groups, suite holders, corporate outings | Premium leather, USB charging, tinted privacy windows |
| 25-passenger to 40-passenger party bus | ~25–40 | Fan groups, celebration nights, concert outings | LED lighting, premium sound system, perimeter seating |
| 15–35 passenger minibus | ~15–35 | Graduation family groups, mid-size fan groups, corporate shuttles | Reclining seats, powerful A/C, overhead storage |
| 40–56 passenger charter bus | Up to 56 | Large alumni groups, multi-family graduation outings, corporate events | Reclining seats, climate control, WiFi, power outlets, onboard restroom, undercarriage bays |
For most ODU basketball fan groups traveling from Virginia Beach, a 25-passenger party bus or 40-passenger party bus covers the headcount and keeps the pregame energy up from I-264 to Hampton Boulevard. For graduation family groups picking up at multiple addresses across Virginia Beach and Chesapeake, a minibus with reclining seats handles the 30–45 minute run comfortably — and the undercarriage bays on a full charter bus hold everything the graduate is carrying out of the ceremony. ADA-accessible vehicles are available through the network; just note that need when you request your quote, and the arena's accessible drop-off on 45th Street lines up directly with any ADA vehicle arrival.
Chartway Arena Party Bus & Charter Bus Rental Prices
Pricing shifts with your group size, vehicle choice, total hours, and the date — a sold-out Monarchs rivalry game or a graduation Saturday prices differently than an off-peak concert night. To give you an idea of planning ranges: a 15–35 passenger minibus runs roughly $200–$275 per hour on weekends; a charter bus typically comes in at $200–$350 per hour depending on the day; party buses with the full LED and sound package run $250–$500 per hour on weekends depending on size. Those are planning ranges, not a quote — the real number moves with your specific date, headcount, and itinerary.
Getting your actual price through Partybusvirginiabeach.com takes about 30 seconds online or one call to 757-447-5000. No account, no commitment, and a support team is available any time you have questions. For a full breakdown of vehicle pricing, see the Virginia Beach party bus prices page.
A Graduation-Day Example
To give you an idea: a family group of 22 books a 25-passenger minibus for a Norfolk Public Schools graduation at Chartway Arena. Pickup at 9:30 AM from two addresses in Virginia Beach and one in Chesapeake, at the arena's 45th Street entrance by 10:45 AM with time to find seats before the ceremony begins. The bus waits during the 90-minute ceremony and picks the group up at 12:30 PM, then heads to a restaurant in Norfolk for the celebration lunch.
A 4-hour rental at that size might come to roughly $800–$1,100 total. Split 22 ways, that's under $50 per person — and nobody in the group has to navigate an unfamiliar ODU campus on a day when every parking space on Hampton Boulevard fills before 10 AM.
Upcoming Events at Chartway Arena
Chartway Arena runs a year-round calendar heavy on basketball, concerts, and regional ceremonies. The dates that generate the most group transportation requests from Virginia Beach:
- ODU Monarchs Men's Basketball (November–March). Sun Belt Conference home games including the TowneBank Royal Rivalry against James Madison — the home matchup falls February 17 in the 2026–27 season — draw the biggest alumni fan groups. Game-day enforcement begins at 4:30 PM, so arrival timing matters for anyone driving.
- ODU Monarchs Women's Basketball (November–March). The women's team plays the same home slate at Chartway Arena, with its own dedicated alumni and family fan base traveling from across Hampton Roads.
- Concerts and Touring Shows. The 2026 calendar includes Josh Groban with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra (August), Meek Mill (September), AEW Presents Dynamite (September), CeCe Winans (October), and Gabriel Iglesias (November). On sold-out concert nights, the Hampton Boulevard rideshare queue after the show is the single biggest pain point for groups that didn't arrange private transportation.
- Graduation Season (Late May–Mid-June). Norfolk Public Schools (late May), Portsmouth Public Schools (late May), Suffolk Public Schools (late May), Chesapeake Public Schools (mid-June), and ODU Commencement (May) all converge in a three-week window — the most compressed bus booking period of the entire year for Hampton Roads groups.
For the full schedule, see the official Chartway Arena events calendar.
Tips for Visiting Chartway Arena
A few verified venue policies every group should know before arrival, straight from Chartway Arena's published guidelines:
- Doors open one hour before most events. Per the arena's official FAQ, the standard door time is one hour before event start. Build that into your arrival window — showing up exactly at door time with a 22-person group takes longer to seat than showing up 20 minutes after.
- No re-entry. Chartway Arena enforces a strict no re-entry policy. Once your group is in, the whole group stays in. Coordinate any pre-show logistics — restrooms, food runs — before doors close behind you.
- Buy parking in advance. On-site parking rates are higher than advance purchase for non-game events, per the arena's FAQ. For basketball games, there is no cost for upper-level parking — but those spaces fill fastest in the hour before enforcement starts at 4:30 PM.
- Accessible drop-off is on 45th Street. The north entrance on 45th Street has an accessible drop-off zone and elevator access to the concourse and VIP levels. This is also the cleanest passenger unloading point for any arriving bus group.
- ADA and wheelchair assistance. Contact guest services at (757) 683-5762 in advance if your group includes guests needing wheelchair assistance. The A-Z guide lists three elevators in the venue — two VIP elevators behind Sections 107/207 and one patron elevator behind Section 113.
- Box office and group sales. The box office number is (757) 683-4444. For group ticket discounts, the arena requires 15 or more guests at qualifying events — call the box office to confirm which events are eligible before your trip.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does a charter bus or party bus drop off at Chartway Arena?
The verified drop-off point for bus groups — and the accessible drop-off listed on the arena's official directions page — is on 45th Street at the north entrance. That entrance feeds directly into the arena concourse with elevator access to the concourse and VIP levels. The main entrance is on 43rd Street on the south side.
For large-event bus staging and parking coordination, the arena's operations line is (757) 683-5653.
Is parking free at Chartway Arena for ODU basketball games?
For basketball game days, general attendees park free in the upper levels of the Constant Center 43rd Street Garage and 45th Street Garage. Lower levels are reserved for VIP donors, with enforcement starting at 4:30 PM. Non-game events (concerts, graduation ceremonies) use a paid advance-purchase system — on-site pricing is higher.
The overflow lot is the 43rd & Bluestone Avenue Garage when both Constant Center garages fill.
How far is Chartway Arena from Virginia Beach?
Approximately 18–20 miles via I-264 West — about 25–35 minutes without traffic. On event nights, especially those starting at 7 PM during the evening rush, plan 45–50 minutes from the Virginia Beach Oceanfront. Hampton Boulevard narrows the approach as you reach the ODU campus, and the last mile can be the slowest part of the trip on busy event days.
What is the best route from Virginia Beach to Chartway Arena?
I-264 West to Exit 11B (US-460 E/Brambleton Avenue), then right onto Church Street, left onto East 27th Street, and right onto Hampton Boulevard. Chartway Arena is on the right past 43rd Street. The full approach from every direction is on the arena's official directions page.
What is Chartway Arena's capacity?
8,472 fixed seats for basketball, and approximately 9,520 with floor seating for concerts. The facility spans 219,330 square feet on the ODU campus and opened in October 2002. Chartway Federal Credit Union secured naming rights in June 2019.
How much does a party bus or charter bus rental to Chartway Arena cost?
It depends on your vehicle, group size, and total hours. Planning ranges: a minibus runs $200–$275 per hour on weekends; a charter bus runs $200–$350 per hour; party buses run $250–$500 per hour on weekends depending on size. The real number is specific to your date and itinerary — call 757-447-5000 or use the online form for an estimate in under 30 seconds.
No account required.
When should I book a bus for ODU graduation or a basketball game?
For graduation season (late May through mid-June), book as early as possible. Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, and Chesapeake schools all hold ceremonies in the same three-week window, and ODU Commencement stacks right before them — bus availability across Hampton Roads compresses fast. For marquee basketball matchups like the TowneBank Royal Rivalry against James Madison, book several weeks out.
For regular-season games and mid-tier concert nights, two to three weeks of lead time is workable — but earlier always means more options.
Can the bus wait during an event at Chartway Arena?
Yes — the bus is booked as a block of hours, so it drops your group at the 45th Street entrance and stages nearby during the event. Agree on a pickup window before your group goes inside — that's the detail that keeps everyone from competing for the same Hampton Boulevard rideshare pickup after a sold-out show.
What is the rideshare pickup zone at Chartway Arena?
Rideshare pickups route to Hampton Boulevard, per the arena. Post-event demand on Hampton Boulevard surges immediately after large shows and graduation ceremonies, with wait times that spike when a whole arena requests rides at the same moment. A private bus gives your group a fixed pickup window and a bus that's already staged — not a wait time that depends on everyone else's surge demand.
Can groups from Chesapeake or Portsmouth also find a bus through Partybusvirginiabeach.com?
Yes — Partybusvirginiabeach.com helps find and compare buses serving the entire Hampton Roads region, including Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Norfolk, and Portsmouth. Multi-city pickup itineraries — one bus gathering family members across different cities before heading to a graduation at Chartway Arena — are a common and easy-to-arrange request. Call 757-447-5000 with your headcount and pickup locations and a support team can walk you through the options.
Are ADA-accessible buses available for a Chartway Arena trip?
Yes — ADA-accessible vehicles are available through the network. Note your needs in the quote request, and the arena's 45th Street drop-off zone provides accessible entry with elevator access to the concourse and VIP levels. Contact guest services at (757) 683-5762 if your group needs wheelchair assistance inside the venue.
Book Your Chartway Arena Bus Rental Today
Whether it's a Sun Belt Conference home game, a sold-out concert night, or a graduation morning where half the family is navigating Norfolk for the first time, Partybusvirginiabeach.com makes it fast and easy to find and compare party buses, charter buses, minibuses, and Sprinter vans serving Virginia Beach and all of Hampton Roads. One quick call to 757-447-5000 or 30 seconds on the online form gets you pricing from bus companies serving the area — no account, no obligation, and a support team available any time you have questions. The ODU campus approach is the easy part once your group is already on a bus.
Also planning a trip to a different Norfolk venue? The Norfolk Scope Arena guide covers drop-off and parking specifics for groups heading to downtown Norfolk events.
