Rent a Bus to Old National Centre: The Complete Transportation Guide

Getting a group to Old National Centre on show night is easy — until you factor in Mass Ave parking, one-way streets that funnel three lanes of post-show traffic into a single exit, and a main parking lot that fills before the opener wraps up. The question that keeps every group organizer up the night before is the same one: where exactly does the bus drop us off, and where does it wait while we're inside?

This guide answers it plainly, using the venue's own published logistics and the realities of downtown Indianapolis parking, then walks you through everything else a group trip needs: which vehicle fits your party, what shapes the price, and how an Indianapolis party bus rental turns a night full of logistics into a night you actually enjoy. Old National Centre is one of our most-requested destinations — we handle these show-night pickups constantly — so the advice below comes from doing it, not from a brochure. For the full picture of how we handle concert and event nights across the city, see our Indianapolis concert transportation service.

What Is Old National Centre?

Old National Centre is a multi-room entertainment complex that has anchored Indianapolis's Mass Ave Cultural Arts District for more than a century. The centerpiece is the Murat Theatre, built in 1909 and originally constructed as a Moorish Revival-style Masonic Shrine, seating roughly 2,500 across the orchestra floor and balcony. The Egyptian Room — a 16,040-square-foot ballroom with original hand-carved murals and chandeliers inspired by Tutankhamun's tomb — holds up to 2,000 standing for general-admission concerts or 900 for seated shows.

Deluxe, the complex's smaller club room, handles reception-style events up to 500. The Grand Lobby, the Deco Lounge, and the Imperial Lounge round out the rooms.

That variety is what makes Old National Centre such a draw for Indianapolis concert and event groups — and it's also what makes the parking math so unforgiving. A sold-out Murat Theatre night, a packed Egyptian Room show, and a Deluxe event can all happen simultaneously. Every one of those 4,000-plus attendees is competing for the same two venue lots and a grid of downtown streets that weren't designed for post-show traffic.

Charter Bus Drop-Off & Pickup at Old National Centre

Here's the part most rental pages skip or leave vague. Old National Centre sits at the corner of New Jersey Street and Alabama Street in downtown Indianapolis, with its marquee facing New Jersey Street. For a charter bus or party bus, the most practical drop-off approach is curbside on North New Jersey Street directly in front of the venue entrance, where rideshare pickups also stage.

Your group steps out steps from the front doors and walks straight in.

North New Jersey Street runs one-way northbound in this section, so your bus approaches from the south and pulls to the right-hand curb in front of the marquee. For groups coming from the north or east, the approach along Alabama Street toward the main lot is the cleaner route. Because downtown Indy's street grid includes several one-way segments around Mass Ave, confirming your exact approach route when you book is worth the 30-second conversation — it keeps your group from watching the bus circle the block twice while the opener starts without you.

For post-show pickup, the cleanest arrangement is a pre-set window: your group agrees on a meeting time (typically 15–20 minutes after the show ends, once foot traffic clears the sidewalk) and the bus waits nearby — either on a side street off Alabama or in the North Lot at 312 East North Street when space is available. We confirm the waiting spot and your pickup window when you book, so there's no "where are you?" text chain at 11 p.m. on a busy Mass Ave Saturday.

Parking at Old National Centre: What First-Timers Don't Know

Old National Centre operates two surface lots, and both follow the same pattern on event nights: they fill, they fill fast, and they don't warn you in advance.

The Main Lot (501 Alabama Street) is the primary option, entered off Alabama Street directly to the right of the marquee. Reserved event parking runs $15, purchased in advance through Live Nation's website. Walk-up spots are first-come, first-served — and on any night where the Murat Theatre and the Egyptian Room are both running shows, this lot reaches capacity well before the headliner takes the stage.

The North Lot (312 East North Street) sits at the corner of North Street and New Jersey Street, entered off North Street. Same pricing structure, same outcome: reserved at $15 in advance, first-come otherwise, gone early on busy nights.

Street parking along New Jersey Street and the surrounding Mass Ave blocks is metered at roughly $1.50 per hour, active Monday through Saturday until 9 p.m. (free on Sundays). After 9 p.m. on show nights, those meters turn into free parking — which means by the time most concerts let out, the metered spots are occupied by cars that parked for dinner and never moved.

For overflow, the Market District Garage at 101 N. New Jersey Street offers parking at around $3 for the first hour, $8 daily max on regular days — but event-night walk-up rates at downtown garages regularly climb to $25–$30+ in this corridor, and the Court Street Garage has posted event pricing of $30 or more for major concert dates.

The honest friction: you are competing with every other group at Old National Centre, every dinner reservation on Mass Ave, and every person who drove to the neighborhood for a weeknight concert. A single bus replaces a caravan of cars, each hunting for one of those $25 spots. Your group shares one drop-off, one predictable cost, and a staged pickup that's already confirmed before anyone walks through the venue doors.

Getting to Old National Centre: Routes and What to Know

Old National Centre sits at the edge of downtown Indianapolis's northeastern quadrant, at the foot of Massachusetts Avenue. From most directions, the approach is fast — until event traffic hits.

From I-65 Northbound or I-70 Eastbound, the standard approach runs north on Illinois Street or Capitol Avenue into the downtown grid, then east toward New Jersey Street. From I-70 Westbound out of the east side, Exit 79B drops you onto East Street, a straight northbound run to the venue corridor. From I-65 Southbound out of the north suburbs, Exit 114 at MLK Street or Exit 113 at 29th Street connects to surface streets heading downtown.

The timing problem is the Mass Ave diagonal. Massachusetts Avenue runs northeast to southwest at an angle to the downtown grid, which means post-show traffic on New Jersey Street and Alabama Street drains onto a block structure that doesn't have clean through-routes back to the interstates. Heading back to I-65 or I-70 after a sold-out Murat Theatre night, the 0.7-mile drive to the on-ramp at South Street can take 20 minutes.

With a bus, the route is sorted before the show ends — no deciding at the curb which way to turn.

Those times assume off-peak conditions. On sold-out show nights — especially when the Murat Theatre, the Egyptian Room, and Deluxe are all running simultaneously — add 10–20 minutes to any inbound estimate on the I-65 ramps and New Jersey Street approach.

Charter Bus vs. Driving: The Honest Comparison for a Group

Indianapolis has reasonable public transit for a Midwestern city, but IndyGo routes around Mass Ave don't run late enough to cover a 10:30 p.m. concert exit. Rideshare works for one or two people. For groups, here's how the options actually stack up.

The post-show rideshare math is what surprises groups most. When 2,500 people exit the Murat Theatre at the same time, every Uber and Lyft in a mile radius has already been requested. Surge pricing kicks in immediately — and the pickup point designated for rideshare on New Jersey Street backs up fast.

A group of 20 splitting into five rideshares is paying five surge fares and waiting for five different ETAs in the same crowded stretch of sidewalk. One party bus in Indianapolis is already staged and waiting. No surge.

No math. Just get in.

We'll be direct: for one or two people who live within a mile, a rideshare absolutely makes sense. But the moment your group hits the size where you'd need three or more cars, the coordination cost — scattered parking, separate surge fares, the 20-minute post-show rideshare wait on a cold Indianapolis November night — makes a single bus the easier and often cheaper call per head.

What Size Bus Does Your Group Need?

Not every group heading to Old National Centre is the same, and we offer a massive variety of vehicles so you never pay for seats you don't actually need. Here's how the fleet breaks down for a show-night run to Mass Ave.

For a bachelorette crew heading to a Friday night Egyptian Room show with dinner on Mass Ave built into the itinerary, our 15- to 50-passenger party buses are the right pick — the built-in bar and LED lighting mean the celebration starts the moment the bus pulls away from Broad Ripple, not when you finally find your table at BRU Burger Bar. For a corporate group buying out a block of Murat Theatre seats, a 35-passenger minibus handles the shuttle loop between your downtown hotel and the venue cleanly, with reclining seats for the ride back. ADA-accessible vehicles are always available — just mention it when you book.

Indianapolis Party Bus Rental Prices for Old National Centre

Indianapolis Party Bus Service offers all-inclusive pricing online in under 30 seconds — you'll know the exact price before you ever book. There's no single sticker number, because your quote is shaped by a handful of clear factors:

• Vehicle size — a 56-passenger charter bus and a 14-passenger Sprinter limo are different rates.
• Total hours — how long the vehicle is dedicated to your group, including pre-show dinner time and the post-show pickup window.
• Date and event — a weeknight minibus to a smaller Egyptian Room show prices differently than a sold-out Saturday Murat Theatre night.
• Mileage and pickup point — a Broad Ripple pickup is a shorter run than a Carmel or Greenwood origin.

For real ranges to anchor your estimate: 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. Pricing depends on mileage, date, and vehicle type, but you will never be surprised by hidden costs.

Here's the value math worth knowing: split a party bus across 25 or 30 people and the per-head cost frequently beats five separate cars each paying a $25 event-parking rate, plus gas from the suburbs. One predictable quote, one curbside drop, no post-show rideshare surge. Check out our Indianapolis party bus prices page to learn more, or call 317-288-3399 any time for a free, all-inclusive quote at no obligation.

A Real Show-Night Example

To put numbers behind the math: for a sold-out Saturday show at the Murat Theatre last fall, a 28-person office group booked a 35-passenger minibus for the evening. Pickup was at 6:30 PM from a parking garage in Carmel, dinner stop at The Eagle on Massachusetts Avenue at 7:15 PM, then curbside drop on New Jersey Street by 8:45 PM — 30 minutes before doors. Post-show, the bus waited on a side street off Alabama Street with a pre-confirmed 11:15 PM pickup.

The group walked out of the lobby together, loaded up in under four minutes, and was back in Carmel before midnight. The 5-hour all-inclusive rental came to $1,470 — roughly $52 per person, with every parking headache, every surge fare, and the question of who stays sober solved in one number.

Building a Mass Ave Itinerary Around Your Show

Old National Centre sits at the southwestern end of Massachusetts Avenue, one of Indianapolis's best blocks for a pre-show or post-show run. Because you've already got a bus, the evening doesn't have to begin in a parking garage — it begins wherever your group decides, with the bus handling every stop.

A typical group itinerary pairs a pre-show dinner block with the show itself and a post-show cap. Some popular staging points:

• The Eagle (310 Massachusetts Ave) — Southern fried chicken and craft beer, one of the more reliable group-friendly reservations on the strip. About a 4-minute walk from the venue.
• BRU Burger Bar (410 Massachusetts Ave) — Casual, takes large groups, good for a crew that wants to eat and move without ceremony.
• The Rathskeller (401 E. Michigan St.) — Traditional German beer hall with a biergarten, a 5-minute walk from Old National Centre. Solid for a group that wants to settle in early rather than standing at a crowded bar.
• Chatterbox Jazz Club (435 Massachusetts Ave) — A post-show stop for groups who want live music after the show wraps, without paying another ticket price.
• Bottleworks Hotel (850 Massachusetts Ave) — About 0.6 miles northeast, a natural base for groups flying in from out of town. The bus loop between the Bottleworks, dinner on Mass Ave, and the venue makes a seamless no-parking-required evening.

The practical advantage of a bus for a multi-stop Mass Ave night: parking once for dinner means a different lot from the venue, often meaning two parking fees, two walk times, and two chances to lose someone in the post-show crowd. A party bus in Indianapolis takes care of the lot-to-lot shuffle for you, waiting at each stop while your group is inside.

High-Demand Shows and When to Book

Old National Centre's calendar runs year-round, drawing national touring acts, Broadway productions, comedy tours, and EDM nights across its three primary rooms. A few recurring patterns that drive party bus and charter bus demand — and booking lead times — higher than usual:

• Sold-out Murat Theatre headliners: When a national touring act fills all 2,500 Murat seats, New Jersey Street and Alabama Street both go gridlock within 20 minutes of doors. The two venue lots reach capacity before the opener ends. These are the nights where rideshare wait times spike hardest and parking walk times are longest. Book the bus the week tickets go on sale.
• Egyptian Room sold-out GA shows: The Egyptian Room's 2,000-person standing-room capacity creates a dense exit on New Jersey Street. GA crowds tend to linger near the exits, making curbside rideshare pickup particularly slow. A pre-staged bus pickup point off the main curb cuts through that congestion entirely.
• Bachelorette and birthday weekends (April–October): Spring and summer Saturday nights in Indianapolis — especially when a high-profile show is booked at Old National Centre — are the peak window for party bus demand on Mass Ave. The best 20-30 passenger vehicles book out 4–6 weeks ahead during this window. If your bachelorette date is a Saturday night in May or June and there's a show at the venue, calling 317-288-3399 6 weeks out is not too early.
• Indianapolis events that stack with Mass Ave shows: When the Pacers are home at Gainbridge Fieldhouse (125 S. Pennsylvania St., about 1.2 miles southwest) or there's a major event at the Indiana Convention Center on the same weekend, downtown parking inventory shrinks across every lot and garage. On those crossover nights, walk-up event parking on Mass Ave can easily hit $30+, and rideshare surge runs from the moment the Fieldhouse empties. A pre-arranged bus sidesteps the entire problem.

For most show nights outside of peak season, two to three weeks of lead time is workable. For sold-out headliners, bachelorette weekends in summer, and any date that overlaps with a Pacers playoff game or a downtown convention, call as soon as you have tickets. The bus fills your group needs before it fills someone else's.

Trip Types We Cover for Old National Centre

Different groups, same goal: arrive together, skip the parking scramble, and actually enjoy the night. A few of the runs we handle most often for this venue:

• Bachelorette and birthday crews: The Mass Ave corridor is one of Indianapolis's best bar and restaurant strips, which makes a party bus itinerary that hits dinner, the show, and a post-show stop a natural fit. The bus handles the stops; your group handles the fun.
• Corporate and team outings: Buying a block of Murat Theatre seats for a team event means coordinating pickups across multiple neighborhoods. A minibus loop from your office park or downtown hotel to the venue and back keeps the group together and the evening organized.
• Out-of-town concert groups: Groups flying into Indianapolis International Airport (IND) for a specific show at Old National Centre often want a single, coordinated transfer from the airport to the hotel to the venue and back. One bus handles the full itinerary, with no separate car rentals or rideshare app juggling.
• Large group concert nights: When a national act sells out the Murat Theatre and your group has 30-plus people, the logistical math tips decisively toward one charter bus. One predictable quote, one curbside drop, and a post-show pickup that's already arranged before anyone walks through the lobby doors.

Booking Your Indianapolis Bus to Old National Centre

Booking is straightforward, and a little planning makes it seamless:

1. Request a quote with your group size, pickup location, show date, and how much pre-show time you want built into the itinerary.
2. Confirm the vehicle and drop-off point. We lock in the right vehicle and confirm the curbside approach for your specific show night and any active street closures downtown.
3. Set your post-show pickup window. We sort out the waiting spot and your pickup time before the night so the bus is right there when you exit — no surge-pricing scramble, no waiting on a crowded sidewalk at midnight.

A few timing questions that come up constantly: how early should we arrive? Most Old National Centre shows recommend arriving 30–45 minutes before doors for will-call and bag check. If your group is coming from the suburbs, building in a 60-minute buffer from your pickup time to the venue gets you to the show without rushing.

Can the bus wait for us during the show? Yes — the bus is reserved as a block of hours, so it waits nearby through the performance and is ready at your confirmed post-show window. Call 317-288-3399 any time for a free, all-inclusive price quote, or use our online tool for instant availability.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does a charter bus drop off at Old National Centre?

The most practical curbside drop for charter buses is on North New Jersey Street in front of the venue marquee at 502 N. New Jersey St. — the same street where rideshare pickups stage. Your group steps out and walks straight to the front entrance. Because New Jersey Street is one-way northbound in this block, the approach runs from the south.

We confirm the exact curbside pull-up for your show night when you book, accounting for any event-day street activity on Mass Ave.

Where does the bus park while we're inside Old National Centre?

Options depend on availability for your specific event. The North Lot at 312 East North Street (entered off North Street) is the most practical nearby option on nights when it isn't sold out, with reserved event parking at $15. On sold-out nights when both venue lots are at capacity, the bus waits on a pre-confirmed side street or in a nearby garage.

We sort that out when you book — the plan is confirmed before your group arrives downtown, not figured out at the curb.

How much does a party bus to Old National Centre cost in Indianapolis?

Pricing depends on vehicle size, total hours (including pre-show dinner time and the post-show staging window), date, and your pickup point. As a guide: 14-passenger Sprinter limos run $170–$344/hour; small party buses (15–20 passengers) run $204–$378/hour; mid-size (20–30 passengers) run $244–$414/hour; large party buses and minibuses (35–50 passengers) run $294–$490/hour; and full-size charter buses run $150–$300/hour. We provide an all-inclusive quote in under 30 seconds with no hidden costs.

Call 317-288-3399 or use the online tool.

What are the venue lots at Old National Centre, and what do they cost?

Old National Centre operates two surface lots. The Main Lot (501 Alabama Street, entered off Alabama Street) and the North Lot (312 East North Street, entered off North Street at the corner of North and New Jersey) both offer reserved event parking at $15 per spot, purchased in advance through Live Nation's website. Both lots are first-come, first-served at the gate on event nights — and both fill quickly on sold-out shows.

We recommend reviewing the official Murat Theatre parking page before your visit for current pricing and availability.

Is there a bag policy at Old National Centre?

Yes. Per the venue's published policy, Old National Centre enforces a clear bag policy: bags must be clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC and no larger than 12" × 6" × 12", or a one-gallon clear zip-lock bag. Small clutch purses (4.5" × 6.5" or smaller) are also permitted.

Backpacks and oversized or opaque bags are not allowed. We recommend checking the official theatre information page for the most current bag and ticket rules before your show night.

How far in advance should we book a party bus for a sold-out Murat Theatre show?

For sold-out headliners and high-demand dates like bachelorette weekends in May and June, book as soon as you have tickets — ideally 4–6 weeks out, because the right-size vehicles in Indianapolis go quickly once a big show is announced. For weeknight shows and smaller Egyptian Room or Deluxe events, two to three weeks of lead time is generally fine. The earlier you call, the more vehicle options you have.

Can you pick up at multiple locations before the show?

Yes. A multi-stop pickup — say, picking your group up in Broad Ripple, then swinging by a hotel downtown, then heading to Old National Centre — is built into your itinerary when you book. We price the total hours and mileage, not individual stops.

Just have your list of pickup points and times ready when you call 317-288-3399.

Do you have ADA-accessible vehicles?

Yes — ADA-accessible vehicles are always available. Let us know your needs when you book and we will arrange the right vehicle for your group.

Book Your Bus to Old National Centre Today

The perfect Indianapolis party bus rental for your Old National Centre night is just a call away. Whether it's a bachelorette crew hitting dinner on Mass Ave before a sold-out Egyptian Room show, a 40-person office group heading to the Murat Theatre, or an out-of-town concert group that needs a clean airport-to-venue loop, Indianapolis Party Bus Service has access to a fleet of party buses, charter buses, minibuses, Sprinter vans, and Sprinter limos across Indianapolis and central Indiana. Your group gets a curbside drop at the venue marquee while everyone else fights for a $25 parking spot two blocks away.

Give us a call any time at 317-288-3399 for an all-inclusive price quote — or use our online tool for instant availability.