Belmont Park has been closed since 2023, and when it reopens in Elmont on Friday, September 18, 2026, the building groups pull up to will not be the one anyone remembers from the last Belmont Stakes. It is a different structure on a different footprint, and as of this writing, NYRA has not published a finished parking and bus plan for it. That is the honest starting point for this guide: here is everything confirmed about getting a group to the new Belmont Park, everything still to be announced, and how renting a bus removes the guesswork either way.
TLDR: The new Belmont Park grandstand at 2150 Hempstead Turnpike, Elmont, NY 11003 opens September 18, 2026. It shares its 34-acre site, access roads, and Long Island Rail Road station with UBS Arena next door, and UBS Arena's own published rules require charter buses to enter through Gate 5 Road off Hempstead Turnpike with a pre-purchased pass. Belmont Park's own race-day bus and parking specifics have not been published yet — so compare vehicles and get a quote now, and the exact drop-off details get locked in as your race date gets closer.
Call 516-920-3440 or fill out the quick form any time.
Why Rent a Party Bus or Charter Bus to Belmont Park
A Belmont Park party bus rental turns a day at the track into a group event instead of a logistics project. Post time, gate assignments, and shuttle schedules at a brand-new venue are still being finalized by NYRA, and a group trying to coordinate five separate cars into whatever parking plan shows up that morning is exactly the kind of confusion a private bus sidesteps entirely.
One bus picks your group up from home, a Nassau County hotel, or a Manhattan office, and drops everyone together at Belmont Park's Hempstead Turnpike frontage instead of splitting the group across rideshares and parking garages. The bus then stages nearby for the ride home, which matters more than usual on a fall-meet Saturday carrying one of the season's 32 graded stakes races, pulling large crowds into a facility still working out its own traffic patterns. Comparing charter bus, party bus, and minibus options for Belmont Park through Longislandpartybuscompany.com takes about a minute, and it means your group's plan is not dependent on a parking map that has not been finalized yet.
The New Belmont Park: What's Confirmed for the September 2026 Reopening
Belmont Park's rebuilt grandstand is a five-story, roughly 275,000-square-foot building — a fraction of the footprint of the structure it replaces — with a planned capacity of about 50,000 and roughly 7,500 seats in club and dining spaces, according to reporting on the project's renderings from Forbes. The $455 million project adds new vehicular and pedestrian tunnels that open the 45-acre infield to fans for the first time, something the old grandstand never allowed, per Forbes' coverage of the rebuild.
NYRA confirms opening day itself: the fall meet at the new Belmont Park runs September 18 through December 6, 2026, and kicks off with the Grade 1, $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup, broadcast live on FOX, per the official 2026 fall meet schedule. What NYRA has not yet published, as of this writing, is a finished race-day parking and transportation plan specific to the new building — so treat any gate number or lot name you see elsewhere as unverified until NYRA's own Visit Belmont Park page confirms it.
Belmont Stakes: Confirmed for 2027, Not 2026
One point worth clearing up before your group books a date: the 2026 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival runs at Saratoga Race Course, not at Belmont Park — the third and final year the race has been held upstate while the Elmont facility was rebuilt, per the Governor's office announcement. The Belmont Stakes returns to its permanent home at the rebuilt Belmont Park in 2027. Belmont Park will also host the 2027 Breeders' Cup World Championships, and several of the 2026 fall meet's graded stakes serve as "Win and You're In" qualifiers toward it, per NYRA's fall meet release linked above.
If your group is planning specifically around the Belmont Stakes itself, that trip belongs on the 2027 calendar, not this fall's opening season.
Charter Bus & Party Bus Drop-Off at Belmont Park: What's Confirmed, What's Still TBD
Belmont Park's new grandstand sits on the same redeveloped 34-acre site as UBS Arena, sharing its Cross Island Parkway exits and Hempstead Turnpike frontage — which means the closest verified charter bus procedure on the property right now comes from UBS Arena's own published guidance, not from Belmont Park's still-unreleased race-day plan. NYRA has not yet posted gate numbers, bus lot assignments, or fees specific to the new grandstand, so nothing below should be treated as Belmont Park's final policy — just the best verified reference point available before NYRA publishes its own.
UBS Arena's official parking page states that charter buses and limousines require a pre-purchased pass, enter through Gate 5 Road off Hempstead Turnpike, drop passengers at the Silver C lot before the bus proceeds to its designated parking area, and that oversized vehicles need to be arranged by email at least 72 hours before the event. Rideshare pickup and drop-off for the arena runs through Cross Island Parkway Exit 26D on the north side of the site, and general parking is split across the Emerald (Exit 26D), Belmont Park Garage (Exit 26A), and Silver, Diamond, and Ruby lots (Exit 26B) — all purchased in advance through Ticketmaster, opening two hours before events and closing 90 minutes after. Because Belmont Park's own grandstand opens onto this same road network, groups should expect a similar advance-purchase, gate-assigned approach for race days — but confirm it directly against NYRA's page before you finalize a drop-off plan.
The honest bottom line: Belmont Park's own bus and parking rules for race days have not been published as of this writing. What is confirmed is that the site's neighbor, UBS Arena, requires charter buses to enter via Gate 5 Road with a pre-purchased pass and 72 hours' notice — and that Belmont Park sits on the same road network. Booking a bus now does not require waiting on NYRA's announcement; the vehicle and your pickup point are locked in today, and the exact drop-off gate gets confirmed as your race date approaches and NYRA publishes its plan.
For groups who remember the old Belmont Park: general admission parking there was free on every day except Belmont Stakes Day, with parking gates opening an hour before the track's own admission gates and a shuttle bus running fans in from the outer lots. Whether that same free-parking, shuttle-in structure carries over to the new grandstand has not been confirmed — it is exactly the kind of detail that changes with a smaller footprint and a new parking garage, so check NYRA's Visit Belmont Park page before race day rather than assuming the old rules still apply.
Getting to Belmont Park: Cross Island Parkway, Hempstead Turnpike & the LIRR
Belmont Park sits directly on Hempstead Turnpike in Elmont, just off the Cross Island Parkway, which puts it within easy reach of both Nassau County and Queens — but it also means race-day traffic funnels through the same handful of exits that UBS Arena's own events already congest. A charter bus or party bus rental to Belmont Park means your group isn't the one hunting for a spot in the Emerald or Silver lot while gates open around you; the bus follows its own drop-off plan and lets your group walk in together.
The bigger advantage for a fall-meet Saturday is the Elmont-UBS Arena LIRR station, built directly onto this same site as the anchor piece of the larger Belmont Park Redevelopment Project. It opened in November 2021 as the LIRR's first new station in nearly 50 years, runs year-round service on the Hempstead, Huntington, and Ronkonkoma branches, and switches to half-hourly event-day service with roughly 30-minute direct trains from Penn Station and Grand Central Madison, per the Governor's office announcement on event-day LIRR service. A bus rental still beats the train for a group larger than a few people — no juggling individual tickets, no splitting up on a crowded platform after the last race — but it's worth knowing the rail option exists if part of your group is coming from Manhattan separately.
Belmont Park Bus Rental vs. Driving, the LIRR & Rideshare
A rented bus isn't the right call for every trip to Belmont Park — a couple riding the train in from Penn Station has no reason to charter anything. Here's an honest comparison of the ways a group actually gets there.
| Option | Cost shape | Arrive together? | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private charter bus / party bus | One flat rate, split across the group | Yes — one vehicle, one arrival | Groups of 10+ heading to a race day or hospitality outing |
| Elmont-UBS Arena LIRR | Per ticket + your ride to the station | Only if everyone catches the same train | Individuals or couples coming from Manhattan or the LIRR corridor |
| Rideshare (Uber / Lyft) | Per car each way, plus post-race surge pricing | No — multiple cars, multiple ETAs | 1–4 riders comfortable splitting up |
| Everyone drives & parks | Gas + a pre-purchased parking pass per car | No — caravans split up in traffic | Small groups who don't mind separate cars |
Once a group grows past a couple of cars' worth of people, the math changes — separate cars mean separate parking passes, separate arrival times, and someone inevitably getting turned around on the Cross Island Parkway exits before NYRA's new signage is fully sorted out. A single bus keeps the whole group on one plan, with one call to Longislandpartybuscompany.com or one quick online form covering the entire trip.
What Size Party Bus or Charter Bus Fits Your Belmont Park Group
Belmont Park groups range from a small clubhouse outing to a full company outing renting out a loge box, so the right vehicle depends on your headcount and how much gear — coolers, folding chairs, betting sheets — your group is hauling in.
| Vehicle | Typical seats | Best for a Belmont Park trip |
|---|---|---|
| 14-passenger Sprinter limo / Sprinter van | Up to ~14 | Small clubhouse groups, a loge box party of 4–8, or a VIP pickup from a Nassau County hotel |
| 15-passenger party bus / 20-passenger party bus | 15–20 | Bachelor or bachelorette groups and milestone celebrations turning a race day into a party |
| 25-passenger party bus / 30-passenger party bus | 25–30 | Company outings splitting time between the picnic paddock and the apron |
| 15–35 passenger minibus | 15–35 | Mid-size groups making one clean run from a Long Island pickup point to the grandstand |
| 40-passenger party bus / 50-passenger party bus / 40–56 passenger charter bus | Up to 56 | Large fall-meet groups, corporate hospitality outings, and bus-and-tour operators booking a full coach |
Browse the full Belmont Park bus rental lineup to compare amenities side by side, or call 516-920-3440 and describe your group size — a support team can point you to the right fit in a couple of minutes.
Belmont Park Party Bus & Charter Bus Rental Prices
There's no single sticker price for a Belmont Park bus rental, because the quote depends on vehicle size, total hours, your pickup point, and the specific race date — a marquee Saturday like Empire Showcase Day or opening weekend books up differently than a quiet Wednesday card. To give you an idea: 14-passenger Sprinter limos typically run in the $150–$350/hour range; 15–20 passenger party buses run around $150–$300/hour; 25–35 passenger party buses and minibuses run around $200–$400/hour; and 40–56 passenger charter buses run around $150–$300/hour or roughly $1,200–$2,400 for a full day. Pricing moves with the date, the hours booked, and how far the pickup is from Elmont — the fastest way to get an exact number for your date is to fill out the quick form or call 516-920-3440, and you could have pricing for your trip in about a minute.
Check the Long Island party bus prices page for more detail on how rates are put together.
Belmont Park Airport Transportation from JFK
Belmont Park sits about 9 miles from John F. Kennedy International Airport, making it one of the closer major venues on Long Island for a group flying in for a race weekend. A private bus can gather your whole group at baggage claim and run straight down the Van Wyck Expressway and Belt Parkway to Elmont, instead of splitting a group across a handful of separate rideshares right after a flight. See the JFK airport shuttle guide for pickup-zone details, or the Long Island airport transportation page for a broader look at coordinating arrivals from any Long Island or NYC-area airport.
Big Race Days at Belmont Park's 2026 Fall Meet
The new Belmont Park's first season is a short, dense one — 72 stakes races worth $17.7 million in total purses packed into a meet running September 18 through December 6, 2026, per NYRA's official schedule. The dates most likely to sell out vehicles first:
- September 18 — Opening Day. The Grade 1, $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup headlines the ribbon-cutting card for the entire rebuilt facility, airing live on FOX.
- September 26 — Joe Hirsch Turf Classic day, a program carrying six graded stakes races.
- October 3 — Champagne and Frizette Stakes, the marquee juvenile championship races on the fall calendar.
- October 24 — Empire Showcase Day, ten stakes races for New York-breds on a single card.
- November 28 — Man o' War and Jockey Club Derby, paired on a single Saturday.
- December 5 — Cigar Mile Day, moved to Belmont Park from Aqueduct to close out the meet.
Because this is the first season in the rebuilt building, expect first-season crowds on top of normal marquee-day traffic — and a group locking in a bus for opening weekend or Empire Showcase Day should book earlier than they would for a quiet weekday card. See the Long Island sporting event transportation page for how group transportation gets arranged around a full race-day schedule.
Group Outings at Belmont Park
Belmont Park's clubhouse-style seating and loge boxes — 4-, 6-, and 8-person, climate-controlled options available on premier race days, per NYRA's group and hospitality information — make it a natural fit for outings that go well beyond die-hard racing fans, and the rebuilt grandstand adds climate-controlled Champion Suites that hold 16 to 50 guests each, per amNewYork's on-site tour of the rebuild — useful context for sizing the right vehicle against a suite booking. A corporate event party bus works well for a client outing built around a loge box, a Champion Suite, or the picnic paddock, since one bus handles the client pickup, the parking uncertainty, and the ride home in a single reservation. A bachelor or bachelorette party bus turns a Saturday racing card into a full day out without anyone needing to track down a designated driver, and a milestone birthday party bus fits just as easily around a big graded-stakes Saturday.
For groups planning something larger — a company picnic, a fundraiser outing, or a multi-vehicle group booking around a marquee card — the Long Island private event transportation page and the group transportation services page cover how multi-bus bookings get coordinated.
Also planning a trip to UBS Arena on the same visit? That guide covers the arena's own gate assignments and drop-off next door — see the UBS Arena bus rental guide.
Frequently Asked Questions About Belmont Park Bus Rentals
When does the new Belmont Park open?
The rebuilt Belmont Park grandstand opens on Friday, September 18, 2026, with a fall meet running through December 6, 2026, headlined on opening day by the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup, per NYRA's official fall meet schedule.
Is the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park in 2026?
No. The 2026 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival runs at Saratoga Race Course, the third and final year the race is held upstate during the Belmont rebuild, per the Governor's office announcement. The Belmont Stakes returns to the rebuilt Belmont Park in 2027.
Where does a charter bus drop off at Belmont Park?
Belmont Park has not yet published its own bus drop-off plan for the new grandstand. The site's neighbor, UBS Arena, which shares the same Hempstead Turnpike frontage and Cross Island Parkway exits, requires charter buses to enter through Gate 5 Road with a pre-purchased pass and at least 72 hours' notice for oversized vehicles, per its official parking page. Confirm Belmont Park's exact plan against NYRA's Visit Belmont Park page as your date approaches.
Has NYRA announced Belmont Park's parking plan for 2026?
Not in full, as of this writing. What's confirmed is a new set of vehicular and pedestrian tunnels giving fans first-time access to the 45-acre infield as part of the $455 million grandstand rebuild, per Forbes' reporting on the project's renderings. Fees, gate assignments, race-day parking, and shuttle details have not been published, so check NYRA's own visit page before finalizing plans.
How do I get to Belmont Park by train?
The Elmont-UBS Arena LIRR station sits on the same redeveloped site as the new Belmont Park grandstand, running year-round service on the Hempstead, Huntington, and Ronkonkoma branches with half-hourly event-day trains and roughly 30-minute direct service from Penn Station and Grand Central Madison. For a group larger than a few riders, a private bus keeps everyone together rather than relying on train tickets and platform crowds.
How much does a party bus to Belmont Park cost?
Pricing depends on vehicle size, hours booked, your pickup location, and the specific race date. To give you an idea, small party buses and Sprinter vans typically run $150–$350/hour, mid-size party buses and minibuses run $200–$400/hour, and full-size charter buses run $150–$300/hour or around $1,200–$2,400 for a full day. Fill out the quick form or call 516-920-3440 for pricing on your exact date.
How far is Belmont Park from JFK Airport?
About 9 miles — close enough for a bus to pick up an arriving group at baggage claim and run straight to Elmont without a rideshare scramble on landing day.
What size bus do I need for a group at Belmont Park?
It depends on your headcount and how much gear you're bringing. A 14-passenger Sprinter fits a small clubhouse or loge box group, 15–30 passenger party buses fit celebration groups and mid-size company outings, and 40–56 passenger charter buses fit large fall-meet groups and bus-tour bookings. See the full Belmont Park vehicle lineup to compare options.
Book Your Bus to Belmont Park Today
Whether your group is heading to opening weekend, Empire Showcase Day, or a quieter card later in the fall meet, Longislandpartybuscompany.com makes it easy to compare party buses, charter buses, minibuses, and Sprinter vans for a Belmont Park trip — and the exact drop-off details get sorted out as NYRA finishes publishing its plan for the new grandstand. Fill out the quick online form or call 516-920-3440 any time, and you could have pricing for your Belmont Park trip in about a minute.
