From Flushing, UBS Arena is roughly eight miles away. From Jamaica, even less. On a clear Tuesday afternoon, Google Maps quotes 12 minutes via the Cross Island Parkway — and that number is accurate, right up until the moment a sold-out Islanders game or a full-capacity concert floods Hempstead Turnpike and Exit 26D with 17,000 people all leaving at once.
The Cross Island northbound backs up 60 to 90 minutes before puck drop. Post-game rideshare on the north side of the arena — the only rideshare access point, via Exit 26D and Green Road — runs 25-to-40-minute waits with surge pricing already active when the doors open. The parking lots require advance-purchase passes and carry a $125 exit penalty at the Belmont Park Garage if you arrive unprepared.
And there is no tailgating, anywhere on the campus, under any circumstances.
A Queens charter bus or party bus to UBS Arena is the answer to all of it. Your group boards at one pickup spot in Queens, the ride out is already the pregame — because there is no tailgate lot to gather in — and the bus enters via Gate 5 Road off Hempstead Turnpike, drops your group at Silver C lot, and stages nearby until you walk out after the final horn. That's a completely separate approach from the Cross Island Parkway exits that personal vehicles use.
The arena opened in November 2021 as a purpose-built facility on the Belmont Park grounds, and its group transportation setup was baked in from day one — unusually organized compared to older arenas that retrofitted bus logistics into infrastructure designed for cars. Below is exactly how it all works, verified against the arena's own published policies, along with every other way a Queens group gets there and how they compare.
Why Rent a Bus to UBS Arena?
Start with the tailgate prohibition, because it changes the entire pregame math. The arena's lease with Empire State Development explicitly prohibits tailgating across all parking areas — Emerald, Diamond, Ruby, Silver, and the Belmont Park Garage. No grills, no open flames, no traditional pregame setups.
Signs are posted throughout the lots and enforcement is consistent. Groups who make the drive expecting to set up outside find there is simply nowhere to gather. This is not a soft suggestion; it is a firm policy that applies to every event, every lot, every night.
That makes the bus the pregame venue by default. Everyone boards at one spot in Queens — a bar in Flushing, a parking lot in Jamaica, a hotel in Long Island City — and the group is together for the whole ride out. There is no splitting into separate cars, no one arriving late to a lot, no hunting for a tailgate zone that does not exist.
A Queens sporting event bus rental removes every coordination problem before it starts, so the night is actually about the game.
Then there is the parking penalty. The Belmont Park Garage — closest covered structure, at Cross Island Exit 26A — charges $125 on exit if you arrive without a prepaid pass. Not a premium tier.
The penalty. Diamond and Ruby lots at Exit 26B are not available to general admission at all. The only lot where walk-up purchase is possible is Emerald at Exit 26D, roughly half a mile from the main entrance, with a free shuttle covering the gap and gate prices running $5–$10 higher than the prepaid rate on concert nights.
One bus from Queens replaces that entire calculation — no lot, no pass, no shuttle wait, no $125 surprise at the exit gate.
Charter Bus and Party Bus Drop-Off at UBS Arena
Here is the operational detail most groups do not know before they arrive: charter buses and oversized vehicles do not use the Cross Island Parkway exits. Oversized vehicles — charter buses, party buses, limousines — enter via Gate 5 Road off Hempstead Turnpike and drop guests at Silver C lot before the bus proceeds to its designated staging area. This is a completely different approach from the three Cross Island exits that personal vehicles funnel through, and it was built into the arena's transportation plan from opening day.
The purpose-built infrastructure is one of UBS Arena's real advantages over older arenas — the bus approach works, because someone thought through it when the facility was designed.
There is one firm requirement: email parking@ubsarena.com no fewer than 72 hours before your event date to coordinate the arrival. The arena confirms the specific approach instructions for your vehicle. Groups that skip this step risk being turned away at Gate 5 Road or redirected to a lot that does not accommodate oversized vehicles — and there is no sorting it out at the gate on event night.
Book the bus early, send that email well ahead of the event, and the approach is clean and pre-confirmed.
Charter buses enter via Gate 5 Road off Hempstead Turnpike — not the Cross Island Parkway exits that cars use — and drop guests at Silver C lot. Advance coordination is required: email parking@ubsarena.com no fewer than 72 hours before the event. This is the arena's published policy per the official UBS Arena parking page.
Groups that arrive without pre-coordinating risk being turned away at the gate.
Post-event pickup works the same way. The bus stages nearby during the event, your group agrees on a clear pickup window and meeting spot before anyone goes through the gate, and the bus is right there when the final horn blows — while the rideshare queue on the north side is already running 30 to 40 minutes deep with surge pricing. For a Queens concert bus rental, the approach and post-show pickup are identical: Gate 5 Road in, Silver C lot drop, staged and waiting when your show ends.
The 72-Hour Email Requirement
This detail trips up groups more often than any other. You cannot simply arrive with a charter bus — the arena requires advance coordination, and 72 hours is the minimum. Email parking@ubsarena.com with your event date, vehicle type, and group size well before the event.
The arena's response gives you the specific arrival instructions for your vehicle. If your event is a Friday-night Islanders game, that email needs to go out by Tuesday at the latest. For holiday weekends and playoff games, send it sooner.
The coordination is straightforward once you know it is required — the problem is finding out the hard way on event night.
Getting to UBS Arena from Queens by Charter Bus
UBS Arena sits right on the Queens-Nassau County border, which is what makes the distance so deceptive. From Flushing, it's roughly 7.9 miles by road. From Jamaica, slightly less.
From the Rockaways or Howard Beach, the Belt Parkway connects to the Cross Island Parkway Northbound — roughly 15 to 20 miles, 25 to 35 minutes off-peak. JFK Airport is about 10 miles via the Belt Parkway, a 15-to-25-minute run.
On event nights, those times shift. The Cross Island Parkway southbound toward Exits 26A, 26B, and 26D backs up 60 to 90 minutes before puck drop or showtime for sold-out events. From Flushing, a drive that takes 15 minutes on a weekday afternoon takes 50 to 60 minutes on a Friday Islanders game night.
The arena's own guidance recommends arriving 60 to 90 minutes early. For a 7:00pm puck drop, that means leaving Queens no later than 5:30pm — building an hour and a half of buffer into what GPS calls a 15-minute drive. A bus from Queens handles the approach timing without your group losing two hours of their evening to the Cross Island crawl.
Groups coming from southern Queens or Brooklyn typically take the Belt Parkway east to the Cross Island Parkway North — a different approach from the Flushing route, but the same Exit 26 area for personal vehicles. From Long Island's South Shore, the Southern State Parkway west to Cross Island North is the main artery. Charter buses from Queens use the Hempstead Turnpike approach to Gate 5 Road directly, bypassing all three Cross Island exits entirely for the final stretch into Silver C lot.
UBS Arena Transportation: Every Option Compared
This is a bus-comparison site — but the honest answer is that the right call depends entirely on your group size and what you want the night to feel like. Here is a straight comparison of every realistic option for a Queens group headed to UBS Arena.
| Option | Cost shape | Arrive together? | Drop-off access | Post-event reality | Best group size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private charter bus or party bus | One flat rate, split by the group | Yes — one vehicle, one arrival | Best — Gate 5 Road, Silver C lot, close to entrance | Bus staged and waiting; no surge, no platform wait | 15–56 |
| LIRR to Elmont-UBS Arena Station | Zone 4 fare per ticket | Only if coordinated on the same train | Good — free shuttle from station (5-min ride) | Fixed post-event schedule; platform fills fast | Any; harder to keep large groups together |
| Rideshare (Lyft / Uber) | Per car each way + surge post-event | No — separate cars, separate ETAs | North side only via Exit 26D and Green Road | 25–40 min waits; surge pricing immediately after events | 1–4 per car |
| Driving and parking | Parking pass per car + gas | No — coordinate separately | Depends on lot; correct Cross Island exit required | 20–45 min lot clearing; no tailgate possible | 1–3 cars; small groups only |
For one or two people, the LIRR from Jamaica is often the cleanest and cheapest option — no parking fees, no surge pricing, no who-stays-sober problem. The moment your group grows past a handful of people, the coordination overhead of individual train tickets or separate rideshares tips the math toward one vehicle. A party bus or charter bus rental to UBS Arena keeps everyone together from a single Queens pickup through the Gate 5 Road drop and the post-game pickup — no one gets separated in a cross-platform LIRR transfer or stuck in different surge-priced rideshares after the same game.
The LIRR to Elmont-UBS Arena Station
The Elmont-UBS Arena Station is the first new LIRR station built in roughly 50 years — purpose-built alongside the arena and opened in stages starting in 2022. It sits north of the arena campus, a 10-to-15-minute walk from the main entrance or a five-minute ride on the free event-day shuttle that runs continuously between the station and the arena. Trains on the Hempstead, Huntington, and Ronkonkoma branches stop there on event days, with direct service from Penn Station and Grand Central Madison in about 30 minutes.
The Zone 4 fare applies.
From Queens, the most direct LIRR connection is the subway to Jamaica Station — a few stops on the E, J, or Z lines — then the LIRR Hempstead Branch out to Elmont. The full trip from central Queens runs 30 to 45 minutes on a good connection. Post-game, the LIRR runs on a fixed post-event schedule, which beats rideshare surge pricing — but the platform fills quickly and trains sell out on sold-out concert nights, so knowing the schedule before you arrive matters.
The official UBS Arena getting-here page has current event-day train schedule information.
For groups flying into JFK — about 10 miles from UBS Arena via the Belt Parkway — a single coordinated bus pickup at the terminal curb solves the airport-to-arena transfer cleanly. The LIRR connection from JFK (AirTrain to Jamaica, then LIRR) adds two connections and a fare transfer. One bus at the baggage claim curb gets the whole out-of-town group to Gate 5 Road without splitting anyone across terminals or train platforms.
The Queens airport transportation page covers how group pickups from JFK and LaGuardia typically work.
UBS Arena Parking: What Every Group Should Know
All five parking areas at UBS Arena are accessed via the Cross Island Parkway, and the arena is explicit about which exit corresponds to which lot — because taking the wrong exit on a sold-out night can mean a $125 penalty or being turned away from a lot that requires a pass you do not have. Here is how the system works, per the official UBS Arena parking page and the Islanders parking page.
| Lot | Cross Island Exit | Distance to Arena | Walk-up Purchase? | Key Detail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emerald Parking | Exit 26D | ~0.5 miles (free shuttle runs) | Yes — $5–$10 more than prepaid on concert days | Only lot available walk-up; general admission |
| Silver Parking | Exit 26B | ~0.29 miles | No — prepaid required | Charter bus guest drop-off uses Silver C; bus enters via Gate 5 Road off Hempstead Turnpike |
| Belmont Park Garage | Exit 26A | ~0.15 miles (covered) | No — $125 exit penalty without prepaid pass | Closest covered option; arriving without a pass is expensive |
| Diamond & Ruby Parking | Exit 26B | Premium lots | No — not available to general public | Season ticket holders and premium packages only |
The arena's warning on Exit 26B is stated plainly in its published guidance: do not take Exit 26B unless you have a prepaid Diamond, Ruby, or Silver parking pass. Groups that miss this and end up at the Belmont Park Garage face the $125 exit charge. Prepaid parking is sold through Ticketmaster, and the arena strongly recommends buying when you buy the ticket.
Lots open 3.5 hours before events and close 90 minutes after. And again — no tailgating, anywhere on the property, no exceptions.
If your group is driving to UBS Arena: buy your parking pass before leaving Queens. The only lot where walk-up purchase is available is Emerald at Exit 26D — and on concert nights, it costs $5–$10 more than the prepaid rate at that same gate. The Belmont Park Garage at Exit 26A charges $125 on exit for unprepaid vehicles.
Do not take Exit 26B without a prepaid Diamond, Ruby, or Silver pass. Your lot determines your Cross Island exit — know it before you get on the Parkway.
What Size Bus Does Your Group Need for UBS Arena?
UBS Arena seats 17,255 for Islanders games and up to 19,000 for concerts. Groups headed there range from a small suite outing to a full fan bus from Flushing — and the right vehicle depends on headcount, how far you're traveling from Queens, and what kind of night you want on the way. Here is how the full lineup of available vehicle types breaks down for a UBS Arena run.
| Vehicle | Capacity | Best For | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14-passenger Sprinter limo | Up to 14 | Suite groups, VIP outings, small corporate groups | Premium leather, USB charging, tinted privacy windows |
| 25-passenger party bus | Up to 25 | Birthday groups, fan groups, bachelorette outings | LED lighting, sound system, flat-panel TVs, wraparound seating |
| 15–35-passenger minibus | 15–35 | Mid-size fan groups, corporate outings, organized group | Powerful A/C, plush reclining seats, overhead storage |
| 40–56-passenger charter bus | Up to 56 | Large fan groups, company outings, multiple families traveling together | Reclining seats, climate control, overhead bins, WiFi, power outlets, onboard restroom, undercarriage bays |
For fan groups where the energy is the whole point — an Islanders playoff run or a sold-out concert — a 25-to-50-passenger party bus keeps the group together with LED lighting and sound from the moment the bus pulls away from Flushing. For a corporate outing or a suite-level group where the priority is a clean, efficient ride, a 15-to-35-passenger minibus or a Sprinter limo fits without the party-bus atmosphere. For large groups of 40 or more, a full-size charter bus handles the headcount plus gear in the undercarriage bays and an onboard restroom for the ride home from a late concert.
ADA-accessible vehicles are available through the network — note it in the quote request and the right vehicle can be arranged.
UBS Arena Charter Bus and Party Bus Rental Prices from Queens
Pricing for a Queens party bus or charter bus to UBS Arena is shaped by the vehicle size, total hours on for your group — the drive out, the wait, and the drive back — the event date, and your pickup location in Queens. To give you an idea of what to plan around: a 25-passenger party bus typically runs $275–$375 per hour on weekends; a 15-to-35-passenger minibus runs $200–$275 per hour on weekends; and a full-size 40-to-56-passenger charter bus runs $200–$350 per hour on weekends. On weeknights, rates run somewhat lower across vehicle types.
These are planning ranges — your quote for a specific date, headcount, and Flushing or Jamaica pickup comes from the online quote form or a call to 332-230-9090.
The per-person math tends to shift the conversation quickly. A four-hour block on a 40-passenger charter bus at $250 per hour comes to $1,000 total — roughly $25 per person. Compare that to a prepaid Emerald Lot pass at $20–$40 per car, the gas from Queens, someone stuck staying sober for the night, and the post-game Cross Island crawl home after 10pm.
At 40 people traveling from the same neighborhood, the bus wins on cost per head and removes every coordination variable. Check the Queens party bus prices page for a fuller look at ranges by vehicle type, or call 332-230-9090 any time for a free quote — no account required, pricing in under 30 seconds.
A Sample Islanders Game Night
To give you an idea: a 28-person fan group books a 30-passenger party bus from a bar in Downtown Flushing for a Wednesday 7:00pm Islanders game. Pickup at 5:15pm, at UBS Arena via Gate 5 Road and Silver C lot by 5:55pm — well ahead of the Cross Island slowdown. Post-game pickup is arranged at 10:15pm at the same Silver C area.
The total is a four-and-a-half-hour weeknight block. At $300 per hour on a weeknight, that comes to roughly $1,350 — or about $48 per person — with the Cross Island commute, the parking pass search, and the post-game rideshare queue all eliminated for the whole group in one number.
Islanders Games vs. Concerts at UBS Arena
The transportation picture shifts between Islanders games and concert nights, and the difference matters for how you plan the trip.
For Islanders games, puck drop is typically 7:00pm or 7:30pm on weeknights, with afternoon games on some Saturdays. The Islanders season runs October through April, with playoff runs potentially extending into June. Cross Island traffic builds 60 to 90 minutes before start time on busy game nights.
Post-game traffic on a weeknight typically clears faster than after a three-hour concert — the crowd disperses more evenly across the evening rather than all leaving simultaneously at a fixed end time. For a Queens sports group transportation request, regular-season weeknight games typically allow two to four weeks of booking lead time. For playoff rounds, especially conference finals or beyond, vehicles commit quickly — book as early as your dates become known.
For concerts at UBS Arena, the arena fills to roughly 19,000 — about 1,750 more people than an Islanders game — and the post-show rideshare surge is consistently more pronounced. Concerts typically run until 10:30pm or 11:30pm, meaning the surge peaks later in the night when Cross Island traffic is both heavier and less predictable. For a Queens concert bus rental, booking two to four weeks out works for most events; for a major touring act with strong demand — the arena has hosted Billy Joel, Harry Styles, and stadium-level touring artists since it opened — book as early as the show goes on sale.
UBS Arena hosts over 150 events a year, and popular concert nights can commit available vehicles weeks in advance.
Tips for Your UBS Arena Visit
The bag policy is enforced at every entrance. Bags no larger than 12" x 12" x 6" are permitted and go through X-ray or visual screening. Backpacks of all sizes are prohibited.
Coolers and insulated containers are not allowed inside the arena. Outside food and beverages are prohibited, with limited exceptions for documented medical needs arranged at least 48 hours in advance. Full details are at the official UBS Arena bag policy page.
No tailgating, anywhere on the campus. The Empire State Development lease prohibits it across all parking areas. No exceptions for any event type or any lot.
A group that arrives expecting to set up a pregame outside will be turned away by parking attendants. The pregame gathering for groups taking a bus happens on the ride out — which, given that there's nowhere else for it to happen at this venue, is exactly the right answer.
Prepaid parking is non-negotiable if you're driving. The Emerald Lot at Exit 26D is the only place where walk-up purchase is available, at a $5–$10 premium over the prepaid rate on concert days. The Belmont Park Garage at Exit 26A charges $125 on exit for unprepaid vehicles — not a higher tier, just a penalty.
Do not take Exit 26B without a prepaid Diamond, Ruby, or Silver pass. The arena's guidance on this is plain and unambiguous. Check the official parking page for current event-by-event pricing before leaving Queens.
Post-event rideshare requires patience. The rideshare pickup zone is on the north side of the arena, accessible only via Cross Island Parkway Exit 26D and Green Road. A waiting area with phone charging is available on the main concourse near section 118.
After sold-out events, expect surge pricing and 25-to-40-minute waits as all 17,000-plus fans request rides simultaneously. A private bus stages at Silver C and picks up when your group is ready — no surge, no platform wait, no cold parking lot.
Save the arena's contact information. UBS Arena's address is 2400 Hempstead Turnpike, Elmont, NY 11003. The accessibility line is 516-460-8598, and the event-day text line is 205-827-4357 for guest services help during an event.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does a charter bus drop off at UBS Arena?
Charter buses and oversized vehicles enter via Gate 5 Road off Hempstead Turnpike and drop guests at Silver C lot before the bus proceeds to its designated staging area. This is a completely different approach from the Cross Island Parkway exits (26A, 26B, 26D) that personal vehicles use. Advance coordination is required — email parking@ubsarena.com no fewer than 72 hours before your event date to confirm the arrival instructions for your specific vehicle.
Is there tailgating at UBS Arena?
No. The arena's lease with Empire State Development explicitly prohibits tailgating across all parking areas — Emerald, Diamond, Ruby, Silver, and the Belmont Park Garage. No grills, no open flames, no traditional pregame setups, no exceptions. This is a firm lease-level prohibition, not a soft venue guideline.
A private bus is the natural pregame gathering point for groups headed to UBS Arena, since the parking lots offer no alternative.
What does parking cost at UBS Arena?
Emerald Parking — the only lot with walk-up purchase available — runs approximately $20–$40 prepaid, with a $5–$10 surcharge at the gate on concert days. The Belmont Park Garage is the closest covered option but charges $125 on exit to unprepaid vehicles — that's the penalty, not a premium tier. Diamond and Ruby lots are not available to general admission.
All passes should be purchased in advance through Ticketmaster. Check the official UBS Arena parking page for current event-by-event pricing.
How do I get to UBS Arena from Queens?
By car, the main route from Queens is the Cross Island Parkway to the Hempstead Turnpike exits — from Flushing, roughly 7.9 miles, 12 to 15 minutes off-peak. By LIRR, the subway to Jamaica Station (E, J, or Z) connects to the Hempstead Branch out to Elmont-UBS Arena Station, about 30 to 40 minutes total from central Queens. MTA Q82 and Q2 bus lines also serve the arena.
A charter bus from Queens approaches via Hempstead Turnpike and Gate 5 Road, bypassing the Cross Island Parkway exits entirely for the final drop.
How much does it cost to rent a bus from Queens to UBS Arena?
Planning ranges: a 25-passenger party bus runs $275–$375 per hour on weekends; a minibus runs $200–$275 per hour on weekends; a full-size charter bus runs $200–$350 per hour on weekends. Weeknight rates run somewhat lower. Your quote for your specific date, headcount, and Queens pickup location takes under 30 seconds — call 332-230-9090 or use the online form.
No account required and no obligation.
How far is UBS Arena from Queens?
About 7.9 miles from Flushing by road, roughly 10 miles from JFK Airport via the Belt Parkway, and approximately 8 miles from Jamaica. On a sold-out event night, the Cross Island Parkway can add 30 to 60 minutes to what GPS estimates as a 12-to-15-minute drive in either direction.
Can the bus wait during the event and pick us up after?
Yes. The bus is booked as a block of hours, so it stages nearby during the event and is ready at a pre-arranged time and meeting spot when your group walks out. Agree on the pickup window and location before everyone splits off to their seats, and the bus is right there when the final horn blows — no surge-priced wait, no platform sprint.
What is the LIRR station at UBS Arena?
Elmont-UBS Arena Station, on the Hempstead Branch — the first new LIRR station built in roughly 50 years. It sits north of the arena campus, a 10-to-15-minute walk from the main entrance or a five-minute ride on the free event-day shuttle. Zone 4 fare applies.
Trains on the Hempstead, Huntington, and Ronkonkoma branches stop there on event days. The UBS Arena getting-here page has current event-day train schedule information.
Is there rideshare pickup at UBS Arena?
Yes — the rideshare and drop-off zone is on the north side of the arena, accessible only via Cross Island Parkway Exit 26D and Green Road. A phone-charging waiting area is available near section 118 on the main concourse. After sold-out events, expect surge pricing and 25-to-40-minute waits.
A private bus with a pre-arranged post-game pickup at Silver C lot avoids this entirely.
Do I need to pre-coordinate a charter bus arrival?
Yes. Email parking@ubsarena.com no fewer than 72 hours before your event date. The arena confirms the specific approach instructions for your vehicle — without this coordination, the bus risks being turned away at Gate 5 Road.
It's the single most important planning step for groups taking a charter bus to UBS Arena, and missing it is the most common mistake first-timers make.
How far in advance should I book a bus to UBS Arena?
For regular-season Islanders games and most concerts, two to four weeks of lead time is workable. For playoff rounds, holiday weekends, or high-demand concerts that sell out quickly, book as early as your date is confirmed — the best vehicles commit early on peak nights. Also remember to email the arena at parking@ubsarena.com at least 72 hours before the event itself, regardless of when you book the bus.
Book Your Queens Charter Bus or Party Bus to UBS Arena
Whether it's a weeknight Islanders game from Flushing, a sold-out concert from Jamaica, or a corporate group outing for a suite night, Partybusrentalqueens.com makes it easy to compare buses and pricing from a large network of bus companies serving Queens. Fill out one quick form and compare vehicle types, options, and rates in under 30 seconds — no account required, no obligation. Or call 332-230-9090 any time for a free quote.
Your bus drops the group at Gate 5 Road into Silver C lot while everyone else is circling the Cross Island looking for the right exit. That single logistical advantage — verified on the arena's own published parking page — is what makes the bus the smarter call once your group grows past a few cars' worth of people.
Also planning a Mets game or a night at Madison Square Garden? The Citi Field group transportation guide and the Madison Square Garden bus rental guide cover the drop-off and parking logistics for those venues. Call 332-230-9090 to get your group moving.
