Six miles from Jamaica, Queens. On paper, UBS Arena is the closest major arena to most of southeastern Queens — closer than Madison Square Garden, closer than Barclays Center, closer than Citi Field. In practice, getting in and out on a sold-out night is a harder problem than the mileage suggests.
The reason is the Cross Island Parkway. Every one of UBS Arena's five parking lots is accessible only via Cross Island Parkway Exits 26A, 26B, and 26D — no alternative car approach — which means when 17,000 Islanders fans or a sold-out concert crowd exit within the same 20 to 30 minutes, those three exits back up fast. Vehicles in the lots can sit 20 to 45 minutes before reaching the parkway.
Charter buses have a completely different approach to the building — one that skips the Cross Island Parkway lot queue entirely. But there is one requirement that catches groups flat-footed every season: UBS Arena requires all charter buses, limousines, and oversized vehicles to email parking@ubsarena.com no fewer than 72 hours before the event to coordinate arrival. That is three full days out, not the morning of.
Miss the window and your group shows up without a confirmed staging spot. This guide covers exactly how that process works, which vehicle fits your headcount, what pricing looks like from Queens, and how both Islanders games and concerts differ for group logistics — so your group gets to Elmont and back without the chaos that catches first-timers.
Why Rent a Bus to UBS Arena
There is a UBS Arena quirk that separates it from nearly every other arena in the metro area: tailgating is explicitly prohibited at all UBS Arena parking areas, per the lease with Empire State Development. Every other venue where fans traditionally arrive early and set up in the lots — MetLife, Citi Field — that option does not exist here. Which means the energy your group brings has to come with you, not from a parking lot.
The bus ride becomes the pre-event.
The other pressure point is post-event. When 17,000 Islanders fans or a full concert crowd exits within half an hour, the rideshare pickup zone on the north side — accessible only via Cross Island Parkway Exit 26D — backs up along with every other car leaving the lots. Rideshare apps show surge pricing before the final period even ends.
The Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) is genuinely good here — 30 minutes back to Penn Station, trains run right after events — but you cannot seat a 30-person group together on a packed post-game Hempstead Branch train, and a fixed train schedule does not wait for the people who got held up in the concourse. A Queens party bus rental leaves on your schedule, stages during the event, and takes the whole group home in one move — no surge, no crowded platform, no one texting at Elmont station because they missed the last train.
For both Islanders games and concerts, the Queens sporting event transportation and Queens concert bus rental options available through Queenspartybuscompany.com's network run off the same process — one quick form or a call to 917-935-6880, and you have pricing in under 30 seconds. One bus, one pickup, one drop-off. Your group arrives together and leaves the same way.
Charter Bus & Party Bus Drop-Off at UBS Arena
Regular cars take Cross Island Parkway exits to reach the lots. Charter buses do not. Oversized vehicles — charter buses, party buses, and limousines — enter via Gate 5 Road off Hempstead Turnpike, drop guests at Silver C lot, and then proceed to the designated oversized vehicle staging area in the Belmont Park grounds that surround the arena on its south and west sides.
This keeps charter buses off the Cross Island Parkway bottleneck entirely, which is exactly why the approach is different.
And here is the detail that catches groups every season: charter buses and oversized vehicles must email parking@ubsarena.com no fewer than 72 hours before the event to coordinate arrival, confirm your staging spot, and receive approach instructions — per the official Islanders parking page. This applies for both hockey and concerts. It is not optional.
It is how the arena controls the Hempstead Turnpike gate flow and assigns oversized vehicle staging in the Belmont Park grounds. Groups that skip it arrive to find no confirmed spot waiting for them.
Three days out, not the morning of. The 72-hour email to parking@ubsarena.com is required for all charter buses, limousines, and oversized vehicles before any UBS Arena event. When you arrange group transportation through Queenspartybuscompany.com's network, confirming that coordination is part of the trip setup — so the Hempstead Turnpike gate is expecting your bus, not turning it around.
A few more operational facts worth knowing before you pull up:
- Limousines, buses, and taxis are explicitly prohibited from occupying standard lined parking spaces, per the official parking page. Charter buses have their own staging zone in the Belmont Park grounds — that is where the bus holds during the game or show and waits for your group after.
- Tailgating is not permitted at any UBS Arena parking area under any configuration. The Empire State Development lease prohibits it across every lot for every event. If your group wants a pre-event meal or gathering, plan it along Hempstead Turnpike in Elmont or at a spot in Queens before the bus departs.
- The rideshare and general drop-off zone for non-charter vehicles sits on the north side of the arena, accessible only via Cross Island Parkway Exit 26D and Green Road. Charter buses do not use this zone — Gate 5 off Hempstead Turnpike is the separate, correct entry.
- Parking opens 3.5 hours before events and closes 90 minutes after, unless the arena specifies otherwise for a particular show.
One more thing to know before you book: if any member of your group is driving separately, they need a prepaid parking pass through Ticketmaster. Attendees who enter the Belmont Park Garage without a prepaid pass are charged $125 upon exit — that is the arena's own language on the official parking page, not a rumor. Emerald Parking is the only lot that accepts walk-up cash, and concert nights run $5 to $10 higher at the gate than advance rates.
The bus avoids all of that for the group on it.
Rent a Bus to UBS Arena from Queens: Routes and Timing
UBS Arena's address is 2400 Hempstead Turnpike, Elmont — technically Nassau County, but right on the border, six miles from Jamaica. For a charter bus coming from Queens, the route typically runs east on Hempstead Turnpike directly into Elmont, or via the Belt Parkway/Southern State Parkway connecting to the Cross Island Parkway and then Hempstead Turnpike. The charter bus approach via Gate 5 off Hempstead Turnpike means the bus is not caught in the same Cross Island Parkway backup that affects car traffic in the lots.
Approximate off-peak drive times from Queens pickup points:
| From… | Approx. distance | Typical off-peak drive time |
|---|---|---|
| Jamaica, Queens | ~6 miles | 15–20 minutes |
| Forest Hills / Rego Park | ~10 miles | 20–30 minutes |
| Howard Beach / Ozone Park | ~8 miles | 15–25 minutes |
| Flushing / Bayside | ~12 miles | 25–35 minutes |
| Long Island City / Astoria | ~18 miles | 35–50 minutes |
Add 20 to 45 minutes to any of those on a sold-out game night or major concert — the Cross Island Parkway approach slows down as the lots fill heading in, and bogs down even harder heading out. The charter bus taking the Hempstead Turnpike entry has a cleaner path in both directions, but building a realistic post-event buffer into the booking still matters.
Every Way to Get to UBS Arena, Compared
For a Queens group, all of the transportation options into Elmont have trade-offs worth understanding before you commit. Here is how each option looks for a group of 15 or more:
| Option | Cost shape | Group stays together? | Drop-off access | Post-event exit | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private charter bus / party bus | One flat rate, split by group | Yes — one vehicle, one arrival and departure | Silver C lot via Gate 5 / Hempstead Turnpike — close to the entrance | Bus stages and waits; leaves on your schedule | 15–56 people |
| LIRR from Jamaica Station | Per ticket each way, each person | Only if everyone catches the same train and stays together | 10–15 min walk or free shuttle from Elmont station to entrance | Trains run post-event; crowded platform on sold-out nights | 1–6 people |
| Rideshare (Uber / Lyft) | Per car each way + post-event surge | No — multiple cars, multiple arrival and pickup times | North side drop-off zone, Exit 26D only | Surge pricing, long wait in pickup queue post-event | 1–4 per car |
| Drive & park | $25–$50+ per car prepaid; $125 without a pass in the Belmont Park Garage | No — separate cars, separate arrivals | Depends on lot — some require arena shuttle | 20–45 min of lot congestion on Cross Island | 1–2 cars |
For one or two people heading from Jamaica, the LIRR is genuinely hard to beat — cheap, fast, no parking stress. But once your group reaches 15 or more, the fixed train schedule, crowded post-game platform, and inability to keep everyone in one car tips the math decisively toward a single bus. That is the group the rest of this guide is written for.
LIRR to UBS Arena from Queens
The LIRR Hempstead Branch connects Jamaica Station directly to the Elmont–UBS Arena station — roughly 20 minutes between the two stops, or about 30 minutes from Penn Station and Grand Central Madison. The Elmont station sits about 10 to 15 minutes on foot from the arena entrance, or a short hop on the free shuttle the arena runs between the station, Emerald Parking, and the arena entrance on event days. The station itself is the first newly constructed LIRR stop in nearly 50 years, opened in November 2021 specifically to serve the arena — two 12-car ADA-compliant platforms, LED signage, charging ports, and bike racks.
Check the official Islanders getting-here page for current LIRR schedule links and the latest shuttle timing before your event date.
For a Queens group larger than 8 to 10 people, the LIRR math flips against it quickly. You cannot guarantee seats together on the train, the post-event Hempstead Branch fills fast on sold-out nights, and everyone pays per ticket each way. Once you split a 15-to-35-passenger minibus across 25 people for a weeknight Islanders game from central Queens, the per-person cost can land below what two LIRR round-trip peak tickets would run — with your entire group on the same vehicle, departing on your schedule, and a bus waiting for you when you walk out after the final buzzer.
That is the argument for the bus, made in plain numbers. Then, sure — for a solo trip or a couple, take the LIRR.
What Size Party Bus or Charter Bus Does Your Group Need for UBS Arena?
Queenspartybuscompany.com connects you to a wide range of vehicles through a large network of bus companies serving Queens — from 14-passenger Sprinter limos to 56-seat charter buses. Here is how the vehicle lineup maps to common UBS Arena group types:
| Vehicle | Typical seats | Best for | Key amenities |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14-passenger Sprinter limo / Sprinter van | Up to ~14 | Small groups, suite holders, VIP arrangements | Premium leather seating, USB charging, tinted privacy windows |
| 15–35 passenger minibus | ~15–35 | Office outings, friend groups, birthday trips to see the Isles | Reclining seats, strong climate control, overhead storage |
| Party bus (15–50 passengers) | ~15–50 | Birthday groups, bachelorette outings, fan groups wanting the full send | LED lighting, Bluetooth sound system, flat-panel TVs, perimeter seating |
| 40–56 passenger charter bus | Up to 56 | Large corporate outings, big fan groups, company-wide event nights | Reclining seats, climate control, onboard restroom, WiFi, power outlets, undercarriage storage |
Most Queens groups heading to UBS Arena land on a minibus or a 25-to-40 passenger party bus — the right fit for a group of coworkers, a birthday group, or the Islanders season-ticket families who've been making the trip from Flushing or Bayside for years. For larger corporate outings or when your headcount pushes past 40, a 56-passenger charter bus gives you undercarriage storage for any gear, an onboard restroom for the return run from Elmont, and enough seats that nobody gets left off the manifest. ADA-accessible vehicles are available through the network — note it in your quote request, and the right vehicle gets arranged.
UBS Arena Charter Bus Rental Prices from Queens
Pricing for a Queens charter bus or party bus rental to UBS Arena moves with four factors: vehicle size, total hours needed, your specific pickup location in Queens, and the event date. Minibuses typically run $200 to $275 per hour on weeknights and $200 to $275 on weekends; 25-passenger party buses run $250 to $375 per hour depending on the day; full 56-seat charter buses fall in a $200 to $350 hourly range. A multi-hour block for an Islanders game — pickup, the drive out, the wait during the game, and the return — shapes the overall rate more than any single factor.
To give you an idea of how the per-head math looks: a 25-person group books a 25-passenger party bus for a Tuesday night Islanders game. Pickup in Flushing at 6:30 PM, at UBS Arena's Silver C lot by 7:15 PM, game at 7:30 PM. The bus stages in the Belmont Park grounds through the final buzzer, the group meets at 10:00 PM, and everyone is back in Queens by 11:00 PM.
A four-and-a-half-hour block at that size on a weeknight might run $1,125 to $1,575 total — about $45 to $63 per person, split 25 ways. Those are planning ranges to give you a sense of scale, not a quote — actual pricing for your date, route, and vehicle comes from the real comparison. Check out the Queens party bus prices page for current planning ranges, or call 917-935-6880 any time for a free quote in under 30 seconds.
Split it 25 ways and the bus often costs less per person than two LIRR peak round-trip tickets. One vehicle, the whole group together, departure on your schedule after the game — and no one standing on a crowded Elmont platform hoping the next train has room.
Leaving UBS Arena After the Game or Concert
This is the part first-time UBS Arena visitors most consistently underestimate. When 17,000 or more fans exit within the same window, the Cross Island Parkway's Exits 26A, 26B, and 26D all back up simultaneously — every lot feeds the same three parkway exits, and the congestion stacks from the gates to the highway. Regulars who know the arena suggest waiting 15 to 20 minutes after the event ends before walking to their car: the first wave is the worst, and letting it clear saves 20 minutes of sitting in the row.
On the rideshare side, the pickup zone on the north side via Exit 26D surges in price and wait time on sold-out nights because the same road is carrying everyone leaving Emerald Parking.
The LIRR beats driving home on a high-demand night — trains run post-event and do not surge in price — but on a sold-out night the platform at Elmont fills up fast and the train car does not wait for everyone in your group. If one person gets held up grabbing a jersey from the team store, they are on the next train.
With a private bus, the post-event exit is built into the booking before the opening faceoff or the first song. The bus stages in the Belmont Park grounds during the event, you set a post-game meeting point and pickup time before the group disperses to their seats, and the bus is right there when you walk out — no lot crawl, no surge pricing, no regrouping in the parking lot in December. Everyone loads and heads back to Queens together, recap happening on board.
Islanders Games vs. Concerts at UBS Arena
The 72-hour email rule and the Gate 5 / Hempstead Turnpike approach apply regardless of what is on the schedule. A few differences are worth knowing for group planning:
Islanders games run October through April, with possible playoff dates extending into June. Home playoff games sell out and generate strong demand for group transportation on short notice — which is why having a bus relationship in place before the season starts makes the quick-turnaround booking much smoother. The arena has also been named as the host of the 2027 NHL All-Star Game, a significant draw for larger fan groups and corporate outings well beyond the regular season crowd.
Parking opens 3.5 hours before puck drop, giving groups time to arrive, stage the bus, and reach the concourse before warmups.
Concerts at UBS Arena scale up to 19,000 seats in full concert configuration — a meaningful step above the hockey setup, and a step up in post-event congestion as well. Parking prices run $5 to $10 higher at the gate versus advance purchase on concert nights, per the official parking page, and the Emerald lot that accepts walk-up cash fills faster on major shows. UBS Arena's concert calendar regularly features major touring artists, and those high-demand nights are exactly when parking sells out early and the Cross Island Parkway approach gets worse than a regular game night.
For sold-out concerts, the 72-hour email needs to go out when you book the bus, not three days before the show.
For both event types, the booking principle is the same: lock in early. Vehicle availability in the Queens network tightens on the same dates that parking lots sell out. Queens group transportation through Queenspartybuscompany.com's network covers Islanders and concerts under one process — same form, same phone number, same network of bus companies.
Group Trip Planning Tips for UBS Arena
- Email parking@ubsarena.com as soon as your event date is confirmed. 72 hours is the minimum — sending it a week out is smarter. Your bus needs a confirmed staging assignment in the Belmont Park grounds before anyone shows up at Gate 5. This single step is what most groups skip and regret.
- Set your post-event pickup window before the group goes in. Agree on a meeting point and pickup time before everyone splits to their seats. After the final buzzer or last song, you want the group moving to one spot — not 25 separate texts trying to coordinate in a crowd of 17,000.
- No tailgating anywhere on the property. The Empire State Development lease prohibits it at every lot for every event. Plan pre-event elsewhere — a dinner along Hempstead Turnpike or a gathering spot in Queens before the bus departs works well.
- Buy any car parking passes in advance through Ticketmaster. Attendees arriving separately by car need prepaid passes — the Belmont Park Garage charges $125 upon exit without one, no exceptions. Concert gate prices run $5 to $10 higher than advance rates at Emerald.
- For Islanders playoff games, book the moment the schedule is confirmed. Playoff matchups are announced with little lead time, and vehicle availability in the Queens network moves fast on the same nights that playoff tickets are impossible to find.
- Confirm the current approach before your event. Road access and lot assignments can shift by event. Review the official UBS Arena parking page and the official Islanders parking page in the week before your trip to catch any current-event-specific changes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where exactly does a charter bus drop off at UBS Arena?
Charter buses enter via Gate 5 Road off Hempstead Turnpike, drop guests at Silver C lot, and then move to the designated oversized vehicle staging area in the Belmont Park grounds surrounding the arena. This is a completely separate approach from the Cross Island Parkway exits used by regular cars — charter buses do not use Exits 26A, 26B, or 26D. The exact staging location for your specific event is confirmed when you send the required coordination email to parking@ubsarena.com.
What is the 72-hour rule for charter buses at UBS Arena?
Per the official Islanders parking page, all charter buses, limousines, and oversized vehicles must email parking@ubsarena.com no fewer than 72 hours before the event to coordinate arrival and confirm staging. This is a hard requirement — not a courtesy call. Without it, there is no confirmed spot waiting for the bus in the Belmont Park grounds.
Three full days out, minimum.
Can a party bus take my group to a concert at UBS Arena?
Yes — and the same coordination rules apply for concerts as for Islanders games. Email parking@ubsarena.com 72 hours out regardless of the event type. Concert nights bring up to 19,000 attendees to the arena, which makes Cross Island Parkway exit congestion worse than a regular-season hockey night.
Book your Queens concert bus rental early for any sold-out show and send the coordination email when you book — not three days before the concert.
How much does a charter bus to UBS Arena from Queens cost?
Pricing depends on vehicle size, total hours, pickup location in Queens, and the event date. To give you an idea: a 25-passenger party bus for a four-and-a-half-hour weeknight Islanders game from central Queens might run $1,125 to $1,575 total — about $45 to $63 per person split 25 ways. A minibus for a smaller group runs lower; a 40-seat coach for a large corporate outing scales differently.
Those are planning ranges, not a quote — call 917-935-6880 or use Queenspartybuscompany.com's online tool for pricing on your specific date in under 30 seconds.
Can the bus wait during the game?
Yes. The bus is booked as a block of hours, stages in the designated Belmont Park grounds area during the event, and is ready at the agreed pickup point when your group walks out. Set that post-game time and meeting spot before the group goes in — it is the step that makes the exit fast and organized instead of 20 minutes of group-chat chaos after the buzzer.
Is tailgating allowed at UBS Arena for bus groups?
No. The Empire State Development lease explicitly prohibits tailgating at all UBS Arena parking areas for all events — and that applies equally to charter bus groups staging in the Belmont Park grounds. There is no exception. Plan pre-event activities along Hempstead Turnpike or at a gathering spot in Queens before the bus departs.
What is the closest LIRR station to UBS Arena?
The Elmont–UBS Arena station on the LIRR Hempstead Branch — opened in 2021, about a 10-to-15-minute walk from the arena entrance, with a free shuttle on event days. From Queens, Jamaica Station connects in roughly 20 minutes. The LIRR is the fastest single-person option out of Elmont; for groups of 15 or more who want to stay together and leave on their own schedule, a private bus handles the coordination better.
What happens at the Belmont Park Garage if I show up without a prepaid pass?
Per the official UBS Arena and Islanders parking pages, attendees who enter the Belmont Park Garage without a prepaid parking pass are charged $125 upon exit. There is no workaround at the gate. Purchase through Ticketmaster before the event — the Emerald lot is the only location that accepts walk-up purchases, and concert nights run $5 to $10 higher at the gate than advance rates.
How far in advance should a Queens group book for UBS Arena?
For regular-season Islanders weeknight games, two to four weeks is workable outside of December and holiday-period dates. For sold-out concerts and playoff games, book when you buy the tickets — the Queens vehicle network tightens on the same high-demand nights that UBS Arena parking sells out. Call 917-935-6880 to check availability for your date, and send the 72-hour arena coordination email as soon as the bus is confirmed.
Where does rideshare pick up after events at UBS Arena?
Rideshare pickup and drop-off is on the north side of the arena, accessible only via Cross Island Parkway Exit 26D and Green Road. Post-event, this zone surges in price and wait time on sold-out nights because the same exit carries everyone leaving Emerald Parking. Groups that split across multiple rideshares face the coordination problem at exactly the wrong moment — after a sold-out event in the cold, trying to regroup 20 people across six different apps.
Request a Quote for Your UBS Arena Trip
Whether it is 20 Islanders fans heading to Elmont from Bayside on a Saturday night or a 45-person corporate group going to a sold-out concert, the UBS Arena transportation problem has the same clean answer: one bus, one direct approach via Gate 5 off Hempstead Turnpike, one staging spot in the Belmont Park grounds, and one departure back to Queens on your schedule after the final buzzer. Queenspartybuscompany.com makes comparing Queens charter bus and party bus options fast — fill out one quick form or call 917-935-6880 and have pricing for your date in under 30 seconds, no account needed. Also planning a trip to a Manhattan show or a Mets game this season? The MSG group transportation guide and the Citi Field bus guide cover those drop-offs the same way.
Call 917-935-6880 — and then send that 72-hour email to Elmont.
