The 19-mile run from Round Rock to DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium takes about 20 minutes on a weekday. On a Saturday when 100,119 Longhorns fans are pointed southbound on I-35 toward 405 East 23rd Street, that same run can stretch to 45 minutes or longer — and the last few miles into the UT campus neighborhood are where it really stacks up. That part most groups expect.
The part that catches first-timers off guard: most of the parking lots within a reasonable walk of the stadium are permit-only, tied to Longhorn Foundation memberships that cost hundreds of dollars annually and sell out long before the season starts. The handful of cash lots that exist on game day run around $30 a car and disappear fast, often sending latecomers a significant walk from the gates in August and September heat.
A charter bus or party bus rental from Round Rock changes the entire equation. Your group boards together, the I-35 run south happens without anyone navigating the construction detours, and the bus routes to the designated oversized-vehicle area — where a free UT-run shuttle connects to the stadium. No $30 parking fee per car, no splitting a group into four different vehicles that arrive at different times, and no designated driver drawing the short straw.
This guide answers the exact questions that matter for moving a group from Round Rock to DKR and back: where does the bus go, where does it park, what does it cost, how early you need to leave, and what happens when 100,000 fans exit simultaneously. The facts below come from UT's own published game-day pages, not a brochure. For a broader view of group transportation options across Austin, the Round Rock sporting event transportation page covers more venues.
Why Rent a Party Bus or Charter Bus to DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium?
DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium is the fourth-largest venue in the Southeastern Conference and the seventh-largest in the country — which means 100,119 people are trying to reach the same corner of the UT Austin campus on a half-dozen Saturdays every fall. The stadium sits on a dense urban university campus, not a suburban sports complex with sprawling surface lots. Most nearby parking requires Longhorn Foundation credentials.
The ones that don't require credentials fill before noon on big-game days. And once you've found a spot, the walk to the gates can add another 10 to 20 minutes depending on how far out you landed.
A DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium party bus or charter bus rental solves that sequence in one move. The designated route for oversized vehicles is through State Lot 26 at 701 W. 51st Street — about two miles north of the stadium — where UT provides a free round-trip shuttle to the gates. Your group boards in Round Rock, arrives at State Lot 26 together, catches the shuttle, and walks into Bevo Boulevard with everyone in the same place at the same time.
Split the bus cost across 20 or 30 people and it's usually competitive with everyone paying $30 each for a cash lot — plus you're not juggling three separate vehicles and hoping they all find spaces in the same general area.
Charter Bus & Party Bus Drop-Off at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium
UT restricts vehicle access to the inner stadium block on game days — this is not a suburban lot where any vehicle can pull in. Large vehicles and commercial trucks entering the stadium block are screened at security checkpoints on Robert Dedman Drive at Dean Keeton Street and at Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and San Jacinto Blvd., per the official UT Parking and Transportation Services game day page. Screening begins at 5 a.m. on game day.
Only vehicles with the appropriate Longhorn Foundation permits or ADA credentials are admitted through those checkpoints. A private charter bus or party bus rental does not drive up to the stadium gates the way a permitted car would — the published designated route for buses and oversized vehicles runs through State Lot 26, with UT's free shuttle handling the stadium connection.
For rideshare passengers, the designated airport-style drop-off and pickup zone is on the south curb of Dean Keeton Street between Robert Dedman Drive and Red River Street. That's about 10 to 15 minutes on foot from the stadium gates. The rideshare zone is the closest curbside option for non-permitted passenger vehicles.
Bus groups using State Lot 26 and the UT shuttle reach the stadium through the same general Dean Keeton corridor — and the shuttle timing means no waiting for a surge-priced car in the post-game scrum.
The inner stadium block at DKR requires a Longhorn Foundation permit or ADA credentials to enter on game day. Charter buses and party buses heading to a Longhorns game route through State Lot 26 (701 W. 51st St.) and take UT's free shuttle toward the stadium, rather than attempting the restricted campus core — a cleaner approach than the rideshare drop zone and a fraction of the cost of multiple permit lots.
State Lot 26: The Designated Spot for Buses and Oversized Vehicles on Game Day
State Lot 26 is the published designated location for RVs, charter buses, and oversized vehicles on Longhorns game days, confirmed by both the UT Parking and Transportation Services football page and the Texas Facilities Commission game-day tailgating page. The lot is at 701 W. 51st Street, Austin, TX 78751 (the North Austin Complex, JH Winters Building), about two miles north of the stadium. Oversized vehicle spaces run $10 per space on game day, or $20 per space for groups arriving the evening before and staying through noon the day after.
No advance reservations are accepted — payment is at the lot entrance on a first-come, first-served basis. Depending on the vehicle's footprint, larger coaches may need to purchase more than one space.
UT provides a free round-trip shuttle service to the stadium from across Guadalupe Street at the UT Athletics Fields. The lot itself does not have portable restrooms on-site, but portable facilities are available across the street in the adjacent park. Because published shuttle hours can shift year to year, groups staging at State Lot 26 should confirm the current shuttle schedule and stadium-side drop-off point on UT's game-day parking page in the days before their trip.
The Drive from Round Rock to DKR: I-35, Construction, and What to Budget in Time
Round Rock sits roughly 19 miles north of DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium via I-35 South — under normal conditions, a 20-to-23-minute drive. On a major home game Saturday, that same stretch can run 45 minutes to over an hour once you're inside Austin, and the last three or four miles into the campus neighborhood absorb most of the delay. The Texas Department of Transportation's I-35 Capital Express Central construction project has been reconfiguring the highway through central Austin, and it directly affects how groups approach the stadium from the north.
The critical detail for anyone coming south on I-35 from Round Rock: if your group needs to exit at Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard — one of the primary approaches to the east side of UT's campus — the MLK Blvd. exit is only accessible from the lower deck, not the upper deck, due to the construction reconfiguration confirmed by UT Athletics game-day communications. Cars that stay on the upper deck miss that exit entirely. One-way street patterns around the stadium block take effect at 5 a.m. on game day.
18th Street typically closes two to four hours before kickoff, rerouting traffic onto adjacent campus corridors that are already carrying significant load. If you need an alternative approach, local Longhorns fans recommend coming in via MoPac (Loop 1) and cutting east on Enfield to 15th Street to avoid the worst of the I-35 merge delays.
A bus group from Round Rock routes around this entire set of headaches. Nobody in the group is navigating the lower-deck exit, watching for the 18th Street barricades, or trying to find a $30 cash lot after most of them are already full. The group boards in Round Rock, and the I-35 run into Austin is just the pregame.
DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium Game Day Parking: All Your Options Compared
This is a bus-comparison website, and a private bus isn't the right call for every group. Here's an honest look at how fans actually get to DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium on game day, scored on what matters for groups coming from Round Rock.
| Option | Cost shape | Arrive together? | Access to gates | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charter bus or party bus rental | Single flat rate shared across the group | Yes — everyone on one vehicle | State Lot 26 + free UT shuttle toward Dean Keeton & Robert Dedman | Groups of 15–56 from Round Rock |
| Rideshare (Uber/Lyft) | Per car each way + post-game surge | No — multiple ETAs, multiple cars | South curb of Dean Keeton, ~10–15 min walk to gates | 1–4 people already in Austin |
| Capital Metro (Routes 642, 670, 7, 837) | Per fare, free with UT ID | Only if on the same bus | Stop at 2031 San Jacinto/21st St., 3-min walk to gates | Solo fans or small groups in Austin |
| UT Game Day Shuttle | Free (from Athletics Fields at Guadalupe) | Only if traveling from that lot | Stadium-area drop-off | Groups already parked at the Athletics Fields |
| Drive and park | ~$30/car (cash lots, limited supply) or LF permit | No — caravan splits | Varies; premium lots closest but sell out early | 1–2 cars with Longhorn Foundation permits |
For one or two people already based in Austin with a ride home sorted out, Capital Metro is a genuinely strong option — the stop at 2031 San Jacinto and 21st Street is a three-minute walk to the gates. For a group of 15 or more driving down from Round Rock, the coordination cost of separate vehicles — multiple cash-lot gambles, staggered arrivals, at least one person per car who can't fully enjoy the game — tips the math toward one bus. That's the group this guide is built for.
Tailgating at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium: Bevo Boulevard, LBJ Lawn, and What Bus Groups Need to Know
Tailgating around DKR doesn't look like a suburban stadium lot — it's a campus festival spread across closed streets and open lawns. The centerpiece is Bevo Boulevard, the stretch of San Jacinto Boulevard between 20th Street and DeLoss Dodds Way that UT closes to traffic before home games and fills with food trucks, live music, photo ops with Texas athletes and coaches, merchandise, and the live Longhorn mascot. Bevo Boulevard opens hours before kickoff and runs along the east side of the stadium, making it the natural gathering point for groups arriving from State Lot 26 by shuttle — it's right there when you walk up from Dean Keeton Street.
Longhorn City Limits is UT's free pregame concert series on the LBJ Library Lawn, held before every home game and featuring headlining acts from Texas and national touring artists. The LBJ Lawn is a short walk from the stadium's main entrance and adjacent to Smokey's Midway, a carnival-style pregame area with games and food. For groups that want a catered, reserved tailgate setup, REVELxp manages official reserved tailgates on the LBJ Lawn — tent, table, chair, and full-catering setups accommodating groups up to 40 people, with options from local partners like Chick-fil-A, Tacodeli, and Smokey Mo's.
Open tailgating is also permitted in yellow-marked spaces on UT's game-day parking map, and permit-lot holders can tailgate in their designated lots. Lots open at 7 a.m. for standard kickoffs, and 6 a.m. for 11 a.m. games. For the Texas Facilities Commission's additional tailgating options on state property near the Capitol Complex, those spaces are sold out most weeks by early in the season — book as far out as possible.
What Size Bus Does Your Group Need for a DKR Game Day?
Roundrockpartybuscompany.com connects you to options from a network of bus companies serving Round Rock — and the right vehicle depends on two things: your headcount and how much tailgate gear you're hauling. Here's how the lineup maps to a typical DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium run.
| Vehicle | Seats | Luggage/gear | Best for | Key amenities |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14-passenger Sprinter limo / Sprinter van | Up to ~14 | Modest — bags and a cooler | Small groups or corporate suite groups | Premium leather seating, USB charging, tinted privacy windows |
| Party bus (15–50 passengers) | ~15–50 | Onboard, lighter load | Fan groups wanting the rolling pregame experience | Built-in bar area, color-changing LED lighting, Bluetooth sound, flat-panel TVs |
| 15–35 passenger minibus | ~15–35 | Overhead plus some underfloor | Mid-size groups, corporate fan outings, away-day groups | Powerful A/C, plush reclining seats |
| 40–56 passenger charter bus | Up to 56 | Deep undercarriage bays | Large fan groups, company outings, alumni associations | Reclining seats, overhead storage, WiFi, power outlets, onboard restrooms, undercarriage bays |
For groups that want to keep the game-day energy rolling from the moment they leave Round Rock, a 15-to-50-passenger party bus typically comes with LED lighting, a sound system, and a built-in bar area to carry the pregame from pickup to State Lot 26. For larger groups with gear to haul — folding chairs, extra bags for the LBJ Lawn — a full-size charter bus gives you deep undercarriage bays for the equipment and an onboard restroom for the 19-mile run back north. ADA-accessible vehicles are available through the network; note it in your quote request.
Party Bus & Charter Bus Rental Prices for DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium Games
Pricing for a Round Rock to DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium bus rental moves with vehicle size, total hours, the specific game, and your pickup location. To give you a sense of planning ranges: a 15-to-35-passenger minibus typically runs $200–$250 per hour on weekdays and $200–$275 per hour on weekends. A 25-passenger party bus generally falls in the $250–$375 per hour range depending on date and day of week.
A 56-seat charter bus runs roughly $200–$350 per hour. Quotes reflect your specific date, hours, and pickup — these ranges are starting points for planning, not a binding number.
The factors that shape a DKR game-day quote specifically: total hours needed (travel from Round Rock, time at State Lot 26 for the Bevo Boulevard and Longhorn City Limits pregame, the game itself, and a realistic post-game buffer before the roads clear), the date and opponent — a marquee matchup or a ranked SEC night game prices differently than a September afternoon non-conference kickoff — and the mileage from Round Rock to State Lot 26 and back. Divide the bus cost across 20, 30, or 50 people and the per-head number often compares favorably to everyone paying $30 per car for a cash lot that may or may not still have spaces by the time they arrive.
To give you an idea: a group of 32 fans books a 35-passenger minibus for a Texas night game at DKR. Pickup from Round Rock at 3:30 p.m., at State Lot 26 by 4:15 p.m. — four hours before a 7:30 kickoff. The group catches the Longhorn City Limits headliner on the LBJ Lawn, walks Bevo Boulevard, and heads inside for kickoff.
The bus stages at State Lot 26 through the game, and the group rides UT's free shuttle back to the lot after the final whistle, with an arranged post-game window. A 7-hour rental in that range might come to around $1,750 — roughly $55 per person, with no $30 cash-lot fee, no caravan coordination, and no designated-driver situation. Check the Round Rock party bus prices page for a broader view of rates, or call 737-243-1670 any time for a free quote with no obligation.
Clear Bag Policy, Gate Entry, and What Every Group Needs to Know Before Arriving
DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium enforces a clear bag policy at every gate. Each guest may bring one clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC bag no larger than 12" × 6" × 12" — a one-gallon zip-lock bag also qualifies — plus a small clutch or wallet no larger than 4.5" × 6.5". Every member of the group, including children, may carry one of each.
Backpacks, fanny packs, and non-clear bags do not pass the gate. Review the official Texas Longhorns Fan Guide before your visit for the current entry requirements and any policy updates since this was written.
Gates open two hours before kickoff for most fans. UT students with Big Ticket Football passes can enter at Gate 25 starting three hours before kickoff. ADA-accessible entry is available at Gates 7, 14, 16, and 27.
Tickets are mobile and gate-specific — each ticket assigns an entry gate, so confirm it before your group splits up approaching the stadium from different directions. The official stadium address for navigation and guest services is 405 East 23rd Street, Austin, TX 78712. Special Accommodation parking for ADA guests runs $50 per vehicle on a first-come, first-served basis at Trinity Street near DeLoss Dodds Way and at Lot 118, available starting at 7 a.m.
Leaving DKR After the Game: The Exit Reality Every Group Planner Should Know
Post-game traffic at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium is slow by design — 100,119 fans exit a campus stadium onto a road network that was built in the 1920s, long before a six-figure crowd was part of the plan. Campus streets around the stadium lock up for roughly 45 minutes to an hour after the final whistle. Rideshare surge pricing during this window regularly runs two to three times the normal rate, and pickup wait times stretch as available cars thin out near campus.
The classic local advice is blunt: walk down Guadalupe to the bars, have a drink, and leave 40 minutes later when the roads have cleared. That works for one person with flexible plans. It's a harder ask for a group of 30 from Round Rock with a drive home ahead of them.
A charter bus rental handles this window cleanly. The bus stages at State Lot 26 during the game, your group sets a pickup window and a meeting spot for the bus before heading into the gates, and the bus is right there when the group makes it back to the lot — no waiting on an app, no surge fare, no regrouping across three different rideshare pickups. The route back north to Round Rock via I-35 North adds maybe 20 to 30 extra minutes right after a night game until the I-35 construction zone clears; everyone recaps the game while the bus handles the navigation.
For a daytime kickoff, the return run is usually clean within 30 to 45 minutes of leaving State Lot 26.
2026 Texas Longhorns Home Games at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium
Texas's SEC era has brought a new level of competition — and a new level of demand for group transportation — to the Longhorns' home calendar. The 2026 home slate at 405 East 23rd Street includes:
- September 5 — Texas State (3:30 p.m. CT)
- September 12 — Ohio State (7:30 p.m. CT)
- September 19 — UTSA (8 p.m. CT)
- October 17 — Florida (time TBD)
- October 24 — Ole Miss (time TBD)
- October 31 — Mississippi State (time TBD)
- November 21 — Arkansas (time TBD)
Texas plays Texas A&M and Oklahoma away from DKR in 2026 (the Aggies at Kyle Field, the Sooners at the neutral-site Red River rivalry game), which puts the September 12 Ohio State matchup in line for the season's biggest home-game demand for bus rentals from every direction north of Austin — book as early as your date is confirmed. For the early-season non-conference schedule, two to four weeks of lead time is workable. For any nationally televised night game or an SEC opponent with significant away-fan support, earlier is always better.
Call 737-243-1670 to check availability for your specific game date.
Frequently Asked Questions About Getting to DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium by Bus
Where does a charter bus or party bus park at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium?
The official designated location for RVs, charter buses, and oversized vehicles on Longhorns game days is State Lot 26 at 701 W. 51st Street, Austin, TX 78751, per the UT Parking and Transportation Services football parking page. Spaces run $10 each on game day (or $20 for overnight arrival from 6 p.m. the day before through noon the day after). No advance reservations are taken — payment is at the lot on game day.
UT provides a free round-trip shuttle to the stadium from across Guadalupe Street at the UT Athletics Fields; confirm the current shuttle schedule and stadium-side drop-off point on UT's parking page before your trip.
Where is the rideshare and bus drop-off zone at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium?
The designated rideshare pickup and drop-off area is on the south curb of Dean Keeton Street between Robert Dedman Drive and Red River Street — roughly 10 to 15 minutes on foot from the stadium gates. Charter bus and party bus groups using State Lot 26 reach the stadium via the UT shuttle and arrive in the same general Dean Keeton corridor, so bus groups and rideshare passengers land close to the same entry flow. The inner stadium block itself requires a Longhorn Foundation permit or ADA credentials to enter, which is why buses and large vehicles route through Lot 26 rather than attempting to enter the campus core.
How far is Round Rock from DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium?
Approximately 19 miles via I-35 South — typically a 20-to-23-minute drive under normal conditions. On a major home game Saturday, budget 40 to 60 minutes or more depending on kickoff time and the opponent. The closer you arrive to kickoff, the worse the campus approach congestion gets, particularly at the MLK Boulevard and San Jacinto intersection near the east side of campus.
What is the I-35 construction situation coming from Round Rock?
The TxDOT I-35 Capital Express Central construction project is reshaping the highway through central Austin. The critical detail for groups arriving from Round Rock: if you need to exit at Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, you must stay on the lower deck of I-35 to take that exit — the MLK Blvd. exit is not accessible from the upper deck due to the construction reconfiguration. Missing it means adding significant time to loop back.
One-way street patterns around the stadium take effect at 5 a.m. on game day, and 18th Street often closes two to four hours before kickoff.
How early should a bus group from Round Rock leave for a DKR game?
For a standard afternoon kickoff, leaving Round Rock three to four hours before game time gives the group comfortable time to make the I-35 run, arrive at State Lot 26, catch the UT shuttle, walk Bevo Boulevard, and reach seats before kickoff. For a marquee night game — Ohio State, or any ranked SEC opponent — add an extra buffer. State Lot 26 fills faster on high-demand dates, the shuttle lines are longer, and campus approach roads back up earlier in the day.
For 11 a.m. kickoffs, lots open at 6 a.m. rather than 7 a.m., so early arrivals have the most options.
What is the clear bag policy at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium?
Each fan may bring one clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC bag no larger than 12" × 6" × 12" — or a one-gallon zip-lock bag — plus one small clutch or wallet no larger than 4.5" × 6.5". Backpacks and non-clear bags are prohibited at all entry gates. The official Texas Longhorns Fan Guide has the current policy details and any updates for the current season; check it before game day rather than relying on prior-season guidance.
When do gates open at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium?
Gates open two hours before kickoff for most fans. UT students with Big Ticket Football passes can enter at Gate 25 starting three hours before kickoff. ADA-accessible entry is at Gates 7, 14, 16, and 27.
Each mobile ticket specifies a gate assignment — your group should confirm assigned gates before dispersing toward different sides of the stadium perimeter.
How long does post-game traffic last at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium?
Campus roads around the stadium typically remain congested for 45 minutes to over an hour after the final whistle. Rideshare surge pricing during that window runs two to three times the standard rate. The local consensus for people who drove is to find a spot nearby, wait roughly 40 minutes, and then leave once the worst has cleared.
For a group with a bus staged at State Lot 26, the pickup window is agreed on in advance — no surge negotiation, no waiting in a rideshare queue. The group heads back through the Dean Keeton corridor to the UT shuttle, rides back to the lot, and the bus is ready.
Does Capital Metro serve DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium on game days?
Yes. Capital Metro routes 642, 670, 7, and 837 run near the stadium on game days. The closest stop is at 2031 San Jacinto at 21st Street — about a three-minute walk to the gates.
This works well for individuals or small groups already in Austin, but it doesn't address the Round Rock-to-Austin leg for a group traveling together from north of the city.
How much does parking cost at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium?
Limited general public cash lots run around $30 per car on game day and fill quickly. Most spots within convenient walking distance require Longhorn Foundation permits bought well before the season. State garages near the Capitol Complex (managed by the Texas Facilities Commission) are an additional option, though they add significant walking distance.
Special Accommodation parking for ADA guests at Trinity Street near DeLoss Dodds Way costs $50 per vehicle on a first-come basis from 7 a.m. State Lot 26 for buses and oversized vehicles runs $10 per space on game day, with UT's free shuttle service — the most cost-effective option for a group arriving together.
Are ADA-accessible buses available for DKR game day trips?
Yes — ADA-accessible vehicles are available through the network. Note your group's needs in the quote request, and confirm at least 48 hours before your departure date so the right vehicle can be arranged. At the stadium, ADA entry is available at Gates 7, 14, 16, and 27, and Special Accommodation parking is available at Trinity Street near DeLoss Dodds Way and Lot 118 from 7 a.m. on game day.
Request a Bus to DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium from Round Rock
One hundred thousand Longhorns fans in a stadium that opened in 1924, on a campus where most parking requires a membership — there's no Texas fall experience like it, and no simpler way to get there from Round Rock than one bus that handles the I-35 run, the State Lot 26 staging, and the post-game exit while everyone else is still sorting out surge pricing on Dean Keeton Street. Whether you need a 25-passenger party bus for a group of close friends, a minibus for a corporate group with reserved tailgate spots on the LBJ Lawn, or a full 56-seat charter bus for a large alumni organization's game-day trip, Roundrockpartybuscompany.com connects you to options from a network of bus companies serving Round Rock. Get pricing in under 30 seconds through the online form, or call 737-243-1670 any time — no account required, no obligation, and the quote is free.
Planning another Austin-area event on the same trip? The guides for Moody Center and Circuit of the Americas each cover their own drop-off logistics and approach details.
