Planning a wedding in New York City? Here’s the thing about guest transportation. It’s not optional. Between traffic that defies all logic, venues with zero parking, and trying to move 50 people from Manhattan to Brooklyn on a Saturday night, how you handle getting your guests around can completely change their experience.

This checklist walks you through everything you need to know about arranging transportation for your wedding guests, from the first planning stages to the moment they arrive at your reception.

Start Planning Early (6-9 Months Before)

Figure Out Who Needs a Ride

First, count how many out-of-town guests you’re expecting. These are the people who need the most help since they don’t know the city.

Next, check where your hotel block is and measure the distance to your ceremony and reception venues. But here’s what matters more than distance: actual travel time. That four-mile trip from a Manhattan church to a Brooklyn reception? It’ll take 50 minutes on a Friday evening. Always use realistic NYC travel times, not what Google Maps shows at 2 AM.

Does Your Venue Require Shuttles?

If any of these sound familiar, the answer is yes:

• Your ceremony and reception are in different boroughs
• Your venue has little to no parking
• You’re serving alcohol at the reception
• Most of your guests are visiting from out of town
• The party runs late into the evening

Think about your older relatives and anyone with mobility issues too. Door-to-door service beats navigating subway stairs in a cocktail dress.

Choosing the Right Vehicle (4-6 Months Before)

Matching Vehicle Size to Guest Count

The right choice depends on how many people you’re moving and what you can spend.

• For 10-15 guests: A Mercedes Sprinter works well for your wedding party or VIP guests. The lower step height makes it easier to climb in when you’re wearing fancy clothes.
• For 20-35 guests: A minibus can handle multiple hotel pickups and fits through Manhattan streets without issue.
• For 40-56 guests: A full charter bus keeps everyone together and turns the ride into part of the celebration.

One-Way vs. Round-Trip vs. Shuttle Loop

• One-way service drops guests at your venue. They figure out their own way back. This works if a lot of people are staying late or live in the area.
• Round-trip service picks guests up and brings them back at set times. This gives everyone peace of mind about getting home safe, especially if you’re serving drinks.
• Continuous shuttle loops run throughout your event at regular intervals. Guests can come and go whenever they want. You’ll pay for more hours, but it gives people the most flexibility.

Finalizing Your Plan (1-3 Months Before)

Creating a Realistic Timeline

Write out a detailed schedule with full street addresses (not just hotel names), pickup times, travel time with a buffer for traffic, and when guests should arrive.

Add 15-20 minutes to whatever your GPS says for traffic delays. If your ceremony starts at 4:00 PM and the hotel is 30 minutes away, have the shuttle leave at 3:15 PM.

Here’s what that looks like:

• 3:15 PM – Hotel lobby, guest pickup begins (driver arrives at 3:05 PM)
• 3:30 PM – Shuttle departs (includes a buffer for anyone running late)
• 4:05 PM – Guests arrive at ceremony venue (10 minutes before the 4:00 PM start)

Assigning a Transportation Coordinator

Pick a reliable friend, family member, or your planner to handle the transportation captain role. This cannot be you or your partner.

Give this person the driver’s contact info, your complete timeline, and permission to make quick calls if something goes wrong. They should show up 10 minutes early at each pickup spot to greet guests, answer questions, and confirm the headcount with the driver.

Communicating Shuttle Details to Guests

Add a transportation page to your wedding website with vehicle descriptions, pickup locations and addresses, departure times, and what to do if someone misses the shuttle.

Put a note in your invitation mentioning shuttle service. You don’t need every detail here, just enough so guests know it exists.

For guests staying in your room block, work with the hotel concierge to post signs in the lobby with shuttle times and locations. This catches anyone who missed your earlier messages.

That Last Week Before You Say “I Do”

Five days before your wedding, confirm everything with your transportation provider. Double-check vehicle count, pickup times, driver contact info, and any special requests.

Three days before, email guests a reminder with:

• The exact pickup location (throw in a Google Maps screenshot)
• Departure time
• When they should be in the lobby
• A contact number for day-of questions

On your wedding day, make sure your transportation captain has the driver’s number saved and carries a printed timeline and guest list as backup.

What’s Your Plan for Moving Everyone Around the City?

That 8-Mile Trip That Takes an Hour

A ceremony in Manhattan and reception in Queens might only be eight miles apart. On a Friday evening? Plan for over an hour. Bridges and tunnels create backups that GPS doesn’t always predict, so give yourself extra time for cross-borough routes.

Most NYC Venues Have Space for Maybe Four Cars

Historic Manhattan buildings, Brooklyn waterfront venues, and garden spaces usually have room for three or four cars max. Asking guests to hunt for street parking in a neighborhood they don’t know just adds stress they don’t need. A shuttle takes that problem off the table.

Your Cousin from Ohio Doesn’t Know the L Train

The subway system confuses visitors, especially when they’re dressed up for a wedding. Taxi availability is hit or miss, and rideshare prices during peak hours can shock people. Group transportation removes all these uncertainties.

Breaking Down the Timeline So You Don’t Have To

• 6-9 months before: Figure out guest count, check your locations, decide if you need transportation (book during off-peak months for better rates)
• 4-6 months before: Choose your vehicles, pick your service type, get quotes (reserve early for May through October weddings)
• 1-3 months before: Lock in your timeline, assign a captain, update your website (share the timeline with your venue and photographer too)
• 1 week before: Confirm everything with your provider and review all details (keep a backup contact number handy)
• 3 days before: Send reminder emails with pickup details and a map (screenshots prevent confusion)
• Wedding day: Your captain runs the show with printed backups (keep the driver’s number available for updates)

Why You Did All That Planning in the First Place

Good guest transportation is one of the most thoughtful things you can do for your wedding guests. It cuts down on stress, keeps everyone safe, and lets people focus on celebrating instead of worrying about logistics.

Work through this checklist and find transportation providers who know NYC weddings. Your guests will show up relaxed, on time, and ready to have a great night. From planning through your last dance, organized transportation supports everything else you’re trying to make happen on your wedding day in the city.