Preakness Stakes 2027 Infield Pass + Pimlico Charter Bus Guide

Preakness is coming back to Pimlico in 2027

After the 2026 Preakness ran at Laurel Park because of the Pimlico redevelopment, the 152nd running of the Preakness Stakes returns to its historic Pimlico Race Course on Saturday, May 15, 2027. Black-Eyed Susan Day is the day before — Friday, May 14, 2027. This is a massive Baltimore moment. The redeveloped Pimlico will draw the largest crowds the track has seen in over a decade.

If you're planning a Preakness group right now (and you should be — Pimlico-area hotels are already booking), this guide walks through the charter and party bus logistics: where to pick up, how to get into the track, infield rules for groups, and the pricing reality of a top-tier Baltimore weekend.

Why a bus is mandatory at Pimlico

Pimlico is in Park Heights, a residential Northwest Baltimore neighborhood. There is essentially no parking. Maryland Jockey Club operates remote parking lots with shuttles for general admission, but the lots fill 90 minutes before post time of the first race and the shuttle wait coming home can be 90+ minutes. Rideshare drop-off zones are gridlocked from 11 AM onward.

A chartered party bus or coach drops your group directly at the designated Hayward Avenue or Northern Parkway entrances, bus parks at one of three designated bus lots, and is there waiting when you walk out. For a 20-30 person group, this is the difference between getting home at 8 PM and getting home at 11 PM after a 3-hour shuttle ordeal.

Best pickup neighborhoods for a Pimlico run

Pimlico is at 5201 Park Heights Avenue. Easiest pickup neighborhoods (in order of bus access):

• Mount Washington / Cross Keys — 10 minutes from Pimlico via Greenspring Avenue. Easy bus loading at the Mount Washington Tavern or the Lake Falls Village parking lots.
• Pikesville — 15 minutes. Reisterstown Road corridor pickup. Good for groups coming in from Owings Mills or northwest Baltimore County.
• Hampden — 12 minutes. The Avenue (W. 36th St) parking is bus-friendly off-hours; Falls Road north of Cold Spring works well.
• Federal Hill / Inner Harbor — 25 minutes. Big draw because Preakness groups want pre-game brunch at Inner Harbor / Harbor East restaurants.
• Towson — 22 minutes. Towson groups usually rendezvous at Towson Town Center or the courthouse lots.

Infield vs Clubhouse — different group strategies

Pimlico runs two completely different Preakness experiences:

• The Infield — general admission, $90-150 per ticket, music stages, food trucks, BYOB historically (check 2027 rules — the redeveloped track may change policy). This is the 25-and-under, fraternity-and-sorority, bachelorette-party crowd. A 30-passenger party bus is exactly the right vehicle.
• Grandstand / Clubhouse — reserved seating, $250-2,500 per seat depending on level, no BYOB, dress code (sport coat suggested in club), full hospitality. This is the corporate group / wedding-party / 30-and-up crowd. A stretch limo or mini-coach is more appropriate.
• Hospitality tents / Turfside — $1,500-5,000 per seat, all-inclusive food and beverage. Best for a 10-14 person executive group; pair with a Sprinter limo or 14-passenger party bus.

Black-Eyed Susan Day Friday — the locals' day

Friday May 14, 2027 is Black-Eyed Susan Day — same track, smaller crowds, lower ticket prices, and the running of the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (the female counterpart to Preakness). For Maryland locals and Baltimore bachelorette groups, Friday is the move.

A typical Black-Eyed Susan group: pickup 11 AM from a Federal Hill brunch spot (Miss Shirley's or Cunningham's), at Pimlico by noon, races through 5 PM, then party bus continues into Mount Washington for dinner (Mount Washington Tavern, The Nickel Taphouse) and a Hampden after-hours stop (Holy Frijoles, The Charmery for ice cream). 8 hour party bus charter, ~$2,200 for 30-passenger.

Saturday Preakness Day — the marathon

Preakness Day Saturday is a 10-12 hour bus charter. Typical schedule for a 25-person group:

• 9:30 AM — bus arrives Federal Hill pickup (or Mount Vernon, or wherever the group is staging).
• 10:00 AM — pre-Preakness brunch on the bus (catered bagels + breakfast burritos + bloodys is the move). Roll toward Pimlico.
• 11:00 AM — drop at Pimlico Hayward Ave entrance. Gates open ~11:30.
• ~7:00 PM — Preakness Stakes runs (post time is traditionally 6:50 PM).
• 7:30 PM — winning team interview ends; mass exodus begins. Bus picks up at the same Hayward Ave entrance.
• 8:00 PM — dinner stop in Federal Hill or Inner Harbor.
• 10:30 PM — Fells Point / Canton bar crawl finish.
• 1:30 AM — final drop.

That's 16 billable hours, but a flat "all day Preakness" rate is usually available at ~$3,400-4,000 for a 30-passenger. Worth it.

Wedding parties at Preakness — a real thing

Mid-May 2027 is also peak wedding season, and a surprising number of Baltimore couples have started incorporating Preakness Friday or Saturday into their wedding weekend — guests fly in for the wedding Saturday night, get an afternoon at the track Friday, post-rehearsal-dinner Black-Eyed Susan party Friday night. If that's your group, you want two coordinated vehicles:

1. A 40-passenger party bus or coach for the guest run to/from Pimlico.
2. A stretch limo or executive Sprinter for the couple and parents.

Our Baltimore wedding transportation team handles this kind of multi-vehicle coordination weekly during peak season. See also our full wedding transportation service page for the longer planning checklist.

Pricing reality for Preakness 2027

Preakness Saturday is a "Tier A" surge date in Baltimore, same level as New Year's Eve and Ravens prime-time home games. Hourly rates are 15-25% above standard. Expect:

• 20-passenger party bus, 10-hour Preakness Saturday: ~$2,800 all-in
• 30-passenger party bus, 12-hour Preakness Saturday: ~$3,800 all-in
• 40-passenger party bus, 12-hour Preakness Saturday: ~$4,500 all-in
• 56-passenger MCI coach, 12-hour Preakness Saturday: ~$3,500 all-in (best $/seat; no LED or sound system)
• 10-passenger stretch limo, 8-hour Preakness Saturday: ~$1,800

Black-Eyed Susan Friday rates run about 15-20% below Saturday. Booking window: buses for Preakness 2027 are already half-booked as of June 2026. The 56-passenger coaches and 40-passenger party buses are the first to go. Don't wait past Labor Day 2026.

The redeveloped Pimlico — what's actually new in 2027

The Maryland Stadium Authority's $400M+ Pimlico redevelopment is scheduled to be complete in time for the 2027 Preakness return. Expected changes that affect group transportation:

• New track configuration — the old grandstand has been replaced. Sightlines from grandstand and infield will be different. Group ticket maps will be re-released closer to event.
• Improved bus drop-off zones — the renovated facility includes dedicated charter bus loops at both the Hayward Avenue and Northern Parkway entrances. Easier ingress/egress than the legacy facility.
• Expanded hospitality tents — the Turfside and Sky Suite hospitality program is expanding to more locations. Corporate group buyers have more options.
• Updated infield programming — confirm 2027-season alcohol/BYOB rules with the track operator before promising your group they can bring their own.

Net effect for group transport: the new facility is easier to charter into. Same neighborhoods, same routing, but cleaner drop-off and pickup. Our drivers will be running a pre-event recon drive in April 2027 to confirm the bus routing once the construction barriers come down.

Hotel pairing strategy

Out-of-town groups attending Preakness almost always want walk-able pre-game brunch and a real post-race night. The hotel choices that pair best with your bus:

• Sagamore Pendry Fells Point — the Atlas Restaurant Group hotel, premium price, killer Saturday brunch (Rec Pier Chop House), walking distance to Thames Street nightlife. Bus picks up at the front circle.
• Four Seasons Baltimore (Harbor East) — corporate hospitality favorite. Charleston Restaurant downstairs for Friday dinner.
• Marriott Waterfront (Inner Harbor) — large block rooms, central location, easy bus access.
• Mt. Washington Tavern area inns — smaller boutique stays in Towson-adjacent neighborhoods. Closer to the track, less Inner Harbor distraction.
• Annapolis Inner Harbor hotels — 35 minutes from the track but pair well with a Friday Naval Academy or Eastern Shore add-on. Annapolis-based packages work for groups wanting a more low-key weekend.

How to lock your Preakness bus today

Drop your date (May 14 or May 15, 2027), group size, and pickup neighborhood into the free quote form. We'll send pricing within 4 hours and hold the bus refundably for 14 days while you collect your group's deposits. The earlier you book, the better the bus selection — the premium 30 and 40-passenger fleet goes first.

Related: Baltimore party bus cost guide · Wedding transportation booking timeline · Event transportation Baltimore · Stretch Hummer Baltimore.