Most visitors see New Orleans from a bus window, on someone else's timetable. A private tour changes that. You choose the route, the speed, and the vehicle waits for you, not the other way around.
Jazzy Limousine & Shuttle has a tour guide license, which most ground transport companies in this city do not have. This means your driver can tell you what you are looking at, and it also means we can take you to places a simple bus or van cannot go. For example, St.
Louis Cemetery No. 1 needs a licensed guide to go inside. So, with us, that door is either open to you or it is not.
We also provide vehicles and drivers to tour operators, agencies, and groups that have their own guide. This arrangement is explained later in the text.
City tour rates
All city tours require at least three hours. Tips and fuel costs are billed separately.
| Vehicle | Capacity | Hourly Rate | Minimum | Starts At |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sedan | 2 passengers | $160/hr | 3 hours | $480 |
| SUV | 6 passengers | $190/hr | 3 hours | $570 |
| Sprinter | 14 passengers | $275/hr | 3 hours | $825 |
| Bus | 24 passengers | $350/hr | 3 hours | $1,050 |
| Bus | 32 passengers | $425/hr | 3 hours | $1,275 |
| Motorcoach | 56 passengers | $475/hr | 5 hours | $2,375 |
Routes
The city loop. French Quarter, Jackson Square, the Garden District and St. Charles Avenue, City Park, and Tremé. Three to four hours covers it at a reasonable pace with stops for photographs. Bourbon Street closes to vehicles in the evening and much of the Quarter is best seen on foot, so a good city tour is a series of short walks connected by the vehicle.
Cemeteries. St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 requires a licensed guide for entry. This is where the license matters in practice rather than on paper.
River Road plantations. Oak Alley, Laura, and Whitney sit about an hour from the Quarter. Budget six to eight hours round trip for one site including the visit, and a full eight hour charter for two.
Swamp and bayou. Jean Lafitte and the Barataria Preserve are roughly 45 minutes south. Most groups pair a swamp tour operator with private transport rather than taking a shared shuttle, which means you leave when you want to.
Gulf Coast and Baton Rouge. Longer day trips are quoted as distance charters rather than hourly city tours. Call for a rate.
For tour operators and groups
If you run tours and need licensed capacity, the split is simple. You provide the guide and the itinerary. We supply the vehicles, drivers, insurance, and follow all rules.
We can do this on a regular schedule if your season needs it. This works well for travel agencies, cruise lines with turnaround days, hotel concierge services, conference planners, and destination management groups. The volume for repeat trips is priced separately from the hourly rates listed above.
Planning notes
Vehicle size affects routes, not just how much they can carry. Many streets in the French Quarter and Garden District cannot fit a 32-passenger bus, and a motorcoach is even more limited. For a group of 30 who want real access to the Quarter, two Sprinter vans often work better than one bus.
Allow more time than the map shows. Stops take longer than people think once the group gets bigger than about twelve. The fifteen minutes needed to get back on the bus is the main reason tours go over time, not traffic.
Book two to three weeks ahead for a normal date. For big events like festivals, Mardi Gras, cruise turnaround days, and Saints or LSU home game weekends, book six to eight weeks ahead. This is because the same vehicles are used for event work on those days.
Book tour transportation
Call (504) 320-8448 with your date, group size, and the route you have in mind. Tell us whether you need a guide or transportation only.
We serve New Orleans, Metairie, Kenner, Slidell, Mandeville, Covington, Hammond, Baton Rouge, and the Gulf Coast. The rules for canceling a booking you have already confirmed are shown at /terms-conditions.
Related
- City tour services
- Airport transfers for groups arriving at MSY
- Party bus rental for celebration groups
- See the fleet or check rates
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does tour transportation cost in New Orleans?
City tour rates are $160 per hour for a sedan seating 2, $190 per hour for an SUV seating 6, $275 per hour for a Sprinter seating 14, $350 per hour for a 24 passenger bus, and $425 per hour for a 32 passenger bus. All city tours carry a three hour minimum. Gratuity and fuel surcharge are billed separately.
Do you provide a guide or just the vehicle?
Both are available. We hold a tour guide license and can arrange a narrated tour, or we can provide licensed, insured transportation for a tour operator or group bringing its own guide. Tell us which you need at booking, because guided tours are scheduled against guide availability as well as vehicle availability.
How long is a plantation tour from New Orleans?
Plan six to eight hours round trip for one plantation along River Road, including travel and the site visit. Oak Alley, Laura, and Whitney are roughly an hour each way from the French Quarter. Two plantations in one day is a full eight hour charter.
Can you handle a tour group of 50 or more?
Yes. A motorcoach seats 56 and runs $475 per hour with a five hour minimum. For groups between 32 and 56 we will usually recommend either the motorcoach or two smaller vehicles depending on the route, since some Quarter and Garden District streets cannot accommodate a full size coach.
Do you work with tour operators on a recurring basis?
Yes. We provide contracted transportation for tour operators, travel agencies, cruise lines, hotels, and event planners who need licensed capacity on a repeating schedule. Call (504) 320-8448 to discuss recurring rates.
How far in advance should tour transportation be booked?
Two to three weeks for a standard date. Six to eight weeks for festival weekends, Mardi Gras, cruise turnaround days, and Saints or LSU home game weekends, when the same vehicles are committed to event work.