Ride the Bus - Drinking Game Rules & How to Play

Ride the Bus is a drinking game in the Card Games category for 2-8 players that takes about 20-30 min with a medium difficulty level.

Guess the cards right or drink your way through

Equipment Needed

• Deck of cards
• Drinks

Setup

Shuffle the deck and deal 4 cards face-down to each player in a row.

How to Play Ride the Bus

1. The game has three phases:
2. Phase 1 - Individual Guessing:
3. Red or Black? - Guess the color. Wrong = 1 drink.
4. Higher or Lower? - Guess if the next card is higher or lower. Wrong = 2 drinks.
5. Inside or Outside? - Guess if the card is between or outside your first two. Wrong = 3 drinks.
6. Guess the Suit - Hardest guess. Wrong = 4 drinks.
7. Phase 2 - The Pyramid:
8. Deal cards in a pyramid (5-4-3-2-1). Flip each card - if you have a matching value, give drinks equal to the row number.
9. Phase 3 - Ride the Bus:
10. The player with the most cards remaining has to ride the bus. Deal 4 cards - guess red/black, high/low, inside/outside, and suit. Miss any = start over!

Tips & Strategies

The pyramid phase is where alliances form and break. Don't save your best cards for the bus!

Variations

Some play where you must drink and restart the bus if you get any wrong. Others allow one mulligan.

Players: 2-8 | Duration: 20-30 min | Difficulty: medium

Related Drinking Games

• Presidents Drinking — Card shedding game with social drinking hierarchy
• Double Trouble Cards — Partner card matching game
• Kings Cup — The classic card game where each card has a rule - draw and drink!
• Rummy Drinking — Gin Rummy where point differences mean drinks
• Across the Bridge — Flip cards to cross the bridge without hitting face cards
• Hearts Drinking — Hearts card game with drinking penalties
• Blackjack Drinking — Blackjack where losing means drinking
• Snap — Slap matching cards or drink

From Our Blog

• Large Party Games That Will Get the Good Times Rolling — Hey there! You've got a large party in the works, and you're looking to make it unforgettable with some killer games. No worries, I've got you covered. After hosting countless game nights that turned ...
• Weekend Party Ideas for Non-Stop Fun — There’s something magical about weekends. They're the perfect time to unwind, gather your favorite people, and let loose with some epic party games. Whether you're hosting in your living room or takin...
• Weekend Party Ideas That'll Keep the Fun Flowing — Hey there, party planner extraordinaire! If you’re looking to spice up your weekend with some epic party ideas, you’ve hit the jackpot. I’ve been hosting party game nights for years, and let me tell y...

Browse more Card Games drinking games or see all drinking games.