If you’ve spent any time scrolling Rocket League lobby feeds lately, you’ve probably seen players zipping around in the goofy, bright yellow Fortnite Battle Bus, and wondered how to get your hands on one. I still remember the first time I saw it during a casual doubles match: a giant yellow bus came flying out of nowhere to demolish me right as I was about to score the game-winning goal. I was annoyed at first, but immediately pulled up the post-match lobby to find out what that car was, and how I could get one. Crossover skins are some of the most sought-after cosmetics in the game, and this one stands out for its playful design and nod to one of the world’s biggest battle royales. In this guide, we’re breaking down exactly how to get the Fortnite bus in Rocket League, no hacks or paid exploits required. We’ve tested every unlock path ourselves to make sure you don’t waste time on outdated or fake methods that don’t work.
Prerequisites to Get the Fortnite Bus in Rocket League
First, let’s clear up a common misconception: the Fortnite bus is not a separate vehicle with a unique hitbox. It’s a cosmetic skin for the Octane, the most popular car body in Rocket League, so it handles exactly the same as the base Octane you probably already use. That means you don’t have to sacrifice performance for fun when you use it. There are only a few basic requirements you need to meet before you can unlock it, and none of them cost money if you catch it during an event.
You do not need to purchase any paid DLC or battle passes to unlock it, despite what random social media comments might claim. The only hard requirement is a valid Epic Games account linked to your Rocket League profile, regardless of what platform you play on. That goes for PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, and PC players all the same. Make sure your Rocket League account is linked to your Epic Games account before the event starts, because progress won’t be counted retroactively if you link halfway through.
You also don’t need to have Fortnite installed or have a Fortnite account to unlock the bus, though there is an optional unlock path for players who already play both games. We’ll cover that in the next section.
All Valid Unlock Methods for the Fortnite Battle Bus
There are only three official ways to get the Fortnite bus, and all of them run through Epic’s official channels. Any other method you see advertised online is almost certainly a scam, so stick to these options to avoid losing your account or wasting money. We’ve personally unlocked the bus through two of these methods, so we can confirm they work as advertised.
- Complete event-specific challenges during official Llama-Rama collaboration events in Rocket League: These challenges usually include winning 10 online matches, getting 25 assists, or scoring 15 goals with a crossover item equipped. They’re designed to be accessible for casual players, so you don’t have to be a Grand Champion to finish them.
- Link your Epic Games account and complete corresponding Fortnite challenges: If you already play Fortnite, you can unlock the bus by finishing 3 zero build battle royale matches and claiming the reward from the event tab, which syncs to your Rocket League account automatically. This is a great option if you already log into Fortnite regularly for daily challenges.
- Purchase from the limited-time item shop during crossover reruns: If you missed the initial unlock event, the bus occasionally shows up in the Rocket League item shop for 800 credits, usually alongside other Fortnite crossover cosmetics like decals and boosts.
For example, during the 2023 Llama-Rama event, the Rocket League exclusive challenges took most players less than 2 hours to complete, even if they only play casual matches. We recommend prioritizing the event challenge path over purchasing it, since it costs no credits and you usually unlock extra cosmetics like decals and toppers along the way. If you don’t play Fortnite, don’t worry. You don’t have to download it or create an account to unlock the bus through Rocket League’s own event challenges. The Fortnite challenge path is just an alternative for players who already spend time in that game.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Trying to Unlock the Bus
We’ve talked to dozens of players who missed out on unlocking the bus in past events because of simple, avoidable mistakes, so we’re laying them out here to make sure you don’t run into the same issues. The most common mistake is forgetting to link your Epic account before you start completing challenges. If you finish all the event challenges then link your account after, none of that progress will count, and you’ll have to wait for the next event to try again.
Another common mistake is leaving event challenges for the last day. We saw a lot of players miss out on the bus during the last Llama-Rama because server outages prevented them from finishing their challenges right before the event ended. Give yourself at least 2 days to complete the challenges so you don’t run into last-minute issues. Do not trust any third-party tool or service that claims to unlock the Fortnite bus outside of official event or item shop windows. These sites almost always ask for your account login information, and will either steal your account or charge you for a code that doesn’t work.
You also shouldn’t waste credits on random trade offers from other players, since the Fortnite bus is almost always untradeable. Any player offering to sell or trade the bus to you is scamming you, and you’ll lose whatever credits or items you send them with no way to get them back. If you’re completing Fortnite challenges to get the bus, double check that you’re logged into the same Epic account you use for Rocket League, otherwise the reward won’t sync across games.
Customization Tips for Your Fortnite Battle Bus
Once you have the bus unlocked, you can tweak it to fit your playstyle and aesthetic, just like any other Octane skin. Since it uses the exact same hitbox as the base Octane, it’s fully viable for competitive ranked play, not just a fun gimmick for casual lobbies. I’ve used it in my last 10 ranked doubles matches, and I didn’t notice any difference in handling or hit detection compared to my usual Octane skin.
You can pair it with bright, neon decals to make it stand out even more, or go for a matte black wrap if you want a more understated look (as understated as a giant school bus can be, anyway). If you’re someone who likes to show off in lobbies, you can pair the bus with the Fortnite umbrella topper and rainbow boost to make it look exactly like the Battle Bus that drops players into Fortnite matches. It’s a great conversation starter, and I’ve had more than a few opponents send me friendly messages asking where I got it after matches.
For competitive players, we recommend skipping flashy toppers and boosts that might block your view of the ball during matches. The bus itself is already pretty large, so adding a big topper can make it harder to see the ball when it’s right in front of you. The good news is that the bus works with all existing Octane decals, so you don’t have to buy new cosmetics to customize it if you already have a collection of decals you love. Just be prepared for other players to target you more often, since the bus is hard to miss on the pitch.
At the end of the day, unlocking the Fortnite bus in Rocket League is a pretty straightforward process if you keep an eye out for official crossover events and follow the steps we laid out. It’s one of the most fun crossover cosmetics in the game, and it works perfectly for both casual lobbies with friends and ranked matches where you want to stand out from the crowd. If you haven’t grabbed it yet, set a reminder for the next Llama-Rama event, and you’ll be zooming around the pitch in your bright yellow bus before you know it.
