Amtrak Thruway

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A Van Hool C2045L Amtrak California Thruway Motorcoach at the Bakersfield station

Amtrak Thruway is a system of through-ticketed transportation services to connect passengers with areas not served by Amtrak trains. In most cases these are dedicated motorcoach routes, but can also be non-dedicated intercity bus services, transit buses, vans, taxis, ferry boats and commuter rail trains.

Train and Thruway tickets are typically purchased together from Amtrak for the length of a passenger's journey and connections are timed for guaranteed transfers between the two services.

In addition to providing connecting service to unserved areas, some Thruway services operate as redundant service along passenger rail corridors to add extra capacity.

History and purpose[]

Amtrak operates the Thruway network to extend the reach of its train services, offering connections to destinations not directly served by Amtrak trains. The earliest incarnation of such a service was launched in January 1973, to provide a connection between Amtrak's Inter-American in Laredo, Texas, and the Aztec Eagle train run by N de M from Nuevo Laredo, Mexico.[1] The following year, Amtrak launched an agreement with Greyhound allowing for passengers to buy combined bus and rail tickets for connecting services run by the two companies. These services were the predecessors of Thruway Motorcoach. The first Amtrak bus service to bear the name "Amtrak Thruway" was launched in California in 1993.[2] Amtrak launched a significant expansion of Thruway Motorcoach services across the United States in 2014.[1]

Routes[]

Northeast[]

Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach at Newport News station, January 2013

East[]

Midwest[]

West[]

Pacific Northwest[]

California[]

Passengers boarding a YARTS bus at the Merced, California station operating as Amtrak California Thruway Motorcoach route 15 to Yosemite.

Substitution for Amtrak trains[]

Thruway buses can also be used as an alternative to the Amtrak Downeaster on the following segments:

  • Boston (North Station) to Dover, Exeter, or Durham/UNH – one northbound (Bus 8619) and one southbound (Bus 8618) (C&J bus)- this segment can be reserved through Amtrak ticketing systems
  • Boston (South Station) to Portland, Maine – Portland/Boston Flexpass is valid on Concord Coach or Downeaster runs between Portland and Boston – no reservations required (The Downeaster serves Boston-North Station, while Concord Coach serves Boston-South Station

References[]

  1. ^ a b "Historic Timeline — Amtrak: History of America's Railroad". history.amtrak.com. Retrieved 2021-11-25.
  2. ^ Munson, Jeff (April 27, 1993). "Amtrak offers link to valley". The Union Democrat. Retrieved November 24, 2021.
  3. ^ Berlin and Conway, NH, Concord Coach Lines. Retrieved 2017-08-25.
  4. ^ Littleton and Plymouth, NH, Concord Coach Lines. Retrieved 2017-08-25.
  5. ^ Vacations in North Carolina by Train and Thruway Bus, Amtrak. Retrieved 2017-08-25.
  6. ^ Route 5, Piedmont Authority for Regional Transit. Retrieved 2017-08-25.
  7. ^ "Cascades (Portland-Eugene) - POINT". Retrieved 2021-10-11.
  8. ^ "Route 1C: Bakersfield – Burbank – Westwood/UCLA – Santa Monica". Amtrak San Joaquins. Retrieved 2022-03-04.
  9. ^ "Amtrak Rt 21 Reinstated Bus Service Effective November 1, 2020". 31 October 2020.

External links[]

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