Amtrak Thruway Buses: How to Reach the Off-Network Cities

Amtrak's rail network reaches roughly 500 stations. Through the Thruway connecting bus program, Amtrak sells single-ticket itineraries to several hundred more — cities that have no rail service of their own but are essential origins and destinations for state-supported corridor travel.

Western Thruway

The western Thruway network, the largest in the system, feeds the Pacific Surfliner, Capitol Corridor, and San Joaquins with connections at Bakersfield, Stockton, Hanford, Martinez, Sacramento, Emeryville, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, San Diego, and Los Angeles. From these railheads, Thruway buses serve Las Vegas, Phoenix, Tucson, Yuma, Indio, Palm Springs, Mojave, Lancaster, Bishop, Mammoth, Yosemite, Fresno (San Joaquins terminus), Visalia, Eureka, Crescent City, Klamath Falls, Reno, Carson City, and dozens more.

Pacific Northwest Thruway

Cascades-connecting Thruways radiate from Eugene, Portland, Seattle, and Bellingham to Astoria, Bend, Boise, Yakima, Ellensburg, Wenatchee, Spokane, and Vancouver, BC.

Southern Thruway

From Sanford, FL (Auto Train), Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville, and Miami the Thruway extends to Fort Myers, Naples, Daytona Beach, Tallahassee, Pensacola, Mobile, Savannah, Charleston (SC), and Asheville. From New Orleans connections reach Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Houston, Dallas, and Memphis (the Memphis route runs as the City of New Orleans rail service).

Great Lakes Thruway

From Cleveland, Toledo, Detroit, and Chicago the Thruway extends to Akron, Canton, Columbus, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Louisville, Nashville, and Knoxville.

Northeast Thruway

From Boston, Springfield (MA), Hartford, New Haven, Rhinecliff, Albany, Saratoga Springs, Plattsburgh, and Buffalo the Thruway extends to Manchester, Concord (NH), Lebanon, Berlin, Burlington (VT)'s alternate stops, Cape Cod, the Berkshires, the Adirondacks, and the Niagara region (when the Maple Leaf ends at Niagara Falls).

How it works

Thruway buses are sold as a connecting segment to or from a rail leg on a single Amtrak ticket. Schedules are timed to meet the train, and Amtrak guarantees the connection: if the train is late, the bus will wait or Amtrak will provide alternate transportation. Tickets are not sold for bus-only travel between Thruway-only city pairs (with limited exceptions where the bus duplicates a service area without rail). A current systemwide Thruway map and timetable is available in the National Rail Connection Guide.