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Health permitting, I'm planning a western trip in which I take the CA Zephyr to Denver and Salt Lake City and then an airport shuttle to Jackson from where I can tour Yellowstone NP. I was planning on coming back with the same airport shuttle from Jackson to SLC and catching the Zephyr eastbound; however, with all the rerouting going on, I'm thinking instead of catching buses from Jackson to Helena MT, seeing that capital (which I hear is very nice), and then catching 2 buses (Rimrock Trailways to Butte, transferring to the Greyhound) to Spokane, and taking the Empire Bilder back east instead of the Zephyr. But I'm a little concerned with the Helena to Spokane bus trip and late-night connection. Will it be OK changing in Butte? And esp: The Greyhound bus arrives 11:45 PM at the Spokane Tavel SLC, same place as the Amtrak station, from which the Empire Builder departs 1:15AM eastbound. I know from long stopovers in Spokane that the Amtrak portion of that building is fine for me, but will the Greyhound portion be a problem? Would I be better off walking inside, or going outside the Greyhound area and paying a taxi to take me from one part of the building to another? Has anyone ever ridden this bus or been in the Greyhound station in Spokane at this late hour?
Thanks so much for your input.
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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They have "airport shuttles" from Salt Lake City to Jackson, Wyoming? WOW!! That's a long bus ride to get to an airport........
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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In fact, they have TWO companies doing it, one a pure shuttle, the other a bus line that does airport shuttle and some other routes and takes a tad longer. I guess Jackson is very popular, and SLC is the closest big airport.
I have noted in my travels out west involving airport shuttles and tour buses that many of those who travel with me are from overseas, as they are least likely to want to rent cars and often travel in mini-tour groups. And with the dirt cheap dollar, it's a good time for people from overseas to travel in the US.
But I'm still desperately seeking info on Butte-Spokane and the late-night bus-train connection at the latter.
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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Did you know there is also a bus from Butte to Whitefish that runs about 5am-11am. You might have to layover in Whitefish for a day, but I loved Whitefish. Great train depot with a train museum. It used to be named Stumptown because of stumps from the dense forest being left in the main street. It is really a beautiful area. Sometimes all lodging is full in summer, so you need a res.
There is also transportation available into Glacier which is only about 25 miles away.
Posts: 1572 | From: St. Paul, MN | Registered: Dec 2002
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I flew to Spokane and caught the Portland section of the Empire Builder from there in the wee hours back in 2002.
At that time Amtrak had a ticket window on the ground floor and a small waiting area. Amtrak passengers would reach the trains by going down a corridor underneath the bus parking area (which is where some of the closer railroad tracks used to be when there were more passenger trains) and then going up a ramp or stairwell to the train platform.
The Greyhound passengers would board from a doorway in the back of the building on the second floor. There is a big stairway to that area once you enter the building from the street.....the corridor to the trains begins behind the stairway.
On the second floor was also a small restaurant which was open at odd hours.......like I grabbed a sandwich at 1:30am.....
It seems like what few bus patrons there were at that hour went ahead and waited upstairs while the Amtrak passengers waited downstairs. I recall that there was a uniformed security guard present and he patrolled keeping an eye on both waiting areas plus the parking lot. At no point did I see him out-of-sight for more than a few minutes.
I don't remember where the Greyhound ticket office was. It seems like it may have been on the left side of the ground floor opposite Amtrak but I wouldn't swear to that.
I think you would be fine coming off the bus, walking into the building, going 30 feet or so and heading down the stairway to the Amtrak area at that hour.......unless the place has gone downhill in the last 6 years.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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Thank you for this info. I'm not sure if I can afford the sleeper cost for switching to the EB at this late date, but if I can swing it, I think I'll do it.
But what think you--David?--others?--about my making the connection. The bus is due to arrive 11:45PM and the eastbound EB due to depart 1:14AM. I am assuming the bus will be OK at this time of year?
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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ive done the bus to spokane train connection many times (im from livingston, mt). Almost missed the eastbound builder once during the winter cause the bus was late because of a winter storm. Going west the train leaves a little later (i think its 2:15 am)so that is pretty much a guaranteed connection.
In summer catching the eastbound train with this connection is fairly safe, in winter i wont try it again. one close call is one too many for me.
Posts: 416 | From: St. Albans, Vermont | Registered: Feb 2003
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Jim - what is defined as 'winter' in that part of the country?
It's May and where I live nothing short of a monsoon is going to present a problem for driving conditions.
Montana might still be problematic though.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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David, one year we took the train out to Seattle. On May 1 we were in Denver and it was snowing heavily. Another time we were on the ice fields parkway in Alberta and encountered much snow. Ditto one year on 80 headed for Cheyanne. They were so socked in we had to cut down an alternate route to get to Denver to get the CZ. Bottom line..I do not trust the western weather in May
Posts: 1577 | From: virginia | Registered: Jun 2005
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I probably will make the connection, Jim, but I suppose I might stay in Spokane overnight to ensure the connection. Does anyone have any hotel recs for downtown Spokane, from where I can see the falls and some of the other sights next day? Also, any sights you esp recommend? I tried a few and they are sold out, and I'm not sure I want to arrive at a hotel late at night either!
Jim, what do you think about my changing from bus to train, safetywise. Is the train/bus station as still as David describes it, with likely no problems?
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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safetyywise you are fine. Its as David said--all one facility. The buses leave and depart from an upper level (across from the train tracks). Then when you enter the terminal you go down via escaltor or stairs to the lower level to the Amtrak area. The cafe on the upper level isnt too bad, from what ive heard (i havent eaten there). When they start boarding the train you take another escalator or elevator up to the track.
Probably better to stay the night and play it safe. If it was me and in the middle of the summer, id maybe chance it, but "winter" storms can occur much of the year.
I dont know about hotels.
Posts: 416 | From: St. Albans, Vermont | Registered: Feb 2003
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Thanks, Jim. I was unable to get a lower-priced sleeper switching to the EB at this late date, or a room in a recommended hotel in Spokane, and since the buses were so complicated (not so much to Spokane, where there is just a connection problem unless I overnight, but getting to Helena from Jackson WY, which involved 3 buses), and since truly I don't like buses, I decided to just return to SLC on that Jackson-SLC airport shuttle this time. Hopefully I'll get to Helena in the next couple of years. It looks like a very nice city! And maybe if I do an overnight in Butte, then I could catch an earlier bus to Spokane, which would make it easier. Maybe I could do a round trip on the bus from Spokane, but the arrival and departure times are a bit offputting, so I will look into the Whitefish option as well. However, those Whitefish buses all look complicated too. And I don't like long bus rides, esp on Greyhound! It's a conundrum.
How I wish that Pioneer train would come back in business!
I still have to visit Boise too one day. But that capitol is currently closed for refurbishing.
Does anyone know anything about Butte? It sounds interesting. Would I be OK on my own there (at that bus station etc), safetywise? Anyone know any hotels? This is for planning next year. . . .
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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We drove through Helena on our vacation trip in 2006. From what I remember, Helena is a flat, hot, treeless, dusty city.........
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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hey rrrich, i think you might be confusing Helena with another town. Helena is right next to the mtns. Lots of trees there! Maybe you are thinking of Great Falls. Not sure. Eastern mt has what you describe, but the western 1/3 isnt.
Helena is actually quite nice. (except like everywhere else in western mt, it is expanding because of people moving in. Gone are the good ol days of few people, no noise or light pollution, etc.) Dont get me started on what has happened to my hometown of Livingston Posts: 416 | From: St. Albans, Vermont | Registered: Feb 2003
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Butte has an interesting history. A huge number of Irish moved there in the 19th and early 20th century's. They still have one of the biggest st patrick's days parades in the country. lots of old buildings downtown.
A big eyesore is the Berkeley pit. They mined Copper from there for years. Now its shut down and is one of the largest superfund sites in the US. There is also a large statue, called Lady of the Rockies, which is lit at night and shines down on the town from the nearby mtns.
You will be safe at the bus station. It is new. There should be taxi service which can take you downtown or wherever you will be staying. I dont know much about hotels. I rarely stay in them. when i travel these days i stay in hostels! -sadly, no hostels in Butte.
Posts: 416 | From: St. Albans, Vermont | Registered: Feb 2003
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Thanks, Jim. Though I won't be making the side trip to Helena this time, but I do hope to visit there and Butte in the next year or two. They sound really cool to me. A friend of mine with a place in Montana speaks esp highly of Helena; it doesn't sound like the place you visited, RRRich! She told me she thought it a beautiful city and mentioned the cathedral as something very much worth seeing there (as well as the capitol).
It's just too bad the connections getting there are so bad.
I also have to see if I don't mind coming in to SLC in the wee hours, which I'll be doing this time, to see if I can do it in Spokane another time. I really don't like arriving in the wee hours, esp in places I've never been before.
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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Maybe my memory fails me......... Yes, I do remember seeing mtns near Helena, but still, I don't recall seeing many trees. And it was hot there the day we drove through in 2006. Sorry about that........
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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