quote:Originally posted by gregbkc: Jefferson Lines offers bus service between KC and Omaha. Don't know anything about them, but here is their website:
Fascinating website but it doesn't show me what I most would want to know.....how many buses run between Kansas City and Omaha each day and what time do they depart/arrive. In other words, the only schedule information is a telephone number.
DeeCT Member # 3241
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In many cases the "Amtrak Shuttle" was in reality a regularly scheduled Greyhound bus. The only difference was that Amtrak acted as an agent and issued the ticket. (In one case that I experienced [Cleveland] the bus also made the railroad station a stop on that route). I am sure in this day of late arriving trains that makes scheduling problems for Greyhound/Amtrak coordination. Often a quick check with Greyhound will show that the bus still runs. In most cases the Train station and the Bus station are located very close to each other (sometimes in the same or adjacent buildings). A quick inexpensive taxi ride will get you from one to the other.So Uncle Buck you might want to check Greyhound out. If you have taken the Omaha/Kansas City shuttle in the past and know it was instead a regional bus carrier give them a shout out. That Jefferson Bus Comapany does list a toll free number --- so it wont cost you more than a few minutes time to find the information you need from them. Check back and let us know what you discover.
Dee --who has 9 days to go until next Amtrak trip.
Big Merl Member # 3251
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The Omaha/KC shuttle was discontinued because the carrier was not ADA compliant and chose to terminate their contract instead of upgrade. As far as I know, no shuttles or buses come to the Omaha station, they all go to the bus station. For the time of morning/evening involved, the only way to easily get between the two is by cab.
notelvis Member # 3071
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Sadly, many of the Thruway Connections lost in the southeastern US in the past 15 months have been due to Greyhound eliminating routes and reducing the number of towns which have intercity bus service.
I had looked very forward to the renovations on the former Southern Railway station in Greensboro being completed last fall thinking that Greensboro would be a great location to connect to/from Amtrak using Greyhound from Asheville, NC.
However, with the Greyhound cutbacks of 2005, direct bus service across North Carolina (along I-40) no longer exists west of Winston-Salem. Taking Greyhound to Greensboro from Asheville now means changing buses in either Greenville, SC or Charlotte, NC. What can be driven in about two hours and forty-five minutes now takes 8-12 hours on the bus. No thanks Strayhound.
I'm now more likely to fly to Chicago and ride the 'California Zephyr' (which I am doing in 36 hours!) rather than try to interface with Amtrak using a bus within my home state.
Sad really.
Ira Slotkin Member # 81
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... ahh Greyhound ..
I drove a cab for about 10 years and when buses arrived and people called for cabs, the dispatcher would put out a call on the radio: "The *** is barking..." I didn't know what it meant for a while.
Didn't have anything similar for the train station. Not as many trains arrived as buses. Actually just two trains a day each place. One each way.
The diminution of bus services in many rural areas especially is unfortunate I think.
Off the meter
Ira
UncleBuck44 Member # 2049
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Thanks for the info. I guess I'll take the train up to Chicago and then over to Omaha instead, then fly back on the way home as the connections won't work out in Chicago via train.
George Harris Member # 2077
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Chicago?
When I look at the schedules on the Amtrak web site, it looks like you can make the connection in Galesburg IL in both directions, and unless you are spending a day, you do not make it in Chicago in either direction. Of course, these are the October 05 schedules since the Spring 06 schedules are not there yet. You have 12:10 to 4:28pm going and 12:20 to 5:53pm coming back. I would think that 5 1/2 hours could cover the usual Zephyr lateness.
If it was me, I would call Jefferson Lines and see what they had. It would probably save several hours. Of course the joys of the Sata Fe high speed line would be missed.
George
PullmanCo Member # 1138
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Agree with Big Merl. Did not know that Renzenberger discontinued the contract, thought Amtrak did. Makes sense though, considering the shuttles in use were large vans, albeit slightly cleaner than freight crew vans.
TwinStarRocket Member # 2142
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On the Spring 2006 national timetable, page 91 (which expires this month) there is a thruway connection from Springfield to Galesburg that allows you to connect between the Eagle and the Zephyr in both directions, right to the Amtrak depots. Times are Springfield 12:10pm > Galesburg 2:25pm and 3:30 > 5:45pm the other way.
Burlington Trailways (www.burlingtontrailways.com) buses stop at the Ottumwa Amtrak station. Times are St. Louis 8:15am > Ottumwa 6:10pm northbound, but 10:10am at Ottumwa > 6:10pm St. Louis would be risky with #6 running late.
Big Merl Member # 3251
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quote:Originally posted by PullmanCo: Did not know that Renzenberger discontinued the contract, thought Amtrak did.
You could be right, I don't admit to having the best memory in the world. Either way, I would love someday, if Amtrak ever got the funding it needed, to see the KC Mule extended up the Missouri.
PullmanCo Member # 1138
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Big Merl,
All you have to do is get an initiative past the voters to repeal both Hancock Amendment 1 and Hancock Amendment 2.
The only reason I have not received Hancock money in the past few years is that I run out of exempted dollars before I'm done offsetting the income tax to Kansas ... and the boys and girls in Jeff City just have their hands deep in the Pendergast Memorial Till...
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