Missoula, Montana is the state’s second largest city and a single of the most scenic metropolitan areas in the country. The University of Montana gives an tutorial and cultural anchor to this western Montana town. Unfortunately, Missoula misplaced its Amtrak support in 1979 and the only reduced fare airline to the city flies straight to the Southwest.
For UM college students and other inhabitants of the Missoula area, using a mixture of Amtrak and buses is the cheapest way to vacation to other areas of the place. Below are five guidelines/hints for proficiently touring to/from Missoula by land:
One particular: If you are going westbound to Missoula, ignore Amtrak’s advice to hook up with the teach at Whitefish. On Amtrak’s schedule for the Empire Builder that operates in between Chicago and Seattle/Portland, there is an indicator that connecting support is offered involving Whitefish, MT and Missoula. Rimrock Stages, which is aspect of the Trailways method, presents the assistance. Sad to say, Rimrock’s timetable does not get the job done nicely with Amtrak’s westbound timetable.
The only bus from Whitefish leaves at 11:35 am and arrives in Missoula close to 3 ½ several hours later. That functions well if you are coming from Washington Condition or Idaho and the practice arrives at Whitefish at 7:26 am. It is not easy if you are coming from the east and the teach arrives in Whitefish at 9:16 pm. You will have to get a lodge in advance of having the bus property the subsequent working day.
Two: If you are coming from Missoula, you must not connect to Amtrak at Whitefish in any scenario. The only Rimrock bus from Missoula leaves at 8:00 am and comes at Whitefish all over 11:25 am. You will have already missed the eastbound Empire Builder coach for the day. The westbound practice will depart Whitefish about 10 hours later – a extended wait certainly!
A few: The most effective way to join with Amtrak from Missoula is as a result of Spokane, Washington. Greyhound Traces has a hassle-free routine that functions effectively with Amtrak’s. Component of the natural beauty of the connecting via Spokane is that the trains arrive and depart in the early morning from both instructions. Consequently, if you are likely to Missoula, your prepare will get there in Spokane no later on than 2:00 am. You can choose the 5:05 am Greyhound bus and get there in Missoula at 10:30 am. From Missoula, there is a 9:10 pm bus that arrives in Spokane at 12:35 am. The earliest educate leaves Spokane at 1:15 am.
Four: Connecting in Spokane is simple since Greyhound employs the Spokane educate station as its depot. Considering the fact that the connections just take location in the middle of the night time, this is very handy.
Five: The Empire Builder is an all-reserved prepare. Whether or not you will be going through Amtrak’s improved coach provider with at-seat meal services and large pillows or the Superliner sleeping lodging, you will have to make state-of-the-art reservations. By acquiring your tickets in advance for each Amtrak and Greyhound providers, you may perhaps be able to get discounted advance order fares or distinctive fares for pupils and seniors.
