Travel Washington Explained

Travel Washington
Parent:Washington State Department of Transportation
Headquarters:310 Maple Park Avenue SE
Olympia, Washington
Service Area:Washington state
Service Type:Intercity bus
Routes:4
Operator:Northwestern Stage Lines, Greyhound Lines, Bellair Charters and Airporter
Alliance:Greyhound Lines

Travel Washington is an intercity bus service in the U.S. state of Washington funded by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). It has four routes that connect major cities to other modes, including Amtrak and Greyhound Lines.

History

Greyhound Lines formerly ran extensive intercity service in Washington state that was cut in 2004 as part of a regional restructure to focus on profitable routes.[1] In 2007, the Washington State Department of Transportation began planning for an intercity bus network pilot project.[2]

The first Travel Washington bus route to open was the Grape Line, which began service in December 2007. It was also the first bus service to be funded through a private-public partnership between the Federal Transit Administration and private operators, with the former matching the latter's investments with grant money.

The Dungeness Line's contract was transferred to Greyhound in 2018 and came with the addition of a new stop in Port Townsend.[3] A 2019 plan proposed several extensions and new corridors for the system, including U.S. Route 12 between Aberdeen and Yakima; service to Republic from Tonasket and Colville; and service on several Palouse routes.[4]

Routes

Travel Washington consists of 4 routes connecting major cities in Washington to other intercity transit services offered by Amtrak, Greyhound and Northwestern Stage Lines, as well as regional airports in Seattle and Pasco. Most stops are sited at major transfer points with local bus systems.

Routes are named after Washingtonian products and resources, such as Dungeness crab and apples.[5]

scope=col rowspan=2 Routescope=col colspan=2 class=unsortable Terminiscope=col rowspan=2 class=unsortable Other stopsscope=col colspan=2 Length[6] scope=col rowspan=2 Daily
roundtrips
scope=col rowspan=2 Began
service
OperatorWebsite
class=unsortable Southern/westernclass=unsortable Northern/easternmikm
scope=row Apple LineEllensburgOmakGeorge, Quincy, Wenatchee (Columbia Station), Orondo, Chelan Falls, Pateros, Brewster, Malott, Okanogan49milesalign=right 1align=right [7] Northwestern Stage Lines
scope=row Dungeness LinePort AngelesSeattle–Tacoma International AirportSequim, Port Townsend, Discovery Bay, Downtown Seattle (King Street Station)98milesalign=right 2align=right [8] Greyhound Lines
scope=row Gold LineSpokane International AirportKettle FallsDowntown Spokane (Spokane Intermodal Center & STA Plaza), Deer Park, Loon Lake, Chewelah, Addy, Arden, Colville80milesalign=right 2align=right [9] Bellair Charters and Airporter
scope=row Grape LineTri-Cities AirportWalla Walla Regional AirportPasco (Pasco Intermodal Train Station), Burbank, Wallula, Touchet160milesalign=right 3align=right [10] Bellair Charters and Airporter

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Koenig . David . June 26, 2004 . Greyhound cutbacks will affect state routes . B2 . . .
  2. Web site: 2007 . About the 2007 Intercity Network Plan . . July 14, 2016.
  3. News: Gottlieb . Paul . June 29, 2018 . Greyhound to take over Dungeness Line, adding Port Townsend stop . . June 29, 2018.
  4. Web site: December 2019 . Travel Washington Intercity Bus Program 2019 Plan Update . 28–29 . Washington State Department of Transportation . March 1, 2024.
  5. November 17, 2011 . Grape Line celebrates 4 years of transit service . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120125004321/http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/News/2011/11/17-Grape_Line_Anniversary.htm . January 25, 2012 . Washington State Department of Transportation . July 15, 2016.
  6. Fravel . Frederic D. . Barboza Jr. . Reyes . 2012 . Development and Application of a Rural Intercity Demand Model . 34 . Journal of Public Transportation . Tampa, Florida . Center for Urban Transportation Research . 15 . 3 . 10.5038/2375-0901.15.3.2 . 1077-291X . 30755822 . July 15, 2016.
  7. October 28, 2008 . Travel Washington Apple Line provides needed bus service in North Central Washington . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090201235308/http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/News/2008/10/28US97AppleLine.htm . February 1, 2009 . Washington State Department of Transportation . July 15, 2016.
  8. News: Casey . Jim . September 17, 2008 . New bus service connects North Olympic Peninsula to rest of nation . . July 15, 2016.
  9. September 20, 2010 . Northeast Washington strikes gold with new bus service . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20101027041836/http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/News/2010/09/_18_newbus.htm . October 27, 2010 . Washington State Department of Transportation . July 14, 2016.
  10. December 10, 2007 . WSDOT Holds Ribbon Cutting for Travel Washington Grape Line . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080724122613/http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/News/2007/12/10_RibbonCuttingGrapeLine.htm . July 24, 2008 . Washington State Department of Transportation . July 14, 2016.