Public Transportation Options

[Alligator]

I'm interested in putting together a concise reference of public transportation options to the trail. I know a lot of this information is scattered throughout various AT guides/databooks, but I was hoping to put it together into a simple list. If you could post where to access the transportation from the AT and how far to get to it from the access point that would be helpful. I'm not looking for information on shuttles as ATC keeps a list for that.

Also, links to the bus or train schedules plus the name of the transportation line would also be useful.

Thanks.

[Appalachian Tater]

Wow, I was thinking about doing an article for the reference section as well, but I'm glad you're doing it instead! I will try to contribute.

Martz Trailways provides frequent transportation from Delaware Water Gap (Stroudsburg, PA):

http://www.martztrailways.com/from-stroudsburg.asp

[wilconow]

Wow, I was thinking about doing an article for the reference section as well, but I'm glad you're doing it instead! I will try to contribute.

Martz Trailways provides frequent transportation from Delaware Water Gap (Stroudsburg, PA):

http://www.martztrailways.com/from-stroudsburg.asp


how close does the public transport have to drop off? for example would stops in roanoke,va or frederick,md be in your guide or would it be more like harpers ferry or pawling

[Alligator]

how close does the public transport have to drop off? for example would stops in roanoke,va or frederick,md be in your guide or would it be more like harpers ferry or pawlingI'd suggest not being too constraining at first and see how many we get. Be sure to include the distance though from the station to the trail.


Wow, I was thinking about doing an article for the reference section as well, but I'm glad you're doing it instead! I will try to contribute.

Martz Trailways provides frequent transportation from Delaware Water Gap (Stroudsburg, PA):

http://www.martztrailways.com/from-stroudsburg.asp That is my intent, thought I'd check for interest first. I will certainly need contributions and welcome suggestions on format.

[Appalachian Tater]

MTA Metro-North provides train service to the Appalachian Trail Stop and to Pawling, New York on the Harlem Line and to Manitou and Garrison on the Hudson Line.

http://as0.mta.info/mnr/schedules/sched_form.cfm

The NY/NJ Trail Conference has a page on public transportation:

http://www.nynjtc.org/trails/no-car.html

There is bus transportation to Bear Mountain Inn by Short Line/Coach USA bus:

http://www.coachusa.com/shortline/ss.details.asp?action=Lookup&c1=Bear+Mountain&s1=NY&c2=New+York&s2=NY&resultId=83829&order=&dayFilter=&scheduleChoice=&sitePageName=%2Fshortline%2Findex%2Easp&cbid=445183734869

[Appalachian Tater]

Peter Pan bus for Great Barrington & Sheffield, Mass.

http://www.peterpanbus.com/tickets/fares.php

[Alligator]

There is Greyhound service from DWG in NJ to Pottsville, PA. A shuttle can get you from Pottsville to the 501 shelter. This is roughly 20-30 miles away. Alternatively, there is local service to Pine Grove, PA from Pottsville (schedule (http://www.go-sts.com/schedule.asp?route=70)) along the Schuylkill Transportation System (http://www.go-sts.com/). Pine Grove is listed at 3.7 miles from the 501 shelter.

[Appalachian Tater]

Dartmouth Coach to Hanover, NH:
http://www.concordtrailways.com/images/DMC_JUNE_2006_web.pdf

[wilconow]

hanover/dartmouth from logan airport(boston)

http://www.concordtrailways.com/dartmouth_coach.htm

[Appalachian Tater]

For format, go by access points on the trail in geographic order south to north.

There needs to be a clear warning that schedules change.

[Appalachian Tater]

how close does the public transport have to drop off? for example would stops in roanoke,va or frederick,md be in your guide or would it be more like harpers ferry or pawling

I considered bus to Roanoke and then taxi or hitch to trail myself!

Greyhound crosses the trail many times and they will usually let you off along the highway if it's safe to stop, as will other bus companies. The problem would be getting picked up!

[big_muddy]

Concord Coach from Pinkham Notch/Gorham, NH to Logan Airport

http://www.concordtrailways.com/new_hampshire_bus_schedule.htm

[wilconow]

harpers ferry by amtrak or marc

http://www.nps.gov/hfc/contact/directions-train.htm

[mriets1]

The MARTA rail system in Atlanta will take you directly from Atlanta Hartsfield Airport up to the furthest Northern station; North Springs Station. This will take about 45 miles off the shuttle ride from the airport to Springer. One way fair on MARTA will cost about $1.75. Just remember that there are two northbound trains; North Springs and Doraville. They alternate every other train. You want to make sure you take the North Springs train and have the shuttle pick you up at the North Springs MARTA station.

[mriets1]

Correction: the distance saved from the Airport to North Springs is closer to 25 miles.

[wilconow]

looking around greyhound's site, they stop in:


duncannon,pa
hamburg,pa
great barrington,ma
rutland, vt
white river jct, vt
gorham,nh
hanover,nh
pinkham notch,nh

of course there are many other towns close to the trail that have stops, but i tried to get the ones closest to the trail

[John S]

See http://www.berkshirerta.com/ (http://www.berkshirerta.com/) for local bus schedules and routes between North Adams and Great Barrington.

The bus stops right on the AT in North Adams and Cheshire, gets within a mile or two of the Rts. 8/9 split in Dalton, a five or so mile hitch on Rt. 20 from the outlet stores in Lee and, in Great Barrington, about two miles north of the AT crossing of Rt 7. Fares are $1.10 per town travelled.

[Cookerhiker]

This NJ Transit timetable (http://www.njtransit.com/pdf/bus/T1196.pdf) includes service from Greenwood Lake to NYC.

[mriets1]

Getting from Atlanta Airport to Gainesville
(I believe Gainesville is the closest Greyhound stop to Springer)
By Greyhound Bus:
Atlanta Airport to Atlanta Greyhound Depot:
Take the MARTA train from the airport to Garnett Station (S1). Go out Garnett Station, turn left to Forsyth St. The bus depot is to your right on Forsyth St.

[dperry]

Amtrak runs pretty frequent service from Philly to Harrisburg (particularly during the week) for $20.00 for a coach seat, which ain't bad. You can of course get to Philly from all up and down the Northeast Corridor, but that will cost more.

Once you get to Harrisburg, there are a couple of buses that go to trail points:

1.) The C bus (Carlisle Local) runs out US 11 to Carlisle (see map and schedule here: http://www.cattransit.com/routepdfs/Route_C_Carlisle_Local.pdf). If I remember correctly, the trail crosses over somewhere between points 14 and 15 on the map. This only runs during the week, between about 6:00 am and 7:00 pm, averaging about every two hours during mid-day and about every half-hour during the rush. This drops you off right in the middle of the Cumberland Valley section.

2.) Hegins Valley Lines (see here: http://www.tcrpc-pa.org/SRTP/SRTP_Chapter_05/hegins_valley.htm) has a bus which leaves the vicinity of the Harrisburg Station at 4:23 pm and stops at Clarks Ferry at 4:54, which is pretty close to the trail. If you wanted to go into Duncannon, you would have to hitch or walk across the river.

3.) Susquehanna Trailways (see here: http://www.susquehannabus.com/schedules.html#harrisburgtowilliamsport)
has two buses a day from Harrisburg to Amity Hall, just north of Duncannon. Again, one would have to walk or hitch to Duncannon proper.

4.) R & J Transportation (see here: http://www.tcrpc-pa.org/SRTP/SRTP_Chapter_05/rj_transportation.htm) has a bus leaving Harrisburg around 4:00pm and arriving in Pine Grove about 4:55 pm. Again, a hitch or long walk would be required to get to the trail.

All of these buses stop either at the Harrisburg train station or within a short walk. Alternatively, the ATC lists a whole bunch of shuttlers in the Harrisburg area; it might be simpler just to arrange a ride with one of them.

Regarding New York, this page may also give you some ideas: http://www.amc-ny.org/recreational-activities/transportationcodes.pdf

As always, verify all schedules before departing.

[kembe]

It must be here somewhere: A guide to reaching the trail by public transportation? Love the commuter train stop in NY and wonder where else we can get to by train or bus ...

[Amanita]

I know that AWOL's the AT Guide has public transit listed for each town. The name of the service can then be googled for schedules, prices, ect.

[Blissful]

Harper's Ferry - train station right there.

[Feral Bill]

Buses to Bear Mountain, Arden (the other side of Harriman SP), Greenwood Lake, and Deleware Water Gap. See NY NJ Trail Comference for more details. Lots of hikes in Harriman SP with bus or train access in several places.

[Alligator]

It must be here somewhere: A guide to reaching the trail by public transportation? Love the commuter train stop in NY and wonder where else we can get to by train or bus ...There was an old thread about this so I merged the two.

Megabus (http://us.megabus.com/default.aspx) was mentioned yesterday and there are a few cities that are close to the trail on their routes. They also stop in NYC and DC which can be useful for connecting service.

Pittsfield, MA has a Greyhound stop. Pittsfield has local bus service with Bershire Regional Transit Authority (http://www.berkshirerta.com/) (same link as post #17). There is an Amtrak route through Pittsfield MA, the Lake Shore Limited (http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?c=AM_Route_C&pagename=am%2FLayout&cid=1241245664423) run. That train goes to Springfield, MA where another Amtrak line runs, The Vermonter (http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?c=AM_Route_C&pagename=am%2FLayout&cid=1241245667150). The Vermonter goes south through NYC and on to DC. The schedules do not compliment, but Greyhound also runs from Pittsfield to Springfield MA and that bus run is favorable to catching the train south. Additionally, the Amtrak line Ethan Allen Express (http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?c=AM_Route_C&pagename=am%2FLayout&cid=1241245666724)will get you from NYC to Rutland, VT.

[Alligator]

I didn't know about the train service in Pittsfield, which I found using the public transit option while getting directions in Google. I don't think Google has all the public transit routes in their system but it might be useful to try.

[lunatic]

There is bus transportation to Bear Mountain Inn by Short Line/Coach USA bus:

http://www.coachusa.com/shortline/ss...d=445183734869 (http://www.coachusa.com/shortline/ss.details.asp?action=Lookup&c1=Bear+Mountain&s1=NY&c2=New+York&s2=NY&resultId=83829&order=&dayFilter=&scheduleChoice=&sitePageName=%2Fshortline%2Findex%2Easp&cbid=445183734869)



Short Line/Coach also has a bus line that goes to Harriman, NY and it will drop hikers at the A.T. on NY17 coming from NY Port Authority. Getting back to NYC from there you have to road walk 2.5 miles to the Harriman MTA station and catch the bus or the Metro North train - which just reopened after damage from Hurricane Irene was repaired.
http://www.coachusa.com/shortline/ss.details.asp?action=Lookup&c1=Harriman&s1=NY&c2=New+York&s2=NY&resultId=64515&order=&dayFilter=&scheduleChoice=&sitePageName=%2Fshortline%2Findex%2Easp&cbid=709526629339

[ratfaceraines]

MEGA-BUS to Christiansburg, shuttle to pearisburg, catawba...google mega bus. stops in most major northeasten cities, few stops in between and inexpensive(i.e.,d.c. to c'burg,non-stop, $28) MEGA BUS

[Strategic]

Adding to the excellent suggestions from all (especially Feral Bill and lunatic, who named the transit stops I've used most frequently) I'll add a couple more for the mid-Atlantic states and comment of the NY/NJ stops.

First, I am very fond of the stop near Greenwood Lake that Feral Bill mentioned. It's a NJ Transit bus (route 196/197 (http://www.njtransit.com/pdf/bus/T1196.pdf)) that runs between the Port Authority Bus Terminal in NYC and Port Jervis on the Delaware. It actually runs straight up NY17A, crosses the trail and will make a flag stop at Kain Rd. about 200 yards north of the trail crossing. I find it a lot easier for access than the Harriman MTA station, though if you call a cab from the Arden Rd./NY17 junction where the trail crosses, they can take you right there without the roadwalk along a very busy highway (a couple of the local cabbies tend to have business cards stuffed into the payphone stand at the crossing, so it's pretty easy to find one most of the time.)

Now on to some more obscure transit options.

While the bus service from Philly to DWG is very nice, it's probably the only really well-known option in Pennsylvania. But there are three others that I know of that are almost as useful (in one case, possibly just as useful.)

Moving trail south from DWG, the next transit opportunity is at Lehigh Gap. If you take a look at the LANTA schedule page (which covers Allentown and the surrounding areas) you'll find the schedule for route 218 (http://www.lantabus.com/route218.html) which begins at the Allentown Transportation Center and terminates at the Wal-Mart in Walnutport. This is only 1.5 miles south of the trail crossing on PA145 and an easy hitch or walk to the trail. It's also an easy place to get to, since a couple of different bus services run to there from NYC and Philly.

Then you hit a long gap from Lehigh down to Duncannon, with its CAT system. This is actually the easiest place to get to by public transit on the trail in PA, rivaling DWG. Both this bus and the one below to Carlisle originate at the Harrisburg Transportation Center, which is also the Harrisburg Amtrak station. If you catch the route 23 bus (http://www.cattransit.com/routepdfs/jan11/Route_23_Millersburg.pdf) from Harrisburg, it takes you to the Clarks Ferry Park & Ride, which is at the eastern end of the Clarks Ferry Bridge and directly on the trail. This is almost direct access to Duncannon as well. Some caveats for this line: it runs only twice a day, so be prepared for either an early morning or a late afternoon ride if you use it, and it does not run on weekends or holidays at all (strictly M-F.)

The last route is the route C bus (http://www.cattransit.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Route-C-Carlisle-Local-2011.09.06.pdf), also out of Harrisburg to Carlisle. This bus (except for some of the express versions of the route) goes down US11 (Harrisburg Pike) with a scheduled stop at Kost Rd., .7 miles from the trail crossing. The bus goes directly past the crossing, but there's no scheduled stop closer (though if you sweet-talk the bus driver and it's not a busy day he might do a request stop for you at the actual crossing.) This is a much more frequent route than the 23 bus, but still doesn't operate on Sundays or holidays.

Once we get past the area of Harrisburg, there's really not much else before you get to Harpers Ferry. The rabbittransit system has a commuter bus (the route 15N (http://www.rabbittransit.org/express/routes/15n_route.html)) that links Harrisburg and Gettysburg with a stop between at Dillsburg, but that's as close as you can come and that's still some 15 miles from the trail at the Transfer Center in Gettysburg (and even though you're technically closer in Dillsburg, it's actually harder to get to the trail there unless you go the 7 miles by road to Boiling Springs on much less used roads than run out of Gettysburg.)

Hagerstown, MD has the County Commuter system (http://www.washco-md.net/transit/route_pdfs/system%20map%20and%20how%20to%20ride%20-%20revision.pdf), that has a bus that runs to Smithsburg that might work, since it has a stop on Rt.77 just east of the town and only 1.5 miles from the trail crossing (just north of Ensign Cowall shelter.) The problem there is not getting to the trail, but getting to Hagerstown, which requires taking the DC Metro to the Shady Grove station in Maryland and then catching the MTA's route 991 commuter bus (http://www.mta.maryland.gov/sites/default/files/route991_1.jpg) from there. This bus also stops at the Myersville Park & Ride, which is just off I-70 about 4 (road) miles from the trail crossing at US40. The bus actually crosses the trail, but it's on I-70 at the time, so there's no opportunity to get off anywhere near it.

That takes us right up to Harpers Ferry and the well-known train station there. From there on south my knowledge gets too foggy to be reliable and has probably changed drastically since I was there last (it's been a long time.) Hope all this helps the Public Transit effort, it's a worthwhile enterprise and a benefit to all trail users (and the environment we use.) Keep up the good work!

[JansportD2]

The Harrisburg PA (CAT) route 23 bus runs in the afternoon (one bus daily) that stops literally on the trail at Clarks Ferry across the river from Duncannon. Don't get on the express bus - it goes right by the Clarks Ferry Park and Ride. http://www.cattransit.com/routepdfs/jan11/Route_23_Millersburg.pdf Also, MegaBus runs from several Northeastern cities to the Harrisburg Mall, which is a short bus ride from downtown. Megabus is cheaper and more comfortable (IMO) than Greyhound.

[Skyline]

Amtrak's Crescent (NYC>New Orleans via Atlanta), a train between Lynchburg and DC, and the four-day-a-week Cardinal (Chicago>NYC), stop in Culpeper VA, about 25 miles from the AT at Thornton Gap in SNP. There are taxis in Culpeper, Front Royal, and Luray that can get you to/from.

Amtrak and Greyhound stop in Charlottesville for those wanting to join the AT further south in SNP. Cabs in C-ville.

See ATC's shuttle list for other train/bus-to-AT travel options east of SNP.

[JimSproul]

There was an old thread about this so I merged the two.

Megabus (http://us.megabus.com/default.aspx) was mentioned yesterday and there are a few cities that are close to the trail on their routes. They also stop in NYC and DC which can be useful for connecting service.

Pittsfield, MA has a Greyhound stop. Pittsfield has local bus service with Bershire Regional Transit Authority (http://www.berkshirerta.com/) (same link as post #17). There is an Amtrak route through Pittsfield MA, the Lake Shore Limited (http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?c=AM_Route_C&pagename=am%2FLayout&cid=1241245664423) run. That train goes to Springfield, MA where another Amtrak line runs, The Vermonter (http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?c=AM_Route_C&pagename=am%2FLayout&cid=1241245667150). The Vermonter goes south through NYC and on to DC. The schedules do not compliment, but Greyhound also runs from Pittsfield to Springfield MA and that bus run is favorable to catching the train south. Additionally, the Amtrak line Ethan Allen Express (http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?c=AM_Route_C&pagename=am%2FLayout&cid=1241245666724)will get you from NYC to Rutland, VT.

You can get off the Amtrak "Vermonter" in White River Junction and it is not too bad getting to Hanover from there.

[chiefiepoo]

In Charlottesville, VA there is JAUNT
http://www.ridejaunt.org/aboutus.asp

If you fly, bus or AMTRAK there, they might be a possible solution as JAUNT runs some routes west into Nelson County that go within a few miles of the trail at Rockfish gap. I64 / US250 at the Skyline Drive. They also have some on demand service. I called them in '10 for a ride and they could get me to Afton, which is real close to the AT, on a scheduled route but it was limited to certain days. I wound up with a friend of a friend running me up to Rockfish Gap. C'ville airport has occasional good fares via USAir, if you are a flyer. There is no bus from airport to town and the cab drivers are predatory. Call Jaunt, they were very open to helping.