KCRag Forum

bahua wrote: Union Station, however, is a public space. I was under the impression that it was owned by the city of Chicago.

union station chicago is entirely owned by amtrak, one of the new stations they do actually own and maintain.

on a separate note, that third KC-STL trip never materialized. hmmm...

Megabus ending Louisville service

While Megabus is busy adding double deckers to Columbus, they’re also busy dropping Louisville from their routes. Hopefully this is only a temporary drop, as Megabus dropped service to Columbus briefly while ironing out some of the kinks in their services.

one of the linked articles mentions that the CHI-STL-KC route may get a double-decker bus in january. maybe that's their solution to demand instead of adding a third trip?

Megabus to come to Columbia

http://www.themaneater.com/stories/2008 ... -columbia/

"Megabus, a bus service with fares as low as $1, will offer transportation from Columbia to St. Louis, Kansas City and Chicago beginning March 13, just in time for spring break."

i can't believe the maneater scooped a story.  is that anywhere else?

It makes sense that Megabus would start stopping in Columbia, they stop in major college towns in other states.

I rode the Chicago-Bloomingdale-StL doubledecker megabus a few sundays ago...

The bus was an hour and a half late, and had another unscheduled "maintenance check" in Troy, IL for about an hour while dazed passengers wandered the truck stop at 11pm. It was a doubly bad experience because I was coming down with the flu after a weekend in Chicago, and there was an artic front coming in with sub zero windchills while waiting outside.

The STL-CHI Lincoln line amtrak on the other hand was on time down to the minute, quite a change from STL-KC...best passenger train experience of my life (obviously I havent ridden acela or been to europe...)

I don't know if i'll use Megabus for going to Chicago again. Besides, its just to cool to take a train to the end of the line at the rail godhead of the continent to mess with a bus...However, i'll try Megabus to KC, and definitely Columbia, considering how miserable amtrak service has been in Missouri for some time.

warwickland wrote: I rode the Chicago-Bloomingdale-StL doubledecker megabus a few sundays ago...

was the double-decker more comfy?

I don't know if i'll use Megabus for going to Chicago again. Besides, its just to cool to take a train to the end of the line at the rail godhead of the continent to mess with a bus...However, i'll try Megabus to KC, and definitely Columbia, considering how miserable amtrak service has been in Missouri for some time.

we've done amtrak one way and then megabus on the way back. that way you still get the cool train ride and don't risk two mega-delays.

DaveKCMO wrote: was the double-decker more comfy?

we've done amtrak one way and then megabus on the way back. that way you still get the cool train ride and don't risk two mega-delays.

actually, i don't know. i've only ridden the double decker. i do know i was mildly cramped, with winter clothing (and oh yeah, the heat was out on the bus and it was 8 °F), and being 5'9", 160 lbs. other than that, the seats were soft. Chicago-StL is just too long for a bus for me, though.

i also did amtrak one way, and megabus home (from chicago). i really enjoyed walking around the train, and sitting in the cafe car reading, drinking a sam adams, busting stifled farts alone. meanwhile, back on megabus...

double-decker!

Booked a trip for 2 in July to St. Louis, $4.50 total.  Can't beat that.

Megabus to halt service in L.A.

The decision to shut down the hub, which was expected, came less than a year after Megabus began service from Los Angeles to cities including San Francisco and Las Vegas.

"Our approach has been to go into different markets and give it a shot and see how they'll develop," said Megabus President Dale Moser. "If they develop quickly, we'll certainly sustain it. But in this case, the ridership trends aren't growing enough."

Meanwhile, the service is taking off in the Midwest, where Megabus serves 17 cities and has seen its business increase 137% during the last year, he said.

obviously, the LA market is even more decentralized and better-served by other providers, while the midwest is definitely not. i can't wait until they add omaha and des moines!

The Megabus stop is moving to 3rd and Grand later this week according to a sign posted at 10th & Main.

Union Station makes more sense than 3rd/Grand.

ignatius wrote: Union Station makes more sense than 3rd/Grand.

agreed, but megabus hasn't been making friends with train stations lately. they basically started a war with amtrak in chicago because they board at the curb outside their union station (for free), causing extra congestion right at the station's busiest entrances. i noticed this was the case when i was in milwaukee, too. it's the equivalent of southwest boarding a 737 on the tarmac near the united hub and not paying the airport any fees.

Amtrak doesn't own Union Station and US would love to have more transit business.  They could board on the E side of the station where the MAX line meets.  More bus lines intersect at US than 3rd/Grand.  If US won't work contractually, Crown Center MAX stop on Grand would at least be better than 3rd/Grand.

MegaBus is well known for mooching on available resources. I'm sure their thought is to leverage the existing park and ride lot for people parking-and-riding the long haul.

^Good point.  For locals heading out, it might be a better location.  For those coming in, it's a bit disconnected.

better why?  there's a huge garage at union station that's made for extended parking.  the 3rd and grand lot is for daily parking, not for a week.  most commuter lots i've seen (in other cities..) don't allow overnight parking.

ignatius wrote: Amtrak doesn't own Union Station and US would love to have more transit business.  They could board on the E side of the station where the MAX line meets.  More bus lines intersect at US than 3rd/Grand.  If US won't work contractually, Crown Center MAX stop on Grand would at least be better than 3rd/Grand.

correct, amtrak doesn't own KC's union station but they are a paying tenant. megabus probably won't pay anything, thus i don't see union station management extending an offer.

DaveKCMO wrote: correct, amtrak doesn't own KC's union station but they are a paying tenant. megabus probably won't pay anything, thus i don't see union station management extending an offer.

In fact, MegaBus is well-known for mooching at Union Station in Chicago. Amtrak has posted signs telling passengers that their carrier (MegaBus) doesn't provide facilities and that they are on their own.

DaveKCMO wrote: correct, amtrak doesn't own KC's union station but they are a paying tenant. megabus probably won't pay anything, thus i don't see union station management extending an offer.

are they paying the ATA?