Greyhound begins operating at Union Station on Oct. 1
Transportation provider Greyhound begins operating service Thursday at the Union Station bus concourse. Such an arrangement has been of interest to the company for many years, extending back to when the Union Station redevelopment was being planned, and the transit hub was identified as the preferred location for intercity buses in the Denver area in a 2015 study prepared for Greyhound and the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT). The bus company previously occupied the Denver Bus Center, bounded by Arapahoe, Curtis, 19th and 20th streets. That site was put up for sale in April 2019.
How much service will Greyhound operate at Union Station?
Greyhound’s current schedule includes eight daily round trips to and from Denver. On a regular, non-COVID-19 schedule, the company will operate 13 daily round trips. For comparison, RTD provides 330-plus trips across its system right now, compared with more than 600 trips before the pandemic. Based on pre-COVID-19 ridership levels, the service Greyhound plans to add equates to fewer than 500 passengers each day, compared with more than 9,000 RTD passengers using the bus concourse for arrivals and departures – plus the many uncounted individuals using the facility as a walkway between rail platforms at Union Station.
What space will Greyhound use within the bus concourse?
Greyhound’s license agreement with RTD allows for nonexclusive use of gates B3, B4 and B19. With the COVID-19 schedule the company is operating, current plans are to use only gate B3, except for a single trip at gate B4 at 7:35 p.m.
How can I buy a Greyhound ticket?
Greyhound is installing self-service ticket kiosks adjacent to these gates that include baggage scales, bag tag holders and two schedule display monitors. This is the extent of the dedicated space for the company or its passengers. Greyhound has said it will have staff in the station to assist passengers around trip times.
Greyhound serves long-distance travel. Can passengers wait within the bus concourse for a bus that is arriving or departing?
RTD provides passenger waiting areas throughout the bus concourse at RTD's sole discretion. Greyhound passengers must follow the RTD code of conduct. Greyhound passengers, including those with overnight connections, are not permitted to occupy the bus concourse when it is closed and should seek alternate accommodations.
Does RTD plan to make any changes to its operations or security with a new provider serving Union Station?
RTD provides law enforcement for the bus concourse at levels within RTD's sole discretion. Greyhound will call on the Denver Police Department for any issues they experience related to their passengers. RTD Transit Police will not provide security to police a Greyhound-specific policy.
Photo courtesy of Greyhound