There have been a lot of headlines about Chicago-related intercity bus service recently.
Last summer our city narrowly escaped becoming the largest metropolis in the northern hemisphere with no intercity bus station, when Greyhound owner FlixBus secured a month-to-month lease agreement with its landlord.
And in February, DePaul University published its annual intercity bus report, "Stepping Up Service: 2025 Outlook for the Intercity Bus Industry," by the Chaddick Institute's Joe Schwieterman and Zaria Bonds. A major takeaway of the study was that Chicago and Illinois need to catch up with peer cities and states by developing a coordinated Land of Lincoln bus network.
More local news about intercity travel bus-ted out last week, when GOGO Charters (a Streetsblog Chicago sponsor) announced plans to launch a recently developed Midwest charter bus network serving 15 cities. That includes two new Chicago routes offering daily trips to Madison and Indianapolis, in addition to an existing line to Detroit.
"Anchored in key Midwest population centers, the network will encircle the region and provide daily charter bus transportation to millions of potential passengers," the company stated in a press release. They said it will provide a "connected alternative for regional travel.
Here's a summary of the Windy City routes:
Chicago to Indianapolis
● Chicago: Renaissance Chicago Downtown (1 W. Upper Wacker Dr.)
● Lafayette, IN: Union Club Hotel at Purdue University (201 N. Grant St. in West Lafayette)
● Indianapolis: Hotel Indy (141 E. Washington St.)
Chicago to Detroit
● Chicago: Renaissance Chicago Downtown (1 W. Upper Wacker Dr.)
● South Bend, IN: Embassy Suites Hilton South Bend (1140 E. Angela Blvd.)
● Ann Arbor, MI: Graduate Ann Arbor (615 E. Huron St.)
● Detroit: Hotel David Whitney (1 Park Ave.)
Chicago to Madison
● Chicago: Renaissance Chicago Downtown (1 W. Upper Wacker Dr.)
● Waukegan: Waukegan Metra Station (95 N. Spring St.)
● Milwaukee: Milwaukee Marriott Downtown (625 N. Milwaukee St.)
● Sun Prairie, WI: Sun Prairie Park and Ride (2751 O'Keeffe Ave.)
● Madison: Madison Concourse Hotel (1 W. Dayton St.)
There are also routes between Indianapolis and Columbus; Columbus and Cleveland; and Cleveland and Detroit.
"Passengers riding with GOGO Charters can expect an elevated experience with modern buses offering amenities like plush reclining seats, Wi-Fi, and onboard restrooms," said spokesperson Jonathan Schneider. "Tickets, which will start as low as $10, will be available for purchase on the GOGO Charters' mobile app, which will provide features including real-time trip tracking." Ticket prices will depend on trip length and availability.
Notably, GOGO Charters isn't providing a direct route from Chicago to Madison via Rockford, which would complete the three-sided Chicago/Madison/Milwaukee circuit I've nicknamed "The Bratwurst Triangle". That's likely because Coach USA's Van Galder bus currently covers that leg.
Regardless, GOGO Charters' beefed-up Midwest charter network is great news for those who appreciate a relatively low-cost, eco-friendly, car-free option for traveling to hotspots in America's heartland.
Read the press release about the new service here.
For more info, visit GOGO Charter's website.
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