MENDOCINO Co., 8/10/23 — There’s good news for travelers across Northern California, since Amtrak has expanded bus service along “Route 7,” which runs from Martinez to Arcata through inland Mendocino County. The expanded service — 18 stops running from Martinez to Napa to Santa Rosa to Humboldt State University to Arcata — also includes the ability for passengers to purchase bus-only tickets along a number of Amtrak’s routes.
In Mendocino County, the Route 7 bus stops in Ukiah, Willits, Laytonville, and Leggett. The announcement from Amtrak and map of the route is included below:
(Stockton, CA) – Riders traveling on Amtrak’s San Joaquins Route 7, the Thruway Bus route extending from the Martinez Amtrak Station to Arcata (Cal Poly Humboldt) and encompassing a total of 18 stops, can now purchase bus-only tickets for all city pairs along the route. This recent expansion of service significantly broadens the scope and connectivity of the bus top pairs previously available on Route 7.
This expansion along Route 7, which was approved by the San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority (SJJPA) Board of Directors at the July 21 meeting, represents the latest step in Amtrak San Joaquins’ efforts to provide a comprehensive transportation alternative to travelers in communities throughout the state, beyond where the train can service.
Historically, travelers on all Thruway Bus routes were required to have a segment of train travel as part of their overall trip to travel on the Thruway Bus. However, state legislation, SB 742 authored by Senator Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica), was passed in 2019 to remove the requirement for intercity passenger rail/thruway bus services to sell companion rail tickets as a condition of the sale. As such, following extensive planning coordination, in 2021 after the impacts of the pandemic had eased, SJJPA opened parts of the Amtrak San Joaquins Route 7 as well as Routes 1c, 10, 18, and 19 for bus-only sales.
“We are pleased to now be at the point where we can expand connectivity along Route 7 to its fullest extent,” said Pat Hume, Chair for the SJJPA. “Fully opening Route 7 is a result of extensive collaboration with local stakeholders and regional transit providers and is a part of our ongoing effort to make Amtrak San Joaquins a comprehensive transportation solution for communities statewide.”
Making Amtrak’s Thruway bus routes available to non-rail riders brings several benefits including:
- Improved access to transit for priority and underserved communities.
- Reduction in greenhouse gas and air pollution emissions by diverting trips that would have previously been taken by an automobile.
- Reduced car trips on some of the state’s most congested freeways.
- Better utilization of current transit infrastructure.
- Increased revenues for the state at virtually no additional cost.
The bus-only ticketing options and fares are now available in the following locations:
- Route 7: Martinez – Napa – Santa Rosa – Humboldt State University – Arcata
- Route 1C: Bakersfield – Van Nuys – West Los Angeles/UCLA – Santa Monica
- Route 10: Santa Barbara – Bakersfield – Barstow – Las Vegas
- Route 15: Merced – Yosemite & Fresno – Yosemite (seasonal)
- Route 18: Hanford – Lemoore – San Luis Obispo – Santa Maria
- Route 19: Bakersfield – Pasadena – Riverside – San Bernadino
Can anyone along Redwood Highway flag an Amtrack to stop for them like the old Greyhound?
I like to know when you going to have trains coming through Louisville Kentucky it seem like you go all the way around but you don’t come to Kentucky far enough to come to Louisville so about when do you expect to come through here thank you