Travel Washington Intercity Bus
This intercity bus service connects rural communities to major transportation hubs and urban centers; fills gaps in the public transportation network; and makes travel more accessible, reliable, and convenient.
In operation since 2007, Travel Washington provides more than 30,000 trips per year, and serves some of the most rural parts of the state.
To help connect more people across rural Washington, we've added the Wheat Line to our statewide intercity bus network (PDF 1MB), our fifth Travel Washington bus route. The Wheat Line began service on May 1, 2026, and connects the cities of Pasco, Mesa, Connel, Othello, Moses Lake, Ritzville, Sprague, Cheney, and Spokane.
Intercity bus lines
- Apple Line
The Apple Line runs along a 160-mile route through Omak, Ellensburg, and Wenatchee, with connections to Amtrak, Northwestern Trailways, and Greyhound. - Dungeness Line
The Dungeness Line connects people in Port Angeles, Port Townsend, Seattle, and Sea-Tac International Airport, with links to Greyhound, Amtrak, and Washington State Ferries to Seattle and Victoria, B.C. - Gold Line
The Gold Line runs twice daily along US 395 to Spokane and key transit hubs, including Spokane International Airport. - Grape Line
The Grape Line runs between Walla Walla and Pasco, with connections to Greyhound, Amtrak, Ben Franklin Transit, and Valley Transit. - Wheat Line
The Wheat Line operates twice-daily between Spokane, Moses Lake, and Pasco, with connections to local transit providers and long-distance services from Amtrak, Northwestern Stage Lines, and FlixBus.
We contract with private bus operators to provide intercity bus service across Washington state. The Federal Transit Administration provides funding for the program under the Formula Grants for Rural Areas (Section 5311) program. Through a public-private partnership, participating private operators provide in-kind match by contributing the value of their unsubsidized intercity bus service (i.e., service they operate without public funding).
As additional funding becomes available, we'll look to expand our Travel Washington intercity bus network to meet the growing mobility needs across the state.
Travel Washington Intercity Bus Program Study
The Travel Washington Intercity Bus 2024 Study Update (PDF 14.1MB) looked at existing intercity bus service and did a feasibility study to see where service expansion or new bus routes would be most cost-effective. The study also looked at opportunities to connect rural areas and restore meaningful connections within the existing intercity network. Check out our Travel Washington Intercity Bus 2024 Study Update Executive Summary (PDF 5MB) for a quick overview of our findings.
Travel Washington Intercity Bus Contracts
| Line | Route | Service Provider | Contract* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple | Omak, Wenatchee, Ellensburg | Northwest Trailways | $7,911,306 (2024-2028) |
| Dungeness | Port Angeles, Port Townsend, Seattle, SeaTac International Airport | MTR WESTERN | $9,399,260 (2025-2029) |
| Gold | Kettle Falls, Deer Park, Spokane | Belair Charters via Central Washington Airporter | $9,453,686 (2023-2027) |
| Grape | Walla Walla, Touchet, Pasco | Belair Charters via Central Washington Airporter | $8,922,060 (2023-2027) |
| Wheat | Spokane, Moses Lake, Pasco | Belair Charters via Central Washington Airporter | $6,950,400 (2026-2030) |
*The contract amounts above reflect the total project budget utilizing 50% in-kind match.
Awards
This table shows an update on the intercity bus service expansion for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
| Expansion | World Cup public transportation funding |
|---|---|
| New service: Implemented the Wheat Line, which connects Spokane with World Cup base camp and fan zones, and the Tri-Cities with fan zone. Both have links to Amtrak and airport service. | $1,800,000 |
Pilot projects and additional frequency:
| $1,850,000 |
| World Cup eligible activities: Implementing traveler support services, marketing, fare support, language translation, wayfinding, and other services designed to encourage intercity bus use. | $500,000 |
| Implementing Express Dungeness Line between Port Angeles and Seattle connecting Washington communities to game site. | (Funded with federal Section 5311(f); no state World Cup funding used). |
| Adding second daily Apple Line trip, connecting local communities to fan zone and base camp in Spokane. | (Funded with federal Section 5311(f); no state World Cup funding used). |
This table shows four 2023-2025 Travel Washington Intercity Bus projects that were awarded $7.5 million in federal stimulus funds to rebuild services reduced during the pandemic.
| Organization | County/counties | Project title | Award |
|---|---|---|---|
| CWA, Inc. | Franklin, King, Yakima | Restoring Intercity Bus service along I-82 in Eastern Washington | $560,000 |
| Greyhound Lines, Inc. | Clallam, Jefferson, King | Maintaining current service and rebuilding the network | $4,777,679 |
| Northwestern Stage Lines, Inc. | King, Pierce, Spokane | Add a night run on the Spokane/Seattle/Tacoma route | $1,388,160 |
| NWSBW, LLC | King, Kittitas, Okanogan, Pierce, Snohomish, Spokane | Intercity bus service between Omak and Ellensburg, Seattle and Spokane/Everett/Tacoma with connections to Boise, ID | $777,762 |
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