Rapid Central Station


Rapid Central Station is an intermodal transit station in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan. It is operated by the Interurban Transit Partnership and serves as Grand Rapids' main city bus station as well as a station on the Silver Line bus rapid transit. It is located on Grandville Avenue between Cherry Street and Wealthy Street, and is the BRT's northern terminus. It is just yards north of the city's intercity rail station, the Vernon J. Ehlers Station, on Century Avenue.

History

The station was built in 2004 at the cost of $22 million to serve as both a new bus station and a terminus for intercity coach routes such as Greyhound and Indian Trails. Greyhound moved its operations from 190 Wealthy Street SW on the corner of Grandville Avenue to be part of the intermodal station. It was the first transportation center in the US to receive LEED certification.
The year 2014 saw two major additions to the station. The Silver Line was completed in August adding a platform to the space between the building's eastern entrance and the coach bays. Just two months later, the city's Amtrak station opened at its new location 100 yards south of the bus station.
As Grand Rapids' major bus transfer point, the station features sixteen bays for city buses. Most bus transfers are made on the central platform, while access to the BRT and the Greyhound/Indian Trails coaches is from the station building to the west.
An information desk and ticket counter for the Rapid is located inside the station building, along with similar facilities for Greyhound services. There is also a small snack shop, cafe and vending machines. Outside of information desk hours, ticket machines inside the building or on the central platform dispense any Rapid tickets that cannot be purchased on the buses, such as monthly passes or BRT fares.

Local service

Service operates based on a mass arrival and departure system known locally as the "line-up". The regular routes 1-16 and 18 all operate around the framework of quarter-hourly arrivals and departures. On weekdays, major routes depart at :15 and :45, while others depart at :00 and :30 during the day before reverting to :15 or :45 timings in the evenings. Incoming buses are scheduled to arrive around 7–10 minutes prior to their scheduled departure.
The final "line-up", or departure, of the day is delayed until all participating buses have arrived and any transferring passengers have reached their desired vehicle.

Inter-city service

ServiceNumberCities fromCities toNotes
Amtrak370Chicago IL, St. Joseph/Benton Harbor, Bangor, Holland
Amtrak371Holland, Bangor, St. Joseph/Benton Harbor, Chicago IL
Greyhound4588Detroit, Southfield, E. Lansing, LansingMuskegon
Greyhound4590Detroit, Southfield, Ann Arbor, Jackson, E. Lansing, LansingMuskegon
Greyhound4591Lansing, E. Lansing, Southfield, Detroit
Greyhound4592Detroit, Southfield, E. Lansing, Lansing
Greyhound4593MuskegonLansing, E. Lansing, Southfield, Detroit
Greyhound4595MuskegonLansing, E. Lansing, Jackson, Ann Arbor, Southfield, Detroit
Indian Trails24Chicago IL, Gary IN, Benton HarborLansing, E. Lansing, MSU, Perry Jct, Flint, Saginaw
Indian Trails31Lansingoffers timed transfer from Bay City, Saginaw, Flint, Owosso
Indian Trails33Flint, Perry Jct, E. Lansing, LansingKalamazoo, WMU, Benton Harbor, Gary IN, Chicago ILAmtrak Thruway route 8555 from St. Ignace, Mackinaw City, Cheboygan, Alpena, Tawas City, Bay City, Saginaw transfers at Flint
Indian Trails80/82 Kalamazoo Rockford, Cedar Springs, Howard City, Morley, Stanwood, Big Rapids, Reed City, Cadillac, Manton, Kingsley, Traverse City, Charlevoix, Petoskey, Alanson, Pellston, Mackinaw City, Sault Ste. MarieAmtrak Thruway 8364
Indian Trails81/83 Sault Ste. Marie, Mackinaw City, Pellston, Alanson, Petoskey, Charlevoix, Traverse City, Kingsley, Manton, Cadillac, Reed City, Big Rapids, Stanwood, Morley, Howard City, Cedar Springs, Rockford KalamazooAmtrak Thruway 8365
Indian Trails86Kalamazoo
Indian Trails87KalamazooAmtrak Thruway 8465
Indian Trails93Holland, South Haven, Benton Harbor
Indian Trails94Benton Harbor, Holland
Indian Trails95Holland, South Haven, Benton Harbor

Amtrak schedules:

Indian Trails schedules:

Greyhound schedules: