The end of the road for Greyhound Canada: What are the alternatives?

What’s happening with Greyhound Canada?

After nearly a century of connecting Canadian towns and cities, Greyhound Canada has permanently ceased all operations as of the 13th of May 2021. The hardships of the Global Pandemic, coupled with declining demands for travel, have forced the well-known and loved company to call it quits and permanently end all domestic operations. 

The company began to scale back operations in 2018, when it announced that they were canceling all services in western Canada. Then, amid the mayhem of the Pandemic, they suspended all services in Ontario and Québec as of May 2020. 

A year later, and after a year of travel restrictions, Greyhound Canada has finally closed up shop for good. 

Find an alternative with Busbud

With Greyhound Canada’s departure from the country, we remain committed to connecting Canada. Sure, we’ll feel nostalgic not being able to hop on one of those famous blue Greyhound buses, but we are here to help you find an alternative route. Sometimes, you just have to take the road less travelled. 

We’ve been working hard these last few months to find alternative bus companies to get you to your destination. Read on to find the best bus alternatives in your Province.

Travelling in Ontario and Québec

Overview of Greyhound alternatives in Ontario & Québec

Origin	Alternatives
Montreal – Ottawa	VIA Rail
Montreal – Toronto	VIA Rail, Megabus
Ottawa – Montreal	VIA Rail
Ottawa – Toronto	VIA Rail
Toronto – Niagara Falls	VIA Rail
Toronto – London	VIA Rail

If you relied on Greyhound for your trips in these two provinces, don’t panic, we’ve got your back. Have you heard of Ontario Northland? They offer a very extensive network throughout Ontario, so you can count on them to connect you with the province. 

Toronto – Ottawa

Travelling between Toronto and Ottawa? There are a few options available for you if you’re travelling to the nation’s capital.

• Practicing slow-travel? Hop on an Ontario Northland bus, journeys typically take between 13 and 14 hours, with one transfer. Slower travel can be fun!
• If you want faster buses, you can take Megabus, prices started at 50$ and the average journey time is 5 hours.
• If you prefer a quicker and more hassle-free alternative, Via Rail may be an alternative for you.
• Average journey times are under 5 hours, but prices can rise sharply so be sure to book in advance if you want to bag yourself a bargain.

Montréal – Ottawa

Ottawa is also easily accessible from Québec. If you’re travelling from Montréal, here are your options:

• The only bus option available right now is to take a trip with Maheux. The average journey time between Montréal and Ottawa on a Maheux bus is 8 hours way more than Greyhound service, but you can use the time to unwind and sink your teeth into a good book.
• If you’re more into speedy trips, Via Rail also operates the Montréal-Ottawa route, with journeys lasting around 2 hours.
• Other bus alternatives will come in the future! Come back frequently to this article to have news.

Toronto – Montréal

Right now, you can travel between Toronto and Montréal either by bus or train. Via Rail will get you there in just over 5 hours, whereas Megabus takes just over 6 hours. Both have their perks. The train gives you more legroom to stretch out and go for a little walk, while the bus offers you more departure and arrival locations. If you take the Megabus you can travel to/from Downtown Toronto, Yorkdale, or the airport. While, in Montréal, Megabus serves two stations; downtown, adjacent to Bonaventure Metro, or Kirkland in the West Island. So wherever you need to be, you’re well-connected.

Travelling in Alberta

We have several options for those of you booking trips in Canada’s western provinces. Greyhound Canada may have left, however, Ebus, Cold Shot, and Rider Express are still going strong. Now, more than ever, you can take advantage of their coverage and book your next trip with them.

Overview of Greyhound alternatives in Alberta

Route	Alternatives
Edmonton – Calgary	Ebus, Cold Shot, Rider Express, Red Arrow
Calgary – Edmonton	Ebus, Cold Shot, Rider Express, Red Arrow
Calgary – Banff	Rider Express
Fort Mc Murray – Edmonton	Red Arrow, Cold Shot, Ebus
Edmonton – Red Deer	Cold Shot, Rider Express

Edmonton – Calgary

This popular route is covered by the big three: Ebus, Cold Shot, and Rider Express. No matter which day of the week you need to travel, you will have a plethora of options at your fingertips. Here are the options available to you:

• Cold Shot offers daily services leaving from 2 different stops in Edmonton: 119 St and 34 Ave.
• The trip takes just over 3 hours, and they use smaller buses for their journeys, giving you a cozier, yet very comfortable experience.
• Rider Express is another excellent option for your Edmonton – Calgary trip! They offer services daily, except for Saturdays.
• They have two pickup locations in Edmonton: Edmonton Inn Hotel, or Edmonton South.
• Rider Express has a nice modern fleet of buses, with spacious seats, and of course, free Wifi. Journeys take about 4 hours, on average.
• Ebus is your last, but definitely not your least option! They also offer daily services, except for Saturdays.
• They offer the most pick-up locations, with an impressive 4 options: Kingsway Transit Centre, Edmonton Downtown Office, Southgate LRT Station, and Edmonton International Airport (YEG).
• Journey times can vary from anywhere between just over 3 hours, up to 5 hours, depending on your pick-up and drop-off location. They do have pretty spacious seats, and free Wifi, so there’s no doubt that you’ll be comfortable

Travelling in British Columbia

Moraine Lake – British Columbia

Overview of Greyhound alternatives in B.C

Origin	Alternatives
Vancouver – Whistler	YVR Whistler/SkyLynx
Vancouver – Calgary	Rider Express
Vancouver – Kamloops	Ebus, Rider Express
Squamish – Vancouver	YVR Skylynx, Squamish Connector

Vancouver – Kelowna

If you’re travelling between Vancouver and Canada’s Wine Country, Kelowna, you can get there easily with Ebus.

• 2 daily departures mean that you can leave in the morning or afternoon, whatever you prefer.
• The trip takes around 5 hours, so just enough time to squeeze in some reading or Netflix.

Vancouver – Squamish

The trip from Vancouver to Squamish is served by Squamish Connector. This is the only bus company currently operating this route, however, they have daily departures.

• Trips leave from Burrard Station (Beside Hyatt Hotel), which is a very central location in Downtown Vancouver.
• The journey time is approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes. You should note that they operate smaller shuttle buses that are not equipped with restroom facilities. So we wouldn’t suggest bringing any large drinks with you.

International trips

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, there haven’t been any international Bus trips between Canada and the USA. In usual times Greyhound operates trips connecting the USA with Montréal, Toronto and Vancouver. 

These international trips will continue to be operational once border restrictions change and the COVID-19 Pandemic allows freer travel. Greyhound USA will operate these routes, so rest assured, international bus travel will be coming back as soon as possible. 

Continue to travel by bus in Canada with Busbud

Busbud works hard to have the largest inventory and allows you to take a sustainable solution for your trips. Don’t hesitate to contact us!