OR: Commercial bus service returning to Baker County, Eastern Oregon

The Oregon Department of Transportation announced on Tuesday, Dec. 9, that daily commercial bus service along Interstate 84 through Eastern Oregon, which ended in mid-January 2025, will return for at least a year, starting on Dec. 15.

ODOT has awarded a $600,000 federal grant to help Northwestern Stage Lines to operate two daily buses between Portland’s Union Station and the Boise Airport, with stops including Baker City, Pendleton, La Grande and Ontario.

The Baker City stop will be at the Baker Truck Corral, on Campbell Street next to the freeway.

Each day one bus will travel from Portland to Boise, while a second bus leaves from Boise in the morning and travels to Portland, said Kathy Pope, regional relations director for Northwestern Stage Lines. The bus leaves Portland at 10:45 a.m., and the other bus leaves Boise each day at 7:15 a.m. Pacific Time.

“This grant helps fill a gap, giving Eastern Oregonians access to travel options,” said Suzanne Carlson, ODOT Public Transportation Division administrator. “Residents rely on transit to reach vital services, from healthcare and employment to education and family support. This new bus route restores access, connecting travelers to Amtrak, airports, and regional and national bus lines, opening the door to seamless mobility across the United States.”

The $600,000 ODOT grant, through the Federal Transit Administration Intercity Bus Program, funds the bus service between The Dalles and Boise for one year, ODOT spokesperson Jenny Cherrytree said.

The grant is for that part of the route, she said, because there are other bus services between Portland and The Dalles.

It’s uncertain whether the grant would be available again next year to continue the daily bus route between The Dalles and Boise beyond December 2026, Cherrytree said.

“We’re always excited to add new intercity bus service to the many communities that rely on this type of service. The communities that we will be able to serve in Oregon is no different.” said Jacob Price, owner of Northwestern Stage Lines. “To have the opportunity to connect travelers with the amazing city of Portland. We don’t take it for granted and we’re thrilled to be able to operate this new route daily.”

Eastern Oregon residents said they’re excited about the return of commercial bus service after nearly a year without it.

Greyhound, which had been operating under the FlixBus name in this area since 2023, discontinued the Portland to Boise route on Jan. 14, 2025. A company official cited “reduced ridership and revenue” along the route for its cancellation.

“Since we lost bus service, we’ve had many unfortunate situations of people becoming stranded in Baker City and La Grande,” said Joe Hayes, Baker County manager for Community Connection of Northeast Oregon. “This new service along I-84 will help get people back to their families, friends and serve a basic human need for mobility.”

Matt Krabacher of Baker City, vide president of the Association of Oregon Rail & Transit Advocates, a group trying to return Amtrak passenger trail service to Eastern Oregon, lauded the launching of daily bus service.

“If you don’t own a car in rural Oregon, you’re stranded,” Krabacher said. “As a mid-career professional, it is a great way for me to access urban amenities, such as concerts and airports, without having to drive or deal with a car while in the city and to save money on gas. As healthcare services are disappearing from rural America and Eastern Oregon, reliable public transit access is critical.”

Daily bus service is also a benefit for other groups.

“I can’t wait to tell our Eastern Oregon University students they will be able to get home for the holidays this winter,” said Patrick Hemann, public transit manager for Union County. “Many live in West Idaho and need to catch flights out of Boise. We need fast and affordable bus service to urban areas — it’s greatly needed.”

More information is available at https://northwesternstagelines.com.

According to Northwest Stage Lines’ website, the standard far for a one-way ticket from Portland to Boise or Boise to Portland is $66.50. The bus leaves Portland at 10:45 a.m. and arrives at the Boise Airport at 8:10 p.m. PST.

Stops and times, for the Portland to Boise bus:

• The Dalles, 12:20 p.m.
• Pasco, Washington, 2:45 p.m.
• Hermiston ( One Stop Mart, 28810 Stafford Hansel Road), 3:45 p.m.
• Pendleton ( Pendleton Market, 2101 SE Court Ave.), 4:20 p.m. A one-way ticket from Pendleton to Boise is $37, and from Pendleton to Portland is $72.50.
• La Grande (bus station, 2204 E. Penn St.), 5:15 p.m. A one-way ticket from La Grande to Boise is $31, and from La Grande to Portland is $82.
• Baker City, ( Baker Truck Corral) 6 p.m. (Ticket prices from Baker City should be available on Northwestern’s website by later on Tuesday, Pope said.)

Stops and times, for the Boise to Portland bus:

• Baker City, 9:45 a.m.
• La Grande, 10:35 a.m.
• Pendleton, 11:30 a.m.
• Hermiston, 12:25 p.m.
• Pasco, Washington, 1:10 p.m.
• The Dalles, 3:40 p.m.
• Portland, 5:30 p.m.

© 2025 the Baker City Herald (Baker City, Ore.).
Visit www.bakercityherald.com.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.