Maine Bus Lines, Charter Services & Shuttles
A Bangor Area Transit bus rolls through the University of Maine.
Maine offers a study in contrasts, ranging from its rural farmlands and rugged woodlands, to its scenic coastline and bustling cities. What better way to enjoy all the sights Maine has to offer, or simply cut your own expenses and efforts in commuting, than to take advantage of Maine’s bus lines and charter services?
Maine’s Bus Lines & Charter Services
Maine offers numerous bus lines and charter services throughout the state; some cater to local areas, while others travel anywhere within eight primary regions of Maine with accessible roads: Aroostook county, Downeast and Acadia, Greater Portland and Casco Bay, Kennebec and Moose River Valleys, Maine lakes and mountains, Mid-Coast region, Maine beaches, and Maine highlands. Prices vary from one bus line to the next, and range from single fares to annual passes and tour package fees.
Several of the primary bus lines operating in the state of Maine include the following:
- Acadian Lines group, which includes SMT, offers services for 78 destinations throughout the Maritimes, as well as Northern Maine stops; intercity passenger service is also available daily. Phone: 1-800-567-5151
- Aroostook Regional Transportation System (ARTS) provides scheduled bus routes throughout Aroostook County, along with portions of Washington and Penobscot counties. Phone: 207-764-1920
- Concord Coach Lines provide daily service to and from 12 Maine communities (including the cities of Portland, Brunswick, Bangor, Orono, and a number of coastal towns) and Boston’s South Station and Logan Airport. Phone: 1-800-639-3317
- Cyr Bus Lines provide daily bus service between Bangor and Limestone in Penobscot and Aroostook counties; Cyr also combines services with Concord Coach and Greyhound Lines for Portland to Boston connecting service. Phone: 1-800-244-2335
- Greyhound Lines provide daily service from Augusta, Bangor, Bar Harbor (on a seasonal basis), Brunswick, Lewiston, Portland, Waterville, and Wells to Boston’s South Station; Greyhound also offers direct thru service to and from New York City. Phone: 1-800-231-2222
- West’s Transportation provides services to various communities within Washington county and eastern portions of Hancock County with both fixed-route and demand response public transportation. Intercity service is also available between Calais and Bangor (under the name Coastal Connection) with stops in Washington and Hancock Counties as necessary. Phone: 1-800-596-2823
Chartered bus companies include Cyr Bus Lines, mentioned previously, as well as the following:
- Maine Charter Bus Rental Service, owned by US Coachway Inc.; specializes in chartered tours and vacation packages in and around all eight primary regions of Maine. Phone: 1-800-359-5991
- Northeast Charter & Tour Co. offers an impressive and extensive variety of transportation services, from shuttle vans to 56-passenger charter buses; specializes in group charter bus trips for breath-taking fall foliage tours in New England, shopping excursions to many Maine malls, and getaway trips to Maine’s casinos. Phone: 1-888-593-6328
Shuttle Services and Maine Transit System
One of the easiest ways to commute from parking lots to tourist areas, or within cities, is via Maine’s shuttle buses or transit system. Some of these include the following:
- Bath Shuttle Bus-City Bus which provides a public fixed route bus within the City of Bath, Monday through Friday. Phone: 207-443-8363
- BAT Community Connector, operated by the City of Bangor, offers a fixed route public transit system for the communities in the urban areas of Greater Bangor (includes Bangor, Brewer, Hampden, Old Town, Orono, and Veazie) as well as to the University of Maine. Phone: 207-992-4670
- Citylink, known for its purple buses, offers stops along fixed routes within its public transit system in the cities of Lewiston and Auburn; it is operated by the Western Maine Transportation Services (WMTS) for the Lewiston Auburn Transit Committee (LATC). Phone: 207-777-4563
- KVCAP (Kennebec Valley Community Action Program) offers public fixed-route bus service throughout Augusta, Fairfield, Farmingdale, Gardiner, Hallowell, and Waterville. Phone: 207-622-4761
- METRO, operated seven days a week by the Greater Portland Transit District, provides public fixed route transportation throughout the areas of Falmouth Crossing, Portland, and Westbrook, as well as the Maine Mall area of South Portland. Phone: 207-774-0351
- Regional Transportation Program (RTP) operates as a private, non-profit corporation, but provides public transportation services in Cumberland County, as well as commuter service to BIW. Phone: 207-774-2666 or 1-800-244-0704
- ShuttleBus provides intercity services between Biddeford and Portland, via routes from Old Orchard Beach, Scarborough, and the Maine Mall in South Portland. Phone: 207-282-5408
- South Portland Bus runs Monday through Saturday, providing public fixed-route transit service in the Maine Mall area, downtown Portland, and South Portland; it is owned and operated by the City of South Portland. Phone: 207-767-5556
Choose Your Preferred Transportation Service
Contact the transportation service you prefer ahead of the time you need it, to allow for any schedule conflicts or changes. Whether you are planning a chartered scenic tour or simply commuting to work, Maine’s bus lines and charter services are available to get you where you want to go.