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There are 4 intercity buses per day from Minneapolis to Ames. Traveling by bus from Minneapolis to Ames usually takes around 5 hours and 43 minutes, but the fastest Jefferson Lines bus can make the trip in 4 hours and 10 minutes.
| Distance | 204 mi (329 km) |
| Shortest duration | 4h 10m |
| Cheapest price | $6.90 |
| Trips per day | 2 |
| Most frequent service | Jefferson Lines |
| Bus lines | 1 |
Overall score for buses from Minneapolis to Ames
(Based on 1 ratings and reviews)
5.0
Pros: The staff at the Hawthorne Bus Station in Minneapolis were kind and helpful. Tips: Try to listen to the bus driver when they give time allotments and rules for breaks. I'm sure they have to take time to deal with folks always trying to hop off at a "not-break" stop all the time and that probably slows them down and gets annoying. Then it slows down the whole bus when they're reprimanding said persons who hop off and try to get back on.
$63.67 is the average price of a bus ticket from Minneapolis to Ames. Any tickets cheaper than $63.67 can be considered a great deal. It’s easy to find a bus ticket at this price or lower when you use Wanderu to book your trip online in advance of your travel date.
There is one intercity bus company available to search and book on Wanderu that operates from Minneapolis to Ames. Jefferson Lines connects the two cities by bus, it offers multiple scheduled buses per day for you to choose from.
| Bus | Daily Trips | Avg. Time | Avg. Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson Lines | 4 | 5h 44m | $70.85 |
Book Jefferson Lines from Minneapolis to Ames from $7. There are 4 Jefferson Lines schedules from Minneapolis to Ames and you can expect on average to pay for a Jefferson Lines ticket to Ames. In Minneapolis, Jefferson Lines departs to Ames from Minneapolis-St Paul Airport and 2 other stations. In Ames, Jefferson Lines arrives at Intermodal Station - 129 Hayward Ave and no other station.
An average trip on Jefferson Lines from Minneapolis to Ames takes 5 hours and 44 minutes , while the fastest available Jefferson Lines trip will get you to Ames in 4 hours and 10 minutes .
On weekends, Jefferson Lines offers 4 trips per day and you could expect to pay for a weekend getaway trip to Ames.
The bus takes an average of 5 hours and 43 minutes to cover the 329 kilometers from Minneapolis to Ames. However, the fastest bus only takes 4 hours and 10 minutes. It’s definitely on the longer side, so plan to get comfortable for a long road trip. Keep in mind that your actual bus may arrive earlier or later than scheduled, depending on whether there is more or less traffic than usual.
Because many passengers travel from Minneapolis to Ames at the beginning of the work week, Monday is usually the busiest day for buses. If you are planning to travel on a Monday, you should make sure to book tickets well in advance as they may sell out.
On the other hand, Friday is typically the least busy day for bus travel on this route. If you’re looking for a little extra space, a Friday ticket is the way to go.
The first bus leaves at 9:00am and the last bus leaves at 12:00pm. To see the times for all buses from Minneapolis to Ames, enter your specific travel dates in the search bar.
Image credit: Unsplash
Image credit: Unsplash
Image credit: Unsplash
Situated along the bank of the Mississippi River in Minnesota, Minneapolis is one of the biggest and most exciting cities to visit in the Midwest. It is home to the Chain of Lakes, where you can swim, fish, boat and even bike or walk along the lakeside trails. It’s no wonder Minneapolis is among the top 10 cities in the U.S. for outdoor activities!
Although it's known as the City of Lakes, Minneapolis has a lot more to offer than gorgeous lakes, wetlands, and waterfalls. Shopaholics can spend days getting lost in the Mall of America, which boasts over 500 stores and an indoor theme park. If you're visiting Minneapolis on a romantic vacation, Minneapolis' bustling theater district offers excellent date nights from dozens of theater companies. Or, for a less musical and more brews-ical date option, head to one of 62 top-rated breweries in the #2 best city in America for craft beer.
Minneapolis can be visited in any season, but keep in mind that it becomes a frigid, snowy destination in the winter. January hovers around 0° Fahrenheit, but it's worth bundling up to enjoy the St. Paul Winter Carnival, or hockey and ice skating on any of the 13 lakes in the city. Have we mentioned how great the lakes are?
If you're visiting both of the Twin Cities, you can take public transport from downtown Minneapolis to Saint Paul in about 30 minutes. Public transit also connects downtown to the Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport. Thanks to bus stations throughout Minneapolis, traveling by bus is the easiest way to arrive directly in the middle of the action and begin your adventure.
Buses to Ames leave from 3 stations in Minneapolis.
Minneapolis-St Paul Airport
Minneapolis
University of Minnesota (Huron Blvd at 2428 Delaware St SE)
All buses from Minneapolis arrive at one main station in Ames.
Intermodal Station - 129 Hayward Ave
With just a quick search on Wanderu, you can compare bus and train schedules and prices from hundreds of travel companies in one convenient place to find the trip that works best for you. Wanderu’s simple checkout process makes it easy to book cheap bus and train tickets hassle-free and with no additional fees. Most importantly, as Wanderu is an official partner of all leading bus and train companies, we always have the best bus and train deals out there.
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