Cheap bus tickets from Ames to Minneapolis
Find and compare the best ground travel options in one place.
Millions of travelers trust Wanderu every year to get:
Lowest Prices
We find the cheapest bus & train tickets, so you can wander for less.
Best Travel Options
We partner with 500+ carriers to bring you the most bus & train options.
Quick & Easy Booking
Book trips quickly with a simple, hassle-free checkout – online & on our app.
Fast Customer Support
We don’t monkey around. We respond within minutes to help you out.
See what travelers are saying about Wanderu:
Ames to Minneapolis Bus Schedule
Bus from Ames to Minneapolis: Journey Information
There are 15 intercity buses per day from Ames to Minneapolis. Traveling by bus from Ames to Minneapolis usually takes around 9 hours and 25 minutes, but the fastest Jefferson Lines bus can make the trip in 3 hours and 50 minutes.
| Distance | 204 mi (329 km) |
| Shortest duration | 3h 50m |
| Cheapest price | RON 224.14 |
| Trips per day | 3 |
| Most frequent service | Jefferson Lines |
| Bus lines | 2 |

How much is a bus ticket from Ames to Minneapolis?
Bus tickets for a trip from Ames to Minneapolis cost RON 224.14 on average. Tickets cheaper than RON 224.14 are an excellent bargain. If you book your trip ahead of time using Wanderu, you can easily find bus tickets at or below this price.
Monthly avg. prices
What bus companies travel from Ames to Minneapolis?
There are two bus lines that have daily service from Ames to Minneapolis that you can compare and book on Wanderu. Of these two carriers, Jefferson Lines usually offers more choice, with 15 scheduled trips per day.
| Bus | Daily Trips | Avg. Time | Avg. Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson Lines | 15 | 9h 32m | RON 261.56 |
| Tornado Bus | 1 | 4h 50m | RON 668.11 |
Book Jefferson Lines from Ames to Minneapolis from RON 224. There are 15 trips per day offered by Jefferson Lines from Ames to Minneapolis and you can expect on average to pay for a Jefferson Lines ticket to Minneapolis. In Ames, Jefferson Lines departs to Minneapolis from Intermodal Station - 129 Hayward Ave . In Minneapolis, Jefferson Lines arrives at University of Minnesota (Huron Blvd at 2428 Delaware St SE) and 3 other stations.
An average trip on Jefferson Lines from Ames to Minneapolis takes 9 hours and 32 minutes , while the fastest available Jefferson Lines trip will get you to Minneapolis in 3 hours and 50 minutes .
On weekends, Jefferson Lines offers 5 trips per day. A one way ticket costs for a weekend trip to Minneapolis.
Frequently asked questions about traveling by bus from Ames to Minneapolis
The bus takes an average of 9 hours and 25 minutes to cover the 204 miles from Ames to Minneapolis. However, the fastest bus only takes 3 hours and 50 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.
Friday is the busiest travel day for buses as people head from Ames to Minneapolis for the weekend. If you are planning to travel on a Friday, you should make sure to book tickets well in advance as they may sell out.
On the other hand, Sunday is typically the least busy day for bus travel on this route. If you are looking for less crowded buses to Minneapolis, book your ticket for the last day of the week.
The first bus leaves at 12:00am and the last bus leaves at 10:00pm. To see the times for all buses from Ames to Minneapolis, enter your specific travel dates in the search bar.
City Information
Minneapolis

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.
Station Information
Where does the bus leave from in Ames?
Main departure station: Intermodal Station - 129 Hayward Ave
Ames has two bus stations with service to Minneapolis.
All bus stations in Ames:
Intermodal Station - 129 Hayward Ave
Phillips 66 Gas Station
Where does the bus arrive in Minneapolis?
Main arrival station: University of Minnesota (Huron Blvd at 2428 Delaware St SE)
Buses arrive in Minneapolis at 5 stations, depending on which bus line you are traveling with.
All bus stations in Minneapolis:
University of Minnesota (Huron Blvd at 2428 Delaware St SE)
Minneapolis-St Paul Airport
516 2nd Ave North
1 Veterans Drive
Tienda La Mexicana (MN)
Get around town with Moovit
Need a return trip from Minneapolis to Ames?
Search Bus TicketsPlan your next adventure
More buses from Ames
- Bus from Ames to Des Moines
RON 86+
- Cedar Rapids to Waterloo Bus
RON 119+
- Cedar Rapids to Chicago Bus
RON 328+
- Bus from Davenport to Cedar Rapids
RON 136+
- Bus from Davenport to Des Moines
RON 194+
- Davenport to Iowa City
RON 99+
- Davenport to Chicago Bus
RON 172+
- Davenport to Milwaukee Bus
RON 221+
- Dubuque to Chicago
RON 297+
- Bus from Grinnell to Cedar Rapids
RON 166+
- Bus from Grinnell to Chicago
RON 371+
- Iowa City to Davenport Bus
RON 99+
- Bus from Iowa City to Des Moines
RON 142+
- Iowa City to Waterloo Bus
RON 144+
- Bus from Iowa City to Chicago
RON 194+
- Bus from Mt Pleasant to Cedar Rapids
RON 127+
- Ottumwa to Des Moines Bus
RON 172+
- Waterloo to Des Moines
RON 232+
Continue by bus from Minneapolis
- Minneapolis to Denver Bus
RON 1,031+
- Minneapolis to Ames Bus
RON 269+
- Minneapolis to Chicago
RON 292+
- Minneapolis to Bemidji
RON 323+
- Minneapolis to Duluth Bus
RON 181+
- Bus from Minneapolis to Mankato
RON 147+
- Minneapolis to Moorhead Bus
RON 453+
- Minneapolis to Rochester
RON 145+
- Bus from Minneapolis to Saint Cloud
RON 95+
- Bus from Minneapolis to Saint Paul
RON 37+
- Bus from Minneapolis to Winona
RON 156+
- Minneapolis to Kansas City
RON 457+
- Bus from Minneapolis to Fargo
RON 301+
- Minneapolis to Omaha
RON 470+
- Minneapolis to New York Bus
RON 936+
- Minneapolis to Columbus Bus
RON 621+
- Minneapolis to Green Bay Bus
RON 147+
- Minneapolis to Madison Bus
RON 181+
Check out these popular routes
- Bus from Calgary to Edmonton
RON 103+
- Bus from Vancouver to Seattle
RON 159+
- Montreal to New York Bus
RON 391+
- Washington D.C. to New York Bus
RON 88+
- Boston to New York
RON 95+
- Brooklyn to Washington D.C. Bus
RON 167+
- Brooklyn to Philadelphia
RON 38+
- Ithaca to New York Bus
RON 210+
- Bus from New York to Montreal
RON 392+
- Bus from New York to Washington D.C.
RON 99+
- Bus from New York to Boston
RON 99+
- New York to Ithaca Bus
RON 226+
- Bus from New York to Philadelphia
RON 58+
- Bus from New York to Providence
RON 152+
- Bus from Philadelphia to New York
RON 57+
- Bus from Providence to New York
RON 137+
- Dallas to Houston Bus
RON 177+
- Houston to Dallas Bus
RON 174+

Wanderu is the simplest way to book bus and train travel.
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. 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.
- Bus Tickets
- United States
- Minnesota
- Minneapolis
- Ames to Minneapolis






