Cheap bus tickets from Rochester to Madison

Find and compare the best ground travel options in one place.

Bus from Rochester to Madison: Journey Information

There is one daily bus from Rochester to Madison. Traveling by bus from Rochester to Madison usually takes around 4 hours and 38 minutes, but the fastest Jefferson Lines bus can make the trip in 4 hours and 25 minutes.

Distance
167 mi (269 km)
Shortest duration
4h 25m
Cheapest price
$29.00
Trips per day
1
Most frequent service
Jefferson Lines
Bus lines
1

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:

Download our free app!

4.8 Rating

5k Reviews

4.5 Rating

4.8k Reviews

Chiku

Rochester to Madison Bus Schedule

No preview is currently available. Please try another date or search the full schedule.
Wanderu mascot

Wander into savings:
Get deals in your inbox!

Sign up to get the latest deals on bus & train tickets sent directly to you.

Bus Trip Reviews from Wanderu Customers

Average score for buses from Rochester to Madison (Based on 6 ratings and reviews)

5.0

5.0

Nell

June 29, 2025 - Vacation

Jefferson Lines
Pros: Travel under someone else's responsibility this means that I was able to work on my assignment while trusting on the driver to get me to my destination Cons: Work on time management but was understanding Tips: Good

5.0

Gokul

November 6, 2023 - Regular commuter

Jefferson Lines
Cons: Outlets for charging and better wi-fi

5.0

Nicole

July 7, 2022 - Visiting family

Jefferson Lines
Pros: Trip was super easy and on time. Driver was very kind and helpful Cons: WiFi limit was frustrating

5.0

Billy

March 25, 2022 - Visiting friends

Jefferson Lines
Pros: It was cheaper and it was a very fast trip to be honest.. I would have many more trips in the future Cons: I guess to further accomadate covid it would be nice to have better seating assigned and not so much moving around. Tips: Yes try to not move around alot. I mean I was comfortable but It was a lot of people moving around alot for seating.

5.0

Stephanie

May 24, 2020 - Visiting family

Jefferson Lines
Pros: not many people on board Cons: i wish it were a bit cheaper Tips: n/a
See more details

How much is a bus ticket from Rochester to Madison?

Bus tickets for a trip from Rochester to Madison cost about $29 when you book at the cheapest time, 1 day ahead. Opting to take a bus is a wallet-friendly way to make this trip. If you book your trip ahead of time using Wanderu, you can easily find bus tickets at or below this price.

Average bus ticket prices from Rochester to Madison by travel date

$30$20$10NovNov

If you're planning to travel by bus from Rochester to Madison in the next month, the average ticket price is expected to range from $29 to $29. The cheapest bus tickets available in the next few weeks are for trips departing on November 3, 2026. If you’re looking to travel to Madison this week, bus tickets are available starting at $29.

Average bus ticket prices from Rochester to Madison by month

$50$40$30$20$10JFMAMJJASOND

Traveling from Rochester to Madison by bus will cost you about the same throughout the year. In general, bus ticket prices for this route are fairly consistent, so expect to pay around $30 whenever you decide to travel.

Prices as travel date approaches

$50$40$30$20$100

Most bus companies charge higher ticket prices closer to the date of travel, so it’s a good idea to buy your bus tickets as early as possible. To save money on bus tickets and ensure availability, it's always best to book in advance.

What bus companies travel from Rochester to Madison?

There is one intercity bus company available to search and book on Wanderu that operates from Rochester to Madison. Jefferson Lines is the only company that has bus schedules available to search and book at the moment. It only makes the trip once a day on most days.

BusDaily TripsAvg. TimeAvg. Price
Jefferson Lines14h 38m$29.45
  • Jefferson Lines is a well-established intercity bus company with service to some of the Midwest’s top travel destinations. As one of the United States’ largest bus service providers, Jefferson Lines is beloved by students, commuters, and vacationers in America’s heartland. Travel with Jefferson Lines is comfortable thanks to reclining seats, individual climate controls, restrooms, and free WiFi. You can even check the status of your trip with their bus tracker tool. The carrier provides safe, affordable, and reliable service from Rochester to Madison with ticket prices as low as $29.

Frequently asked questions about traveling by bus from Rochester to Madison

There is usually only one bus per day from Rochester to Madison. Fortunately, this happens to be a direct bus, meaning that you do not have to get on a different bus at any point during your trip.

Trips per day

1

Direct trips

1

The bus takes an average of 4 hours and 38 minutes to cover the 167 miles from Rochester to Madison. However, the fastest bus only takes 4 hours and 25 minutes. In other words, you'll have plenty of time to rest and relax on the road. 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.

Distance (mi)

167

Distance (km)

269

There is usually only one bus per day from Rochester to Madison. It leaves the station in Rochester at 4:40 PM each day. The time might vary for specific dates, so be sure to search on Wanderu for the most up-to-date information.

Earliest bus

1:05pm

Latest bus

4:40pm

Tuesday is usually the day of the week when buses are busiest. If you are planning to travel on a Tuesday, 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 Madison, book your ticket for the last day of the week.

Most crowded

Tuesday

Least crowded

Sunday

City Information

Madison

MSI-0MSI-1MSI-2

Consistently ranking high on the lists of the best places to live in the USA, Madison still maintains its quaint and idyllic small-town vibe despite being the capital city of Wisconsin. Sitting among the city’s most iconic and most popular landmarks is the Madison Memorial Union, which is located within the campus of the University of Wisconsin–Madison. The building features a lakeview terrace filled with colorful chairs, allowing visitors to chill out and enjoy the sun. If you are interested in the history of the state or architecture as a whole, head over to the State Capitol building, which was built between 1906 and 1917. The building features lavish council chambers, which were modeled after the famous Doge’s Palace in Venice, along with other architectural highlights. If you wish to stay close to nature, the Olbrich Botanical garden, with its famous Thai Pavilion and Garden, will certainly be a great choice.

As a college city, Madison features numerous cutting-edge establishments that will make your mouth water. For some of the best dining views in town, head over to Graze, where you can also grab some of the best cheese curds in Madison. If you want to enjoy the best brunch in town, Sardine might have what you need.

The busiest bus/train station in Madison is located on Collins Ct. The city is served by the Dane County Regional Airport, 6 miles northeast of downtown.

Station Information

Where does the bus leave from in Rochester?

Main departure station: Rochester Fuel Stop

Most buses depart from the main station in Rochester.

All bus stations in Rochester:

  • Rochester Fuel Stop

Where does the bus arrive in Madison?

Main arrival station: University of Wisconsin - Gordon Center

All buses from Rochester arrive at one main station in Madison.

All bus stations in Madison:

  • University of Wisconsin - Gordon Center

Need a return trip from Madison to Rochester?

Search Bus Tickets

Plan your next adventure

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.