Virginia Breeze
| Virginia Breeze | |
|---|---|
| Overview | |
| Owner | Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation |
| Locale | Commonwealth of Virginia |
| Transit type | Bus |
| Number of lines | 4 |
| Number of stations | 30 |
| Annual ridership | 60,000[1] |
| Headquarters | Richmond, Virginia[2] |
| Website | https://virginiabreeze.drpt.virginia.gov/ |
| Operation | |
| Began operation | 1 December 2017[3] |
| Technical | |
| System length | 1,220 miles |
The Virginia Breeze is an intercity bus service operated by Megabus, introduced by the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation. It is designed to connect underserved rural areas. The system operates four bus routes from Washington D.C. to many different parts of Virginia.
The service includes stops at Dulles International Airport and Union Station, facilitating connections to planes, trains, and other buses. From Union Station, passengers can connect with intercity bus and Amtrak services to cities along the Northeast Corridor, including Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York City, and Boston.[4]
History
[edit]Virginia Breeze began operations in December 2017, funded through the Federal Transit Administration’s Intercity Bus Program[5] and managed by the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation. It initially offered a single route between Blacksburg and Washington, D.C. Today, Virginia Breeze Bus Lines connects communities throughout Virginia with four routes from Southern and Southwestern Virginia to Northern Virginia[4]
Routes
[edit]The Valley Flyer
[edit]The Valley Flyer is the busiest route of the system. This route starts at Blacksburg and has 7 intermediate stops. These areChristiansburg, Lexington, Staunton, Harrisonburg, Front Royal, Dulles International Airport, and West Falls Church Metrorail station. Its terminus is at Washington D.C. Union Station.[6]
The Capital Connector
[edit]The Capital Connector starts at Martinsville and stops at Danville, South Boston, Farmville and Richmond, before arriving at Union Station.[6]
The Piedmont Express
[edit]The Piedmont Express runs between Danville and Washington. This route starts at Danville and has 8 intermediate stops, which include: Altavista, Lynchburg, and Amherst, Charlottesville, Culpeper, Warrenton, Gainesville, and Dulles International Airport before arriving at Washington D.C. Union Station.[6]
The Highlands Rhythm
[edit]The Highlands Rhythm runs starts at Bristol and stops at Wytheville, Radford, Christiansburg, Salem, Lexington, Staunton, Harrisonburg, Front Royal, Dulles International Airport and West Falls Church Metrorail station; its terminus is at Union Station.[6]
Proposed Routes
[edit]The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation is proposing adding the first east-west line to the service in 2025. The new route is planned tk run from Virginia Beach to Harrisonburg. The 235-mile trip will take about six-and-a-half hours one way, with stops in places like Charlottesville, Richmond, and Williamsburg, among others. The department couldn’t say what a ticket would cost. This would be the first line on Virginia Breeze’s schedule to connect to Hampton Roads.[7]
References
[edit]- ^ "Virginia Breeze Performance Metrics".
- ^ "DRPT - Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation". DRPT.
- ^ "Home Page". The Virginia Breeze.
- ^ a b "Home Page". The Virginia Breeze. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
- ^ "Virginia Breeze Sets Ridership Record". Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
- ^ a b c d "Routes". The Virginia Breeze. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
- ^ "State-run bus line will add first route to Hampton Roads". WHRO Public Media. 21 May 2024. Retrieved 13 September 2024.