Bus to Grand Forks

Grand Forks sits on the Red River of the North in northeastern North Dakota, paired with East Grand Forks, Minnesota across the river and home to the University of North Dakota. The city was rebuilt steadily after the catastrophic 1997 Red River flood that submerged most of central downtown — the surviving Town Square, the rebuilt central historic blocks and the new flood-protection greenway are all part of the city's contemporary identity. The bus to Grand Forks drops you in the central downtown at the JL Cities Area Transit hub on Kittson Avenue or at the University of North Dakota flag stop on University Avenue, with the central historic blocks, the Empire Arts Center, the Town Square and the UND campus reachable on foot or by short rideshare. People come for the University of North Dakota and Fighting Hawks hockey, for the Empire Arts Center and the central historic downtown, for the Greenway flood-protection park system along the Red River, for the access to the Red River Valley agricultural country, and for an unhurried prairie weekend. A Grand Forks bus ticket lands you a short walk from the central downtown.

Greyhound stops in Grand Forks

Grand Forks has two Greyhound stops. The main one is the JL Cities Area Transit hub at 450 Kittson Avenue, in the central downtown — buses stop in the transit center on the corner of Kittson Avenue and South 4th Street. As a full transit centre, the building has indoor seating, restrooms and the basic shelter you'd expect; plan to arrive in good time so you can find your platform and get checked in. The second is the University of North Dakota flag stop at the Memorial Union, 2901 University Avenue, where buses stop at the corner of University Avenue and Hamline Street.

For most travellers, the JL Cities Area Transit hub is the right choice — it's the central downtown stop and connects directly to the local Cities Area Transit bus network, which runs out of the same building. The UND Memorial Union flag stop is useful if your trip ends naturally on the campus, putting you within walking distance of the central campus core. As the UND stop is curbside, plan to arrive at least 15 minutes before departure to be in position when the bus pulls in.

If you're being met, both locations are familiar to rideshare drivers and the Cities Area Transit hub has space inside the building if the prairie winter weather isn't cooperating. Have your ticket ready on your phone or printed for boarding.

Getting around Grand Forks after your bus to Grand Forks arrives

Grand Forks's central downtown is more compact than the metro footprint suggests. From the JL Cities Area Transit hub on Kittson Avenue, the central historic blocks, the Empire Arts Center, the Town Square and the central restaurants are within a comfortable walk. The University of North Dakota campus is a short rideshare or local-bus ride west.

The Cities Area Transit network — the local public-transport service for Grand Forks and East Grand Forks — runs city buses across the metro, with a hub at the JL transit centre. Useful routes connect downtown to UND, the Columbia Mall on the south side, the Alerus Center and the surrounding suburbs. Service runs through the day on weekdays and is more limited on weekends. Rideshare runs reliably across the city.

For the wider region — the Red River Valley agricultural country, Minnesota lake country east, and onward to Fargo south or Winnipeg north — a rental car is the practical option. Cycling is also viable on the Greenway, the long flood-protection park system that runs along both banks of the Red River through the city, with miles of paved trails. The Red River runs north (one of the few in North America to do so), forming the border with Minnesota and providing the central greenway corridor.

Top things to do in Grand Forks

• The University of North Dakota campus, with the central University Avenue corridor, the Chester Fritz Library, the North Dakota Museum of Art and the central walking grounds.
• The Ralph Engelstad Arena on the UND campus, the home of UND Fighting Hawks hockey — a UND hockey night is a Grand Forks cultural event and the central winter draw.
• The Empire Arts Center, the restored 1919 movie palace in central historic downtown on Demers Avenue, with concerts, classic film and touring acts.
• The Town Square in central historic downtown, the central plaza on Demers Avenue with summer concerts, outdoor films and a steady year-round commercial life.
• The North Dakota Museum of Art on the UND campus, with strong holdings in contemporary art, regional Plains artists and rotating exhibitions. Free entry.
• The Greenway, the long flood-protection park system along both banks of the Red River through the city, with miles of paved trails, picnic areas and the historic dyke system that protects the central downtown.
• The Alerus Center, the central event venue with University of North Dakota athletics, touring concerts and the regional convention space.
• The Children's Museum at Yunker Farm, on the south side of the city, with hands-on science exhibits useful for a rainy-day morning with kids.
• The Chester Fritz Auditorium on the UND campus, with concerts, theatre and a year-round programme of touring acts.
• The 1997 Flood Marker on the Sorlie Bridge between Grand Forks and East Grand Forks, with the high-water mark from the catastrophic April 1997 flood that submerged most of central downtown.
• The Ralph Engelstad Arena's Olympic Sports Hall of Fame, with strong galleries on UND athletes and the regional sports heritage.
• The Roger Maris Museum is in Fargo, but the Grand Forks ice-fishing and walleye-fishing scene on the surrounding lakes (Devils Lake and the Minnesota border lakes) is a working regional draw.
• The Sky Dancer Casino, west of the city in the Turtle Mountains, with gaming floors, restaurants and surrounding mountain country.

Best time to visit Grand Forks

Late spring through early autumn is the long, generous window. From late May into June the prairie greens up after the long winter, the Greenway opens to a full season and the temperature sits in a pleasant range for walking. July and August are warm — afternoons regularly in the 80s — but the long, dry prairie evenings stretch out late and the central downtown's outdoor calendar fills in. The Grand Forks Air Show pulls a regional crowd in alternating summers (check the schedule before timing the visit).

September and October bring the Red River Valley fall — colour through the cottonwood and basswood along the river, comfortable walking weather and the harvest of the surrounding sugar-beet, wheat and corn fields. The UND academic year starts in late August and runs full pace through autumn — Fighting Hawks hockey opens in October at the Ralph Engelstad Arena.

Winter is real prairie cold. From December through February temperatures regularly drop into the teens and below, with serious sub-zero stretches and significant snow events. Daytime temperatures sit well below freezing for stretches — pack for it. The Empire Arts Center, the North Dakota Museum of Art, the Ralph Engelstad Arena (UND hockey is at full pace through the winter) and the long-running Demers Avenue restaurants all stay full pace through the season. Outdoor activities pivot to ice fishing, cross-country skiing on the Greenway and the surrounding trails, and the regional outdoor curling tradition. By March the days start lengthening visibly and the Red River begins to swell with snowmelt — the 1997 flood fell within this window and the surrounding flood-protection system is on full alert through April most years.

February at the Ralph Engelstad Arena, the temperature outside at minus-fifteen with windchill and the air inside the arena loud with UND Fighting Hawks hockey, the building packed with green-and-white scarves and the wider Red River Valley sliding into the third hard month of winter, is when Grand Forks gives you the kind of cultural rhythm that's hard to translate to anywhere with milder weather. The hockey is the central winter ritual; the long sub-zero stretches outside make it a more meaningful one. Use the search bar on this page to check schedules and book bus tickets to Grand Forks when your dates are firm.

Planning Your Greyhound Bus Trip to Grand Forks?

You're in the right place! Get all the details you need to arrange your bus journey to Grand Forks! There are 2 bus stops in Grand Forks. You can board the Greyhound at Grand Forks (Univ Of North Dakota), Grand Forks JL Cities Area Transit. You can easily find the location of the stop(s) on the map available on this page. Traveling to or departing from Grand Forks can cost you as little as $24.99. If you're on the hunt for a cheap ticket to Grand Forks, remember to book early. Traveling on weekdays or during non-peak hours can also lead you to some of the most budget-friendly fares available! With 15 destinations linked to Grand Forks, Greyhound provides you with multiple options for planning your bus trip.

Why travel to Grand Forks with Greyhound

When you choose Greyhound, you're promised a comfy seat and free Wi-Fi throughout your journey. Stay connected and entertained while we safely drive you to your destination! Enjoy a comfy bus trip to Grand Forks with our onboard facilities like free Wi-Fi and power outlets. Choose your favorite seat while booking and travel with peace of mind rest easy knowing your ticket covers one carry-on and one checked bag.

How to book your bus ticket to Grand Forks

Booking a ticket with Greyhound is a breeze: on this website or on the free Greyhound App, you can complete your booking in a few clicks. When purchasing your ticket to Grand Forks online, you can choose between different secured online payment methods, such as credit and debit cards. Alternatively, you can pay in cash at a sales point.