Chicago’s Greyhound Station Could Close

The only intercity bus terminal in Chicago, formerly belonging to Greyhound, could close as a result of the company’s acquisition by FlixMobility. Dan Zukowski outlines the story in Smart Cities Dive, noting that “All but two of Greyhound’s former properties were sold by September 2022, causing cities to lose enclosed bus stations and forcing riders to wait at curbside or other locations lacking waiting rooms and other amenities.”

According to a brief from the Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development at DePaul University, “Allowing the closure of the Greyhound Station without giving passengers an attractive alternative that is both centrally located and equipped with an indoor waiting room would make metropolitan Chicago a weak link in the national intercity bus system.” The station currently serves between 456,000 and 557,000 riders per year, according to a Chaddick estimate, with almost 400,000 more riders using curbside pickup locations, which lack protection from winter weather and heat, for Greyhound and other bus lines.

The brief calls on the city to take over operations of the bus station and keep it in service for the passengers who rely on it and explore options for expanding intercity bus service to and from Chicago.