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Innsbruck

Innsbruck is the fifth-largest city in Austria and the provincial capital of Tyrol, as well as one of the largest cities in the Alps. It is in a valley of the river Inn between mountain ranges of above 2000 m above sea level, halfway between Bavaria and northern Italy, and is a hub of a region popular for skiing and other mountain-related activities and a busy tourist destination. Its popularity as a winter sports resort was underscored by its hosting the Winter Olympic Games twice.

Innsbruck offers the traveler an intriguing mix of contemporary and imperialist history, culture and architecture with a variety of architectural styles waiting to be discovered in every street.

Understand
The first mention of Innsbruck was during the reign of Augustus, when the Romans established the army station Veldidena (the name survives in today's urban district Wilten) at the locality named Oeni Pontum or Oeni Pons, which is Latin for bridge (pons) over the Inn (Oenus), the important crossing point over the Inn river, to protect Via Claudia Augusta, the economically important commercial road from Verona-Brenner-Augsburg.

Innsbruck became the capital of Tyrol in 1429 and in the 15th century the city became a centre of European politics and culture as emperor Maximilian I moved the imperial court to Innsbruck in the 1490s. Many old buildings from the Middle Ages and modern times survived in the heart of old town.

The city is well known for its sporting opportunities, especially alpine sports, as it is in the Alps and surrounded by mountains. Innsbruck also hosted the 1964 and 1974 Winter Olympics. Several ski resorts are situated inside the city territory or within short distance. Innsbruck was one of the centers of snowboard boom in the 1990s and the derived distinct subculture endured until today. The population of skateboarders, snowboarders and people alike is therefore above average and nothing unusual to the people. This culture is also celebrated by a lot of events in and around Innsbruck especially in the winter season, attracting (predominantly young) people from all around the world.

There are two universities and several colleges in Innsbruck, with over 30,000 students altogether, making the city's nightlife very lively.

Innsbruck has also become one of Austria's most eco-friendly cities, due to a very good public transport system and a partial ban on cars in certain areas of the historic old town.

Climate
Innsbruck's distance from the coast and altitude lead to a continental climate. Winters are cold and snowy; summers are generally warmer and wetter, with highly variable weather. Hot and dry days, with temperatures hitting 30°C, are quite common; but can be followed by a cool and rainy spell, with temperatures only around 17°C in the day. Summer nights are cool and temperature often drop quickly after sunset - sometimes falling below 10°C in early morning.

Tourist information

 * Innsbruck tourism website

By plane
Regular scheduled flights are available from:
 * TUI fly Belgium 2x per week from Antwerp
 * Austrian Airlines from Vienna and Frankfurt
 * Transavia from Rotterdam and Amsterdam
 * EasyJet from Berlin, London-Gatwick (also with British Airways) and 2x per week from Bristol
 * Lufthansa from Frankfurt and Berlin-Tegel
 * TUI Airways from London-Gatwick and Manchester
 * Czech Airlines from Prague
 * British Airways from London-Heathrow
 * Sibir Airlines from St. Petersburg and Moscow

Seasonal flights (mostly active during skiing season) are available from many more destinations including the UK, the Netherlands, Greece, and Scandinavia, as well as from Berlin, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Kyiv and Moscow. There are also charter flights to several German cities - especially in winter.

The bus line F will take you to the city center (every 15 minutes, on Sunday it departs every 30 minutes). A single ticket costs.

Other airports from which Innsbruck can be reached by train include Munich (, 200 km), Memmingen (, 175 km), Salzburg (, 185 km), St. Gallen-Altenrhein (, 190 km) and Friedrichshafen (, 215 km).

By train
Regular direct trains run from Venice, Bolzano/Bozen, Zürich, Munich, Graz, Vienna (via Linz and Salzburg) and many other destinations.

Austrian Nightjet sleeper trains run twice a week to Brussels, taking 15 hours via Munich, Cologne, Aachen and Liège, as well as to Amsterdam via Munich, Nuremberg, Hanover and Hamburg.

Despite being a smaller city, Innsbruck has fantastic train connections to all major cities in its region. The main station,, is at Südtiroler Platz (South-tyrolean square) in the east of the city centre. There are several stations which serve suburban and regional train connections.

Coming from Germany with the Deutschland-Ticket, take a local/regional train to Mittenwald and continue your ride in the same train to Innsbruck. From Mittenwald to Innsbruck is €10. Buying the ticket on the Austrian train website costs less than buying it on the Deutsche Bahn counterpart

See Austria for fare deals.

By bus
The is right next to the main train station, and accommodates local, interregional and international traffic. There are connections to Seefeld, Wipptal, Ötztal, and Zillertal. International connections offer a budget friendly alternative for train travel, a one way ticket from Munich to Innsbruck with a stop in Garmisch-Partenkirchen costs ca. €11.

By car
Innsbruck is reachable through both of Tyrol's motorways: (A12) and  (A13) which intersect in the south of Innsbruck.

During holiday seasons, when Europeans either try to get in or out of Italy over the in summer or try to reach or return from ski resorts in winter, heavy traffic should be expected on both motorways particularly during weekends. Snowfall inevitably makes the traffic situation worse, so it is recommended to tune in to Radio Tyrol at 96.4 MHz FM for the latest traffic updates.

By bike
Innsbruck can be reached on the Inntalradweg from Passau to St. Moritz. Even in the city this bicycle trail is signposted with small green road signs.

Get around
Most one-day visitors don't use any transport: all of the major Old Town sites are within a reasonable walking time.

On foot
The classic walk into old Innsbruck follows.

From the main station (Hauptbahnhof) to the city center is a relatively short and enjoyable 10 to 15 minute walk. Walk out of the Hauptbahnhof, cross the street at the train station cross walk, turn to your right, and go down to the next street to your left. Walk on this street until Maria-Theresien Strasse, then turn right toward the city center. Taking this street all the way leads to the pedestrian zone and the Golden Roof.

By car
Big parts of the downtown area are declared (fee-based) short-term parking zones. For longer visits, it is highly recommended to park off-site and use public transportation.

By public transport
Public local traffic (6 tram-lines, and a dense network of buses) is operated by Innsbrucker Verkehrsbetriebe and a couple of private operators. All public services are organized in Verkehrsverbund Tirol, which means that tickets are valid in every public transport line (including buses, trams and trains). All buses and trams are modern low-floor vehicles.

Sometimes bus lines are split up into different destinations and so it's important to pay attention to the destination displays (outside and inside) and the spoken announcements. Single-fare tickets are €3 in the city fare zone if paid by the driver or €2.40 if purchased at ticket machines. 5-trip tickets are available for €8.00 or €10.00, respectively. Regardless of the door you enter, go to the driver and pay, exact change not necessary. daily tickets, weekly tickets and other sorts of tickets are only offered at multi-language ticket machines to be found at many stations. They can also be purchased at the identically looking machines for short-term parking tickets. You must validate the ticket when you get on your first bus or tram. See the website for all available tickets.

The special bus line "TS" ("The Sightseer") connects the major sights like Schloß Ambras, Bergisel and Alpenzoo to downtown. However special fares apply for this line. If you don't plan to visit every museum it might be reasonably cheaper to use the normal 24 hour ticket without this bus.

Two tram lines lead to two villages in the neighbourhood of Innsbruck.

Tram line nr. 6 connects Innsbruck and the mountain village Igls, which is worth a visit. The line passes the uplands with vast forests and gives some spectacular prospects for travellers either on Innsbruck or on the lovely landscape between Aldrans and Igls. It provides stops immediately near Schloß Ambras and the bathing-lake Lansersee (ice skating in Winter is also possible there). The terminus Igls lies within the city fare zone, so no additional ticket is needed.

Tram line STB is 18 km long and connects Innsbruck with several villages in the Stubaital valley. This tram provides also access to Bergisel (Tirol Panorama) at the station Sonneburgerhof. This station is also situated within die city fare zone. In Mutters, Nockhofweg access to an easy skiing area, the Mutteralm, is provided (10 minutes walk). A beautiful hour's ride will take you at least the small town of Fulpmes. The new red liveried trams offer great scenic views on the journey. It is recommended to make a trip around Halloween, when the larch-trees on the Telfer Wiesen have got their best autumn colour.

By S-Bahn
A suburban train system called S-Bahn with five routes (S1 - S5) connects Innsbruck to villages and towns around the city, from Landeck to Kufstein or Kitzbühel and from Mittenwald to Brenner. Timetables and fares can be found on the VVT website. Inner city VVT tickets are valid between the Hauptbahnhof and (west station),, , and.

By bike
Cycling is common in Innsbruck and especially popular among students. Innsbruck has some bicycle paths, but they are not very well interlinked within the city. A map of all bicycle ways/lanes is available here. In 2012, Innsbruck was awarded Fahrradhauptstadt (cycling capital) by VCÖ (an Austrian traffic advocacy group).

Innsbruck offers short-term shared bike system Stadtrad. It is subject to compulsory registration via this page or machines standing next to the bikes, and requires a credit card number. The registration costs €1 and yields a credit of €1 on the account. A ride less than 30 minutes costs €1, less than 1 hour €3, for every additional hour €3, up to a total of €15 for 24 hours (see their fare overview). The locations are displayed on a map on this site. If you plan on using the bike frequently, you may consider getting an annual membership for €25, which reduces the cost of rentals substantially.

See

The Innsbruck-Card offers free entrance to all of Innsbruck's sights, free use of public transportation (including the TS line). It also includes a one-time ascent&descent to Nordkette, Patscherkofel and Axamer Lizum, and a 10% discount to Swarovski Crystal Worlds in nearby Wattens. The Innsbruck-Card is valid for 24/48/72 hours and can be purchased at Innsbruck Information (Burggraben 3), the TI in Hauptbahnhof, and several museums and tourist offices. The latest Innsbruck card fare can be found here. Since 1 May 2018, rates are €43/€50/€59 for 1/2/3 day cards for adults, and €21.50/€25/€29.50 for children 6-15 years old. And daily or weekly public transport cards are cheap - the "all inclusive" sales pitch is alluring to disoriented travellers, but make sure the discounts are worth the initial price. If you are not seeing these major entrance-fee sites, remember that you may buy more than one daily card at a time, as the 24 hours only starts once validated. Be sure to compare with the price of a weekly ticket too.

The bus line Sightseer (TS) connects the major sights in Innsbruck. However, there is always a cheaper public transport line going to the same destination, though it might take you more time.

Churches and cathedrals

Museums
A combined ticket for the Tyrolean State Museums is available for €10, or €6 discount, and offers entry to The Ferdinand, Hofkirche, Volkskunst, Zeughaus and Das Tiroler Panorama Museums until the end of the calendar year. The ticket includes a free audio guide (which is worth getting as information is otherwise only in German) at some locations.

 * Jakob Hutter, founder of the Hutterite sect, was burnt at the stake in this square in 1536.
 * Jakob Hutter, founder of the Hutterite sect, was burnt at the stake in this square in 1536.

Winter sports
There are a lot of ski resorts in the mountains surrounding Innsbruck, many of which offer free ski buses from the city center so long as you have ski gear and/or a valid ski pass, making it a great place to base one's self. Discount or combo passes can reduce the costs of skiing or snowboarding. In 2022-2023, a "SKI plus CITY pass" combines winter sports discounts with city sightseeing passes.

Below is an overview of notable ski areas easily accessible from Innsbruck. For full information about resorts around Innsbruck and Tirol, see Bergfex.com.

 * {| class="wikitable"

!Name||Tel.||Altitude|| / / || /  /
 * Seegrube – Nordkette|| +43 512 29 33 44 ||860 - 2.260m||4 Lifts: 2 / 2 / -|| 14 km Pistes: 1 / 8 / 5
 * Igls – Patscherkofel|| +43 512 377234 ||900 - 1.960m||8 Lifts: 1 / 2 / 5|| 18 km Pistes: 10 / 8 / -
 * Axamer - Lizum|| +43 5234 68240 (Kasse)||1.583 - 2.340m||10 Lifts: 1 / 6 / 3|| 41 km Pistes: 4 / 27 / 10
 * Kühtai || +43 5239 5222||2.020 - 2.520m||11 Lifts: 1 / 4 / 6|| 44 km Pistes: 7 / 29 / 8
 * Schlick-2000|| +43 5225 62270|| 1.000 - 2.230m|| 10 Lifts: 2 / 1 / 7|| 25 km Pistes: 18 / 8 / 1
 * }
 * Kühtai || +43 5239 5222||2.020 - 2.520m||11 Lifts: 1 / 4 / 6|| 44 km Pistes: 7 / 29 / 8
 * Schlick-2000|| +43 5225 62270|| 1.000 - 2.230m|| 10 Lifts: 2 / 1 / 7|| 25 km Pistes: 18 / 8 / 1
 * }
 * Schlick-2000|| +43 5225 62270|| 1.000 - 2.230m|| 10 Lifts: 2 / 1 / 7|| 25 km Pistes: 18 / 8 / 1
 * }

 * Nordpark is accessible via the tram line 1, the bus lines 1, 4, A, D, E, J and T. The Nordkettenbahn goes up to Seegrube and Hafelekar, where many hiking routes and trip routes start. The Nordpark Singletrail is one of the most ambitious mountain bike freeride routes of Europe.
 * In winter, the Nordpark can offer several ski routes. They are steep and offer a great view of the nearby mountains and the city itself.
 * One ascent&descent is free with the Innsbruck-Card.
 * It is possible to walk or hike all the way up to the summit without taking the cable cars. It is vigorous but doesn't require special equipment. There are places where it is not completely clear which way to go (even with local hiking).

Ice skating is a popular winter activity and there are several public outdoor rinks with evening hours and rental skates (ask for directions to the nearest eislaufplatz). Olympiaworld has an outdoor rink and its TIGLS Arena is used for ice hockey.

It's a bit safer and tamer than bobsledding, but it's still plenty fast and exciting...it's called Bobrafting and you can do it on the Olympic bobsled run in Igls.

Games
The Alpine weather can be unpredictable, and with rain likely to fall in every season, having indoor alternatives to outdoor activities is a must when visiting Innsbruck. For those who enjoy puzzles and riddles, there are 11 room escape games to play in the city.

Nordkettenbahnen
The Nordkettenbahnen are 3 alpine vehicles bringing visitors from the historic centre of the city all the way up to the top of the Nordkette mountain, from where the summit at an altitude of 2334 m can be reached by foot. The first section is the Hungerburgbahn, a funicular departing in. The middle section is the Seegrubenbahn cable car, and the top section is the Hafelekar chairlift. When buying tickets online, the code BONALPINA will give you a 10% discount on tickets for the Nordkettenbahnen.

Spectator sports

 * The Tirol Raiders (as of 2015 they bear the sponsored name Swarco Raiders) play American Football in the first division Austrian Football League (that's the actual name). They have been among the top contenders for the championship for most of the 2010s. They played in the big six in 2014 and 2015. The big six is the top American Football competition for club teams in Europe.

Events

 * New Orleans Festival - Since New Orleans is the partner city of Innsbruck a festival is held every summer featuring a lot of prominent musicians and focussing on Jazz, Blues, Gospels and other styles from the region around New Orleans.
 * The Ski Jump Contest around new year at the Begisel stadium is one of the few moments when Austrians demonstrate true patriotism. As Austrians are very competitive in alpine disciplines this is one of the events that many people follow.
 * For the younger generation the Air & Style Snowboard Contest  is the high point of the year when the best snowboarders of the world compete in the biggest snowboard event of Europe. The event is the first snowboard competition that ever featured the straight jump, it's accompanied by international bands and a crowd of more than 10,000. Usually it is held either around the beginning of December or end of January.
 * In late spring a lot of clubs and pubs participate in the city event Sound City , where downtown Innsbruck becomes a network of discos. Shuttle buses circulate around the city and bring the guests to various locations where a range of international DJs play different styles.
 * The Hafen, the Treibhaus and the p.m.k. are event centers downtown or a little outside of the city. Many concerts, events and parties take place all around the year and are visited by young locals, students and travellers.
 * Note: In the summer season Innsbruck is flooded by tourists from the far east and far west - predominantly older people who are mostly on a European tour - the event calendar adapts to this. The winter season is dominated by younger people, especially students and travellers from all around the world, who provide the city with a vivid nightlife.
 * Note: In the summer season Innsbruck is flooded by tourists from the far east and far west - predominantly older people who are mostly on a European tour - the event calendar adapts to this. The winter season is dominated by younger people, especially students and travellers from all around the world, who provide the city with a vivid nightlife.

Buy
Malls: There are several shopping malls in Innsbruck:

Outside Downtown

Furthermore, there are several warehouses, especially in the suburb of Neu-Rum.

Shopping areas: There are numerous shops in central pedestrian areas like Maria-Theresien-Straße, the Old Town, Franziskanerplatz, Sparkassenplatz and Anichstraße as well as Museumstraße. You will also find shops/stores in quarter centers of Wilten (tram lines 1, 6 and STB) and Pradl (tram line 3).

Souvenir stores in the Old Town offer souvenirs of varying origin, but the Tiroler Heimatwerk (Meranerstraße 2) offers real Tyrolean handcraft. However most of the shops are real tourist traps and are overpriced by far. You will probably find more authentic and cheaper souvenirs in one of the surrounding villages of Innsbruck.

Clothes and footwear
Buy creative footwear:
 * El Natura Lista in Salamander shop (Maria-Theresien 1; also great choice of Tomy Hilfiger shoes)
 * Think! in Stiefelkater (Marktgraben str. 14, +43 512 583065)

Budget
All these are in the city centre:

Religious services

 * Dom St. Jakob, Domplatz 6 (Old Town). Su 10:00, 11:30; M-F 09:30; M-Th 08:00 (Unterkirche)
 * Jesuit church, Karl-Rahner-Platz . Sa 18:00 (English), 19:00; Su 11:00, 18:00, 21:30; M-Sa 07:30 (Krypta), 19:00; Th 21:30 (Krypta)  The only English Mass in the city.
 * Kapuzinerkirche, Kaiserjägerstraße 6 (near the bus parking at Hofgarten). Su 10:00; M-F 06:30, 09:00
 * Alte Spitalskirche zum Hl. Geist, Maria-Theresien-Straße 2 (Old Town). Su 09:30; M-F 18:30
 * Servitenkirche, Maria-Theresienstraße. Sa 17:30; Su 06:30, 10:00, 17:30; M-F 06:30, 10:30, 17:30
 * Herz Jesu, Maximilianstraße 8 (south of Old Town). Sa 18:00; Su 07:00, 09:30, 11:00 (Croat.), 18:00; M-F: 07:00, 08:00, 18:00
 * Islamic Center Tirol (Islamisches Zentrum Tirol), Andreas Hoefer Str. 17 a, tel. 0043512562146

Go next

 * — between Innsbruck and the
 * — the largest alm in Europe and one of the most remote settlements in the Alps
 * — historic salt mining city with the best preserved old town centre in western Austria
 * — home of the Swarvoski Crystal Company and their museum, the world famous
 * — famous for its silver mine
 * — glacier and a skiing resort
 * — glacier and a skiing resort

title: Innsbruck


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Long-distance bus travel in the United States

Long-distance bus travel can be an interesting, inexpensive, and convenient way to see the United States, especially for travelers who do not drive their own car. Buses reach more places across the nation with greater frequencies than trains in the United States.

Understand
Buses cover more of the country than trains and have more frequent departures; and unlike air travel, there is no hassle of security. Although it is not the fastest way, competition between the various operators makes bus travel generally inexpensive. It is even possible to obtain a trip between two cities for as little as $1.

Most intercity bus services use the interstate highway system for the majority of their routes, thereby taking the fastest route they possibly can.

Most long-distance buses are comfortable. Seats are spacious and sometimes have a small flip-down table, like on an airplane. On-board toilets for passengers are also more common than not. Some bus companies show movies on board. Power outlets and Wi-Fi for passengers' use is increasingly the norm. You can also bring food and drink onboard.

Shorter runs, sometimes up to several hours long, may have no intermediate stops. But on longer routes there will be scheduled stops, either in cities where passengers are picked up and offloaded and you can get off the bus for a few moments or at a truck stop where you can get off to eat and drink in a cafe or restaurant. Longer scheduled stops are usually printed on your ticket.

Even for those who fly and drive regularly there are still advantages to include bus travel with your plans. For travel within or to destinations with limited or no commercial air service, bus travel or driving would usually be most economical way to get there. Anything over 200 mi between metropolitan areas or across the country and you will find the cost of air travel to rival or even undercut bus fares. The exceptions for using buses over longer distances is if you plan to travel point to point across the country with the need to hop on and off frequently. To get between places not well served by commercial airlines would be to combine bus with air travel. Take the bus to the nearest city with a major airport, fly to the next city and then take another bus to the final destination. For example, if one is traveling from Arcata, California, to Key West, Florida, the round trip airfare may be $850 whereas the airfare from San Francisco to Ft Lauderdale or Miami in South Florida may be just $240 round trip. Therefore, one would take the first bus from Arcata to San Francisco; fly from San Francisco to South Florida and transfer to another bus going to Key West. This saves money on the difference in airfare, the cost of airport parking in San Francisco and the extra airport surcharges for renting a car from Ft Lauderdale. In context of this example, if you are planning to stay in Key West you can get around locally without a car! But this may not be true in other places especially if you are going to a remote locale like somewhere in the Florida keys, off of the main highway, or to the Everglades from Miami. Using buses in combination with air travel is more necessary for traveling east and west across Canada as the Canadian domestic air market is dominated by the Air Canada and Westjet duopoly. Add to that the higher taxes on air travel and less subsidies and domestic air travel comes out more expensive in Canada than in the United States. For example, for a traveler to get from Vancouver to Toronto he/she can takes a bus from Vancouver to Seattle; fly across the US from Seattle to Buffalo and then transfer to another bus going to Toronto. Same thing with travel between the U.S. & Canada and from outside the North American continent to Canada. Travel by bus from Toronto to Buffalo and fly from Buffalo to Florida or continue further south by bus into New York City to catch an international flight out of North America. The downside is that it takes more time and is less convenient, but it can save several hundreds of dollars in the difference in airfare especially if two or more are traveling together and budget is tight. Most people will still drive to the airport, rent a car from the airport or use Canadian airports because it is quicker and more convenient to get to there. In some major airports intercity bus/shuttle companies (including Greyhound) do offer airport pick-up/drop-off at the 'ground transportation' (or departure) zones of the terminals such as in Buffalo, Miami, Seattle, Orlando, Denver, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, etc

Greyhound Lines

 * Autobus Americanos co-brand with the Mexican bus company, Grupo Estrella Blanca to operate cross-border bus services between the U.S. and Mexico from Colorado, New Mexico, Texas and Utah to the US/Mexican border. In some cities they call at the Greyhound stations while in other places they have their own separate depots or stops. Greyhound also go further south from Laredo, Texas, to Nuevo Laredo and Monterrey in Mexico as Greyhound Mexico.
 * Cruceros USA operates cross border services between Los Angeles and Tijuana via Santa Ana, San Diego & San Ysidro.
 * Lucky Streak goes to the casinos of Atlantic City from Baltimore, New York City (including Brooklyn), Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.
 * Quick Link Quicklink is a subsidiary brand of Greyhound Lines to provide frequent local & regional commuter services between New York and Mt Laurel and from New Orleans to Baton Rouge.
 * Valley Transit Co Valley Transit is a full-service bus company serving South Central and Southeastern Texas and to Reynosa, Tamaulipas in Northern Mexico from McAllen TX.
 * Valley Transit Co Valley Transit is a full-service bus company serving South Central and Southeastern Texas and to Reynosa, Tamaulipas in Northern Mexico from McAllen TX.

Coach USA

 * Megabus operates mainly in the midwest and the eastern half of the country to rival Greyhound and the Chinatown buses. They operate between the hub cities of Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, New Orleans, Orlando, Milwaukee, New York and Washington DC with other surrounding cities in the region.
 * Community Coach scheduled commuter service from Morris and Essex Counties in New Jersey to New York City.
 * Dillons offers bus charter and commuter services between Baltimore, Washington DC, Annapolis, and Bethesda in Maryland.
 * Kerrville university express service between Texas A&M in College Station, Dallas, Grand Prairie, Houston, Katy & Texas State University in San Marcos in Texas
 * Olympia Trails operates commuter services across the Hudson between Manhattan and northern New Jersey. They also operate local services in/around Hudson County, New Jersey (Jersey City) under the Red & Tan Brand (may of been discontinued); in/around Essex County, New Jersey as the Orange Newark Elizabeth Bus (ONE Bus); between mid-town Manhattan and Plainfield, New Jersey as the Westfield Commuter; and the Newark Airport Express between Manhattan and the Newark Airport. They also operate select Megabus routes out of New York to Boston, Washington, Baltimore, Albany, Ridgewood New Jersey and Toronto.
 * Rockland Coaches operates commuter bus service between New York City and points in Bergen County, NJ and Rockland County, NY. They also provide local bus service within both locales.
 * Shortline scheduled services from New York City to Woodbury Common, Upstate NY points, Colleges, Orange, Rockland, Sullivan, Bergen and Pike Counties in New York state
 * Suburban Trails offers commuter, casino, and charter services in Mercer, Middlesex, and Somerset Counties, New Jersey.
 * Van Galder Madison, Janesville, South Beloit and Rockford in Wisconsin to Chicago O'Hare along the I-39/90 corridor.
 * Wisconsin Coach Lines operates 15 times daily to O'Hare Airport, and Mitchell Airport from Waukesha, Milwaukee, Racine, and Kenosha.
 * Coach Canada Their Canadian affiliate for travel in Canada which also includes the Megabus brand operating in Canada.

A number of the Coach USA brands have been independent companies that were bought out by or had merged with Coach USA but kept the same name they have before the merger. The Megabus brand is a brand already operating in the UK by Stagecoach Group that was imported to compete in the American & Canadian markets.

Other major companies

 * Shofur offers bus charter and rental services for group travel in over 250 cities within the United States.
 * Shofur offers bus charter and rental services for group travel in over 250 cities within the United States.
 * Shofur offers bus charter and rental services for group travel in over 250 cities within the United States.
 * Shofur offers bus charter and rental services for group travel in over 250 cities within the United States.
 * Shofur offers bus charter and rental services for group travel in over 250 cities within the United States.
 * Shofur offers bus charter and rental services for group travel in over 250 cities within the United States.
 * Shofur offers bus charter and rental services for group travel in over 250 cities within the United States.
 * Shofur offers bus charter and rental services for group travel in over 250 cities within the United States.
 * Shofur offers bus charter and rental services for group travel in over 250 cities within the United States.
 * Shofur offers bus charter and rental services for group travel in over 250 cities within the United States.
 * Shofur offers bus charter and rental services for group travel in over 250 cities within the United States.
 * Shofur offers bus charter and rental services for group travel in over 250 cities within the United States.
 * Shofur offers bus charter and rental services for group travel in over 250 cities within the United States.
 * Shofur offers bus charter and rental services for group travel in over 250 cities within the United States.
 * Shofur offers bus charter and rental services for group travel in over 250 cities within the United States.
 * Shofur offers bus charter and rental services for group travel in over 250 cities within the United States.

The above list is not complete as there are numerous publicly operated buses as public transportation in urban and rural areas and privately owned & operated (for profit) companies traveling across longer distances. Some cross state lines (or international lines to Canada or Mexico) while others operate within a single state. See By bus under Get in, in a city or town article and under Get around and/or Get in, in a state article for a list of additional bus companies traveling to or through that location. A number of the Trailways and other bus lines have interline agreements with Greyhound Lines & each other to allow travelers to buy another bus company's ticket on Greyhound.com or their respective websites for contiguous travel. Under such agreements they usually use shared bus station facilities but not always the case either.

Mexican buses
Some Mexican bus companies offer cross-border transportation between U.S. and Mexico as far north as Chicago and far south as Mexico City from the U.S./Mexico border areas. Some of the cross-border buses are subsidiaries of a larger Mexican bus company while others are smaller American- or Mexican-owned companies serving the regions near the border on one or both sides.

Connections from Texas hubs to the Midwest including Chicago, the Southeast and Mexico are offered by Tornado Bus, El Expreso, Omnibus Mexicanos and Turimex Internacional. Service in and out of Florida is offered by the Chilean JetSet, Argentinian RedCoach, and Cuban-American La Cubana. In California and the Southwest operators include FuturaNet, Tufesa, InterCalifornias and El Paso-Los Angeles Limousines, which may have tickets starting from $1.

Tickets
Tickets can often be purchased online with many of the bus companies, some offering discounts for buying online while others require the tickets can only be bought online. Others with established stations and stops at hotels and convenience stores may sell the tickets at the station or through the store or hotel front desk on a contract basis. The companies with only a curbside stop may require tickets be purchased online, printed and presented to the driver prior to boarding as the drivers cannot accept payment or carry any cash. See their websites as to what the policy may be.

Station amenities
Layovers are a part of longer bus journeys. Some last only 10 minutes, but they can be several hours long. If you have the energy, longer layovers can be used to explore the city. Some travelers may choose to break a long journey to stay overnight in a hotel next to the bus station/stop to be able to shower and get some rest before continuing on the next bus for the rest of the trip.

In many cities Greyhound Lines have closed their large monumental stations and sold them. They have since downsized to curbside stops (like in Portland, Oregon) or into shared facilities with Amtrak trains & local public transportation (Los Angeles, Denver, San Jose, etc) or with local public transportation only (known as 'transit centers' as in Las Vegas). In smaller towns, they have contracted with convenience stores and truck stops (Love's, Travel Centers of America, Pilot's Flying 'J', AM/PM, etc) or hotels to serve as a pick-up/drop-off stop or as a de-facto station. In other places (Seattle, Sacramento, Orlando, Daytona Beach, etc) Greyhound still maintain and operate full service bus station but in smaller building which may or may not eventually close. Other companies have only designated curbside stops or maintain their own separate bus stations in smaller buildings or a "hole in the wall" storefront (such as the 'chinatown' bus companies in New York). They (including Greyhound) also offer airport pick-up/drop-off at the 'ground transportation' (or departure) zones at a major airport or somewhere nearby such as in Buffalo, Miami, Seattle, Orlando, Denver, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, etc. Since the acquisition of Greyhound Lines by Flixbus they now have the same shared stops and stations as well as additional stop(s) for Flixbus.

Therefore, amenities vary according to the location. Gone are the days of the large open indoor waiting room with a small TV set on the armrest at each seat, with a restaurant inside the station. Curbside stops require passengers to reserve, pre-pay and print their tickets or be able to generate a QR code on a mobile device prior to travel as drivers cannot accept cash or card payments and can refuse passengers without a pre-paid ticket. Even at a retail store/truck stop the store may only provide space for the bus to pull in and load/unload passengers only while others may sell tickets and/or provide indoor seating for bus passengers. The remaining functioning bus stations (and those in Amtrak stations) still sell tickets over the counter and offer an indoor waiting room which are small and basic in comparison to the past Greyhound stations. Food and overnight stay options will vary depending on the availability of stores, restaurants, cafes and/or hotels surrounding the stop or station. Some of which are in sketchy neighborhoods with unsavory characters loitering around these establishments while the nearby hotels/motels can be used as dens for prostitution, drug dealing and other criminal activities.

Local public transportation vary in their frequencies and routing. In urban areas the same bus station or stop may be served by multiple local public transportation routes on more frequent schedules while in remote rural locations services are limited and less frequent. Some rural public transportation companies may only operate on certain days or every other week rather than daily. Check their schedules closely if planning to use local public transportation. Otherwise arriving passengers will have to arrange for taxi, ride-share (Uber, Lyft, etc), or with a known contact for pick-up prior to arrival as the stop or station can be in sketchy neighborhoods in an unfamiliar location. In some places a car rental office (Usually Avis, Enterprise or Hertz) can be nearby the bus stop or station for car rental.

If you choose to spend your layover time sampling nearby bars do not get drunk as you will not be allowed on the bus. Even the smell of alcohol in your breath may be enough for a driver to disallow you back on the bus.

Rules
Generally, the few rules imposed on bus travelers are very basic and largely common sense. Smoking and alcohol consumption are always forbidden. Some buses have signs banning eating and drinking, but this is rarely enforced; if you do eat or drink try to clean up after yourself. Try to keep noise to a minimum - no-one wants to hear other people's conversations or music. Unlike air travel, security checks are rare, but there are occasional inspections for 'banned' items, though items that are obvious hazards such as firearms may not be brought on board. Each company has its own guidelines regarding live animals.

Stay safe
In the United States, the security risks in long-distance bus travel can be related to the behavior of other passengers and maintaining order on the buses.

There have been several reported incidents where threatening or violent situations have occurred between passengers on long-distance buses. In these cases, the risk is directed at other passengers and the bus staff.

Problems can be caused by, for example:

 * Substance abuse on buses
 * Disruptive behavior from those with mental health issues
 * Arguments and fights between passengers
 * Possession of weapons on buses
 * Disruptive behavior from youth gangs

The openness of long-distance buses and the large number of certain types of passengers increase the risk of such situations compared to, for example, air travel.

Bus companies try to address these issues with security personnel and passenger screenings, but it is difficult to guarantee complete safety in all situations.

In any case, the threat of situations caused by other passengers is an unfortunate security risk in long-distance bus travel in the United States.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/


text:
Interior

There is more than one place called Interior:

Iceland

 * Interior (Iceland) - A region in Iceland.

Thailand

 * Interior Phuket - A region in Thailand.

title: Interior


text:
Interior (Iceland)

The Interior of Iceland is a rugged snowy territory, accessible only in summer.

Understand
This is probably the harshest, most "away from it all" place in all of Europe. In addition to being largely covered in glaciers, this area is also volcanically active. The biggest danger to the average visitor, however, is their vehicles running out of fuel. Plan accordingly. No shops or gas stations are in the area (there are some at the edge of the area). Accommodation in the area is mostly huts with cooking facilities, with a minority of them being motels with restaurants. Tourist information centres exist but they are few and far between.

Of the land, 41% is barren, 10% is oases (often located near lakes), 3% is lakes, and the remaining 21% have varying amounts of flora. There are three glaciers in the region, covering 25%, including the largest glacier in Europe: Vatnajökull. The glaciers make it impossible to build an east–west road, and thus the main roads in the interior go from the south to north. The glaciers began to form 5,000 years ago and reached their current size 1,500 years ago. The whole area is above sea level. The region's main attraction is its remoteness and huge expanses of untouched scenery.

Nights are colder here than elsewhere in the country, largely due to the elevation. The average temperature at night is and the lowest temperature is. Daytime average is with  being the highest temperature. The weather can change frequently, every 15 minutes, like is the case also elsewhere in the country.

During the only available season in this region, summer, there is only a few hours of darkness. At average there is only 3 hours of darkness in June, 5 hours in July and 8 hours in August.

Freedom to roam
Everybody has the right to roam freely by foot. Bicycles should follow paths or roads and Jeeps are only allowed on marked roads. Tents should only be set up at designated campsites. Within some areas in Vatnajökull park camping is forbidden altogether, due to sensitive soil. The traveller is expected to show care for the environment and return it in the same condition as it was in. The Icelandic government owns a vast majority of the land in this region.

Areas
This region splits into several areas. Those three areas are the two main roads are in the region, Kjölur road 35, Sprengisandur road F26 and the third is the Vatnajökull National Park.

 * — The western part of this region, situated between Langjökull and Hofsjökull glaciers.
 * — The central part of this region, situated between Hofsjökull and Vatnajökull glaciers.
 * — The eastern part of this region

Other destinations
Anyone's biggest worry in the interior is to run out of fuel. Here are a few places to look for. Accommodation is available in all of them as well as food.
 * Hótel Hrauneyjar is a small hotel located in the southern interior, just north of Mt. Hekla.

Get in
The interior can be reached from the north or south. It is essential to start the journey from outside of the interior in order to get food, fuel and equipment. See the gear section for what gear is needed in this region. Shop at either Selfoss or Akureyri and then continue.

By bus
The easiest, cheapest and safest way to venture into the interior is by BSI bus (special 4x4 buses with experienced drivers).

Scheduled services are operated by Reykjavík Excursions and route 610a of SBA-Norðurleið crosses the interior through road 35.

By car
As elsewhere in Iceland, roads that start with an "F" are overall in worse condition and more of a challenge than those that are just a number. Authorities will remove the F from the official designation of a road when it meets the (not terribly high) Icelandic standards for a "regular road". That said, even on normal roads, the Interior can be challenging and there is only very sparse population and service or civilisation may be days away in any direction.

Good starting points are Akureyri in North Iceland and Selfoss in South Iceland. Both of those towns are connected to the Ring road.

The interior has two important roads, F26 and road 35, known by the locals as Sprengisandur and Kjölur. Both of these roads cross the country, connecting South Iceland with North Iceland. The directions below will guide you to these roads.

From Akureyri to Sprengisandur follow road 821 in a southern direction. The road then continues as F821. Turn right into F881 and left into F26. Next fuel stop in 242km, at Hrauneyjar.

From Selfoss to Kjölur follow road 35 in a north-eastern direction. The road will pass by Geysir and the waterfall Gullfoss (in Upcountry Árnessýsla) before it enters the interior. Fill up at the gas station at Geysir before continuing. Next fuel stop in 204km, at Blönduós.

From Selfoss to Sprengisandur follow road 1 in an eastern direction, then turn right into road 30, then left into road 32. The road number will change to Road 26. Fuel up at Hrauneyjar and continue on road 26, which will change to F26. Next fuel stop in 242km, at Akureyri.

From Blönduós to Kjölur follow road 1 in an eastern, then southern direction, turn right into road 731 and left into road 35. Next fuel stop in 204km at Geysir.

Renting a 4X4 is very expensive and must be done in advance. It's best to travel with at least one other car as conditions are extreme. Remember that off-road driving is prohibited in Iceland because it contributes to erosion and can be very dangerous.

By bicycle
Iceland has very few long distance bicycle paths. Follow the same routes as a car would to the interior. Don't do this unless you are an experienced long distance cyclist and can fix all conceivable (and some inconceivable) defects in your bike as help may be days off and more accustomed to cars than bikes.

By plane
From Keflavík International airport, you can take the flybus to Reykjavik Domestic Airport and fly from there to Akureyri. From Akureyri you can either take a bus to the interior or rent a jeep. Some airlines offer sightseeing charter flights.

Gear

As the interior is an isolated place, it is important to be prepared.

Jeep trips

 * Warm clothes - preferably several layers (temperatures are lower in the interior than in the coastal lowlands)
 * Hiking boots
 * Gloves, head cover
 * Windproof and water repellent jacket
 * Food
 * Mobile phone
 * GPS
 * Map
 * Tyre repair kit or a spare tyre and jack
 * Jump leads
 * Shovel
 * First aid kit
 * Tool kit
 * Fan belt
 * Rubber boots
 * Knee high boots (for fording)
 * Walking stick (for fording)
 * Towing rope

Bicycle trips

 * Bicycle pants
 * Warm socks
 * Jogging shoes
 * Gloves
 * Windproof and water repellent jacket
 * Energy packed food
 * Bicycle helmet
 * GPS
 * Mobile phone
 * First aid kit
 * Pump and tyre repair kit
 * Strong adhesive tape

Get around

The area is explored via the main roads of the region, Sprengisandur road F26, Kjölur road 35 and Öskjuvegur Road 910. The interior is only partially interconnected with roads. You can get from Sprengisandur to Vatnajökull park and Landmannalaugar, but in order to get to Kjölur you need to go out of the region to the lowlands first. From Kjölur you can get to Kaldidalur on the other side of Langjökull glacier.

A compass and a map is preferable to GPS. When using GPS, type in areas using coordinates, instead of names. Icelanders have a bad habit of naming several areas the same names. The magnetic declination is -9° (in the east) to -13° (in the west) as of 2023, but check current values as the magnetic pole is on the move.

By bus
The easiest, cheapest and safest way to venture into the interior is by BSI bus. Road 35 is covered by Reykjavík Excursions and Sterna's route 610a.

By car
The easiest way of getting around independently is by car. Only 4WD cars are allowed in the interior. Contact the company from which you rent the vehicle and ask for a vehicle that can handle the terrain of the interior. All roads in the interior are closed in the winter and spring, but are open in the summer.

Most roads are gravel roads or trails, with only some of them having bridges. Those roads are typically marked with an F prefix. A minority of roads are asphalt roads, those are normal roads without an F prefix, most of them are connecting roads from the lowlands to the interior.

Attractions in the interior are situated within walking distances from the roads. Usually there are parking areas near the starting points.

Fording
Before you cross any river by car, wade on foot over the river. Use knee high boots and a walking stick. For safety you can tie yourself to the front of the car. Rivers either have a gravel or rocky riverbed. Look for a smooth area to cross over. Look away from the current every couple of seconds in order to prevent dizziness.

If you encounter a lot of current, keep your knees bent. Should you fall, keep the staff firmly in the riverbed, it will eventually allow you to regain control.

By bicycle
Distances within the interior are great and previous cycling experience is recommended. Cycle within your abilities and protect the environment by following roads and paths. Cycling Iceland has detailed maps and other information for cyclists.

By foot
Hiking in the Nordic countries has some general advice, including on fording rivers without bridges. On marked routes some rivers do have bridges, but at high waters or at lesser trails, fording may be necessary.

See
While most visitors are amazed by the Arctic landscape, many Icelanders find it boring. Oases have fauna in the otherwise barren landscape. Pink footed geese, Meadow pipit and European golden plover can be seen here during the summer. Additionally there are several forms of rocks, including palagonite, rhyolite and lahar with rows of craters. NASA has been to this region several times, in preparation for the Apollo missions and for Mars training. Hawaii is the only other place on earth that has been used for this purpose.

Do
Cooking: Fire is permitted outside of protected areas where there is no risk of damage. Firewood is almost non existent in this region. Fires within Vatnajökull park are only permitted in designated areas at camping grounds. Camping stoves use propane, refills are available at gas stations. Huts have cooking facilities.

Fishing: Salmon and trout can be fished during the entirety of summer, except from 22:00 on Friday to 10:00 on Tuesday, in order to allow the fish to rest. Angling is permitted and fishing nets can only be used when you are unhooking the fish from the fishing pole. Midges can be encountered around fishing areas and cause annoyance, but they are harmless.

Fees are paid for fishing within Vatnajökull park and within landowners lands. Most of the interior is owned by the government and there does not seem to be a fee there. See also Fishing.

Hunting: In the interior the following species can be hunted: great black-backed gull, lesser black-backed gull, European herring gull, the common raven, parasitic Jaeger (until 14 June) and reindeer. Hunters need to apply for a quota from the environment agency of Iceland. Hunters with a European Firearm Licence may transport a documented firearm to Iceland and hunt with a stay no longer than 3 months. Hunters from other countries need an import permit from the Icelandic police in addition to a fire arms permit and a hunting permit. A firearm under transport must be unloaded and in an envelope. When stored, it must be in a locked locker. Hunters are required to return a hunting report to the environment agency of Iceland.

Bathing: The area has several natural pools. Some of these pools have hot geothermal water that mixes with cold water. All of the motels in the area have showers and some huts as-well.

Swimming: The area has several lakes. Keep a reasonable distance to huts and houses. Look for currents and slippery rocks. It can be a good idea to follow up with bathing after swimming since the temperature in the area is below body temperature.

 * Hike

Eat
Most of the time, eating is done by using food that has already been bought from either South or North Iceland, by using the kitchen facilities of the huts in the region. In the north the closest supermarket is Bónus in Akureyri and in the south Krónan in Selfoss and Kr in Kirkjubæjarklaustur. Pricer close grocery stores in the north are in Reykjahlíð at Mývatn lake, Blönduós and in the south Laugarvatn.

Some restaurants exist close to the border between the interior and the other regions. Only three restaurants are in the region itself, one at Hrauneyjar at the entry point of road F26 - sprengisandur in the south, one at Kerlingafjöll on road 35, close to midway on that road and finally Hveravellir, also on road 35.

Fishing is the preferred way of replenishing your food. The Icelandic moss is used locally as a medicine against the common cold.

Drink
Tap water is safe to drink. Other drinks can be bought from neighbouring regions, but water can be replenished in the interior. Some huts have tap water and showers.

In the wilderness you can usually drink water from springs and streams without treatment. This is a risk however as surface water can contain bacteria. Streams from high ground typically have the best water. Water directly from glaciers should be avoided as it has lots of particles. It may be advisable to boil water from the wilderness for a few minutes unless tested.

Sleep
Use a sleeping bag rated for the whole year or a winter sleeping bag. The average temperature during night is 3 degrees centigrade and it can go down to minus 5 degrees.

Tents: Since 2015, tents are only allowed in specified camping grounds and thus you do always need to pay a service fee. Use a tent that has good ventilation, but is also waterproof. There are camp sites next to most huts. There are midges around lakes. There is also a camping fee in Vatnajökull park.

Huts: There are more than a dozen huts in the interior. They have cooking facilities and beds, but are less insulated (and thus cooler) than a typical house. Some may have tap water and showers. Huts can be ordered on the homepages of útivist and Ferðafélag íslands. One night costs roughly between 4500 and 7000 kr. Members of the Den Norske Turistforeigning (DNT) get a deposit of 100kr at Ferðafélag Íslands.

Motels: There are three motels in the interior. They all have tap water, showers and either cafés or restaurants. None of them have stores.

Stay safe
Three things need to be considered to be safe, being adequately prepared, the weather and natural disasters. Since there are very few services and shops in the region you are on your own. The weather is cold due to the high elevation compared to the rest of the country and the weather can also change. Several active volcanoes are in the area, and the area is also on a tectonic plate. 112 is the national emergency number.

Being prepared

 * Always leave your travel plan around, either with the safetravel.is/travel-plan search and rescue or with friends and family. Make sure your friends and family know that they are supposed to alert 112 if you do not return at the specified date.
 * Make sure you have everything on the gadget list and plenty of food supplies.
 * Guards are only in Vatnajökull park, and even there it is not guaranteed that you will be spotted.
 * You will have to help yourself for a while. Mobiles help, but in some areas the signal is bad, like in northern Sprengisandur. See a map on signal strength on Icelandic roads.
 * Do not enter glaciers without a skilled guide

Weather

 * The weather can change from windy to rainy or even become both windy and rainy.
 * Pack for all weathers, not just the ones the weather forecast tells you about.
 * Bring winter clothes, these are highlands and the temperatures will be lower than in the lowlands.
 * Frostbite is a risk at severe sub-freezing temperatures, particularly when wind adds to the cooling effect

Natural disasters
Carry a portable radio or use your phone as one. Listen for news at LW frequencies 189 kHz and 207 kHz. For the FM frequencies see the frequency map of Rás 1 and 2.

Avoid staying in an area where the wind is flowing from the eruption site, in order to avoid gasses and ash. Stay high up in the landscape, cover your nostrils and mouth with a cloth. Should the ash get thick or if you have asthma, go into the next day or wilderness hut, close windows on the side that the wind blows at, close the chimney and stay there until the wind direction changes.

Should you be in close proximity of an eruption walk opposite to the wind direction to get out of the area. If you have concerns that you cannot abandon a hazardous area in time, do not hesitate to call the emergency number 112.

Respect
As this is an infrequent travel destination, other travellers may not be interested in socialising. The staff in information centres and motels can probably help you. Icelanders are usually fluent in English, and information for tourists is available in English.

Smoking can be a hazard. In hot and dry periods, a cigarette can cause a fire so avoid leaving litter in nature.

Even though there is right of access, some infrastructure is maintained by volunteers. Walking bridges around huts are usually maintained by the very same trekking association that runs the huts. Birds and other animals should not be disturbed. Do not leave garbage behind.

Glossary
Icelandic is a compound language. By knowing some landscape words you could spot the difference between rivers and creeks, mountains and fells. Place names end with a word that specifies the landscape feature they are. Also you could spot words on road signs.

Go next
At the end of your trip, you will have ended up either in North Iceland or South Iceland.

title: Interior (Iceland)


text:
Interior Alaska

Interior Alaska is in the center of Alaska.

Cities

 * - home of the University of Alaska
 * - home of the Ice Classic
 * - home of the University of Alaska
 * - home of the Ice Classic
 * - home of the University of Alaska
 * - home of the Ice Classic

Other destinations

 * - dynamic glaciated landscape supports a diversity of wildlife with grizzly bears, caribou, wolves, Dall sheep and moose
 * - Geology, cultural history, remnants of the last great gold rush, wildlife and scenery. But, best of all, solitude
 * - Geology, cultural history, remnants of the last great gold rush, wildlife and scenery. But, best of all, solitude

Understand
The greater Fairbanks area is a strange place. Fairbanks proper is like a lot of towns in the lower 48 states. There's a Wal-Mart, a Home Depot and a McDonald's. Don't let this fool you. There are plenty of Alaskan originals. The rest of the interior is peppered with small, fairly isolated towns and villages. It is advisable to stock up on what you may need in the larger towns as many smaller settlements have very limited retail establishments, and what they do have can be very expensive. Residents in these areas mostly buy their food and other purchases either online or during shopping trips to larger cities. Follow their example, come prepared with food, water, and cooking fuel or firewood for as long as you plan to be in the area plus a day or two just in case. Gasoline is generally available even in the smallest town but it can be very expensive, and so it is advisable to fuel up every time you pass through a larger settlement.

Get in
If you are flying to Alaska, you will probably at least land in Anchorage. From there you can get a local flight to many other smaller towns, a rental car, bus tour, or a ticket for the Alaska Railroad. The same options exist if you fly into Fairbanks. If you are coming by road from outside the state you have several options for how to explore the interior, the most popular being the "great circle route". The Glenn, Richardson, and Parks highways comprise a rough circle encompassing hundreds of miles of the Interior and connecting all of its largest settlements as well as Denali National Park. For an unforgettable side trip, consider the Denali Highway, the original road to the park, now lightly traveled and barely maintained. Come well-supplied and ready for extensive potholes and wash boarding. Most rental car companies explicitly forbid travel on this road.

 * Fairbanks Airport has flights from outside Alaska and regional flights.
 * Chicken Airport has regional flights.
 * Galena Airport is served by Wright Air Service.  As of 2022, Everts Air has started service using PC-12 aircraft from Fairbanks. This cuts about an hour of flight time compared to the Cessna Caravans used by Wrights.

Get around
Fairbanks is Alaska's second largest city, but only has around 40,000 people. You can easily bike around town if you have a bike with you, and there are lots of bike paths to help with that. It's also a good way to enjoy the scenery around town, since many of the bike paths loop around areas in the outskirts of the city.

Most of the time, though, plan on renting a car if you fly in. It's by far the easiest way to get around and see beyond the city.

See
The scenery in Alaska's interior speaks for itself. In any weather or season, it is always breathtakingly beautiful.

The Northern Lights are one of the biggest attractions to Alaska. The Interior provides excellent views of them, thanks to a lack of light pollution even around Fairbanks. But do not come in the summertime and expect to see the Aurora. It is the land of the midnight sun for a reason. Summers in Fairbanks mean a complete lack of darkness, which is a really cool experience, but the Lights cannot be seen. If you want a good chance of seeing the Northern Lights but can't handle the cold, September is probably your best bet. The sun is still up for most of the day and it's still quite warm, but it gets quite dark at night and the Lights make their reappearance. Not only that, but the landscape in autumn is awash in all of the bright colors of the season, everyone is outside enjoying the last days of nice weather and since most tourists stick to the summer months, you'll get a friendlier attitude from residents.

Do
Chena Hot Springs, about an hour's drive from Fairbanks, is one of the best attractions in the interior of Alaska. The hotel is run almost entirely on geothermal energy, and the greenhouses grow food for the restaurant. The hot springs themselves are best enjoyed in the wintertime, when the icy air contrasts nicely with the hot water. Because of the lack of light pollution, it's also a wonderful area in which to view the Northern Lights.

In Fairbanks, there is the university. A dynamic research university, there are ongoing studies about everything from the best ways to engineer buildings for the harsh Alaskan landscape to climate change. There's a museum featuring Alaska Native arts, a botanical garden, and a large animal research station with plenty of muskox and reindeer to view. The University of Alaska system as a whole is making a push for sustainability, and this can be easily seen in the many greenhouses dotted around the campus. Many of the vegetables served in the dining halls and cafes are grown right on campus.

Pioneer Park (formerly Alaskaland) is also in Fairbanks. It features pioneer homes that were moved from the downtown area into a central location that people can wander through to learn more about the pioneering history of Alaska.

Eat
One of the best things about Fairbanks is that it's home to so many locally owned, mom-and-pop shops that big chain restaurants just don't flourish. For breakfasts, places like the Alaska Coffee Roasting Company and Lulu's Bagels are local favorites. They have great atmospheres in which to sit and chat, and the food is tough to beat.

In the summer, there are many small stands that open up which serve surprisingly good eats. Bun on the Run and Hot Licks Ice Cream are two that locals talk about with reverence and eagerly anticipate when the snow starts to melt.

It will surprise most people to hear that Fairbanks is home to some excellent Thai food. There's a debate among people who live here about which is the best: Lemongrass, Pad Thai, or the Thai House. They each have signature dishes for which people will travel many miles.

SilverGulch brewery is a fairly short drive outside of Fairbanks in Fox. The food and beer are excellent, and the drive is worth it because of the scenery and the views of the Alaska oil pipeline.

If you're camping and would like to stock up on food to cook, the HomeGrown Market has locally raised (and reasonably priced) meats, as well as in-season fruits and vegetables. If you're feeling even reasonably adventurous, try some of the reindeer sausage--it tends toward the spicy and is very tasty. While they're mostly pork, they do have reindeer meat in them. It turns off a lot of tourists, but around the world reindeer is grown for meat and it's yummy, so go ahead and try it.

Stay safe
Alaska is a land of extremes, so be prepared. While Alaska may be known for the cold, summer temperatures in the interior can reach into the s and even s. Tourists who pack only winter clothes find themselves regretting it.

Also, depending on how hot and dry the summer is, there might be lots of wildfires choking the interior. Check local weather sites before going up there, especially if you have any respiratory conditions. Fairbanks is situated in an arctic desert, so the winter can be equally harsh for those with any respiratory problems. Take that into account when planning your travels.

Because of the harsh conditions, there thankfully is a lack of rabies in Alaska. However, the wildlife is incredibly dangerous and is not to be underestimated. Bears attack, and even more frequently moose will attack people. Even moose that come into the cities and are more habituated to people can suddenly turn and attack someone, so be careful.

One wild animal you will absolutely encounter in large numbers in the summer months is the mosquito. Come prepared.

No matter what season you go up there, bring an attitude of preparedness. What gets people in trouble the most is a rosy idea of what they will encounter. Just be prepared for the unexpected, and for harsher conditions than you may have planned for.

title: Interior Alaska


text:
Interlake

The Interlake is a region in Manitoba. Situated north of Winnipeg, between Lake Winnipeg and Lake Manitoba, the Interlake offers visitors parks, beaches and outdoor recreation. The region's lakes and rivers are popular destinations for boating, swimming and fishing.

The Interlake's towns provide an interesting glimpse into the region's rural past. Gimli, the one-time capital of New Iceland, is the region's most popular tourist destination, with an annual Icelandic Festival drawing thousands of visitors every summer.

Cities and towns

 * — the centre of Icelandic settlement in Canada
 * — home of the Marine Museum of Manitoba
 * — historically-Métis settlement on the shore of Lake Manitoba
 * — a lakeside resort community

Other destinations

 * — rural muncipality that includes the communities of Ashern and Eriksdale

Understand
The region is located north of the Assiniboine River and the City of Winnipeg. On the east, the region is bordered by Lake Winnipeg (the 11th largest freshwater lake in the world) and on the west by Lakes Manitoba, Winnipegosis and Cedar.

Combined within the natural lake borders are features of the Red River Valley, the Prairie Parklands and the lake and marshlands of the northern fringe.

The principal ethnic groups are Indigenous peoples (First Nations and Metis), Ukrainian, Polish, Icelandic, Anglo-Saxon, German and French.

Talk
English is spoken everywhere, but don't be surprised to hear other languages including French, Ukrainian, Icelandic and Cree, among others.

Get in
The Interlake is most commonly accessed by road. Take one of Highways 6, 7, 8 or 9 north from Winnipeg. If you have access to a boat, you can take the Red River north to Lake Winnipeg.

There are three small airports in the Interlake that are capable of serving small passenger aircraft. The nearest airport with commercial service is in Winnipeg.

Get around
Getting around the Interlake generally means highway driving. The road system in the Interlake is excellent. The region is served by six paved provincial highways and a network of paved or gravelled solid provincial roads. Four of the paved highways (Provincial Trunk Highways 6, 7, 8, & 9) run north and south from the City of Winnipeg to the northern sector of the Interlake. The other two paved highways (Provincial Roads 67 and 68) run east and west. The region is also crossed by a network of well maintained provincial and municipal roads.

See
Most visitors to the Interlake gravitate to the shores of Lake Winnipeg or Lake Manitoba. However, there are a number of interesting sights in between that are not to be overlooked, including Oak Hammock Marsh and the Narcisse Snake Dens.

History buffs will enjoy the Maritime Museum of Manitoba and its six historic ships in Selkirk, and the Lower Fort Garry National Historic Site near Selkirk, an old fur trading post.

The Prairie Dog Central is a vintage train that takes passengers from Inkster Junction station on Winnipeg's northern edge to Grosse Isle the southern Interlake. The trip takes 50-60 min, and there is a 75-90 min stopover before the return trip. Tickets from $22. Reservations required. May-Oct.

Do
Interlake really is about the lakes: boating, swimming and fishing. Winnipeg Beach and Gimli are particularly popular in the summer.

Take a self-guided tour on the Interlake Barn Quilt Trail. Visit over 50 barn quilt sites viewing the colourful, painted quilt art and the variety of designs, including the largest one to date on a wooden grain elevator in the southwest area.

In winter, there's ice fishing, and the Gimli Ice Festival in March.

title: Interlake


text:
Interlaken

Interlaken is a small city in the Bernese Highlands region of central Switzerland. Located between two alpine lakes (Lake Brienz (Brienzersee) and Lake Thun (Thunersee)), Interlaken is a popular base camp for outdoor sports and travel in the surrounding Bernese Oberland Alps. Interlaken itself is a superb holiday destination.

Understand

 * Interlaken Tourism website

By train
Trains run every 30 min from Bern, taking just under an hour via Thun and Spiez to Interlaken West and Ost (east). Alternate trains start from Basel. From Zürich or Geneva change at Bern. Trains also run hourly from Lucerne or Meiringen via Brienz to Ost station.

By car
Follow Autoroute A8 (former N8) into the city center.

By bus

 * Bus2alps operates direct private buses from Florence, Rome, Paris and Munich to Interlaken. Timetables do vary but are busiest in February and March to cater for winter sport activities. Travel and accommodation packages are available and small and big groups are catered for.
 * FlorenceForFun provide transport by private bus and accommodation packages departing from Florence on Thursday evenings. Trips depart in November and early December then mid-January through to mid-March for Winter activities. Summer departure dates are in May, June and September.  Check the website for departure dates and a full itinerary.
 * mysterytours provides airport & city transfers.

Get around
Interlaken is small enough to get around on foot or bike. Taxis are available from either train station and most hotels. With the guest card from your hotel, you can travel around Interlaken for free (it also gives discounts to local tourist attractions). Buses around town and to Thun are available.

See

 * The Höheweg is Interlaken's main street which runs between Interlaken West and Interlaken Ost Railway Stations. On this street you will find many souvenir shops. Have a look at the "Japanese Garden", the 150-year old Victoria Jungfrau Grand Hotel, and don't miss the beautiful view of the famous snow-covered Jungfrau mountain from "Höhematte".
 * Jungfrau-Aletsch is a glaciated UNESCO World Heritage Site above Interlaken in the Bernese Alps.
 * Unterseen is a small old town near the Interlaken West train station. It's not as crowded as Interlaken and has several shops and bakeries (including an enormous Coop supermarket in which there is a large selection of groceries and chocolates). To get there, cross the bridge over the water near the train stop, walking in the direction facing away from Interlaken.

All year round

 * Shopping in Interlaken's souvenir shops.

Summer activities

 * Walks: Take a walk along the shores of the lake of Thun (Thunersee) or the lake of Brienz (Brienzersee). A nice, ca. 2h walk goes from West train station to "Neuhaus". It takes you along the Aare river and through the small but popular nature reserve Neuhaus at the lake of Thun. From Neuhaus, you can take a bus or boat back to Interlaken.
 * Hiking: There are plenty of great hikes in the Interlaken area. Popular nearby hikes include Harder mountain (mountain train 5 min. from Interlaken Ost station) and Schynige Platte (mountain train from Wilderswil). Hiking season runs roughly June through September.
 * Adventure sports: A whole bunch of adrenaline sports are offered through Interlaken guide groups including paragliding, hang gliding, bungee jumping, canyoning, river rafting, and rock climbing. Outdoor Interlaken is on the main street in Matten. Another great option is Alpin Raft Alpin is the original outdoor adventure company in Interlaken; the owner bought a raft in New Zealand in the late 1980s and was the first to bring white water rafting to Switzerland. He also brought canyoning to Interlaken after trying it in France. The canyoning experience with AlpinRaft is amazing.
 * Swimming: You can swim in the lakes of Brienz and Thun. The water in the lake of Thun is generally warmer (around 20°C in July/August). A popular swimming area with showers, changing rooms, a restaurant, etc. is in Neuhaus. A real insider-tip is the beautiful "Burgseeli" in Ringgenberg-Goldswil. Burgseeli is a nature reserve, where water temperatures can reach up to 27°C and you can swim among ducks and water lilies. The natural lido offers a non-swimmer pool, paddling pool, children´s playground, restaurant, changing rooms, showers, etc.
 * Sailing: Lake Thun is quite popular for sailing. You can rent sailboats and book classes in Neuhaus.
 * Boat Trip in Interlaken.jpg
 * Biking: Take an awesome mountain bike ride around the lake of Brienz (4 hours) and visit the Giessbach waterfalls on the way. Alternatively, visit Lauterbrunnen by bike (~2 hours one-way)and look inside the Trümmelbach-Waterfalls (Trümmelbachfälle).
 * Skydiving in Interlaken: Funrental Interlaken offers helicopter or plane jumps including 4000 metres in 40 seconds freefall jumps.

Winter activities

 * Ski/snowboard: Interlaken has good access to several skiing/snowboarding areas. The largest of them is the "Jungfrau winter sport region" which includes Kleine Scheidegg-Männlichen, Grindelwald First and Mürren-Schilthorn. A day-pass costs Fr. 62/39/24 (adults/youth/children). Beatenberg-Niederhorn and Habkern are two smaller, family-friendly ski areas with easy lifts and slopes for beginners. A day-pass is Fr. 35/17 (adults/children). If you need to rent equipment that can be easily arranged at the SwissRentaSport shop.
 * Sledging: The best but also most challenging sledging is from the Faulhorn to Grindelwald. Take the first gondola cableway from Grindelwald and prepare for a beautiful but challenging, 2-2½h uphill hike to the Faulhorn. Enjoy the amazing view of the Alps from the Faulhorn peak before you sledge down to Grindelwald for 15 km (!) on the longest sledging run in Europe. Alternatively, several sledging runs are accessible by bus/train: Bussalp-Grindelwald (8 km), Eiger Run in Grindelwald (3 km), Niederhorn-Beatenberg (7 km), Suhlwald-Isenfluh and Habkern (4 km).
 * Cross-country skiing: A beautiful and sunny cross-country area is in Aeschiried near Spiez (about 1h by train/bus) where you have a great view on the lake of Thun. Good cross-country trails are also in Habkern/Lombach and Beatenberg.
 * Ice skating: An indoor ice rink is in Matten near Interlaken.
 * Swimming/Wellness: The Bödelibad in Interlaken offers an indoor pool with a 25 m swimming pool and a children's pool. There is also a very nice wellness facility with a sauna, steam bath, whirlpool and more.
 * Swimming/Wellness: The Bödelibad in Interlaken offers an indoor pool with a 25 m swimming pool and a children's pool. There is also a very nice wellness facility with a sauna, steam bath, whirlpool and more.

Buy
Interlaken has the highest concentration of souvenir shops in Switzerland.

 * Swiss Army Knives: Interlaken is a good place to buy Swiss Army Knives. One of the best shops is the "Swiss Knife Center" (Höheweg 125) as it stocks the full range of Victorinox and Wenger Swiss Army Knives. Other knife shops in Interlaken are "ALSCHER", "Bühler Chalet Shop", "Royal St Georges Gift Shop", "Gallerie Metropole". Most of the mentioned shops engrave text on the knife for free. Remember to pack Swiss army knives in your hold luggage when you travel by plane.
 * Watches: Interlaken has two main watch and jewellery shops: "Bucherer" and "Kirchhofer" which stock all the big traditional Swiss brands (Tag Heuer, Omega, IWC, Rolex). Alternatively, most souvenir shops sell some inexpensive Swiss-made watches like Swiss Military and Swatch.
 * Chocolate: You best buy Swiss chocolate at the Coop supermarket (one is just by the Ost train station; there is also a large Coop supermarket in Unterseen, a town right near the Interlaken West train station) where you have a very good choice of Lindt and Cailler chocolates, Toblerones, etc. at much lower prices than you'd pay in the souvenir shops.
 * Woodcarving: If you want to purchase a Swiss woodcarving, go to Brienz (about 30 minutes by train from Interlaken Ost), which is the centre for Swiss woodcarving. In Interlaken, woodcarvings can be found for example at the shops "Bazar Tivoli" and "Albert Schild".
 * Other souvenirs: Other items to purchase in Interlaken's souvenir shops are: Swiss music boxes, leather wallets and purses, cowbells, Swiss embroideries, cuckoo clocks, some inexpensive Swiss-made watches (like Swiss Military or Swatch), Switzerland T-shirts, sweatshirts, backpacks, etc.

Eat

 * If you're into Korean food there is an excellent, cheap and easy-going restaurant in a hot basement opposite Interlaken West train station. Star serves simple and good Korean food like hot pots and sweet dumplings. Prices are below average for Interlaken.
 * If you're into Korean food there is an excellent, cheap and easy-going restaurant in a hot basement opposite Interlaken West train station. Star serves simple and good Korean food like hot pots and sweet dumplings. Prices are below average for Interlaken.

Drink

 * Rugenbrau 'lager hell': the local beer and one of the best you'll ever taste as the water in the area is the cleanest in Europe.
 * For a small Swiss town, Interlaken has quite a lot of nightlife options, including one of Switzerland's three Hooters Bar & Restaurant. Most of these bars serve the seasonal tide of tourists, but off the main road, many more mellow local venues can be found. Try the Brasserie 17 (Rosenstr. 17) which has a nice summer terrace, good beer and snacks and sometimes live music.
 * The two best nightlife spots in town are Balmer's hostel and the Funny Farm, which are located fairly close to each other (both at Hauptstrasse, Matten). Balmers has a decent underground bar and dance club and the Funny Farm has great outdoor chill-out areas, including a bonfire. Both hostels have good happy hour specials, and you can kind of bounce back and forth between the two to get your drink for the best price.

Sleep
Reservations are a must during the busy summer season. Note that not all hotels are open all year round.

Connect
As of March 2022 for mobile devices, Interlaken has 4G from Salt, and 5G from Sunrise and Swisscom. Free Wi-Fi is available in many public places.

Cope

 * Internet Laundry, Marktgasse 45/ beside post.
 * Laundry for €2; per load,
 * Internet 15 minutes free,
 * Bicycle rental > €10/day,
 * Scooter rental > €20/day.

Go next

 * Lauterbrunnen is set in a sheer-sided valley, with cascading waterfalls that gave Tolkien the idea of Rivendell.
 * Gimmelwald is a tiny but picturesque hamlet perched above that valley.
 * Mürren is the resort above it, with skiing from the Schilthorn.
 * Wengen is the resort on the opposite side of the valley.
 * Grindelwald is the resort in the adjoining valley. Here you start the ascent towards Jungfraujoch.

 * Spiez
 * Thun
 * Brienz

title: Interlaken


text:
Interlochen

Interlochen is a town in Northwest Lower Michigan located 15 miles southwest of Traverse City.

Understand
Interlochen is best known as the location of Interlochen Center for the Arts, as well as Interlochen State Park.

title: Interlochen


text:
International Falls

International Falls is a city in Minnesota. The city is nicknamed "Frostbite Falls" or "Icebox of the Nation". According to Forbes magazine, it is the coldest city in the Lower 48 United States.

See

 * Kerry Park

Go next

 * Voyageurs National Park
 * Fort Frances, in Northern Ontario, Canada, is just across the bridge. Since it is in a different country, have your passport ready.
 * Angle Inlet, Minnesota, the only part of the 48 contiguous United States which is north of the 49th parallel, is served by float or ski plan services from International Falls.

title: International Falls