Sioux Falls, South Dakota is the largest city in the state and is part of one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the country. Augustana College and twelve other institutions of higher education call this eastern South Dakota city home. The city has had no passenger rail service since the mid-1960s and the only low-fare carrier to the city flies directly to the Southwest and Florida only.

For residents of the Sioux Falls area, using a combination of Amtrak trains and buses is the cheapest way to travel to other parts of the county. Here are five tips / suggestions for effective travel to / from the city by land:

One: Ignore Amtrak’s recommendation to connect to the train in Fargo. On the Amtrak schedule for the Empire Builder that runs between Chicago and Seattle / Portland, there is an indication that connecting service is available between Fargo, ND and Sioux Falls. Jefferson Lines provides this service. Unfortunately, the Jefferson Lines schedule in Fargo does not work well with the Amtrak schedule.

The only direct bus into town leaves Fargo in the middle of the afternoon. Also, the only direct bus from Sioux Falls arrives in Fargo around the same time. But the Empire Builder reaches Fargo in both directions in the middle of the night. Therefore, there will be a half-day wait (which includes a few early morning hours) in Fargo before a connection can be established.

Two: If you are coming from the Northwest on Empire Builder, the best place to connect to a Jefferson Lines bus is Minneapolis / St. Paul. The eastbound train arrives in St. Paul around 7:00 am. After a short cab ride to the Minneapolis Greyhound Bus Terminal, the bus leaves around noon for the 6½-hour trip to Sioux Falls. To connect to the westbound train, travelers must board the 4:00 pm bus to Minneapolis that arrives around 9:00 pm. That will give you plenty of time to transfer to the St. Paul Amtrak station to catch 11:15 pm.

Three: If you are coming from the east, Chicago’s California Zephyr is the Amtrak service to use. The train arrives in Omaha around 10:30 pm. After a short hotel stay in Omaha, you can board the bus at 5:45 am for the 3.5-hour drive to Sioux Falls. For eastbound riders, the bus leaves the city station around 8:30 pm and arrives in Omaha after midnight. The train to Chicago leaves Omaha shortly after 6:00 am.

Four: Coming from the west, the Eastbound California Zephyr offers the most convenient connection to Sioux Falls. The train arrives in Omaha around 6:00 am. At noon, the Jefferson Lines bus leaves for Sioux Falls. For westbound riders, the bus leaves town at 3:45 pm and arrives in Omaha at 7:15 pm, enough time to catch the California Zephyr at 10:30 pm.

Five: Both the Empire Builder and the California Zephyr are fully booked trains. Whether you are experiencing Amtrak bus service or Superliner sleeping accommodations, you must make reservations in advance. By purchasing your tickets in advance for Amtrak and Jefferson Lines services, you may be able to receive discounted advance purchase rates or special rates for students and seniors.