Shuttle service to Glacier Park back for second summer

The summer shuttle between Whitefish and Glacier National Park is returning again this summer.

The service, which made its debut last summer, makes round-trips daily from July 1 through Sept. 5.

Chris Schustrom, with the Big Mountain Commercial Association, said tickets for the shuttle service are already being purchased.

“We’re optimistic about it,” Schustrom said.

Less than 2,000 riders last summer rode the Glacier Express shuttle between downtown Whitefish, Whitefish Mountain Resort and Glacier National Park. The shuttle provided about 200 riders with transportation to Glacier Park and about 1,700 with a lift to the resort during the months of July and August.

The bus service in its first year seemed to suffer from a need for more promotion to make visitors and residents aware of it.

Schustrom said the commercial association is looking to correct that and has already been posting information around town and will have post cards with information outlining the service. It has also updated its website.

“We made a commitment to this as a three-year pilot project,” he said. “We weren’t able to get the promotion in place last year, but we’ve spent the winter getting ready for this year.”

The service is funded by the Big Mountain Commercial Association, the same group that backs the SNOW Bus during winter.

Schustrom said the association spoke with Glacier Park and surveyed hotels to find out when most guests leave for Glacier. Based on that information, they rebuilt the schedule so the bus leaves Whitefish for Glacier early in the morning. The first bus leaves the Mountain Mall headed to Glacier at 7:45 a.m.

“The bus goes to the Park first so riders can spend the whole day in the Park,” Schustrom said. “They can take the red bus tour and spend longer in the Park.”

An air conditioned bus, along with the passenger van, will be used to transport riders. The shuttle is equipped with a bike rack to carry up to three bicycles.

Tickets are $10 round-trip for adults and $5 for children to Glacier. Rides to the resort are free.

Bus riders are still required to purchase a Glacier Park pass or show proof of an annual pass.

Ticket are pre-purchase only and can be purchased online at www.bigmtncommercial.org or at Montana Coffee Traders downtown, Whitefish Chamber of Commerce, Sportsman Ski Haus in Whitefish, Whitefish Mountain Resort Base Lodge and the Apgar Visitor Center in Glacier Park.

Mountain Mall, Whitefish Community Library and Whitefish Mountain Resort serve as stops before the shuttle travels to the Apgar Visitor Center in Glacier Park.

For more information, visit www.bigmtncommercial.org.