The following transportation options are available around Crookston and the USA

Local Bus

T.H.E. BUS (Tri-Valley Heartland Express Bus) provides general public transportation and has daily bus routes in Crookston. The bus drops off and picks up students at Parking Lot G near the Library at UMC. Buses run starting at 6am in the morning till around 5pm in the evening.

To schedule a ride, call their dispatch office at (800) 201-3432 or (218) 281-0700 between 8am and 4:30pm. Calling them a day in advance is a good idea. If you call a day ahead, the cost per ride is $1.50. If you call the same day, the first ride costs $2.00 and the rest cost $1.50 each.

They also provide rides to Grand Forks on Monday and Thursdays, Thief River Falls on Tuesdays and Bemidji on Wednesdays for very reasonable prices. Monthly rides to Fargo and Detroit Lakes are also available. Please call them to confirm prices and schedule. Go to their website at www.bus.com

T.H.E. BUS

(800) 201-3432

(218) 281-0700

Weekend Rides to Grand Forks

The Office of International Programs has scheduled weekend rides to Grand Forks for the benefit of all international students. The bus leaves every Saturday at 1:00pm from UMC. You can sign up on the sign-up sheet on the 2nd Floor of the Student Center . There is a fee of $5.00 per student that must be paid in advance.

Taxis

The following Grand Forks based taxi services will provide rides from Crookston to Grand Forks . They operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, but please call in advance to schedule a ride.

*The fares are for rides from Crookston to Grand Forks and were quoted on May 2007. Fares are subject to change. Please call to confirm current fares.

UMC Car

If you need a ride to Grand Forks or Fargo you can contact the International Office for rides. All rides must be arranged one day ahead of time and payment must be paid on that day . This may be a great option for those who need to go to the airport

• Rides to Grand Forks - $30.00 per vehicle
• Rides to Fargo - $70.00 per vehicle
• Rides in town - $10.00 per vehicle

Renting your own car through an agency (Short Term)

Renting your own car may be very beneficial if you want to see areas of the United States . The cost is reasonable and if you have an international driver's liscons this is a great alternative. Make sure you take out liability and Collision Insurance. This is to protect you and is highly recommended. (See driving in the USA for more details)

• Avis Rent-A-Car   800-831-2847 or 701-775-0688 ( GFK Airport Location)
• Hertz Car Rental   800-654-3131 or 701-746-6426 ( GFK Airport Location)
• Alamo Car Rental 800-462-5266 or 701-746-1375 ( GFK Airport Location)
• National Car Rental 800-227-7368

Bicycles

There are several bicycles available for rent. $5.00 per semester . If you are interested in renting a bicycle you will need to contact the international office at 8339 or rfrench@umn.edu . Please note the bicycle trails throughout town.

• Everyone using a bicycle will be expected to park your rented bike at a bicycle Rack. There are several of them throughout campus. There are individual ones over by each residence halls and there are several placed strategically around classroom areas. Please look for the Red bicycle racks.

Airports

The closest airports to Crookston are in Grand Forks (about 45 minutes drive) and Fargo (about 100 minutes drive). The Office of International Programs will make arrangements for your pickup as a courtesy the first time you arrive here . After the first ride, International Programs can give you rides for a charge. The cost is $35 per vehicle for Grand Forks and $75 per vehicle for Fargo .

Bus Schedule to Twin Cities , Chicago , Winnipeg , MB

We do have national bus service that leaves from Crookston , MN . http://www.jeffersonlines.com/

612-332-8745 or 800-767-5333 info@jeffersonlines.com

Train Service

One of the easiest ways to travel across the United States is to take a Train. We have Amtrak which leaves to Minneapolis/St. Paul every night at 1:00 a.m. from Grand Forks , ND . Please go to http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Amtrak/HomePage for more information.