Question 1

Who should ride Tahoe Convoy?

Accepted Answer

Anyone who frequently visits Tahoe for the weekend – and would prefer to spend 8 hours of round trip travel time enjoying the view, sipping a drink, watching a movie, taking a nap or getting work done, instead of focusing on stressful nighttime driving or fussing with tire chains – should consider riding Tahoe Convoy.   Also, anyone who is considering visiting Tahoe for the weekend – but lacks access to a car, or is otherwise unable or unwilling to drive in miserable snowy congested nightime conditions – should consider riding Tahoe Convoy.   Finally, anyone who cares about the health of Lake Tahoe – and is concerned about the impact of their driving between the Bay Area and Lake Tahoe – should consider riding Tahoe Convoy, because transit is a great way to Keep Tahoe Blue!

Question 2

Do I need a car to enjoy Lake Tahoe?

Accepted Answer

Not at all! Tahoe has local transit, an extensive bike path network, bikeshare systems, multiple taxi operators and Lyft & Uber coverage. Visit the Car-Free Tahoe page to learn more.

Question 3

When is Tahoe Convoy operating?

Accepted Answer

January 2020 launched the third winter season of Tahoe Convoy. There are six weekend round-trips (12 one-way trips) scheduled from January 3 through March 15, 2020 – please visit the Tickets page to see the full schedule.

Per the Tahoe Convoy Vision, we ultimately plan to expand to year-round service.

Question 4

How is Tahoe Convoy different from a day ski bus?

Accepted Answer

Day ski buses, such as Tahoe Ski Trips,NAC Ski and Sports Basement, are great options for Bay Area residents without overnight accommodations at Tahoe and skiing for only one day. Day ski buses typically depart the Bay Area between 4 or 5 AM on either Saturday or Sunday, arrive at a single pre-selected ski resort at about 9 AM, and then depart the resort at about 4 PM to return to the Bay Area that night.    In comparison, Tahoe Convoy serves the weekend journey, traveling eastbound on Friday night and returning westbound Sunday night (with the schedule expanding for 3-day weekends).   Also, Tahoe Convoy provides access to the entire North Shore of Lake Tahoe on every trip, rather than just a single ski resort. Specifically, Tahoe Convoy stops for passengers at: Sugar Bowl, Truckee, Squaw Valley, Tahoe City, Dollar Point, Carnelian Bay, Tahoe Vista, Kings Beach, Crystal Bay, and Incline Village. Please visit the Stops page to find your nearest location.

Question 5

How is Tahoe Convoy different from Capitol Corridor or Greyhound?

Accepted Answer

Capitol Corridor and Greyhound buses operate during the middle of the day, rather than in the evening. Those schedules cannot accommodate weekend visitors who need to travel eastbound on Friday evening and westbound on Sunday evening.

Question 6

Can Tahoe locals use Tahoe Convoy to travel to the Bay Area?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Tahoe locals can travel to the Bay Area westbound on any Sunday night and return eastbound on any Friday night.

Or locals may choose to ride Tahoe Convoy only one-way, and use another form of travel for their return journey.

Question 7

What is the schedule during three-day weekends?

Accepted Answer

The shuttle schedule expands by one day to align with three-day weekends (MLK and Presidents' Day), with the westbound trip on the Monday holiday evening, instead of Sunday evening.   Check the Tickets page to see the schedule.

Question 8

What if I miss the bus?

Accepted Answer

Don't be late for the bus! Tahoe Convoy cannot wait for late arrivals. If you will miss the shuttle, call and text us ASAP at (530) 580-8781 and we may be able to pick you up at another stop.   If you have missed the shuttle, there are several other options to get to or from Tahoe without a car.

Question 9

Where is the Privacy Policy?

Accepted Answer

The Privacy Policy is available here

Question 10

Where is the Terms of Service?

Accepted Answer

The Terms of Service is available here

Question 11

Who created Tahoe Convoy?

Accepted Answer

Tahoe Convoy is the work of Greg Riessen, who frequently travels between the Bay Area and Lake Tahoe.

Visit Greg's website to learn about his other transportation endeavors.

Question 12

What is the ticket price?

Accepted Answer

Tickets cost $49 per one-way ticket, which is $44 for the ticket and $5 for the service fee (if you request a refund, this service fee is nonrefundable). Buy tickets at the Tickets page.   You may also purchase ticket vouchers at bulk discount:

– 10 one-way ticket vouchers are only $44 each – 10% off!
– 20 one-way ticket vouchers are only $39 each – 20% off!

These ticket vouchers never expire and are fully transferable – you may keep them for yourself or give them to a friend. Please visit the Vouchers page to purchase.

Question 13

What is the refund policy, if my travel plans change?"

Accepted Answer

For tickets purchased before 12:01 PM on the Wednesday before the scheduled trip, passengers may cancel their $49 ticket and receive a refund of $44, but $5 will not be refunded as a service fee. (For seats booked with a ticket voucher, the full $49 value of the voucher will be reclaimed.) Just send an email to tickets@tahoeconvoy.com requesting the refund and referencing your order number. ​ No refunds will be issued after 12:01 PM on the Wednesday before the scheduled trip. Tickets booked by redeeming ticket vouchers also can not be cancelled or refunded after this time.

Tickets purchased, and ticket vouchers redeemed, after 12:01 PM on the Wednesday before the scheduled trip can not be refunded or reclaimed. ​ While ticket vouchers purchased through the Ticket Vouchers page can not be refunded after purchase, they never expire and are fully transferable to others.

Further information is available in the Terms of Service.

Question 14

Are bulk discounts available on tickets?

Accepted Answer

Yes! At the Ticket Vouchers page:– 10 one-way ticket vouchers are only $44 each – 10% off! – 20 one-way ticket vouchers are only $39 each – 20% off!  These ticket vouchers never expire and are fully transferable – you may keep them for yourself or give them to a friend. Please visit the Vouchers page to purchase.

Question 15

Are gift certificates available?

Accepted Answer

Yes! You can buy a ticket voucher on the Ticket Voucher page and give it away to a friend. Packs of 10 or 20 vouchers are also available, with a discount. These ticket vouchers never expire and are fully transferable.

Question 16

Do children need tickets?

Accepted Answer

Yes. For safety, every passenger needs a seat with a seat belt, including children. Children under five need a child safety seat.

Question 17

Can children ride Tahoe Convoy without an adult?

Accepted Answer

There is no minimum age for a child to ride Tahoe Convoy, when they are riding with an adult (age 18 or over).   Without an adult, children 5 and over may ride Tahoe Convoy alone, but only if an adult purchases their ticket. Also, for children between the ages of 5 and 12, an adult must be present at both the pick-up stop and the drop-off stop.

When purchasing tickets, as prompted in the ticketing portal, please specify if children will be traveling and their age. This enables the Tahoe Convoy captain to be prepared to assist any unaccompannied minors.   All tickets must be purchased by adults age 18 or over using a credit or debit card.

Question 18

How do I buy a ticket?

Accepted Answer

Please view the Tickets page to review the scheduled dates of operation. Select your trip and buy tickets using any major credit or debit card, or by redeeming a ticket voucher.   If you need round-trip travel, please be sure to purchase both Eastbound and Westbound ticket(s)!   On the day of travel, on your phone or on paper, please be prepared to show the trip confirmation email or ticket stub to the trip captain upon request.

Question 19

Can I buy a one-way ticket?

Accepted Answer

Yes! All tickets purchased are for one-way trips.   If you need round trip transportation, please be sure to purchase tickets for both of your eastbound and westbound trips.

Question 20

Can pets ride Tahoe Convoy?

Accepted Answer

Sorry, no pets on Tahoe Convoy. However, service animals are always welcome.

Question 21

Where does Tahoe Convoy stop in the Bay Area and Central Valley?

Accepted Answer

In the Bay Area and Central Valley, stops are at BART and Caltrain stations, Park and Ride lots, and major employment centers.​​​​​​ View the stop locations on the Stops page

Question 22

Is weekend parking available at Bay Area and Central Valley stop locations?

Accepted Answer

Free weekend parking is available at all BART stations, including at the Tahoe Convoy stop at El Cerrito del Norte (where the parking is sheltered). Please note that per BART parking policy, if you park at El Cerrito del Norte (or otherwise do not ride BART prior to boarding Tahoe Convoy), you must purchase a BART ticket, and then enter and exit the paid area of the station.   Free weekend sheltered parking is available at the Tahoe Convoy stop at the Fairfield Transportation Center (read their Parking Policy).   Free weekend unsheltered parking is available at the Sacramento – Natomas stop (park in the spaces that are labeled PARK & RIDE ONLY near the bus shelter), and at the Auburn stop in the Lincoln Way Park and Ride lot.   At the Davis stop, street parking is available. At the San Francisco and downtown Sacramento stops, paid parking is available.

Question 23

Where does Tahoe Convoy stop at North Lake Tahoe?

Accepted Answer

Tahoe Convoy serves virtually every North Tahoe destination, including Sugar Bowl, Truckee, Squaw Valley, Alpine Meadows, Tahoe City, Dollar Point, Carnelian Bay, Tahoe Vista, Kings Beach, Crystal Bay, and Incline Village. View all stop locations on the Stops page.

The first available dropoff stops are at Kingvale and Sugar Bowl, and the last stops are in Incline Village, with intermediate stops in Truckee, Squaw Valley, Tahoe City, Dollar Point, Carnelian Bay, Tahoe Vista, Kings Beach, and Crystal Bay.

Please note that some Lake Tahoe stops are along the roadway shoulder in residential communities, without any shelter. We don't want you to be standing in a snowstorm while you wait for Tahoe Convoy to arrive, especially if the shuttle is delayed by traffic congestion (which is not uncommon). Therefore, we recommend boarding Tahoe Convoy at a stop that has shelter, if possible.

If there is no pickup stop with shelter near you, please consider traveling to another pickup stop that does have shelter. You may ride the local TART bus (which makes stops at many Tahoe Convoy stops), to get to a sheltered location. Taxi and ridehail options are also available.

You can change your Tahoe Convoy pickup stop location as late at 3 PM on the day of travel by calling or texting us at (530) 580-8781. And be sure to watch the Live Status page on the day of travel to see realtime shuttle location and arrival information.

For visitors who need to procure groceries upon arriving at Tahoe, we make stops at supermarkets that are open late, including the Truckee Safeway (open 24/7), Tahoe City Save Mart (open until 11pm on Fridays), Tahoe City Safeway (open until 10pm on Fridays), Kings Beach Safeway (open 24/7), and Incline Village Raley's (open until 11pm on Fridays).

Question 24

On what days does Tahoe Convoy operate?

Accepted Answer

Our 2020 winter season commenced on January 3. Tahoe Convoy will operate every other weekend until March 15, for a total of six round-trips (twelve one-way trips).

Visit the Tickets page to see specific days of operation.

Question 25

At what time does Tahoe Convoy arrive at my stop?

Accepted Answer

View the scheduled pickup and dropoff times at your local Tahoe Convoy stop on the Stops page, by clicking on your stop location. Or view the Timetable for a list of all stops.   The general schedule is as follows:   For the eastbound trip, on Friday evening, shuttles pick up passengers in the Bay Area and Central Valley between 5:45 and 7 PM, depending on stop location. The shuttle will drop off passengers at North Lake Tahoe stops between 8:30 and 10 PM, or later if traffic delays occur.   For the westbound trip, on Sunday evening (or Monday evening during 3-day weekends), shuttles will pick up passengers at North Lake Tahoe stops between 4:30 and 6 PM, depending on stop location. The shuttle will drop off passengers in the Bay Area between 8:30 and 10 PM, or later if traffic delays occur.

Question 26

Does Tahoe Convoy serve the West Shore of Lake Tahoe?

Accepted Answer

Not directly. However, Tahoe Convoy does stop at the Tahoe City Transit Center, which is a beautiful indoor heated station where passengers may connect to transit options serving the West Shore.    From this station, local TART bus service serves the West Shore via the Mainline route. There are also taxi and ridehail options.

Question 27

Does Tahoe Convoy serve South Lake Tahoe?

Accepted Answer

Not yet! But we do plan to launch a second Tahoe Convoy route, serving South Lake Tahoe via US 50, in the near future per our Vision.

Question 28

Does Tahoe Convoy serve Northstar?

Accepted Answer

At this time, Tahoe Convoy does not provide direct service to Northstar.   However, we stop at the Truckee Train Depot where you can connect onto the free TART Truckee–Northstar local bus service,which runs day and night.   There are also taxi and ridehail options to get from Truckee to Northstar.

Question 29

Can I bring skis or snowboards on the shuttle?

Accepted Answer

Yes! There is ample storage space for your winter gear and luggage on every shuttle.

Question 30

Can I bring my bike on the Tahoe Convoy?

Accepted Answer

The shuttle does not have a bike rack. Bikes may only be transported in bike boxes, stored in the luggage compartment.

Question 31

What amenities do the shuttles have?

Accepted Answer

On the Tahoe Convoy shuttle, every seat features panoramic windows, reclining seats, seat belts, power outlets, reading lights and fresh air vents. The shuttle also inclues a restroom.   In the storage area beneath the bus, there is ample space for your gear and luggage.

Question 32

Can I eat and drink on the shuttle?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You must be 21 or over to consume alcohol on Tahoe Convoy.   Please, no stinky food! Also, no glass containers.

Question 33

Can the shuttles transport passengers in wheelchairs?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Please let us know if you require wheelchair access when booking your tickets, ideally at least seven days prior to departure, so we can accommodate you.

Question 34

Does Tahoe Convoy do charters?

Accepted Answer

No, we do not do charters.

However, large groups can secure bulk discounts on tickets by purchasing Ticket Vouchers at up to 20% off. Please reach out to tickets@tahoeconvoy.com to check seat availability on any scheduled trip.

Question 35

What happens during winter conditions?

Accepted Answer

Tahoe Convoy is prepared for winter driving! Our bus drivers are adept with snowy conditions, and our shuttles carry tire chains that the driver is prepared to install.

Furthermore, in addition to the bus driver, every Tahoe Convoy trip has a captain on board. The captain assists passengers, and also tracks weather and traffic conditions during the journey. The captain is in communication with highway transportation agencies that advise on conditions, providing the best and safest route for Tahoe Convoy.

Occasionally, the road will be closed due to snowy conditions, and the bus is forced to wait until it the road is cleared. In this situation, Tahoe Convoy is well equipped for a prolonged delay – the bus is stocked with snacks, water, and a bathroom for passenger convenience.   Most importantly, and unlike other bus carriers, Tahoe Convoy's schedule allows for substantial delays to occur without violating Hours of Service regulations. To prevent driver fatigue, the number of hours a bus driver may drive in one day is limited by the government – this is strictly enforced.

Typical bus carriers, such as day ski buses and regional transit buses, are scheduled so the driver will complete a round trip during their day of driving. For a long round trip such as from the Bay Area to Lake Tahoe and back in one day, this leaves little room for delay. If the bus is delayed in traffic on the way up to the mountains, and/or during the return trip, the driver might exhaust their available hours – when this happens, the bus must pull over and await rescue by another driver. To prevent this situation, when winter conditions are forecast, the carrier may choose to cancel the trip instead of bear the risk of the bus requiring rescue.

Conversely, the Tahoe Convoy bus driver travels only half the round-trip on Friday, and the other half on Sunday (or Monday during 3-day weekends). When delays occur, the splitting of the driver's journey with a rest between trips prevents the situation described above.

Due to our unique schedule, Tahoe Convoy is less vulnerable to winter storm conditions than typical bus carriers. Therefore, we are less likely to cancel a trip, or abandon a trip enroute and turn around, when the weather is snowy.   Of course, Tahoe Convoy cannot guarantee passage during winter conditions if the roadway becomes physically obstructed or otherwise impossible to navigate. However, during winter conditions, Tahoe Convoy can guarantee that:

1. We will get you to Tahoe (and back) as fast as is safely possible
2. We will get you there at least as fast as if you had driven yourself – and potentially much faster than driving 3. You will not have to do any driving – leave that to us, so you can relax, sleep, or be productive with your time