Burlington Trailways

Sycamore Street depot is your real Burlington Trailways “airport” stop

Burlington Trailways doesn’t pull into Waterloo Regional Airport (ALO) at all; the coach ties into the Trailways Bus System at the Sycamore Street depot in Waterloo. If you’re coming in on Burlington, Jefferson Lines, or Greyhound, think of this as an intercity leg to the depot, then a short hop by taxi or rideshare to the terminal about 6–8 miles away.

The airport’s own ground transport page names Trailways, Greyhound, and Jefferson as options only at the Sycamore Street depot and at the University Book & Supply stop in Cedar Falls, not at ALO. That means every bus passenger headed to a flight has to arrange a second mode from one of those two stops, usually a taxi called from the depot or a rideshare booked as soon as the bus doors open.

Because the airport lists Burlington Trailways as “/service” for journey time, cost, and frequency, you have to price and time it route by route on the Trailways or partner sites. A common pattern: buy a through coach ticket from a regional town into Waterloo, get dropped at Sycamore Street, then budget roughly 15–20 minutes by car from the depot to the ALO terminal, traffic on US‑218 and local streets permitting.

Step-by-step: using Burlington Trailways for ALO

• 1. Book the intercity leg: Purchase a Burlington Trailways (or Jefferson / Greyhound partner) ticket to the Waterloo Sycamore Street depot or the University Book & Supply stop, not “Waterloo Airport.” Check exact arrival times, since schedules vary by day and route.
• 2. Build a 2–3 hour buffer: Aim to arrive in Waterloo at least 2–3 hours before your ALO flight time, to cover bus delays, baggage unload, and the 15–20 minute road transfer to the airport.
• 3. Plan the second hop: Before travel day, save numbers for local taxi companies serving the Sycamore Street depot and campus, or set up your rideshare app with a pickup pin at “Sycamore St, Waterloo” so you’re not standing in the lot trying to type in addresses.
• 4. On arrival, call from the bus: Once the bus is 10–15 minutes from Waterloo, call the taxi or trigger the rideshare request so a car hits the depot shortly after your coach pulls in and you’re not losing 30 minutes curbside.
• 5. Pay separately and keep receipts: The cab or rideshare from the depot or University Book & Supply to ALO is a separate fare from your Burlington Trailways ticket; keep both receipts if you need to claim trip expenses or document a missed flight.

One practical tip: on return, book your outbound bus from Sycamore Street at least 90 minutes after scheduled flight arrival at ALO, since you still need that 15–20 minute car ride back into town plus time for baggage and any delays.