Getting Around Green Bay
Green Bay is a car-oriented city, and for most visitors the private car is the simplest and most flexible way to reach attractions and businesses around town. The good news is that parking is rarely a problem: most attractions and businesses offer plenty of available visitor parking, so driving in and parking at your destination is generally straightforward.
Public Buses: Green Bay Metro
The city's public transit system is Green Bay Metro, which runs municipal bus routes and offers good coverage of the city. It is the practical alternative for visitors who would rather not drive.
- Where to start: The Green Bay Metro Transit Center at 901 University Avenue is the central hub for local Green Bay Metro buses as well as long-distance inter-city buses.
- Planning your trip: A full system map is published as a PDF, along with a map showing bus stops and the locations of bus shelters. A "Frequent Destinations" page lists route destinations, which is a useful starting point if you are heading to a specific attraction.
- Printed guides: A free printed Green Bay Metro Route Guide is available at the Transit Center on University Avenue. A Transit Guide Booklet is also published as a PDF, including Spanish and Somali language versions.
- What the guide covers: The route guide includes sections on boarding and riding the bus, bringing bikes on buses, and microtransit.
Rail, Metro and Tram Networks
Green Bay has no local rail, metro, or tram network for getting around the city. Rail service to Green Bay takes the form of Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service, which is a bus connection rather than a train into the city. It links Green Bay with Milwaukee, Fond du Lac, Oshkosh, Appleton, and De Pere, and tickets can be purchased without a corresponding train ticket.
Long-Distance Buses
Inter-city buses arrive and depart from the Green Bay Metro Transit Center at 901 University Avenue, the same hub used by local buses, which makes connections between the two relatively convenient.
- Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service: Service from Milwaukee, Fond du Lac, Oshkosh, Appleton, and De Pere. Bus tickets can be bought without a train ticket.
- Jefferson Lines: Service from Minneapolis/Saint Paul, Eau Claire, Milwaukee, and various towns in between along the Hwy 29 and I-43 corridors.
- Lamers: Daily service from Madison, Fond du Lac, Oshkosh, and Appleton, plus Friday and Sunday service from Milwaukee, Sheboygan, and Manitowoc.
- Indian Trails: Service from Milwaukee, Sheboygan, Manitowoc, and towns along the US Hwy 41 corridor in northeastern Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Visitors who prefer not to drive should plan around Green Bay Metro buses, the airport options below, and long-distance bus connections at the Transit Center.
Walkability
Practically speaking, this means a visitor should not expect to cover the city on foot; plan on a car or the bus system for most trips.
Getting Into the City from the Airport
Green Bay Austin Straubel International Airport (GRB) is the Green Bay area's chief airport, located a few miles west of the city itself on Highway 172. It has service to four cities in the Midwest — Chicago-O'Hare, Detroit, Atlanta, and Minneapolis/St. Paul — plus summer seasonal service to Denver and Orlando.
A second option is Appleton International Airport (ATW), about 25 miles southwest of Austin Straubel Airport. It is a slightly cheaper option with similar service and Allegiant Air.
Because the airport sits just west of the city on Highway 172 — the main east/west artery that slices through Green Bay over the Fox River, connecting I-43 on the east side and Hwy 41 on the west side — arriving by car is direct.
Getting to Green Bay from Elsewhere
- By car: I-43 runs around the east and northern parts of Green Bay and leads to Milwaukee to the south. I-41 also leads to Milwaukee from Green Bay's west side, traveling through Appleton, Oshkosh, and Fond du Lac before reaching suburban Milwaukee. Highway 172 is the main east/west artery through the city over the Fox River. Hwy 29 is the route to Wausau to the west and on toward the Twin Cities.
- By bus: Long-distance carriers including Amtrak Thruway, Jefferson Lines, Lamers, and Indian Trails all serve the Green Bay Metro Transit Center.
- By plane: Fly into Green Bay Austin Straubel International Airport (GRB), or consider Appleton International Airport (ATW) as a nearby alternative.