Route 5 Gold Runner Thruway service connects Redding and Sacramento along Interstate 5, with stops in Red Bluff, Orland, Williams, Sacramento International Airport and downtown Sacramento. Map courtesy of San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority.

WILLIAMS, CA (MPG) - Travelers now have a new direct bus connection to Sacramento International Airport and downtown Sacramento with the launch of an Interstate 5 express route serving communities between Redding and the state capital.

The new Route 5 Gold Runner Thruway service includes two daily round trips with stops in Redding, Red Bluff, Orland, Williams, Sacramento International Airport and Sacramento Valley Station in downtown Sacramento. The Williams stop is at McDonald's, 475 4th St., providing a pickup and drop-off point along Interstate 5.

The service gives Williams passengers another option for reaching Sacramento while also providing connections to Gold Runner and Capitol Corridor trains and Sacramento Regional Transit. Bus-only tickets are available between cities along the route, meaning passengers do not need to purchase a train ticket to use the service.

“Route 5 delivers on a long-standing goal of connecting the North State to the Sacramento region,” San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority CEO Chris Orlando said. “This service gives North State residents a direct, reliable connection to Sacramento and the broader passenger rail network.”

The San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority and Redding Area Bus Authority launched the route as an alternative to the existing Route 3 service, which travels along the Highway 99 corridor.

For Williams and other communities along Interstate 5, the new route provides direct access to Sacramento International Airport without requiring travelers to first connect through communities along Highway 99.

Passengers traveling north from Williams can reach Orland, Red Bluff and Redding. The Orland stop also connects with Glenn Ride service to Chico.

“Route 5 is the result of years of collaboration and a shared vision to improve regional mobility,” Redding Area Bus Authority Interim Transit Manager Zachary Bonnin said. “This new service gives North State residents a faster, more convenient connection to Sacramento, Sacramento International Airport, and California's passenger rail network, expanding access to jobs, education, healthcare, and travel opportunities.”

Planning for an Interstate 5 express bus dates to 2017, when the Shasta Regional Transportation Agency and San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority began developing the service as part of the North State Intercity Bus System.

The agencies took another step toward the service in January 2024, when Route 3 was shortened in Chico and bus-only ticketing became available between Redding and Red Bluff. Redding Area Bus Authority began operating the Redding-to-Chico segment in August 2024 while preparing for the eventual Sacramento connection.

The Shasta Regional Transportation Agency board adopted the North State Intercity Bus to Rail Plan in April 2025, helping clear the way for the Route 5 service.

“Route 5 delivers community-requested connections to larger urban destinations from the north state,” SRTA Senior Transportation Planner Jennifer Pollom said.

Schedules, fares and ticket information are available at https://goldrunner.com/route-5.