Saluki Express
SIU Students Ride Free
All registered students at Southern Illinois University Carbondale students can ride Saluki Express routes and access ADA paratransit services for free. Fares are still required on rural routes and the Carbondale to Murphy routes.
To ride Saluki Express, students will need to show their SIU ID card. Students, please contact your administrators at SIU to receive your designated student pass and learn more about accessing ADA paratransit services.
The Saluki Express mass transit system provides students, faculty, and staff, as well as the Carbondale community reliable transportation around our region and community. Academic year routes will begin four days prior to the start of the fall semester. When school is not in session, The Pyramid and Sahara Routes will be in service.
No routes will run on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Juneteenth.
Routes
JAX buses are operated by trained, experienced drivers traveling a consistent route for consistent hours, 7 days a week. Refer to JAX route maps linked below to find the stop nearest you.
Saluki Route
Hours: 12:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Formerly known as the Grand Loop, the Saluki Route is a 30-minute loop that gets students to and from campus. Focused primarily along Grand Avenue, this route hits all the main housing areas in this area, as well as all the main locations on campus.
Nile Route
Hours: 12:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Formerly known as the South Route, the Nile Route is a loop that gets students to and from campus from the south side of Carbondale. For those with housing south of campus, this route will bring you right to the center of campus.
Sahara Route
Hours: 12:00 AM – 12:00 PM
The Sahara Route will get travelers around campus and to the east side of Carbondale including stops at the Carbondale Community High School, and several shopping locations including Kroger, Walmart and Dollar Tree.
Pyramid Route
Hours: 12:00 AM – 12:00 PM
The Pyramid Route will get travelers around campus and out to the west side of Carbondale including stops at the Southern Illinois Airport, home of the Glen Poshard Transportation Education Center, and Murdale Shopping Center.
Big Muddy Route
Hours: 12:00 AM – 12:00 PM
The Big Muddy route covers the east and west side of Carbondale before connecting with Murphysboro. Offering access to shopping, parks, county government facilities and health care. This route also connects rural Jackson County to Carbondale with two separate connections to the Saluki Express.