Reduced locations pick up made me stop using this service. Prior to that my experience was top notch. Bus was always full which means it's probably better than most. read more

$10 off with this link: www.nacski.com/mr/register.aspx?id=CA34955839 Great service and convenience can't be beat read more

My friend and I took the bus from Milpitas to Kirkwood. The bus was supposed to pick the group up at 525am, it didn't show up until 545am. The driver went on hwy 88 which was the correct highway, but after 10 mins he turned around and went on hwy 5 which was a detour and 15 mins delay- it turned out they had a driver change (but why didn't the driver know in the first place and totally wasted 20 mins on the road? ) then the female driver took over, a nice lady who drove slow. We were supposed we arrived Kirkwood at 9am, we didn't arrive until 1030am when there was no chain control and no snowy road condition. On the way back, the lady was driving so slow she let other busses (the one starts with "p") passed our bus. The original scheduled time back to Milpitas was 8pm according to NAC SKI's own schedule, we didn't arrive until 830pm even if we left on time, and again there's no accidents, no chain controls, no traffic but she simply drove soooooo slow. I think if I ever will take bus again, it'll be the other company. So I didn't save money (ticket round trip cost $65) and I didn't save time as all by taking bus. I should have driven by myself. read more

I took this bus three times, first time dec 23rd, the second dec 25th, third jan 27th. Suggestions for efficiency: Pack board, jacket, helmet, gloves, and goggles in a board bag. Wear boots, pants and under layers. Sit as close to the front as possible cause no one else is efficient. Creature comforts: the buses vary wildly in heat, seat comfort, and bathroom cleanliness. Twice I have been asked not to use the bathroom on the bus. :-( As for the company itself, they appear to employ no one. The trip leaders are all volunteer and have no vested interest in the company or your happiness. The bus drivers are employed by the bus company and vary wildly in skill and preparedness. Bus 1, the driver paid a roadside guy to put our chains on, then lost one, he only carried two. The driver was terrified of snow driving and decided to cancel our ski day due to his fear of the return trip. Due to his chain malfunctions we waited six hours on the bus for a new chain to arrive at sugarbowl but we were not allowed to ski, as in if the chains arrived at any point they would leave anyone on the mountain behind. A quick look at NOAA.com and cadot showed we would be there minimum five hours but the driver, trip leader, and company contact did no research and all agreed on the turn around plan. We did get refunded, however. Bus 2 - driver was extremely capable on chain install and snow condition driving, he did not complain about the afternoon storm, icy roads and hours of traffic. Bus 3 - showed up 10 min after scheduled departure without enough fuel and without an empty toilet. The seats had such narrow leg room that me knees have been in pain all day, I am 5'4". He got lost four times and stopped our bus seven times, to go to the bathroom, chains three times, to get gas and twice to turn around and or check directions. He was very capable at snow driving but in dry conditions he spent a fair percentage of time on the lane reflectors, he swerved several times into the oncoming lane. This company is going to have a serious accident I am afraid. read more

I'd say this was safe, but everything else about the experience was ABSOLUTE TRASH. We did a Squaw Valley trip from San Francisco, and honestly terrible management. Again, no complaints about the the bus driver, he was great and very safe. But got everything else was hellish. The bus was dirty when we got it, there wasn't any management on the loading and unloading, some chick got her boots stolen, and I watched someone slam their board right in the middle of mine. They didn't give anyone the correct wifi password even though it was advertised as wifi on the bus. Our high off his ass guide who didn't speak English didn't understand what wifi was. We didn't get a real working wifi until the ride back. And the god forsaken scheduling of the drop off and pick up routes. First off, we got delayed by an hour (originally booked a 4:30 pick up, didn't get picked up till like 6am), and didn't get to the mountain until 11am. Then on the way back, we booked the ticket for SF drop off first, but the guide + bus driver decided that they wanted to go to Milpitas first, the guide then got off, leaving a bus full of ppl alone telling us to get off in miplitas and take an Uber. . Overall, this is a bait and switch and you really shouldn't fall for it. Just pay the extra $10 and save yourself the stress. read more

Crappy. Take Bay Area Ski Bus instead!! Paid $48 for roundtrip bay area to north star. Went christmas eve 2012. It says we should be there by 9:30am, we didn't get there until 12:30pm!!! - no apology - no refund or any act of customer satisfaction That's the risk you take with nac ski, not getting the time you want, and don't expect any customer service, unlike what you'll get with bay area ski bus. I only took this because bay area ski bus didn't have a route for christmas eve. it got us there and back safely so I'll give it 2 stars, but it ruined our christmas eve with my family. i don't think i ever want to take nac ski again. Thanks nac ski for not giving a sh!t. read more

Absolute incompetence. Without any heads up or communication, the bus arrives almost 1 hour later than scheduled (5:30 AM). Some people gave up and went home, those were the lucky ones. The bus had trouble starting up on different occasions throughout the trip including when we stopped to change drivers. We eventually got to the slopes 1hr 30 min behind schedule at heavenly, leaving us less time to spend on the slopes before meeting back for the scheduled 4:30 PM departure. Now on the way back it really went downhill after neither the driver nor the guide knew how to put on chains nor did they plan ahead for this given the forecast for snow. They seemingly pulled out of traffic, headed back towards heavenly on the 50 into a random gas station to put on chains. The best part was the chains on the bus didn't even fit the tires so we drove without chains until by the grace of God caltrans lifted the chain restrictions. I can't imagine the struggle if the restrictions weren't lifted, we probably would have been scouring around for new chains for the bus and someone to put them on for us. All in all it took 7 hrs 30 min to get home, which factors in the over 1 hr time spent trying to get chains that didn't fit on. read more

I had been Nac Ski customer for number of years and completed more than 20+ trips with them. So, in general, I like the service, until now. It happened to be that on Feb 19, 2018 I had a trip scheduled to Kirkwood resort. Unfortunately, the bus was late for more than an hour (after hour of waiting, I left a bus stop, and don't know exactly when the bus did come. The bus was scheduled at 4:50 am, I had left a bus stop at 5:40 am and bus wasn't there). Next day, on Feb 20, I filed the refund request on their web site. Since, nothing happened, on Feb 23, I called directly to Nac office and explained what happened. The representative assured me that it was Nac fault (some miscommunication between bus driver and tour lead) and I am getting a refund no later than next Monday (Feb 26). Almost 4 weeks had passed since I had talk to Nac office, but I have no refund or any communication from Nac. read more

The bus was no show, which is annoying but it happens. We were supposed to get our refunds asap; it has been 6 weeks and they still owe me ~125$. At this point, I am not sure what their intentions are; are they thinking I would give up and not bother to request the refund ? I would not recommend using this company, simply because they have no respect for their customers. The incompetency they are showing is beyond words. If you have a refund overdue, you might want to open a claim with your credit card company or paypal. I don't think NACSki intends to pay back what they owe you. Paypal got back to me today, after 15 days I filed the claim, and they decided to refund me. I wil never ever use this company. read more

I don't know about the most recent reviews before me, but I had an awesome experience on the NAC Ski Bus. My friend and I got picked up in SF. The bus was a little early. The bus host (not the driver, but the volunteer guy who organizes the passengers) was awesome; he actually saved seats for parties who registered together, so he actually saved 2 seats together for us. Since SF was the last stop and the bus was sold out, I figured we'd get separated, but we didn't, and that gesture was much appreciated. The bus got to Northstar on time. The bus host was nice and charismatic and made all the info we needed to know clear, and wasn't too boring about it. The bus also left Northstar on time (actually slightly early) and got back to SF slightly early. The bus itself is nice. The headrests are like cradles, so your head is supported on either side and you won't go bobbing around or accidentally end up leaning on the person sitting next to you. The only thing is that the movies they play on the ride back and really really loud, so if you don't plan on watching or plan on sleeping, bring earplugs or good headphones. My friend and I were actually able to sleep through it, we were so tired from boarding all day. Overall, completely satisfied. Discount lift tickets, don't have to drive, nice bus, nice host. Definitely recommend, and will most probably return next season. read more

I want to do this company due justice and say that everything is actually quite fine with the bus, the schedule, and the service in general. I took a trip to Kirkwood on Sunday, the bus was completely full, arrived on time both at pick up location and at the resort, the driver was super careful with skis, and drove very safely. The are a few minuscule things that I noticed like my backrest not reclining, energy bars that very few people ate (just bring your own food and you'll be totally happy), but I think that this is so unimportant in the grand scheme of things - clean bus, polite people all around, smooth ride and most of all - no need to drive yourself, that I would definitely recommend it to anyone and will continue using this shuttle bus myself. Oh, and there was no stop in Sacramento, so it took us only 3.5 hours to get to Kirkwood from Milpitas. read more

Went to kirkwood last weekend 3/5/16 during the storm. We were picked up at milpitas on time and the trip was pretty smooth. They gave some bars and yogurt sticks in the am. In the afternoon, they left exactlt on time as well. Actually just a few minutes earlier i guess to get ahead of the upcoming storm. The roada were wet and snowing a lot. Driver ron did pretty well and a lot of us got some sleep to and from the resort. Definitely doing this again with them next time. read more

NAC SKI Bus - Bus ride to kirkwood - Transportation Near Me - San Jose, California

Did a NAC Ski Bus trip last month. It was good deal considering it includes transportation, you don't have to burn gas, wash your car, and they have discount lift tickets. I think I paid about $85 for round trip bus ticket and lift ticket from the East Bay to Kirkwood. Thats a good deal considering you could pay between $60-$70 on the lift ticket if you went on your own, plus arond $50 on gasoline. I signed up for another one this weekend but they cancelled the tour due to lack of participation. I'll definetely use them again, if not this season, then next. read more

I think the concept of taking a bus is pretty awesome because after a whole day of tearin up the mountain, I'm pretty tired and having to drive back is dreadful. Normally, when you drive with a friend, you're almost compelled to stay awake to keep the driver company, also as a courtesy thing yenno? Your friend is probably just as tired as you are but they have to stay awake to drive. Thus, paying to have someone drive you, you can sleep both ways which is 6 hrs of sleep! It's also great that you can get an extra 3 hrs on the way up so you'll be well rested for a day on the slopes. Given that I haven't take any other service, I don't have anyone else to compare to, NAC Ski is alright. I've taken it twice and both times the bus was very on time. The volunteer lead has also been really nice. Definitely will use their service once snowboarding season is back. read more

Took NAC Ski Bus on Sunday 3/18/2012 to Heavenly from Milpitias location. If you are by yourself and want a cheap ride, I recommend to use them. They do not stop for food or break, makes the trip a little faster. They are very professional, leave accordingly to schedule. They made two stops before we were on our way, SF and El Cerrito. If the weather is bad in Tahoe, I would think twice about taking the bus. It has nothing to do with bus or driver. Putting on the chain takes a while (50min) and you can only drive 25mph with them on. I know it's slow driving when it's snowing, but on a bus it's even slower. By the time you get to resort, you have about 4-4.5hr to ski. Just something to think about. Otherwise, it's great when not snowing. The driver we had was great, drove very safe through the snow! read more

Wow. Awful experience. First, there are no greeters, so it's a frenzy to find your bus at 5:30 am. When we got on, all of the front seats were taken and spread out from earlier pick ups, so a lot of fake-sleeping singles in doubles. We were forced to sit in the last row. The entire bus smells horrible, but it's decidedly worse in the back. Rows are crammed together. So uncomfortable. After we got going, the bus stopped for an inexplicable 30 minutes in North Sacramento. A guy with a clipboard was walking around the bus. Not a peep to explain. Way off course. Then another 30 mins to put on chains before the pass with no communication. It's now 9:15 and the slopes are open...we've got at least another hour and a half. It smells like poop and I'm crammed in a tiny seat. They're passing out baby yogurts and granola bars for "breakfast". Oh and they charge you for Wi-Fi, which doesn't work. AVOID THIS COMPANY. Do yourself a favor and book Bay Area Ski Bus or Sports Basement. UPDATE: looking like we won't arrive until 11am. I gotta ask, if you run a ski bus business, wouldn't you be prepared and able to deliver your guests despite snow? read more

CA Epic pass holder alert: you may go to a ski resort that your season pass won't cover. This company works fine when road condition is good. When road condition is bad, they will divert you to a different resort that you very likely won't have season pass for, and you pay extra money for lifts. I booked day trip to Kirkwood on 2/18/2019. The highway 88 is closed, so the bus volunteer told us we would be diverted to sierra-at-tahoe. Many of passengers immediately asked him why we couldn't go to Heavenly, which is not far away and we have season pass. (Kirkwood and Heavenly are both included in popular season passes like tahoe local or epic local) He couldn't give us any reasonable explanation, just repeating it's company's decision, and refuses to discuss more. We had to buy 85 dollar daily pass on the bus. The tour volunteer also told us they have diverted to Sierra-at-tahoe many times this season. Isn't it suspicious? Why it's up to them to decide where to go during the trip and no explanation? Why not communicate this clearly on the website? If you have always diverted to Sierra-at-tahoe, why not say so on your website? Isn't it bait and switch? read more

Reason for 1 Star Less: Timeliness: 3/5 Started on time from source and destination but delay of more than 1 hour both times. I guess I have known before that there will be 1 Hour delay if they have to put chains on tires. If there is snow on road they will most probably put chains which means at least 1 Hour late on up and down to San Francisco. I had a Group Class at 10:30 am for which I had to reach by 9:30 am but the bus took me at close to 10:45 am. Then It took another 15 minutes to go from Kirkwood to Timber Creek where the Group lesson starts. Thankfully the person at the Service allowed us for the afternoon slot which started at 1:30 pm. Bathroom: 1/5 The sanitizer is bathroom is empty. I was the first to go to bathroom so it is not like it got finished over the trip and even that will be weird too. I would suggest the Team to fill the Sanitizer to full no matter if it is half full or empty so this issue won't happen again. Thankfully I carried a small sanitizer with me. Bus: 5/5 Seats are comfortable and good leg room for my height (5'5'') and the seats can go backwards for a good sleep. Price: 5/5 Unbeatable at their current price point. read more

Very plain compared to Bay Area Ski Bus. No snacks, no pit stops, no fancy gimmicks. This is straight-up, a nice bus (ours was a Bauer's, top of the line!), with power outlets, and wifi (don't count on the wifi, it's pretty bad). The biggest difference? The Price! I paid $50 for NAC Ski as opposed to like, $100 for Bay Area Ski Bus. NAC Ski is no frills, no thrills, and all chills! If you're main goal is to get to the mountain, NAC Ski is the way to go. If you want super chippy tour guides who wake you up to give you yogurt and oj in the morning, go with Bay Area Ski Bus and pay the extra $$$. -Bus pick-up was on-time -Bathroom was awesome, dropped. -Tour guide was straight and to the point. -Played a movie on the return trip, slept through it -Bus drop-off was close to on-time (can't blame them for traffic) -Power outlets were clutch, bring your chargers if you're on the premium buses -Seats were super plush leather recliners, better than a lazy boy -Tour lead gave us all the information we needed to know, and left out everything we didn't I tried to keep this review as honest and fair as possible- for me it's 5 stars and just what I want in ski bus, cheap and to the point. If you're looking for a bunch of amenities and are willing to pay double, hit up Bay Area Ski Bus read more

Sigh. Writing this after a LONG day trip to Tahoe, compliments of NAC Ski. I think there are a lot of little things to complain about, like the bus was late to pick us up in SF, the ride itself took forever and a half, ran out of movies on the way back, etc. But a lot of that is due partly to the weather, and partly due to the fact that staring at a blank TV screen drives me nuts. But the one thing that REALLY bugged me is that they were like a barrier from getting us up on the mountain. We didn't get to Northstar until 10am (late pickup, snowing -- again, understandable), but they didn't have enough gear rental vouchers to cover the people who prepaid. So we had to wait around until someone could bring us one more while the rest of the bus shuttled off to start their day. Super! We didn't start boarding until 11. I love the idea of these ski buses and day trips, but my friends made me realize that NAC Ski is really a no-frills sort of business. They told me about the SnowBomb bus that gives you breakfast and even drinks on the ride back, for relatively the same price. I feel jipped! read more

What happened NACSKIIIIII?? I've been on the bus many different times now, but slowly I feel like the service is just dropping off. They need to pick it back up! After going on a Snowbomb bus I finally have something to compare Nacski with, and am pretty disappointed. Our bus was supposed to pick us up at 5:10 and didn't get their til 5:40. Instead of arriving at 8:25 (as noted on the website) we got there at 10:15. Instead of getting back at 7:45, we got back at 9:45. Now, I understand that the weather was pretty bad and mostly to blame, but just FYI for everyone in case they decide to go on a stormy weekend :P. However, Nacski failed on this last trip in a few different ways. Once we got there, they didn't have enough rental vouchers (one of my friends was renting). Haha you can refer to Mee-sun's review to hear the same story haha :). This wait by itself wouldn't have been too bad, except when he came back with the rental vouchers, he was still one short. We waited again, and were literally the last ones to leave the tour bus. Now, there are going to be pros and cons with each bus system. Some +'s include Nacski starts a bit later in the morning, offers price discounts with early bookings, and lays out very clearly where they leave from and when (some sites like Snowbomb won't know for certain until the week before). On the downside, they offer no food, have been late a few different times I rode with them, and also seem kind of rude. They emphasize very heavily for you to have your phone on in case they decide (at their own discretion) to cancel the trip last-minute on you. Yet, I doubt they would use the same system to inform you they were running late. Also, Nacski's got no mercy - we left a person behind at northstar lol so basically - DON'T Be late. hahaha. read more

Booked a Saturday round trip bus ticket from San Mateo to Squaw Valley and back for only $49!! I took off one star because the departure time was scheduled for 5am, but the bus didn't arrive until after. We were on the road by 5:15am from San Mateo to the last stop in SF. After SF we stopped again in Sacramento so they can switch bus drivers, which other reviewers have mentioned, and I also think that's kind of inconvenient with all the stops and starts. Aside from that, our host (Asian young man, don't recall his name) was very polite and friendly. He kindly told everyone to minimize voices as many people try to sleep on the bus and I really appreciated that! He offered yogurt, water, and granola bars about an hour and a half away from the resort. The bus is probably one of the nicest I've been on, and I've went in trips with Bay Area Ski Bus and Mel Cotton's Sporting Goods in the past. They use Silverado buses that come with outlet plugs, foldable food trays, hooks for your small bags or items, a foot rest, and the BEST part: THE CHAIR RECLINES FULLY BACK! I was so surprised at how far the recline was and I fell asleep instantly. The bus is locked the entire day, so if you bring lunch it's worth it to store it in a locker at Squaw ($7 for the whole day) or keep it in your backpack with you. Departure time was scheduled at 4:30pm and left promptly at that time. They played Jack Reacher and a Tomb Raider on the way home. Also need to mention that we stopped in Sacramento again to switch drivers. All in all, one of the more comfortable bus trips I've had! I would do it again because you can't beat the price. read more

Cheap, but extremely bad customer service. I'm writing this review after the second bad experience I've had with NAC Ski, out of about 10 trips. Most recently, I was attempting to cancel my ticket just before the 36-hour cancellation deadline (my pickup was at 5:30am Saturday, and I tried to cancel at 4:57pm Thursday). The website did not allow me to cancel: the "cancel entire order #XXXXX" option was greyed out and nothing happened when I clicked on it. I filed an online help request and received an automated response that they would "respond within one business days". It has now been almost a week, and no response from NAC Ski. Unacceptable. My previous bad experience was about 4 years ago. The bus had mechanical issues, and had to drive extra slow to the hill. Upon arrival, they were unable to open the cargo doors; it was after noon before we were finally able to get our gear and hit the slopes. When we got back to the bus go home, it turned out that the bus was unsafe to drive back, and they had to call another bus to drive us home. For whatever reason, they didn't decide this until after 4pm, and we had to wait another 4 hours for the bus to arrive. I arrived home well after midnight. I can't remember exactly how they offered to make good on this situation. It was something ridiculous. I believe that they paid for pizza while we waited for the replacement bus to arrive, and offered $10 off the next trip. After that I vowed never to take NAC Ski again. I broke that vow because friends invited me to join them on trips, but after this second bad experience, the vow is renewed. The only thing going for this company is that they are significantly cheaper than their main competitor. read more

NAC Ski? More like WACK Ski. Of the few ski buses servicing the Bay Area, NAC Ski is the cheapest. They're also the worst. I've taken this bus quite a few times during the past couple years. Its service has gone from great to... well, uh, pretty shitty. Yeah, it's cheap. Yeah, it's convenient. And that's about it. See, back when they were picking up steam, they used to be great. The buses would show up on time in the morning and leave the mountain on time. They'd provide snacks and drinks (the good stuff like Clif Bars and Rockstar), the tour leads would be friendly and knowledgeable and they'd get stuff like distributing lift tickets and food vouchers done quickly. It went downhill (zing!) once they realized they had a big enough customer base that they didn't need to take care of them anymore. During my most recent trip, the bus was almost 45 minutes late to my pickup location. Afterwards, on the mountain, the snow was coming down and the tour lead forced people to stand outside of the bus so he could count them and check them off as they came in (uh, couldn't you do that after everyone got seated inside?). They also got really cheap with the snacks - nonexistent - and drinks - a single bottle of water. Now this is all on top of them raising prices over last year! This last time, the tour lead made up a lame excuse about the peanut butter scare leaving them without snacks. Maybe homeboy hasn't heard of Clif Energy Bloks (which they used to generously hand out) or granola bars... come on, guy. You don't need to hide the fact that the company is going cheap on its customers. On top of that, their customer service is HORRIBLE. The email form on their website says they'll get back to you in 3 hours - more like a week... if you're lucky. I emailed again after a week and they finally responded... two days later. No matter the problem, they always try to place the blame on you. They don't provide a phone number, and when the guy finally called me to resolve a problem, he flat out REFUSED to give me a phone number to call him back (getting charged twice for one trip - why the hell would I book two seats for ONE passenger?). Yes, I really wanted to argue with the goon while I was sitting at my desk at work. Ugh. Completely independent of the one star rating (but worth mentioning) but this last time, it was snowing heavily and the bus driver was flying down highway 80. I get that it's good to make it to the mountain on time (we were late anyway), but I'd rather arrive alive than end up in a body bag. Bottom line: service is bare-bones and they've attracted a lot of morons who just want to ski/ride free as tour leads. Customer service is pretty much nonexistent. I'd rather pay the extra few dollars and take the Bay Area Ski Bus. Hell, even Snow Bomb. read more

Not recommend at all, stay away! Zero customer support, be aware. I purchased from NAC Ski a bus ticket from Sierra-at-Tahoe Ski resort to the Bay area, plus ski passes for the same day. The bus was cancelled because of bad weather, and I was stuck at Tahoe. NAC Ski has only refunded the ski passes, but not the bus ride. The bus ride never happened. I want to receive back all the money I paid for a service that was never provided. Support is inexistent, I sent multiple messages but no response at all. Even tried their official facebook page, but was also ignored. It's sad I have to post something public for them to do something... read more

I have taken both Bay Area Ski Bus and Nac Ski Bus. Overall I prefer Nac Ski over Bay Area Ski Bus for the reasons below: -Nac Ski is cheaper. -Nac Ski doesn't include breakfast in the morning and wine & snack in the afternoon which I don't mind. I enjoy bringing my own breakfast that I prefer to eat, and I never thought drinking alcohol before getting on a 4-hour long bus ride is a smart idea (I was feeling sick on the way home on Bay Area Ski Bus thanks to the cheap wine). -Even though Nac Ski is cheaper, it still provides free bottled water. -Nac Ski doesn't waste time stopping by any place for dinner on the way home which gets you home quicker. -The Milpitas meet up point at 5:30am is more convenient to most people I know. -Nac Ski bus is not as new as Bay Area Ski bus but it's still not bad. I appreciate that it has cup holders so I have place to hold my coffee for me. I will take Nac Ski Bus again for my next boarding trip to Tahoe! read more

NAC Ski disappointed. We got to Northstar around 11am, after leaving SF at ~5:40am. It was cold inside the bus. I expected better. Our bus driver got lost multiple times on the way there as well as on the way back - I expected that the driver should know his way... considering this isn't an improvised trip, and these bus companies ONLY go to a few places. We noticed that cold air was coming out of the vents. A few of us asked our tour guide to turn up the heat, but they wouldn't turn up the heat. We had clear skies and roads. I will have to make the rounds and try Tahoe Snow and Sun Tour, Bay Area Ski Bus, and any others I can find before coming back to these guys. read more

I had a horrific experience with NAC Ski Bus. The trip was poorly managed (the trip leader was a volunteer who got to ski for free). The trip leader made very bad judgement with road conditions, and there was no communication with the company. We got stuck on the road for more than 20 hours, and have to wait for 6 hours for a driver change. Why wasn't it planed ahead of time? When I emailed the company about this incidence, I heard ZERO response. Definitely try to stay away from this company! read more

This company is run by morons or thieves or both. The idea of someone else driving me to tahoe, and waiting for me while i get it done up the hill, and then taking me home, so i can ride all day hard as i want and not then be totally worked by 4 hours ride home in the car in the dark, or put that drive on someone else, burn that gas, sounds - on paper, pretty genius. So, i sign up and am ready to assess this as a possible new formula. My thinking is: As long as it's not a TOTAL gong show, i'm in. i'll buy a package of rides maybe, i'll bring friends, and encourage the homies to all consider coming by bus and make this thing enjoyable...i could even seeing it becoming perhaps evenly mildy racuous on the road home after a good powder day - little adult beverages, little chit chat with hottie snow bunnies...or whoever - everyone irie and sharing their glory stories from the shit they mashed all day. Then... First time I ever took their bus, the bus driver took 8 HOURS to reach our destination (Kirkwood) because he didn't know/ was comfortable putting chains on his vehicle (It was snowing, but not that hard!). The worst was we SAT on the side of the road for probably 4 hours! Blocking 1/2 a lane of 2 lane traffic waiting...and i think we were within 20 miles of kirkwood. After a comical cameo by a PISSED CHP guy - the subject of which was our bus driver blew through chain control further back and put all of our lives in danger (pretty dramatic, but honestly...probably true) - which should've been a scene in some 1980's john hughes movie with Molly Ringwald, btw, we finally rolled the last couple miles to the Wood. So.. We paid for a full day, we pulled into the parking lot @ 12p noon. (Still snowing by the way). So - whateves, be zen, give the driver a break. He wasn't prepared, now he is - lesson learned - and we're good. Trip back then took 6 HOURS. Movies on the tiny-ass screens with barely audible sound: Baby Mama & Transformers. Goddammit that kid from Transformers movie - the young indiana jones kid - is terrrrrrrrr-ble. So 14 HOURS in a pretty standard bus, for 4 hours of riding. Charge me $70 for that? Not a fair trade. Lodged a complaint - like every other person on the ride expressed they were eager to do (sure at least 50% would've followed up - and surprised there aren't more negative reviews up here) - they said they were 'looking into the situation' and would get back to me when they resolved it. that was a month ago. WHACK. you just lost a potential regular customer read more

Awake by 3:30 am, then to the Milpitas pick-up point by 4:15am, leaving at 4:30am-ish. With one giant leap to SF to pick up those folks, we were up to Northstar by 8:30am with free cliff bars. 4:30pm pickup and back to Milpitas within 4 hrs and free bottled water, playing "Meet the Fockers" and "Dodgeball". Going both ways, the driver was hauling ass like he really needed to take one flaming shit. I don't even think I could drive a car that fast let alone a one giant bus filled (all seats) with passengers. I will definitely use their services again. read more

My first Yelp review! First, I've been riding the various bus companies for 4 years straight, and I have for 4 years been a patron of NAC SKI. Other buses I've ridden are Snowbomb, Bay Area Ski Bus, and Ride Lake Tahoe. I have to say that of all the companies, I prefer NAC SKI. Everyone needs to understand that NAC SKI is the lowest priced option almost every time, so keep in mind that you get what you pay for. I personally hate driving and all the hassles associated, so my perspective is purely a comparison to other bus companies. They all provide pretty much the same service, but I'll boil it down to a few keys that set each apart: - Tour lead: The early years, NACSKI had very good tour leads who really felt like your friend. These days, most (not all) feel like they're just there to administrate. Now unless a warm and fuzzy tour lead is a requirement, I'd say NACSKI does the job just fine. - Bus driver: This guy/gal can really make or break a trip. Once I got a driver who must have been a newbie (see reviews by Yanic B. and Ryan W.), and it was a royal nightmare. I never saw that driver again, and thank God for that. On the flip side, NACSKI does have one longtime bus driver who is golden. I should know his name by now, but he's a big guy with a European accent. Awesome. Drives quickly, puts on chains almost as fast as the CHP. I tip him every time. I'm a cheap guy, so that's saying something. - The bus: NACSKI sometimes gets a nice bus, sometimes it's really basic. Bay Area Ski Bus has nicer buses, but you are paying quite a bit more. They've done a better job in recent years of reminding people not to use the bus toilet unless absolutely necessary. This has definitely helped. The DVD players and TV are also hit or miss. For me this isn't a big deal (remember, cheap fare=cheap bus). I'm just happy to have 4 hours to relax. - The food: NACSKI doesn't stop for food. This is all fine by me. My opinion is if I can get back in the Bay Area one hour earlier, I can find much better food myself. I don't understand some of the reviewers whining about NACSKI getting cheap on the onboard food and water. Did they ever promise meals and refreshments? To me, the Clif Bars, water, coupons, prizes, etc, are all perks. These were all from sponsors, and we are in a recession. Yes the other companies have food onboard, but you're paying for it, genius. - Quality of Service: The majority of the time I have had no complaints. They do listen to their customers via the survey tool. I can personally attest, as a long time customer, I have seen many changes in their service as a direct result of customer suggestions. I realize a lot of complaints here are regarding rentals. What I've told my friends who need to rent is to rent in the Bay Area, not at the resort. The hassle and time lost at the resort are simply not worth it. - Timeliness: Only on rare occasions does NACSKI depart late where it is THEIR FAULT. Those reviewers who complain about getting to the resort late because of inclement weather are really morons. A few times the bus was late due to passengers not being on time. Lately I've noticed they started leaving people behind if they lag. To this I applaud NACSKI. The rest of the bus should not suffer if 1 or 2 idiots don't understand 5am pickup and 4pm departure. A few times we were late because the bus driver didn't know how to put on chains. These were rare occasions and I hope NACSKI makes snow chain training mandatory for all their drivers. Conclusion There are some disaster reviews of NACSKI. I will not deny them because I have had the (mis)fortune of experiencing some of them myself. You should keep in mind that these are single instances. Over 4 years and many bus rides, I can safely say that chances are, you will have a positive experience. At the end of the day, for less than $90, you get: - To wake up at the front entrance to a ski resort - Sit back and relax for 4 hours on the way there and back - Spare wear and tear on your car What's not to like? read more

Pros: -- It's cheaper compared to other ski bus companies. -- The bus does not make a pit stop on the way back to the bay, so you'll get to your drop-off location sooner than other bus companies. -- Prompt response to my complaint. Cons: -- There's a good chance that your bus will have mechanical issues. -- If this happens, you will only get a partial refund despite the huge inconvenience. I've used NACSKI on three separate Tahoe trips. On two of the three trips, the bus experienced mechanical problems. The first time, it was on the way home and we had to pull over on the shoulder for about 15 minutes. Not really sure what happened, but we were on our way shortly after. No problem there. More recently, I took the bus to Kirkwood on 3/4/12 and a few miles from Kirkwood, the bus could go no more than 10-15 mph. The dash said SOS. NOT a good sign! Thankfully we arrive at Kirkwood, albeit an hour late. Once there, the cargo door where our snowboards were stored would not open. 30 minutes later, it finally did. They tell us not to worry, a new bus will come OR they will fix the the bus we have by the time we have to depart from the resort. We get back to the bus at the end of the day and they tell us a new bus is coming...three hours later! WTH?! The NACSKI lead lacked any kind of leadership or communication skills. Homeboy did NOT communicate what was going on, rather we were left wondering among ourselves. If we wanted any kind of info, we had to ask him directly. The bus driver was clearly frustrated with the bus. His vulgarity was quite entertaining. I sat in the second row, so I saw and heard everything. I spent $98 for two roundtrip tickets with NACSKI for me and the hubby. $80 for two one-way tickets on another ski bus company-- there was NO way I was going to wait three hours at the resort. I received a $70 partial refund from NACSKI, a $20 gift certificate to a sports store and a $10 credit for a future NACSKI trip. In sum, I highly doubt I will book another trip with NACSKI. I'd much rather spend the extra bucks to make sure I get to and from the resort on time. read more

Each season, we usually do a mixture of taking NAC Ski and driving up on our own. I've never taken Bay Area ski bus and don't really plan to anytime soon since I'm quite content with NAC Ski. Booking a trip is fairly easy and prices are reasonable. I really like the pick up in Milpitas since it's quite convenient. The tour leads and bus drivers are usually nice, too. It's quiet on the way to Tahoe and they don't play any movies so you can get some shut eye since departure is usually around 4am - 5am. They do make at least two pit stops, which kind of sucks, since I notice that the majority (75%) are all from Milpitas. Oh wells. They usually leave promptly at the designated time, give or take 5 minutes. You can leave your belongings on the bus while you're at the resort since the bus is locked until about 3:30 PM. On the way back from Tahoe, they usually play one or two movies which are usually chosen by votes. Bring your ipod or just go to sleep if you're not interested. They provide water, but you can also bring your own food and drinks on the bus, too. Make sure to eat before getting back on the bus since it doesn't make any stops. I like that because that just means we get home quicker. I also like how they have surveys after the trip. That just means they care about their customers and they want to improve. Thumbs up. I plan on taking NAC Ski for some of my trips this season. Note: Sometimes given unforeseen weather conditions that cause the bus arrive to the resort late, they are very good about crediting accounts as they see fit. Very cool. read more

So far, I've been on four bus trips with NAC Ski back in 2009, and I've been thoroughly satisfied with their efficient and organized service each time. I'm completely loyal to them now, and I wouldn't want to go to Tahoe any other way for day trips. NAC Ski has excelled in being punctual for pick-ups and drop-offs, choosing approachable, friendly, and helpful Tour Leads, and renting comfortable buses perfect for snoozing back and forth. Here's a summarized itinerary: 1) Rise before shine and drive to your chosen pick-up location (around 5:00 am, give or take an hour or so). You can conveniently choose various pick-up locations and resort destinations, depending on where you live and where you'd like to go in Tahoe. 2) Sleep for hours on the bus on cushioned seats that recline, with decent headrests. It's a quiet ride. 3) Arrive at the resort and ski/board all day. If you purchase lift tickets through NAC Ski, they're significantly discounted; cheaper than Costco! 4) Meet back at the bus at 4:15 pm. They leave promptly at 4:30 pm with or without you. 5) Sleep, snack (bring your own, but they provide water), and/or watch movies (TV monitors throughout the bus) until you're dropped off. Be on time for the pick-ups, people! read more

I have taken Tahoe Snow & Sun (1 time) and Nac Ski Bus (3 times). Overall I prefer Tahoe Snow & Sun. I also know there is Bay Area Ski Bus as well as Snowbomb bus (think they work together though). I don't take the later 2 because they are considerably more expensive. NAC Ski Pros - A Number of trips each weekend - Cheaper if you book early Cons - No phone number AT ALL - Some of the leaders are not organized or too friendly - Only get a water on the way back - Not very customer service oriented I just listed the stuff that I feel they could control. Things like the buses are cramped, long rides to/from the mountain, etc....I think those are things the charter service handles. Basically, I will first look at Tahoe Snow & Sun to see if they have seats, but if they dont I will look on NAC Ski. They only reason I come back to them is because they have available seats when other cheaper places are booked. read more

I've taken NAC Ski quite a few times now, mostly to Kirkwood and Heavenly from Milpitas location. For me it is a good way to go - no driving, gets you there, and gets you back. Comfort level on bus is acceptable, enough so that I can fall asleep. It leaves ontime, but due to weather conditions, arrival times are up in the air, however this isn't something NAC Ski can control. There are a few times when I felt one bus driver was going crazy as if he was trying to carve it up on concrete when we were in the mountains, but I think he got us there 10 - 15 mins ahead of schedule. On the trips I've been on, some of the tour guides are much more helpful than other trips. Each trip has one tour guide - one tourguide that I've been on multipe trips is very helpful, clear, and somewhat witty-ly funny. He gets off the bus to help the bus driver install tire chains. On the otherhand, there are others that just sit there, clearly uncomfortable making announcements, and seems more concerned about enjoying his own time on the slopes than making sure everyone hears the announcements. I saw that many people docked a star for NAC Ski not including drinks / refreshments. I completely disagree. I rather not get charged $5-10 just so I can get an apple or a bag of doritos. Just pick up something cheap from Safeway and bring it on. Overall, I am satisfied with my experience with NAC Ski and continue using this as a primary way to hit the slopes up at Tahoe. read more

I took the NAC Ski bus for the very first time up to Heavenly Ski Resort in Tahoe last weekend and overall, I felt that the service was good. Despite being the second stop (San Francisco), there was ample room on the bus for you to sprawl out if you'd like and which I did! The quick and dirty: No mechanical issues. Bus left on time. Nice, clean bus equipped with a bathroom which got us from destination A to destination B earlier than expected. No pit stops - actually, one where the bus driver had to make a "pit stop" himself...he did make sure to stop the bus in front of a great view of the snow capped mountains however! The tour lead was fine. He stated the details on what we needed to know like changes in pick up location over the microphone. Although, when the microphone stopped working I could barely make out what the TL was saying. I ended up asking the driver once we got off the bus just to make sure I didn't miss my ride in the afternoon! It would have been nice if the TL made sure everyone understood the change in plans etc. upon leaving the bus. Bring your own food as food is not provided. You can leave your belongings on the bus as well. Water is passed out in the afternoon after your trip. I would recommend this service to others because it is easy, affordable and convenient! Why drive when I can relax and/or sleep on the bus! Oh, and one more thing. San Francisco pick up location is in Potrero Hill. Parking is usually all day so you don't have to worry about getting tickets for leaving your car in the same spot! read more

I took two trips to Northstar with nacski in December 2012. Trip 1 was great. We arrived at 9am and left on time at 4:30pm. The Bauer luxury bus was nice and comfortable. Trip 2 was horrible compared to the first trip. NACSKI switched out the luxury bus. The driver got lost and the bus didn't arrive Northstar until 11:30am (6+ hours on the bus from SF one way). I am going to have to try Tahoe Snow and Sun Tour or Bay Area Ski Bus. read more

Went on the trip to kirkwood on 3/27. We got to the meeting point in milpitas at 5am and waited until 5:20, 5:25 (i was a bit annoyed that they told us to get there at 5:15 for departure at 5:25 but weren't there until almost 10 min later. Though i kinda understand that this could happen since we werent the first stop). I think we got to the resort around 10:30? We stopped somewhere on hwy 88 coz we had to put on chains which made us go slower... :( though the bus driver and guide both seem very professional and capable. Ron, our guide is funny and nice (nothing against Ron but I was secretly hoping we'd get Byron since I've read he gives out snacks :p But oh well) The seats on the bus was a bit cramped though. It didn't help that I forgot my neck pillow. :/ We left pretty much on time. Though my friend got lost in the snow and didn't make it back to the bus on time and got left behind. But the bus stopped by first aid to see if my friend was there. Ron also checked back with us a couple times during the ride to see if we've heard back from my friend. Overall I had a satisfying experience. Beats Reno Tahoe ski bus any day! I'm quite a fan of taking buses esp when the weather isn't optimal for driving or you can't find enough ppl to go with you, or everybody is too damn lazy to drive. Though you do have to pray that none of these happens (Which I, unfortunately, was not able to avoid...): 1. Someone near you with terrible BO that just gets worse on the ride back. Please double up on the deodorant next time... 2. douchbags who take other ppls seats on the way back and screw up the whole seating arrangement. they should make bus etiquette posters and hang em around the bus...ha read more

Went to Northstar with them on Sunday, Jan 8th from the Milpitas location. This was my first time using a ski bus, and I was pleasantly surprised. If you want a cheap, no frills transportation service to Tahoe, then this is the place for you. I think your experience depends largely on which tour leader and driver you get... our TL's name was Thomas (I think...). Anyways he was quick and to the point, courteous and was able to answer questions. He wasn't particularly warm or friendly, but hey... it's 4 AM, all strangers, he got the job done. A couple of people we're late... around 4:20 AM he started calling to find out where people were (4:30 AM departure). We ended up leaving around 4:32 - 4:33 as soon as the people showed up... it was nice of him to find out where they were and wait the extra couple of minutes. It was easy to board, just print out boarding pass online from your account or show them ticket on your phone. Ride there was good, made 2 stops afterwards to pick up more passengers. The bus clean and comfortable, much better than something like southwest airline seats... I was able to fall asleep within 30 minutes and then didn't wake up until we were passing Boreal. Next time, remember to bring a pillow though especially if you have 2 seats to yourself, you can prop up against the window. We ended up arriving at Northstar before 9 AM, according to my season pass tracker I got on the Gondola at 9:10 AM. The bus is quite organized... has a luggage compartment for each stop, so it makes sorting much easier and you don't have to worry about people taking your stuff when they depart. When we got there, everyone unloads and goes. Tour leader was good with people who bought tickets through them or rentals, gave them all the vouchers pretty fast. On the way back, meet up time was 4:15 PM. He advised we get to the shuttle pick up around 3:50 latest, which is what I did and got me back to the bus at 4:10. (good advice)! Water and a movie was offered on the way home... the ETA to arrive back in Milpitas was 9:05 PM but we actually arrived close to 8:30 PM. The movie was 2 fast 2 furious, not great selection but was good enough to keep my attention for 20 minutes before I fell asleep again. Overall, not a bad way to travel. I think I paid $48, which is cheaper than the $60-70 I would have spent on gas to drive. I would take this bus again if I'm snowboarding with 2 or less people... with 3 or more people I probably would just drive (quicker, cheaper, more convenient). This definitely is the way to go for a day trip, especially if you are planning to go alone. Also, for people who are iffy about the drive during the snowy season, this would not be a bad alternative as well. Would have gave it 5 stars if -tour guide a bit friendlier -snack or food -movie selection (no choice, just whatever guide put in) Will definitely use again if needed. They also gave out 10% coupons to sports basement at the end. read more