DEN to Downtown Denver: A Line Train, Taxi and Uber Options

The airport compares four options to Downtown Denver:

• RTD A Line train: 37 minutes. Best for budget travelers. Boards on Level 1, Transit Center.
• Uber or Lyft: 25 to 35 minutes. Best for convenience and solo travelers. Pickup on Level 5, Island 5.
• Taxi: 25 to 35 minutes. Best for immediate service, 24/7. Pickup on Level 5, Island 1.
• Shared van: 45 to 60 minutes. Best for hotel drop-off and groups. Level 5, Island 5.

The airport marks the road times as estimates, and they go up in heavy traffic. The airport counts Downtown as Union Station, the 16th Street Mall, the Convention Center and LoDo. By road it is about 24 miles to Downtown Denver, roughly 35 minutes without traffic.

From baggage claim, follow the signs for the train. The station is the Transit Center on Level 1, below the Westin hotel at the south end of Jeppesen Terminal. Take the escalator or elevator down to ground level.

The A Line has eight stations, including Central Park, Peoria, 40th & Colorado, 38th & Blake and Union Station. RTD says the trip between Denver Union Station and the airport takes about 37 minutes.

• Frequency: RTD lists a train every 15 minutes from about 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., and every 30 minutes in the early morning and late evening. The train does not run all night. RTD's page does not give the first and last departures, so check the RTD schedule or the NextRide app for your date. One DEN page says 24/7, but RTD's schedule is the one to trust.
• Fare: you need the $10 Airport Day Pass, valid all day across the RTD system. You can also add an Airport Upgrade to a local pass: $7.25 on a 3-Hour Pass ($2.75), or $4.50 on a Day Pass ($5.50). A Monthly Pass is $88.
• Discounts: RTD says youth 19 and under and active-duty U.S. military ride free, and discount fares (seniors 65 and older, riders with disabilities, Medicare and LiVE customers) include the airport at no extra charge. Proof of eligibility is required.
• Tap-n-Ride: tap a contactless credit or debit card, or a mobile wallet, when you board. Fare capping turns 3-Hour Passes into Day and Monthly Passes automatically.

RTD Customer Care is at (303) 299-6000, Monday to Friday 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Prices change, so confirm on the RTD site.

The Transit Center also serves RTD bus routes AB1, AB2 (Boulder), AT, 104L, 145X and 169L. The airport says buses run from about 3:30 AM to midnight, with the last bus leaving at 1:28 AM, and about every 15 minutes in peak hours.

The $10 day pass works on all RTD services. An RTD information booth at the Transit Center is open Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 4:30 PM.

Bustang, run by the Colorado Department of Transportation, connects from Union Station to Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, Vail, Glenwood Springs and Fort Morgan. Call (800) 900-3011.

Buses are the way to Boulder (AB1, AB2) without a car. All RTD buses and trains are wheelchair accessible.

Taxis load on Level 5, Island 1, outside doors 505, 507 and 511 on the east side and 506, 510 and 512 on the west side. Service runs 24/7 and you do not need to book.

Flat fares, one way, with the airport access fee included:

• Downtown Denver (Zone A): $72.04
• Denver Tech Center (Zone B): $80.04
• Boulder (Zone C): $115.04
• Tower Road (Zone D): $37.04

Other trips run on the meter plus a $6.04 airport access fee. The airport says a ride to Cherry Creek Shopping Center usually costs $75 to $95. Extra drop-offs in a zone can add $5.00 each if the company's tariff allows it. Fares change, so confirm with the taxi company.

Ride apps pick up on Level 5, Island 5, on the east or west side of the terminal. Request your ride after you collect your bags or reach Level 5, and use the marked crosswalks.

Order in the app only. Drivers may not solicit rides, and you pay in the app. Check that the plate, make, model and driver name match before you get in.

If you need help, you can ask for pickup at the curb of Level 5, near doors 504, 506, 510 or 512 on the west side or 505, 507, 511 or 513 on the east side.

The airport does not publish ride app prices to Downtown. They change with demand and time of day.

Shared vans serve hotels and addresses across the Denver area, and the airport estimates 45 to 60 minutes to Downtown because of multiple stops. Companies include ABC Shuttle, (303) 761-0111, and Blue Shuttle, (720) 792-8355. Contact the company to book.

The airport pages disagree on the island: the shared van page says Level 5, Island 5 (doors 505 to 507 east, 510 to 512 west), while one summary says Island 4. Follow the signs and ask at the Ground Transportation Information Counter, (303) 342-4059.

Hotel shuttles load at Island 3.

• Limousines: book ahead with a company on DEN's list, then check in at the limo booth on Level 5, Island 2, outside doors 505 to 507 and 511 to 513 (east) or 504 to 506 and 510 to 512 (west).
• Charter buses: pre-arranged only, loading on Level 5. A group coordinator calls (303) 342-4076 when the group is ready, or you can ask at the Ground Transportation Information Counter.
• Turo: pickup and return are allowed only in the East and West Garages and the East and West Economy Surface Lots. Curbside pickup and return are prohibited.
• Bikes and scooters: DEN says it is accessible by bike. Peña Boulevard is one option, but cyclists may prefer 56th Avenue to Valleyhead Road. Bike parking is at the Transit Center on Level 1 and at the north end of Arrivals on Level 4 (outside door 400 west, door 401 east).
• Friends and family pickup: Level 4, east and west sides, all doors. Take the escalator or elevator down from baggage claim on Level 5.

The airport gives these estimates, marked as approximate:

• Boulder: 45 minutes by ride share, 60 minutes by shared van. RTD buses AB1 and AB2 also go to Boulder.
• Colorado Springs: about 90 minutes by Groome shuttle, or a 75 minute drive in a rental car.
• Vail or Breckenridge: 3 to 4 hours by mountain shuttle.

DEN does not publish a time to Denver Tech Center or Cherry Creek. Ask your driver or check the RTD trip planner.

Mountain carriers serve Colorado ski and resort areas, including Vail, Breckenridge, Keystone, Copper, Aspen and Steamboat Springs. Companies include Summit Express, (970) 668-6000, and Vail Powder Cars, (970) 446-1185. They load at Level 5, Island 1, outside doors 511 to 513 east and 504 to 506 west.

One DEN summary page says Island 4; the carrier and pickup pages say Island 1. Follow the signs and ask at the Ground Transportation Information Counter, (303) 342-4059.

Reservations are recommended. Contact the carrier you choose.