How to Use the Denver Airport Train: From the airport to the city center in 37 minutes for only $10.50
At many major airports, getting to and from the city center can be a catchy tagline, possibly taking more time and money than you’d like.
Long waits or walks for taxis or carpools and expensive drives to/from the city center can quickly take your sails when all you want to do is get started (or finish). end) his vacation.
However, after riding the Denver Carrier for the first time, I became obsessed with traveling 23 miles from Denver International Airport (DEN) to downtown Denver. In fact, it’s so easy that it pushes Denver (and Cross Mountain Skis from Denver, more shortly) even higher on my list of early re-visits.
In case you’ve never been on the Denver Carrier and are curious how it can make your next trip to the area easier, here’s how it works.
Related: TPG’s Guide to Denver International Airport
How to find the Denver carrier
To take the train from the airport in Denver, all you really have to do is follow the signs.
The signs will say “Train to City” or “Transfer Center”, so just follow them as you head to the main part of the airport where baggage carousels and transportation are located. move the ground, then go towards Westin Airport Hotel Area.
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SUMMER HULL / THE WRONG POINTS
Once you’re there, instead of going into the Westin, you’ll go down the escalator to the Transit Center.
On the ground floor you’ll find ticket machines and platforms – those are good signs that you’re in the right place.
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While there are some discounts for seniors, children, military, and the like, the all-inclusive ticket is $10.50 and available for sale at the machine or even in the app if it’s your favorite.
Related: Best credit cards for trains
Related: Denver Airport Conspiracy Theory
How long does the Denver airport train take?
Normally, the train runs every 15 minutes from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. and every 30 minutes outside of those hours (except for a few hours at midnight when it stops running). During my October ride, it ran every 30 minutes throughout the day due to some ongoing repairs, but that’s not a normal situation.
When the ride started, speeds hit 79 mph, so it took just 37 minutes with six stops included before we reached Denver’s Union Station, the seventh and final stop on Line A.
Related: Where to eat at Denver airport
What is it like on the train
On my 5:30pm ride, the train was clean. There were some people on board, but it was definitely not crowded. In other words, we don’t have to share two chairs with anyone if we don’t want to.
The seats are padded and there is a luggage rack on the seat and near the train exit.
What to do when you arrive at Union Station
From Denver’s Union Station, you’ll have plenty of transportation options, from walking to nearby hotels or attractions like Coors Field, using the free 16 Street MallRide mixed-use bus, catching a taxi or using Use a ride-hailing service, connect to Light Rail, take Amtrak’s California Zephyr or even go to Winter Park above ski train.
Self-driving up the mountains from Denver can be complicated, cumbersome, and slow, depending on the day and weather – not to mention the fact that car rentals can be quite expensive.
With that in mind, one of the reasons I’m so excited about the Denver Carrier’s simplicity is that it creates the prospect of sailing Ski train departing from Union Station seasonally on weekends is much more attractive.
We could fly to Denver on Friday, take the train to Union Station that night, stay downtown nearby at a hotel like Crawford at Union Station or the nearby Rally Hotel overlooking the Fields of Coors, and then take the Ski Train from Union Station on a Saturday morning straight to Winter Park without renting a car.
Related: Directions to Denver Airport Lounges
After skiing on Saturday and Sunday, you can catch the Ski Train back to Union Station in the afternoon, take the Airport Railroad back to the airport and fly home without having to deal with traffic, driving car or rent a car.
Or, do what TPG’s Benji Stawski did last year and ride a snowmobile to Winter Park for the day only and just keep your hotel in Denver.
Plus, if you find yourself with little time to kill inside Denver’s Confederate Terminal, that’s not the worst outcome either. The space is quite cute, there is room to eat while waiting.
Key point
I travel a lot and find the process of getting to and from the city to the airport really is a chore in some areas. I was thrilled when I came across a city it found, and Denver absolutely made the list.
