Getting to Aspen: Flying Into ASE Airport (10 Mins by Free Bus), Eagle-Vail (EGE) & Driving From Denver

Tucked deep in the central Colorado Rockies, Aspen can be reached by flying straight into the valley floor 10 minutes from downtown, flying into two nearby airports, or driving from Denver (or riding the Amtrak California Zephyr train to Glenwood Springs).

1. Fly Directly Into Aspen/Pitkin County Airport (ASE, 3 Miles / 10 Mins from Downtown)

Served year-round by United, American and Delta with nonstop flights from Denver (DEN), Chicago (ORD), Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), Houston (IAH), Los Angeles (LAX), San Francisco (SFO), Phoenix (PHX), Austin (AUS) and Atlanta (ATL), ASE Airport sits just 5 kilometres (3 miles) northwest of Downtown Aspen.

• Free Airport Transfers to Town: nearly every hotel in Aspen and Snowmass runs a free courtesy shuttle van from ASE baggage claim. Alternatively, walk up the heated covered walkway to the Highway 82 Airport Bus Station: both the Inbounds RFTA 'VelociRFTA' Bus to Downtown Aspen (10 mins) and the Outbounds Bus to Snowmass Transfer run every 15 to 20 minutes and are 100% free.
• Winter Weather Tip for ASE: because winter snowstorms occasionally divert afternoon flights to Eagle or Grand Junction, book a morning flight when mountain skies are calmest.

2. Fly Into Eagle County Regional Airport (EGE, 110 km / 80 Mins Northeast)

Eagle-Vail (EGE) has a longer all-weather runway for full-size Boeing 737 and 757 jets from over 15 cities, located 80 minutes from Aspen via I-70 through Glenwood Canyon and Highway 82.

3. Driving (or Taking the Bustang / Amtrak Train) from Denver (DEN)

• Year-Round I-70 Route (320 km / 198 Miles, 3.5 to 4 Hours): drive west on I-70 through the Eisenhower Tunnel, Vail Pass and Glenwood Canyon to Glenwood Springs (Exit 116), then turn south for 50 minutes up 4-lane Highway 82 into Aspen.
• Summer & Autumn Scenic Route (Late May to Oct Only, 4 Hours): take I-70 to Hwy 91 and Hwy 24 past Leadville and Twin Lakes and climb over 3,687-metre Independence Pass into Downtown Aspen.
• Car-Free from Denver Union Station: ride the daily Amtrak California Zephyr train or CDOT Bustang West Line coach to Glenwood Springs, then transfer onto the RFTA Express Bus into Downtown Aspen (check current fares on their official sites).