How to Get from Denver to Aspen: Fly, Drive or Ride

You have five ways to get from Denver to Aspen. Fly into Aspen’s own airport. Drive 220 miles from DEN through Glenwood Springs. Ride 2 buses. Take a shared shuttle. Or hire a car with a driver.

None of them works every day of the year. The airport closes for most of 2027, the shortest road closes every winter, and the buses need a transfer. Here is how each one holds up.

Option 1: Fly into Aspen (ASE)

Aspen/Pitkin County Airport sits 3 miles from downtown Aspen, about 5 minutes by road. In winter 2025-26, United, American and Delta flew nonstop into ASE, according to the Aspen Chamber.

The catch is weather. ASE completed 94.4% of its flights in 2025, according to travel press. Diverted flights most often land in Rifle (RIL), Grand Junction (GJT) or Hayden (HDN). From any of those, you still need a ride to Aspen.

The 2027 runway closure

ASE closes for runway reconstruction from April 4, 2027 to November 19, 2027, per the same Aspen Chamber page. Summer 2027 trips to Aspen start on the ground or at another airport.

Option 2: Drive yourself

The road you take depends on the month.

Winter: I-70 and CO-82 through Glenwood Springs

From DEN, take I-70 west for 180 miles to Glenwood Springs, exit 116. Then follow CO-82 about 40 miles up the Roaring Fork Valley through Carbondale and Basalt. The total is 220 miles.

On clear roads, plan on 3 to 4.5 hours. You cross the Eisenhower Tunnel at 11,158 feet and Vail Pass at 10,662 feet on the way. Our I-70 winter guide covers both. A rental car also has to meet the Colorado traction law.

Summer: Independence Pass

Independence Pass takes CO-82 over a 12,095-foot summit. The route over it runs about 40 miles shorter than the Glenwood route. Fewer miles rarely means less time here.

CDOT bans all vehicles over 35 feet long between mile markers 47.2 and 84.2, at any time. A long RV or a truck with a trailer has to go through Glenwood.

The pass usually closes around November 7 and opens the Thursday before Memorial Day. Recent dates:

• Closed for winter: November 17, 2025
• Reopened: May 21, 2026

Between those dates, Glenwood Springs is the only way in.

Option 3: Bus to Glenwood, then RFTA

This is the cheapest option, and the slowest to piece together.

1. Take the train from DEN to Denver Union Station.
2. Board CDOT’s Bustang West Line to West Glenwood Park & Ride. An adult fare from Denver to Glenwood costs $28 as of October 2026.
3. Transfer to RFTA’s VelociRFTA bus rapid transit to Aspen. That leg takes about 1 hour.

RFTA charges by zone. Check the current fare on the RFTA fares page before you go. With skis and a week of luggage, 2 transfers is a real cost of its own.

Option 4: Shared shuttle

Epic Mountain Express, a shared-van operator on the I-70 corridor, does not list Aspen among its destinations.

Roaring Fork Express does sell shared seats from DEN to Aspen and Snowmass. Its listed price was $130 per person, before airport fees, as of October 2026. Six seats start at $780 before those fees.

Option 5: Private car

We drive DEN to Aspen from $950 per vehicle, one way, in an SUV for up to 6 passengers. What the rate covers is listed on the Aspen route page.

Other operators publish $1,285 to $1,495 one way on this route (example). Blue Sky Limo lists an XL SUV from $1,350, with rates dated July 2026.

A driver also covers the ASE diversion problem. If your flight lands in Denver instead, a car can take you the rest of the way. Details are on our Denver to Aspen car service page.

Staying in Snowmass Village? It is the same 220 miles from DEN and the same $950 rate. The last 2.5 miles leave CO-82 on Brush Creek Road, before Aspen. See Denver to Snowmass.

Side by side

Option	Price	Time	Watch for
Fly into ASE	airline fare	5 min from airport to town	weather diversions; closed Apr 4 – Nov 19, 2027
Drive, winter (Glenwood)	your rental	3 – 4.5 hours, clear roads	Eisenhower Tunnel and Vail Pass
Drive, summer (Independence Pass)	your rental	rarely faster than Glenwood	35-ft vehicle limit; closed in winter
Bustang + VelociRFTA	$28 + RFTA zone fare	about 1 hour on RFTA alone	2 transfers with gear
Shared shuttle	$130 per person + airport fees	—	Epic Mountain Express does not serve Aspen
Our private SUV	from $950 per vehicle	3 – 4.5 hours, clear roads	—

Which one fits your trip

Flying works when the weather cooperates and you can absorb a diversion. Driving works if you are comfortable on mountain highways in snow. The bus suits a light traveler on a budget.

A private SUV makes sense for a group with ski bags. The whole group rides door to door, with no transfer at Glenwood.

Related

• Denver to Aspen car service — rate, vehicles and the route in detail
• Denver to Snowmass car service — the same drive, with a turn onto Brush Creek Road
• How far is Denver to Vail? — the first 120 miles of the Aspen drive