The light rail station at 16th and Stout in downtown Denver.
The RTD (Regional Transportation District) operates public transit throughout the Denver area, including buses and light rail.
In 2004, voters approved FasTracks, a plan to significantly expand Denver's public transportation system. However, due to budget problems this plan won't be fully completed until around 2019 (if at all), so public transportation is still somewhat sparse outside the downtown area.
Denver's existing light rail system, though limited, can efficiently get you from downtown to some south central and southeast suburbs. One light rail line travels parallel to I-25 from the southern part of the Denver metro area past the Tech Center, with a small spur on I-225. Another light rail line connects downtown Denver to Englewood and Littleton. Nearly all light rail lines get you to downtown Denver either through central downtown via the Convention Center or to Union Station past INVESCO Field and the Pepsi Center. Light rail tickets must be purchased (cash only, Visa or MasterCard at select stations) from vending machines at the stations before boarding the trains. They cost between $2.25 and $5 one way, depending on how far you travel. One way tickets are valid for two hours on the trains as well as RTD's bus fleet.
Colorado Convention Center and central transportation hub
The backbone of Denver's transportation system are the buses. RTD buses are $2.25 a trip with a free transfer that's valid for two hours. There is also a free shuttle along the 16th Street pedestrian mall, which is a little over a mile long and takes you close to most major places downtown. More information about RTD can be found at the Market Street and Civic Center bus stations at either end of 16th Street in downtown, or on the RTD website. Local routes (denoted by a number) crisscross the city, supplemented by 'Limited' buses that stop less frequently on major arteries like Colfax and Colorado Blvd. These buses are denoted by an 'L' after the route number, and cost the same as a Local route.
RTD also operates limited intercity coach service, mostly to the north suburbs and Boulder/Longmont. These coaches leave from Market Street Station or Civic Center Station at either end of the 16th Street Mall, and will have letters designating their routes. Fares start at $4.50 one way. If you're in Colorado to ski or board on a budget, Eldora Mountain Resort in Nederland can be reached from Denver via the B and N buses.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Denver
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Denver Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
