Breckenridge Colorado, a former silver mining town in Summit County, is now one of Colorado’s top ski resorts, with easy access from major Colorado cities such as Denver and Colorado Springs, both of which are less than a two-hour drive away. You can head to Breckenridge from Denver by either the I-70 or by Highway 9 and should check traffic before heading off as travel times between Denver Airport and Summit County might be different depending on what route you take. Breckenridge is about 80 miles from Denver and 100 miles from Denver Airport. Breckenridge is, just like copper mountain, one of the best ski areas in the Colorado rocky mountains.
Breckenridge’s main air travel entry point is Denver International Airport. Although Eagle County, west of Vail, has a tiny regional airport, the travel from Denver is not substantially quicker, and the flights in and out are often less direct and more expensive. As a result, the best way to go from Denver to Breckenridge is via land.
You can either rent a car at Denver Airport or in the centre of Denver, and drive yourself between the two sites, or you can delegate the driving to someone else and travel by public bus, group shuttle, or private luxury SUV. You may even sign up for a group tour.
The kind of transportation you choose will be determined by your budget and personal travel choices, but one thing is certain: the drive itself is wonderful. Prepare to be awestruck by the towering peaks in every direction.
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Breckenridge Shuttle from Denver
Book a ride with one of the many transfer companies available between Denver and Breckenridge for a cheap transfer leaving from Denver Airport. These companies offers passenger vans with seating for up to ten people that will transport you from Denver International Airport to most Breckenridge hotels or condo resorts.
Overall you can expect the journey from Denver Airport to Breckenridge Colorado to take anywhere from 2h15 minutes to 2h45 minutes depending on traffic and weather conditions. Travel time will obviously be impacted by traffic and weather conditions.
The shuttles to Breckenridge from Denver will operate quite frequently and all have their own little parking spot at the exit of Denver Airport. You will easily be able to book the shuttle online or even walk up to the kiosk in the airport. It is, however, important to note that in peak times, the shuttles might be running at full capacity. Sadly enough this means that you might have to wait longer in the airport for another shuttle to head down the mountain. Waiting times can be anywhere from 10 minutes to 1.5 hours depending on where the shuttle coming back is currently held up because of snow in the Rocky Mountains.
If you are in a hurry to head up the mountain you might want to rent a car in the airport instead, or even rent a private shuttle through websites such as Klook so you know someone will be waiting for you when you land at Denver Airport. Cars can easily be booked online!
Whether you choose a ski shuttle, a private airport shuttle or even a Breckenridge Colorado Airport shuttle, it is best not to check both the price your hotel offers you and the price offered by a Breckenridge Airport Shuttle such as Mountain Express. It could either be that your hotel offers you a free ski shuttle or that the shuttle being run by the hotel is a lot more expensive than a luxury shuttle service or other airport transportation.
Breckenridge is a gorgeous one-hour-and-45-minute trip from Denver (depending on traffic and weather, it might take considerably longer). The route to Breckenridge from Denver is gorgeous and will take you through the Continental Divide! I would highly recommend looking for some panoramic stop off points when renting a car to get to Breckenridge from Denver. This rental car can easily be booked online!
Depending on whether you’re arriving by air or land, you may easily hire a car at Denver International Airport or through one of a number of businesses located across the city. Then you should follow the sigs to the I-70 which will take you westbound to the ski areas. You’ll pass through the Eisenhower Tunnel on your way there. As the tunnel passes through the Continental Divide, you may notice a significant difference in weather on both sides.
After passing through the tunnel, take I-70 west to exit 203 and follow the instructions to Highway 9 south. Breckenridge is a nine-mile trip from here.
When renting a car in the winter, it’s also crucial to keep in mind that Colorado has rigorous winter driving restrictions. These laws require your car to be outfitted with special tires, be an SUV or AWD, or, in certain cases, both, during seasons of severe snow. If you attempt to drive in a car that does not match the regulations, you risk receiving a hefty fine (not to mention the fact that it is quite unsafe!).
Getting a transfer to Breckenridge from Denver
If you would rather not rent a car or wait hours for a shuttle service to appear, you can also choose to book a private transfer to Breckenridge from Denver via services such as Klook. The transfer service includes a private transport in a luxury SUV or car with leather inside and a chauffeur who will pick you up from the airport. Pets may be welcome in the vehicles, which can accommodate up to a small group of people depending on the companies that put in an offer. This is the best way to book a private car service or to use one of the private shuttles to take you up the mountain. These private shuttles will not leave without you.
Depending on the service you book, you’ll be given bottled water for the ride, and you can ask your driver to pause if you want to take a photo or use the restroom along the way. These private transfer services will be available 24/7. What is more, when booking through Klook you can even add your flight details so your chauffeur can head to the airport early, or knows to wait for you in case your flight is delayed.
You can also contact private transfer companies such as summit express that will arrange private shuttles to take you up the mountain and to the ski areas. Summit Express and companies like that operate private transfers which means they will wait for you at the airport, unlike the airport shuttle service running between Denver and Breckenridge.
I have used Klook successfully to get to places such as Beaver Creek and Steamboat springs, and would always recommend taking a Klook transfer to Breckenridge ski resort just because you know you will get the best price for the best transfer taking you to the beautiful Arapahoe Basin.
Getting a bus to Breckenridge from Denver
Taking public transit, such as the Colorado Department of Transportation’s Bustang system, is the cheapest option to travel between Denver and Breckenridge, albeit it is not fully direct.
In fact, the bus will only take you to Frisco, which is a feeder town, from where you need to secure yourself a taxi, a transfer, or an Uber. You could start by taking the CDOT West Line Bus West. This bus leaves from Union Station in downtown Denver and will bring you all the way to the Frisco transit centre. The bus only runs twice a day – at 7 a.m and at 5.40 pm. This makes that the bus service really only is useful for those already staying in Denver.
In other words: there is no direct bus service to Breckenridge from Denver. You can get from Denver to Frisco by public transportation, but from there on, you are on your own. This is why it is best to either rent a car, use a Breckenridge shuttle or Private shuttle service, or rent a car at the airport.
How far is Breckenridge from Denver
The Breckenridge ski areas is just over 80 miles from Denver and 100 miles from Denver International Airport. A trip will take between 1h45 minutes and 2h30 minutes depending on traffic and weather conditions.
How to get to Breckenridge from Denver
Getting to Breckenridge from Denver is easy. You can take a shuttle bus, a transfer via Get Transfer (Best Option), a bus (takes a long time with many layovers), or even rent a car to drive yourself.
Is there a shuttle from Denver to Breckenridge
There are multiple shuttles from Denver to Breckenridge – Fresh Track Transportation, Mountain Shuttle, Summit Express, and Epic Mountain Express to name a few. Your best bet is to ask a quote via Klook. You will get instant quotes for your trip from Breckenridge from Denver. Book your Breckenridge shuttle well in advance to make sure you have an airport shuttle waiting for you when you land.
Lieze Neven is a globetrotting travel writer and expat currently based in Nepal. With a passion for exploration, she has lived in Dubai, the UK, and Belgium, alongside her international teacher husband. Her parents live in France and she tries to visit Paris at least once a year. Together, they travel the world looking for the best hotels, experiences and food locations have to offer!
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