Planning a trip to Durango and wondering the best way to get there from Denver Airport? Whether you want to get there quickly, cheaply, or if you just want to make a road trip out of it, I’ve got you covered.
Located in southwestern Colorado, Durango is a city steeped in local history and culture. It’s near the border of New Mexico, so it might not be what you’d expect from a typical Colorado town. This is part of what makes it so popular with tourists, as well as its local art and music scene.
Of course, if you’re planning a trip, you’ll need to know how to get there.
You can drive or fly to Durango, and there are options to accommodate all budgets and trip timelines. You can rent a car, take a bus, fly, take a rideshare or book a private shuttle.
Below, I’ll discuss all the options in detail for how to get from Denver Airport to Durango, CO.
Distance from Denver Airport to Durango, CO
Durango is located in southwest Colorado, and is roughly 350 miles from Denver Airport (DEN). You can drive there in 6.5-8 hours depending on the route you take.
It’s also possible to fly, as Durango is the site of the Durango-La Plata County regional airport (DRO) that serves north New Mexico and southwest Colorado. Direct flights take approximately 1 hour.
See related: Should You Fly or Drive to Durango?
Routes
There are a few driving routes that you can take from Denver to Durango. Below are the most popular routes, including the fastest, easiest and most scenic.
Route 1: The Fastest Route via U.S. Highway 285
Distance: 360 miles
Driving time: 6 hours, 31 minutes
The fastest (and shortest) route is also arguably the nicest route without any terrifying roads (more on this later). It will take you on US Hwy 285 to US-160 W and through the Rio Grande National Forest.
There are also some great stops and interesting towns like Salida, CO to visit along the way.
Route 2: The Easier but less scenic Route via I-25
Distance: 400 miles
Driving time: 6 hours, 47 minutes
Alternatively, you can take I-25 through Colorado Springs to US-160 W. This option is 40 miles longer than option 1, but only adds an additional 15 minutes. The benefit to this route is slightly “easier” driving through the first leg of the trip.
Luckily, you’ll still be able to stop at some of the same spots (i.e. Pagosa Springs) as the first route since the last part of the drive is the same.
Route 3: Million dollar highway via I-70 and U.S. 550
Distance: 427 miles
Driving time: 7 hours, 45 minutes
This is by far the most scenic route from Denver to Durango, but it isn’t going to be for you if scary roads aren’t your thing. It might be the most rewarding, though.
It’s not only longer than the first two routes on here, but it also includes driving along one of the scariest roads in the world.
Million Dollar Highway is a 25 mile stretch on US-550 between the towns of Ouray and Silverton. That doesn’t sound very far, but it includes driving through some frightening mountain passes with no guardrails, winding turns and steep drop-offs.
It is actually so terrifying that I personally refuse to drive it, but I’m told that it’s more than worth it if you can muster the courage.
Tip: if you’re on the fence about driving this route, it might be better to instead drive it on the way back to Denver. The scariest lane (right along the side with the steep drop-offs) is the outside/southbound lane.
Option 1: Rent a Car
The most obvious option for making the journey is renting a car at Denver Airport. It’s super easy, and you can book a car in advance directly with your chosen company. DEN hosts all the major companies like Hertz and Enterprise.
The benefits of renting a car don’t really need selling. It gives you the most flexibility over your journey, allowing you to stop when and where you want. This is why it’s a good option if you have kids. Plus, having a car is helpful when you’re actually in Durango if you want to explore the local area and surrounding attractions.
However, the main downside is that the costs can pile up if you’re renting for a while. You’ll also be navigating unfamiliar roads, although the journey itself isn’t too difficult.
Pros
- Flexibility over journey.
- Convenient if there’s more than 2 of you traveling.
- Means you have transport at your destination.
Cons
- Can become expensive for longer trips.
Option 2: Fly to Durango
Durango has its own airport, the Durango-La Plata County Airport (DRO), which is conveniently located 15 miles from downtown Durango. The drive is easy and will take you around 20 minutes.
DEN has several direct flights to Durango-La Plata County Airport (DRO) every day on United Airlines. Flights are non-stop and take just over an hour.
There are five daily options at various times of the day, so it’s suitable for arrivals at all times of the day.
Flying isn’t the cheapest option and if you’re booking this as a separate trip, you should expect to pay a minimum of $200 per person for a one-way trip.
You can get around this by planning properly, however.
One thing you might want to investigate is booking your trip all the way through DEN to DRO. This is a way to significantly reduce cost and time.
This makes it a good option if you don’t want to spend 7 hours on the road, but obviously comes with a major price increase, especially if you’re traveling with multiple people. Also, you won’t have any transport when in Durango, but DRO has easy rental car options onsite.
Pros
- Fast.
- Easy to arrange considering you’re already at an airport.
- Doesn’t have to work out much more expensive than renting a car.
Cons
- 2 or more flights during tourist season will be very expensive.
Option 3: Take The Bus
Unsurprisingly, getting a bus from Denver to Durango is the cheapest option on paper, but it’s also the longest – it can take up to 14 hours!
You won’t be able to catch a bus from the airport directly, so you’ll need to first get to Denver’s Union Station by taking the airport train there. From there, take the Bustang West Line from Union Station to Grand Junction GVT Downtown Terminal Station. Check the schedule and book tickets HERE. In Grand Junction, you’ll switch to the Bustang Outrider to go to Durango. Check the schedule and book tickets HERE.
It’s important to note that the Bustang Outrider from Grand Junction to Durango only departs once daily at 1:54pm, so if you’re coming from Denver, you’ll need to be on the 7am bus from Union Station to Grand Junction. This is obviously a problem if you’ve just landed at Denver Airport and likely won’t make that train. If that’s the case, you can either stay the night in Denver or you can take one of the later buses and stay the night in Grand Junction.
The trip can cost less than $100 per person (and around half that for seniors and kids), so it’s a good option if you want to make the trip on a budget. However, it comes with some obvious downsides, including limited departure times, much longer traveling times, limited luggage space, and, well, sharing a bus with other people.
It’s definitely not the nicest option, but it can be easy to ignore its issues if you’re on a tight budget.
Pros
- Can be very cheap.
- Not a bad option if you like buses.
- Saves you from having to drive.
Cons
- It’s quite a long journey.
Option 4: Ride-Sharing Apps
Have you ever thought about taking an Uber for a 350-mile trip? Probably not. However, it’s certainly an option, which is why we’ve included it here.
The main advantage of using a service like Uber or Lyft is that you can book them last minute from the airport using the app if needed. Uber operates in Durango, too, so you’ll be covered for trips around the area once you’re there.
As you can imagine, it’s a pretty expensive option. Depending on the vehicle type, route, and time of year, it could cost you anywhere from $400 to more than $1000. It’s probably best to save the Uber trips for when you’re actually in Durango.
Pros
- Easy to book.
- Familiar service for many.
Cons
- Expensive.
Option 5: Private Car Service
Arranging a private hire vehicle provides many of the benefits of driving, but without you actually having to drive. It usually means you have a better choice of vehicles than a shuttle service, meaning more luggage space, and that you won’t have to share.
Unsurprisingly, though, it’ll be very expensive, and in my opinion, there are very limited circumstances where this will make sense. Expect to pay several thousand dollars (although most companies will only give prices on request). While driving does mean you can see the scenery better, you might as well fly (or Uber) when you start looking at these prices.
Pros
- Offers flexibility over vehicle types and luggage space.
- Allows you to see scenery and not worry about driving.
- You might be able to arrange a service through your hotel.
Cons
- Super expensive.
Shuttle?
Unlike with other popular mountain destinations throughout Colorado (like Vail), there are no shared shuttle options between Denver International Airport and Durango at this time.
Final Thoughts
That just about covers all the most obvious ways to travel from Denver Airport to Durango, CO. Renting a car offers the best compromise between price and flexibility, especially if you want to get around once at your destination. However, flying is a close second in terms of time-saving and can actually be cheaper if planned properly.
When it comes to choosing the most suitable traveling option, consider what matters to you most (flexibility, cost, or time). This should give you a good enough starting point for narrowing down how you get from Denver Airport to Durango.
Whatever option you choose, happy traveling!