How to Get from Denver Airport to Telluride (Options, Routes, Costs and More)

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Planning a trip to Telluride and wondering how to get there from Denver Airport? Telluride isn’t the easiest place to get to from Denver, and as a local joke goes, it can actually be easier to get to Iceland. There are a few different options for getting there from Denver Airport, though, and this article will walk you through each of them.

If you get the opportunity to visit Telluride, you should take it.

Telluride is a one-of-a-kind mountain town that offers stunning views and old West charm. After Aspen, it’s my favorite Colorado mountain town.

Telluride is located in the southwestern part of Colorado in the middle of the San Juan Mountains.

It might not look like it’s that far from Denver, but there are massive mountain ranges between the two, so you’ll have to either fly over the mountains or drive around them.

In this article, I’ll cover all of the different ways to get to Telluride from Denver International Airport.

Know Before You Go

Here are a couple of things to know before you plan your trip from Denver to Telluride.

Distance from Denver Airport to Telluride

At a glance, Telluride looks like a straight shot from Denver Airport. And it is if you fly – it’ll take you about 1 hour to fly there.

Driving is a different story. You’re looking at 380+ miles of driving and a minimum of 6.5 hours (without any traffic).

Should You Drive or Fly?

This is totally up to you. Ultimately, it depends on time, budget, and even… nerves (more on this later).  

Driving is my preferred method in the summer. The drive is scenic, and you pass through some great mountain towns (i.e. Vail) on the way. It does, however, take up quite a bit of your time as you’re looking at a minimum of 6.5 hours in the car before accounting for any stops or traffic.

Flying is my preferred method in the winter. If you’re going in the winter, it’s probably to ski, so you won’t want to spend 2 days driving. Flying also bypasses the inevitable mountain traffic along I-70.

Transportation Methods from Denver Airport to Telluride

To get from Denver Airport to Telluride, you can:

  • Fly
  • Rent a car
  • Take a bus
  • Use a rideshare app
  • Book a private car

I will cover each of these options below, but I really would only recommend options 1 & 2.

Option 1: Fly to Telluride

Suitable for: Everyone

How to Book: denverairconnection.com; united.com, southwest.com

There are a few ways to fly from Denver Airport to Telluride. But – if you’re coming from Atlanta, Austin, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, LA, New York, Orange County, Phoenix or San Francisco, you might want to bypass DEN completely and fly directly into TEX or MTJ:

Best Airports for Denver to Telluride

There are two airport options for flying into Telluride – Telluride Regional Airport (TEX), which is literally in Telluride, and Montrose Regional Airport (MTJ), which is about an 80-minute drive from Telluride.

Telluride Regional Airport

Telluride Regional Airport is tiny and mostly caters to private aircraft. You can, however, book a flight on Denver Air Connection between DEN and TEX. Flight options are limited (1-2 per day), and you’ll be on a small aircraft. Also, expect to spend a minimum of $600 per person for a roundtrip flight.   

Most times, this isn’t going to be your best option for getting to Telluride from Denver. Your connection time will need to line up perfectly with the limited flights, and it’s expensive. Plus, flying into this airport is in itself terrifying – at least to me. Just look at the runway above. People do it all the time, but this is something I would like to point out in case you’re an uneasy flier.

Montrose Regional Airport

Montrose Regional Airport (MTJ) is located in Montrose, Colorado, and is an 80-minute drive from Telluride.

MTJ offers way more commercial options than TEX, and if you don’t want to drive between Denver and Telluride, I’d recommend flying here.

There are between 3-8 daily flights between DEN-MTJ on United Airlines and Southwest Airlines and if you book early enough, you can find roundtrip flights for $300.

Once you land at MTJ, you’ll still need to get to Telluride. You can take a group shuttle, book a private car service, or you can take a rideshare (i.e. Uber).

Pros

  • Fastest transportation option.

Cons

  • Can be expensive.

Option 2: Rent a Car and Drive

Suitable for: Everyone

How to Book: rentalcars.com

Renting a car is a great option if you have (and want to) spend a lot of time exploring and driving around Colorado.

Driving from Denver Airport to Telluride will take you through some famous destinations (i.e. Vail), and there’s plenty of scenery to enjoy along the way.

It isn’t necessary to book an AWD/4WD car (unless you’re driving in the winter), and the drive is pretty easy as far as mountain driving goes.

It will, though, take you nearly 7 hours (without stops) to drive from Denver Airport to Telluride, so it’s not the best option if you’re limited in time.

Renting a car from DEN is easy. Prices vary but expect to pay at least $100 a day depending on the car size.

Hot tip – while renting a car from DEN is the most convenient option, it’s also the most expensive rental car option. If you want to save some money and have an hour to spare, consider taking the airport train to downtown Denver and picking up a rental car from downtown. It’ll cost you a little bit of time, but you’ll save quite a bit of money.

Pros

  • Plenty of flexibility over itinerary.
  • Easy to pick up from the airport.

Cons

  • Takes a considerable amount of time.
  • Costs can quickly build up.

Routes

There are a few driving routes that you can take from Denver to Telluride. Below are the most popular routes.

Route 1: The Fastest Route via I-70

Distance: 383 miles

Driving time: 6 hours, 20 minutes

The fastest (and shortest) route is also arguably the best route for stops, especially if you’ve never been to Colorado. It will take you on I-70 – which is a major highway – to US 50 and more.

You’ll pass through a number of mountain towns on the way, including Frisco (gateway to Breckenridge), Vail, Avon (gateway to  Beaver Creek) and Grand Junction.

This is also an easy drive as far as mountain driving goes. There are no terrifying mountain passes in this route.

Route 2: The small-town Colorado route

Distance: 358 miles

Driving time: 6 hours, 48 minutes

If you’re up for exploring a different part of Colorado, you can take the less traveled route through US-285 and US-50.

This route will take you through lesser known but equally beautiful destinations like Salida and Gunnison.

There is a bit more stressful driving involved here. There aren’t scary mountain passes to go through, but it can be a bit windier than the I-70 route.

Option 3: Take The Bus

Taking a bus from Denver to Telluride 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 to Telluride, 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 Telluride. Check the schedule and book tickets HERE.

It’s important to note that the Bustang Outrider from Grand Junction to Telluride only departs once daily at 3:30pm, so if you’re coming from Denver, you’ll need to be on the 8:45am bus at the very latest from Union Station to Grand Junction. This is obviously a problem if you don’t land at DEN first thing in the morning. 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 fastest 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 nearly 400-mile trip? Probably not. It is an option, though, 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 at the last minute from the airport using the app if needed. Uber operates in Telluride, 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 Telluride.

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, I can’t really think of any circumstances where this would make sense over flying. Expect to pay at least a 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.

What about a Shuttle?

Unlike with other popular mountain destinations throughout Colorado (like Vail), there are no shared shuttle options between Denver International Airport and Telluride at this time.

Final Thoughts

There are a lot of ways to travel between Denver Airport and Telluride, and ultimately it boils down to how much time you have. Renting a car offers the best compromise between price and flexibility, especially if you want to explore multiple destinations throughout your trip. However, flying is the best option for timesaving and can actually be cheaper if planned properly.

Whatever option you choose, enjoy your time in Telluride!

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