Flying in
The airport for Boulder is Denver International (DEN), about 43 road miles from downtown Boulder. There is no commercial airport in Boulder itself. January is winter-weather season at DEN, so morning arrivals leave you room to recover from delays.
Airport to Boulder: four ways
| Option | How it works | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| RTD AB1 bus | Regional bus from the airport's transit center to downtown Boulder | The budget choice. Luggage goes underneath. Check the timetable for late arrivals. |
| Rental car | Pick up at DEN, drive via the toll road or I-70/I-270 to US 36 | Useful if you are staying outside Boulder. Less useful once you are downtown. |
| Rideshare or car service | Door to door | The priciest option, and prices climb with demand. |
| Festival and hotel shuttles | Organizers have said they are working on hotel shuttles and Denver–Boulder buses | Details were not final when this page was updated. See the official sites. |
Timetables and fares are on the RTD website.
Do you need a rental car?
Staying in central Boulder: probably not. The city wants festival-goers to park once and use the free HOP bus, shared e-bikes and their feet.
Staying in a nearby town or adding a mountain day: a car helps. A few things to know:
- US 36 between Denver and Boulder has tolled express lanes; the regular lanes are free. Ask your rental company how tolls are billed.
- Check road conditions at COtrip, the state's travel site, before any mountain drive. Winter traction rules can apply on mountain highways.
- Ask for a vehicle with all-wheel drive or good all-season tires if you plan to leave the plains.
From Denver without a car
RTD's Flatiron Flyer runs along US 36 between Denver's Union Station and downtown Boulder, with stops in Westminster, Broomfield and Superior on the way. If you are staying anywhere along that corridor, find your nearest station first and plan around it.
Getting around once you are here
- HOP: the downtown–campus–Twenty Ninth Street loop, planned to be free for festival attendees.
- SKIP: north–south along Broadway.
- DASH, JUMP, BOLT, NB: regional routes to Louisville and Lafayette, east Boulder County, Longmont and Nederland.
- E-bikes: up to 5,000 free bike-share passes are planned for attendees.
Route details can change for the festival. The City of Boulder transportation page will have the final plan.
Travel insurance: is it worth it?
For a January trip built around non-refundable tickets and peak-rate lodging, it is at least worth pricing. What to look for in a policy:
- Trip cancellation and interruption that covers your prepaid lodging and festival tickets, not only flights.
- Travel delay coverage with a short waiting period, for weather days at DEN.
- Rental car damage coverage if you are driving in snow.
- The purchase deadline. Some benefits only apply if you buy within a set number of days of your first trip payment.
Read the policy wording; coverage varies by plan and by state.
Information checked November 2026. Festival plans are still being finalized, so confirm anything time-sensitive on the official festival website.