How to get there
Where is Vail?Vail is located in Eagle County, Colorado, USA. It is 2 hours drive west from Denver on the I70 interstate.
Other Ski Resorts Nearby
Beaver Creek is 10 minutes away, further along the I70. In the other direction are
Copper Mountain and Loveland. Also nearby are
Keystone,
Arapahoe Basin and
Breckenridge. Smaller nearby ski hills include the quaint Ski Cooper and Sunlight (near Glenwood Springs). Day trips from Vail are possible to
Steamboat Springs (2 ½ hours) and
Aspen Snowmass (2 hours).
Getting To Vail
By air: Denver is a major airline hub, so flights into the city are numerous. The closer alternative is Eagle, a small municipal airfield (Vail/Eagle County Airport) which is 30 minutes from Vail. Flights into Eagle are less regular than to Denver.
By car: Transport from the airports or other states (e.g. Utah, Wyoming) by rental car is simple. Get on the interstate I70 and follow the signs. If doing a road trip from Utah to Vail (or vice-versa), it is an easy day’s drive. There is some gobsmacking high desert and red rock scenery on the way too. Pull over in some of the rest areas for great photographic opportunities.
Car rentals are available at all the major airports, but the choice at Eagle airport can be limited so book ahead. If doing a bit of car touring it’s probably wise to get a 4WD.
By Public Bus:
The public bus access to Vail from nearby towns is great and very inexpensive. As an example, the 30 minute bus ride from Gypsum to Vail costs only $3 (08-09 price), and provides drop-offs at Lionshead. For routes and timetables, check out the
Eagle County Regional Transit (ECO) website.
Private transportation:
For groups, the most economical way to get around, or to and from the airport, is to use one of the private limo services. They provide transport in various vehicles from sedans, vans and fully stretched limos. It’s a great way to guarantee transport from Eagle County Airport and it saves waiting for shuttle buses. A couple of providers include
RJ Limo (get 10% off a round trip if you mention how you found out about them) and
Vail Transportation Service.
Getting Around
The Vail/Lionshead village area is big, and whilst one can readily walk from one end to the other, it can be a bit taxing after a long day’s skiing, so take a bus. Vail has a fantastic free local bus system. Maps and directions at the numerous bus stops make it easy to understand and use. Buses are regular and they are only crowded towards the end of the skiing day.
If driving to the resort from elsewhere, the entries off the I70 are well signposted. Day trippers are charged a small fee for car parking. Walking to the lifts from the Lionshead car park takes about 5 minutes. From Golden Peak car park, the walk is slightly shorter.
Vail Transport Listings
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Powderhound Transportation - Denver - Vail
No waiting around and no fuss! Powderhound Transportation offers economical private shuttle services to and from Denver & Vail. We pick up and drop off wherever you want.
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