Ski Resort Transportation
Colorado Ski Resort Transportation
Denver to Vail, Aspen & Breckenridge
Premium SUVs with ice-trained chauffeurs who know every mountain pass. Heated seats, bottled water, ski/luggage accommodation.
Arion provides private ski transfers from Denver International Airport and Denver to Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Aspen and Winter Park. Vehicles meet Colorado traction law requirements throughout the September 1 to May 31 season, carry ski and board equipment, and are dispatched around I-70 closures between Georgetown and Vail Pass.
Best for: Ski groups of 1–50 heading to Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, or Aspen from DEN. Ice-trained chauffeurs, mountain-ready SUVs and Sprinters, and luggage + ski gear accommodation.
Why Arion
Why Arion.
- Ice-trained professional chauffeurs
- 12 resort destinations served
- Mountain-ready SUVs with AWD
- Weather monitoring and route adjustments
- Ski and luggage accommodation
- 4 escape routes from mountains
Vehicle Options
Executive Sedan
2 hr minimum · plus fees & gratuity
Exec SUV
2 hr minimum · plus fees & gratuity
Luxury SUV
2 hr minimum · plus fees & gratuity
Luxury Coach Van
2 hr minimum · plus fees & gratuity
Executive Van
4 hr minimum · plus fees & gratuity
Party Bus
4 hr minimum · plus fees & gratuity
Luxury Coach Bus
4 hr minimum · plus fees & gratuity
30 Passenger Bus
4 hr minimum · plus fees & gratuity
40 Passenger Bus
4 hr minimum · plus fees & gratuity
50 Passenger Bus
4 hr minimum · plus fees & gratuity
Challenger Limo
4 hr minimum · plus fees & gratuity
Jet Van
4 hr minimum · plus fees & gratuity
Gratuity, taxes, and additional fees not included.
How far is each Colorado ski resort from Denver airport?
The realistic drive times
Winter Park is closest at about 1 hour 45 minutes from DEN. Breckenridge, Keystone, Copper and Dillon run roughly 2 to 2.5 hours. Vail and Beaver Creek are about 2 to 3 hours. Steamboat Springs and Aspen are 4 to 5 hour transfers. Every figure assumes an open highway in clear conditions.
Why we quote ranges rather than promises
All of these times cross the Eisenhower Tunnel or Vail Pass. A crash, avalanche control closure or storm between Georgetown and Vail Pass adds 30 minutes to several hours, and no operator drives around it. See the I-70 winter travel guide for the traffic and closure patterns.
Flying into the mountains instead
Two Colorado airports put you at the lifts without I-70. Eagle County (EGE) is 35 minutes from Vail and 30 from Beaver Creek. Aspen/Pitkin (ASE) is minutes from Aspen Mountain. Both run seasonal schedules at higher fares, and we meet flights at either one.
Connecting to a flight
For a DEN departure after a ski day we plan pickup four hours before a domestic flight in winter rather than the usual three. That buffer is the difference between a relaxed trip and a missed flight.
What does a private ski transfer cost?
How a transfer is priced
Every transfer is quoted per trip. Distance is only one input. Timing, routing, vehicle, the season and the affiliate rates behind a given date all move the number, so a fixed figure published here would be wrong as often as it is right. Send the route, the date and the headcount and you get a firm all-inclusive quote back, with no surge on it.
Hourly service for a ski weekend
For a chauffeur on call across a weekend, hourly service often beats a series of point-to-point transfers: Executive Sedans $150 per hour, executive SUVs $125, luxury SUVs $150, each with a two-hour minimum and up to 40 total miles of travel included. Full rates on the pricing page.
Versus a shuttle seat or a rental
A shared shuttle is cheaper per person but stops for other passengers on a fixed schedule. A rental is cheaper for a week of daily driving but most economy rentals do not meet Colorado's traction requirements. See private car service versus a rental car.
Which vehicle do I need for skis and snowboards?
Equipment consumes seats
Skis, boards and boot bags travel inside the vehicle, not on exterior racks, so gear reduces usable seating. Two to three passengers with full equipment fit an executive SUV (5 seats, $125/hour); four to six with equipment need a luxury SUV (6 seats, $150/hour) or a van.
Groups
The Luxury Coach Van seats 12 at $250 per hour with a three-hour minimum. Larger ski programs run on 20- to 50-passenger coaches — see group and event transportation planning.
If you are renting gear
Renting skis at the resort means you only carry boot bags, which can drop you a vehicle class. Tell dispatch and we will size down. Full guidance in the vehicle selection guide.
Is it safe to drive to the resorts in a snowstorm?
Traction law compliance is not optional
Colorado's Traction Law applies on I-70 between Dotsero and Morrison from September 1 through May 31. Every Arion mountain vehicle meets it, and chauffeurs carry chains and know the safe pull-offs. See the Colorado traction law guide.
We will call a trip rather than gamble it
If CDOT or the assigned chauffeur judges a pass unsafe, we do not run it to protect a schedule. More than 2,500 trips and 579,878 miles with zero accidents is a product of that decision being made consistently. More than 65% of those trips were run on Arion’s own fleet with Arion chauffeurs; the balance went to vetted Colorado PUC-certified affiliate operators trained to Arion’s written standards (how we vet them).
If the highway closes mid-transfer
You wait in a warm vehicle with water and blankets while dispatch works the options with you — wait, divert to lodging, or return to Denver. There is no surcharge for a closure neither of us controls.
FAQs
What ski resorts do you serve?
We serve Vail, Aspen, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Copper Mountain, Winter Park, Steamboat Springs, Telluride, Arapahoe Basin, Loveland, and Eldora.
Are your drivers trained for mountain driving?
Yes. All mountain chauffeurs complete annual ice driving training, carry chains, and monitor weather conditions in real time.
Is it safe to drive into the mountains in winter?
With the right vehicle and a trained chauffeur, yes. Colorado's Traction Law (Code 15) on I-70 requires AWD/4WD or snow-rated tires with adequate tread; Arion vehicles meet or exceed it, carry chains, and our chauffeurs are ice-driving trained and monitor CDOT conditions before and during every mountain run.
What happens if I-70 closes or chain law is in effect?
Dispatch monitors CDOT closures and traction/chain restrictions in real time and will reroute (US-285, US-40, I-70 timing changes) or reschedule your pickup window. We tell you early rather than leaving you guessing at the airport.
How much extra time should I plan for ski-day traffic?
Plan an extra 60–90 minutes for Friday and Saturday westbound mornings and Sunday afternoon eastbound returns, and more around holiday weekends and storm cycles. We shift departure times to travel ahead of the peak rather than sitting in it.
Which vehicle is best for a ski trip?
Two to four travelers with ski bags fit an Executive or Luxury SUV. Five to seven with full gear should book a Luxury Coach Van so equipment is not on your lap. Large groups and race families can run multiple vehicles on one coordinated dispatch.
Can Arion carry skis, snowboards, and oversized gear?
Yes, at no extra charge. Tell us the count of ski or board bags, boot bags, and suitcases when booking so the right vehicle is assigned. Bikes, golf clubs, hunting cases, and instruments are also fine with advance notice.
Do you offer resort, condo, and door-to-door mountain drop-offs?
Yes — private transfers go directly to your lodge, condo, rental, or slopeside hotel entrance with no shared stops, plus in-town resort shuttling and on-mountain moves during your stay.
Which vehicle should I choose?
Match passengers plus luggage: Executive Sedan for 1–3 with light bags, Executive SUV for up to 5 with luggage, Luxury SUV for up to 6 in captain's-chair comfort, Luxury Coach Van or Luxury Coach Van for 7–12 or full ski gear, Executive/Jet Van for VIP groups of 9, and buses for 20–50.
What winter equipment do your vehicles carry?
In winter every vehicle runs state-approved winter tires and four-wheel drive. Colorado's Traction Law does not require chains on a 4WD vehicle; our two-wheel-drive vans and buses carry and use the safety equipment the state requires. We also ask our chauffeurs to keep an avalanche preparation kit in the vehicle: flares, roadside triangles, solar blankets, water and snacks. An avalanche beacon is strongly recommended.
What happens if I-70 closes or chain law goes into effect mid-trip?
Every mountain transfer is monitored, and dispatch works the alternate routes in real time. If the highway closes or the delay gets bad enough, we turn the vehicle around and reroute. You hear it from your chauffeur as it happens, something close to "dispatch found us an alternate route that gets us there faster than waiting for the road to open, and honestly nobody knows when that will be." The goal is the destination, safely, as fast as the conditions allow.
How much extra time should I plan for a winter departure?
We add about an hour. Your pickup time is built backward from your flight using distance, expected weather and traffic, and in winter we pad it for the changes that usually come. If you would rather leave earlier, tell us and the chauffeur will be there.
How much luggage fits?
An Executive or Luxury SUV holds 8 standard bags or 4 ski sets. Our vans hold 14 bags or 6 ski sets, and an Executive Sedan holds 3 bags. If you are travelling with skis, boards, golf clubs or oversized gear, tell us at booking and we will size the vehicle to the pile, not the headcount.
Do you provide car seats?
Yes. We carry booster seats and child seats in both rear-facing and forward-facing configurations. If a child seat is required by law, it is required in our vehicles too. Tell us before the driver is dispatched so the right equipment is in the vehicle.
Can we make a stop along the way?
Yes. Everything is booked hourly, so a stop for gear, a liquor store or food is not a problem. If it is a meal, we will make sure you know it was not part of the original plan and that the clock runs until you reach your destination. Your chauffeur is yours for the trip. Our focus is always on the people presently in front of us, and finding a driver for the next client is dispatch's job, not your problem.
Where do our skis and boards go?
On the roof. We run open racks and covered boxes, so skis, boards and any bags beyond what fits comfortably inside ride up top rather than across your lap. Tell us the gear count when you book and we will send the right vehicle.
How many passengers fit in an SUV in winter?
From November 1 through April 30 we cap the Luxury SUV at five passengers instead of six. That is deliberate: five people plus roughly seven or eight pieces of luggage fits comfortably, six people plus ski gear does not. The Executive SUV seats five year round.
What happens if there is a storm on the way to the mountains?
The trip still runs. What changes is the route. Closures and chain law are checked before we leave, and your chauffeur adjusts en route and tells you what changed and why. Winter trips also carry about an extra hour of buffer, because the drive is slower before it is dangerous.
What will I know before the trip?
Twenty-four hours before pickup you receive a text with your chauffeur's name, their contact number and photo, the vehicle and its license plate, and your full trip details, with a request to confirm everything is correct. You are then texted again when the chauffeur is on the way, when they are on location, when you are on board, and when the trip is complete. Both the passenger and whoever booked the trip receive every update, so an assistant booking on someone's behalf never has to chase a status. You can also track the vehicle's location from an hour before pickup and throughout the trip.
What happens if Colorado's traction law is in effect?
Nothing changes for you. Our vehicles meet Colorado's traction law requirements as they sit, so there is no swap, no surcharge and no scramble the morning of your trip. On vans and buses your chauffeur may pull over to fit chains when conditions call for it. It takes a few minutes, and it is the reason the trip keeps moving while other vehicles are turned around at the checkpoint.
How early do we leave the mountains for a flight home?
In winter we add two hours to the normal drive time. Not because the road is usually bad, but because the one morning it is should not be the morning you miss a flight. For a noon departure out of DEN that means leaving Vail around 7:00 a.m. Your chauffeur confirms the pickup time the day before, once we have seen the forecast and the pass conditions.
Planning Resources
- I-70 winter travel guide: when to leave and what closes
- Colorado's traction law explained for travelers
- Colorado mountain transportation hub
- Colorado's Mountain Ski Resorts: The Ultimate Guide to Every Destination
- Vail: The Guide — Dining, Activities & Seasonal Adventures
- Aspen Snowmass: The Guide, Dining, Activities & Seasonal Adventures
- Breckenridge: The Guide — Dining, Activities & Seasonal Adventures
- Beaver Creek: The Guide, Dining, Activities & Seasonal Adventures
- Steamboat Springs: The Guide — Dining, Activities & Seasonal Adventures
- Telluride: The Guide — Dining, Activities & Seasonal Adventures
- Keystone: The Guide — Dining, Activities & Seasonal Adventures
- Copper Mountain: The Guide — Dining, Activities & Seasonal Adventures
- Winter Park: The Guide, Dining, Activities & Seasonal Adventures
- Crested Butte: The Guide, Dining, Activities & Seasonal Adventures
- Arapahoe Basin: The Guide, Dining, Activities & Seasonal Adventures
- Loveland: The Guide — Dining, Activities & Seasonal Adventures
- Shared ski shuttle or private vehicle?
- EGE or DEN for the Vail Valley
- Will the skis fit? Gear capacity per vehicle
- Colorado ski season calendar
- Resort-to-resort transfers
- Spring break ski transportation
Last reviewed: July 31, 2026 by Arion dispatch. Rates, policies, travel times and Colorado Department of Transportation rules are subject to change; call (970) 703-4995 for current details.
Sources
Regulations, figures, and schedules on this page come from the operators and agencies that publish them. Check them yourself:
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