Regional Guide
Summit County Resorts
Private Car Service · Breckenridge · Keystone · Copper
Four excellent ski areas within 20 minutes of each other
Summit County sits at the heart of Colorado's ski country, roughly 75 miles west of Denver along I-70. Four major resorts — Breckenridge, Keystone, Copper Mountain, and Arapahoe Basin — share a single county smaller than Rhode Island. The towns of Frisco, Silverthorne, and Dillon fill the valleys between them, each with its own character. In winter, this corridor sees some of the heaviest ski traffic in North America. In summer, the same peaks draw hikers, mountain bikers, and festival-goers. Getting here from DIA without white-knuckling the Eisenhower Tunnel in a rental car is half the battle.
Peak season runs late November through mid-April. Powder days and holiday weeks (Christmas, MLK, Presidents' Day) see bumper-to-bumper I-70 traffic. Book transfers early for these windows. Summer brings the Breckenridge International Festival of Arts and mountain biking season.
The drive from DIA to Summit County covers roughly 75 miles along I-70, climbing from 5,280 feet in Denver to over 9,000 feet at the Eisenhower Tunnel — the highest point on the U.S. Interstate System. On a clear Tuesday, the trip takes about 90 minutes. On a Saturday morning in January, it can stretch to four hours. The bottleneck starts at the I-70/US-6 interchange in Golden and doesn't let up until you're past Idaho Springs. Eastbound return traffic on Sunday afternoons is worse.
The Eisenhower Tunnel sits at 11,158 feet. Oversized vehicles get rerouted over Loveland Pass — 12,000 feet of switchbacks with no guardrails and black ice from October through May. Traction Law (Code 15) is enforced from September through June, and if you're in a two-wheel-drive rental without chains, you'll be turned back at the checkpoint. Arion's mountain-ready AWD fleet is always compliant.
Parking at Breckenridge during peak ski season costs $25–$40 per day if you can find a spot. Keystone and Copper Mountain have free parking in outer lots, but the walk to the lifts in ski boots — loaded down with gear — adds 15 minutes and a layer of frustration. The free Summit Stage bus system connects the towns, but it doesn't run to DIA.
A private car service eliminates the I-70 stress entirely. Your chauffeur watches CDOT cameras and knows when to take the Georgetown detour, when the tunnel is backed up, and when Loveland Pass is the faster play. You arrive rested, your skis arrive intact, and nobody had to white-knuckle a mountain pass in a rental Camry. For groups of four or more splitting the fare, it often costs less than four separate shuttle tickets.
Explore Breckenridge transportation services with Arion.
Explore Keystone transportation services with Arion.
Explore Copper Mountain transportation services with Arion.
A snowboard breeding ground that renamed itself Goldthorne — outlets, fly fishing, and the backyard that launched Olympic gold
A reservoir town punching above its weight — sailing at 9,000 feet and sunsets that stop traffic
Summit County's Main Street town — where the locals actually go to dinner
Door-to-door from DIA or anywhere on the Front Range. Flight tracked, no surge pricing.
Free QuoteWe track every flight in real time. If your flight is delayed, we automatically adjust your pickup time. No extra charge and no rebooking needed.
At DEN your chauffeur meets you curbside on Level 5 — Island 2, near door 506 on the west side or door 511 on the east, depending on your baggage claim — and texts you the exact spot. For private FBOs, we meet you on the tarmac or at the terminal.
We ask for two hours' notice for any pickup between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. Anything inside two hours is Rush service for an additional $50, and we only confirm it once a driver is assigned. For a pickup between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., book before 10 p.m., when our dispatch office is staffed. Call us for the fastest confirmation.
Yes, we can accommodate car seat requests. Please mention this when booking so we can have the appropriate seat installed.
Yes. Many clients pair airport transfers with Red Rocks concerts, weddings, and special events. We can coordinate round-trip transportation across Denver and the Front Range.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.