# Vail to Aspen

> Getting from Vail or Beaver Creek to Aspen: the winter route via Glenwood Springs, the summer route over Independence Pass, what a taxi or private car costs.

Canonical page: https://aspenprive.com/vail-to-aspen/  
Updated: 2026-11-10 · Publisher: Aspen Privé (local Aspen stay planning and concierge)

In winter, the drive from Vail to Aspen goes **west on I-70 through Glenwood Canyon and up Highway 82**. From late May to autumn, **Independence Pass** opens a second route over the Continental Divide. Published Aspen taxi fares for Vail to Aspen are **$500–550**; a private SUV costs more, with a car that waits and a driver who knows both routes.

Fares are from local operators' published rate cards, checked September 2026; road rules are from CDOT.

## Which way, by season

- **Winter (Nov–late May)**: I-70 west to Glenwood Springs, then Highway 82 up the Roaring Fork Valley.
- **Summer (late May–autumn)**: Either I-70 via Glenwood, or east on I-70, south through Leadville and over Independence Pass into Aspen.
- **2027 roadwork**: Glenwood Canyon is under construction May–October 2027, which makes Independence Pass the calmer summer route.
- **Traction law**: Colorado's traction law applies on I-70 in winter; tyres need adequate tread or chains.

## A private car between the resorts (what Aspen Privé arranges)

Vail to Aspen door to door, for split stays or a day trip. [From $950 per vehicle](https://aspenprive.com/contact.html?service=vail-transfer).

## What the transfer costs

- **Taxi**: Published Aspen taxi fares: Vail to Aspen $500–550; Beaver Creek to Aspen $450–500.
- **Private SUV**: Aspen Privé: from $950 per vehicle, all-inclusive (gratuity, fuel, fees, card processing).

## Making the transfer easy

- **Split stays**: Many visitors ski Vail and Aspen on one trip. Transfer mid-morning, avoiding Friday afternoons westbound through the canyon, and have the Aspen house ready when you arrive.
- **Airports**: Eagle is between the two: about 70 miles from Aspen and much closer to Vail, which makes it the natural airport for a two-resort trip.
- **Luggage and skis**: A split stay means twice the ski bags. A private SUV or Sprinter carries them all; taxis charge extra for baggage.

## Cottonwood Pass is not a shortcut (what Aspen Privé arranges)

Phone maps sometimes route Vail to Aspen over Cottonwood Pass, a county road between Gypsum and El Jebel. CDOT asks drivers not to use it (or Hagerman Pass and other county and forest roads) as a detour when I-70 closes; in winter it can be snowbound. Stay on I-70 and Highway 82, or [let us send a driver](https://aspenprive.com/contact.html?service=vail-transfer) who knows the valley.

## Questions

**How long is the drive from Vail to Aspen?**  
About two hours in good conditions by either route; longer in snow or with Glenwood Canyon traffic.

**Can you drive from Vail to Aspen in winter?**  
Yes, via I-70 and Glenwood Springs. Independence Pass is closed in winter.

**How much is a taxi from Vail to Aspen?**  
Published Aspen taxi fares are $500–550 from Vail and $450–500 from Beaver Creek.

**Is there a bus from Vail to Aspen?**  
There is no direct resort-to-resort bus; RFTA serves the Aspen–Glenwood Springs corridor, so public transit needs connections.

## What Aspen Privé can arrange for this

We move the whole stay, not just the people: the car with room for every ski bag, the Aspen house ready when you arrive, and the route chosen on the day.

- [Vail to Aspen by private car](https://aspenprive.com/contact.html?service=vail-transfer) (From $950 per vehicle): A private SUV between Vail or Beaver Creek and Aspen, by the route that's open and fastest that day.
- [Residence ready on arrival](https://aspenprive.com/first-evening-in-aspen/): Heat, lights, beds and the first evening sorted before you walk in.
- [Eagle to Aspen by private car](https://aspenprive.com/eagle-to-aspen-private-car/) (From $850 per vehicle): The 70-mile transfer from Eagle airport, flight tracked and re-timed around the canyon.

## Sources (checked September 28, 2026)

- [High Mountain Taxi: rates](https://www.hmtaxi.com/taxi-rates-for-vail-aspen)
- [CDOT: Independence Pass open May 21, 2026](https://www.codot.gov/news/2026/may2026/independence-pass-open-may21)
- [CDOT: Independence Pass closed Nov 17, 2025](https://www.codot.gov/news/2025/november/co82-independence-pass-closed-nov17)
- [CDOT: traction law](https://www.codot.gov/travel/winter-driving/tractionlaw)
- [Aspen Daily News: Glenwood Canyon 2027](https://www.aspendailynews.com/news/glenwood-canyon-construction-planned-during-2027-airport-closure-5456cc99)
- [CDOT: I-70 Glenwood Canyon travel information](https://www.codot.gov/travel/glenwoodcanyon)

## Related

- [Independence Pass](https://aspenprive.com/independence-pass-aspen/): Opening dates and rules.
- [Eagle to Aspen](https://aspenprive.com/eagle-to-aspen-private-car/): From $850 per vehicle.
- [Aspen vs Vail](https://aspenprive.com/aspen-vs-vail/): Four mountains or one.
- [Aspen car service](https://aspenprive.com/aspen-car-service/): All the routes we arrange.

To plan or request any of this: https://aspenprive.com/plan-your-trip/ · https://aspenprive.com/contact.html