ugh i just landed at denver international and honestly this airport is always an experience but my mind is already thinking about the next time i gotta fly out of here and its always a whole thing getting to this massive place you know because its literally pretty far from everything and you gotta plan like crazy or you just end up stressed out and missing your flight its like a constant low-grade anxiety attack trying to figure out the best way to make it there on time especially when you have a super early morning flight and the thought of traffic makes you want to cry and then you have to deal with security and finding your gate and its all just too much sometimes for a regular person like me.
so basically you got a few main options for getting to den and ive tried most of them and they all have their quirks and honestly sometimes i just want someone to tell me exactly what to do but its never that simple is it because its always different every time like traffic changes and prices fluctuate and your luggage situation is never the same anyway first up theres the a-line train which is honestly pretty good if youre staying downtown or near a train station its super cheap compared to other options and it goes straight to the airport like literally straight there which is great but the big drawback is if youre not near union station then you gotta figure out how to get to union station first and that usually means another uber or public transport and dragging all your bags around and that just adds more time and more hassle and sometimes if you have a huge suitcase and a backpack and a carry-on its just not worth the savings to wrestle everything onto another train or bus just to get to the main train you know and ive heard stories about it having delays sometimes which is absolutely terrifying if youre cutting it close for a flight you just cant risk that when youre trying to make your flight.
then you have your rideshares like uber and lyft which are honestly my default choice when im feeling lazy or if im not near the train line and they offer door-to-door service which is a huge plus especially early in the morning when you just want to roll out of bed and into a car but the biggest issue with them is the price its literally a total gamble with the surge pricing like one day it might be 40 bucks and the next day its 80 bucks for the exact same trip and you basically just have to accept it because what else are you gonna do if you dont want to take the train and youre already running late and the pickup area at the airport itself can be a bit confusing too and sometimes it takes a while for your driver to find you and its just a little bit of extra stress you dont need before a flight when you’re already worried about everything else like if you packed your toothbrush or if you turned off the coffee maker.
and finally theres the shared shuttles and those are like a real mixed bag you know like they can be cheaper than an uber sometimes especially if youre traveling alone but they take literally forever because they pick up like five to ten other people from different locations all over the city and then drop them off at the airport one by one and that just adds so much time to your journey and sometimes you get stuck with a driver who speeds or someone who just talks your ear off when all you want to do is sit in silence and listen to your podcast and its just not ideal for a stressful airport trip honestly because you dont want to spend an hour and a half picking people up when the actual drive to the airport is only 40 minutes you know its just not efficient for me.
My Go-To Transportation Picks
so after all that rambling my go-to really depends on the situation but basically for budget and if im near union station or dont have much luggage then the a-line train is a solid choice its just efficient for whats it is and you cant beat the price but for convenience and if im feeling like treating myself or if im in a rush or its super early then an uber or lyft is usually what i end up going with despite the unpredictable pricing because its just less hassle honestly and direct and thats often worth the extra cash when you’re already dealing with so much travel stuff and i try to avoid shared shuttles unless its literally my only option or im on a super tight budget and have nowhere else to be for a few hours because of the time commitment its just too much waiting around for me.
Is it worth the extra cash?
this is the big question and honestly most of the time yes its worth it to just pay a little more for an uber especially if youre hauling a lot of stuff its just so much easier than wrestling with luggage on public transport or waiting forever for a shuttle but its really about your comfort level and how much gear you have.
- if you have literally one carry-on and a backpack and youre staying near a train station then take the a-line and save your money its super easy.
- if you have a large suitcase and a carry-on and you want door-to-door service without waiting forever then absolutely ditch the shuttle and get an uber or lyft even if its a bit more expensive its worth the peace of mind.
- if youre traveling with a family and multiple bags then an uber xl or a dedicated private shuttle is basically a must because trying to get a family and all their luggage on public transport or a shared shuttle is just asking for a meltdown trust me ive seen it happen.
- the only time a shared shuttle might be recomended is if youre a solo traveler with minimal luggage and literally hours to spare before your flight and you found a really good deal that makes it significantly cheaper than an uber but even then be prepared for the extended travel time.
so yeah thats my honest take on getting to den its never a simple answer but knowing your options and what theyre good for really helps you make the right choice and not stress out too much before your flight good luck out there folks its a jungle.