Getting Around Downtown Denver
Overlooked by the beautiful Rocky Mountains, Denver is the pride and joy of Colorado. Home to many over 600,000 residents, it is the largest city in the state, and it also attracts significant crowds for plenty of reasons. Downtown Denver is the focal point of daily life and tourism in the city, as it is where the major attractions and landmarks are located.
Downtown Denver stems from the intersections of the Colifax Avenue and Broadway. Other major streets passing through the area include Spencer Boulevard, Champa Street, and Blake Street. Officially, downtown refers to the Central Business District and other districts such as Union Station. With so much activity in the area, getting around downtown Denver is convenient via the local transportation system of buses and light rail trains.
The Regional Transportation District provides light rail service throughout Denver. There are five total lines, which are known as C, D, E, F, and H, with more than a dozen stops in the downtown area. Most of the light rail station stops are situated on Stout Street and Welton Street. For example, the C line runs in north south direction between Union Station and Littleton Mineral. The D line also stops at Littleton Mineral, but it diverts away to the lower downtown area near 30th street and Downing station. The Union Station is the major rail hub in Denver, as it is served by the Amtrak line California Zephyr, and has connections to the local light rail C and D lines.
Downtown Denver is home to major sports arenas such as Pepsi Center, Coors Field, and Invesco Field at Mile High. These three venues attract hundreds of thousands of visitors, and fortunately there are plenty of public transportation outlets nearby. Union Station is situated right between Coors Field and Pepsi Center. Meanwhile, the Invesco Field at Mile High station is the direct gateway for Broncos Fans to catch some great football.
Getting around by bus is another popular form of public transportation in downtown Denver. There are literally dozens of bus stops throughout the district, provided by RTD. Referring to the three sports stadiums, there are bus stops right near each venue. For example, bus routes 55x, 58x, and 72x stop right near Coors Field at the corner of Blake Street and 20th Street. Bus route 1 stops near Pepsi Center along Auraria Parkway. The Federal Transfer Center at Invesco Field at Mile High is served by multiple buses such as: 1, 16, and 30. With so many bus routes, it is a good idea to visit RTD's official website for schedules, or bring along printed schedules.