Getting Around Fort Collins

Getting Around Fort Collins

Fort Collins is a compact, bike-friendly college town on Colorado's Front Range, and most visitors find they can cover the center on foot or by bike, with buses filling in the longer trips. The city's public transit system, Transfort, is the backbone of local travel, and a set of regional and intercity services connect Fort Collins to Denver, the airport, and neighboring towns.

Public Transit: Transfort

Local bus service is provided by Transfort. Routes generally run Monday through Saturday, with the most popular routes running more frequently than the rest, and the MAX bus rapid transit line running more often still. Service on the MAX extends later into the evening than the regular routes. Note that buses do not operate at all on Sundays, so plan weekend travel accordingly.

As of late 2024, fares across the entire Transfort system are suspended, meaning local buses are free to ride for the foreseeable future. This makes Transfort an easy, budget-friendly way to move around the city.

Transfort is organized around four main transit hubs, which are the key places to know for connections:

• Downtown Transit Center — the main hub in the Old Town area, served by most local routes and many intercity buses.
• CSU Transit Center — on the Colorado State University campus, a short walk from a MAX stop.
• South Transit Center — the southern end of the MAX line.
• Harmony Transfer Center — reached from the South Transit Center via Route 16.

The MAX bus rapid transit line links the Downtown Transit Center and the South Transit Center, running along Mason Street and serving the university area. The CSU Transit Center is just a short walk from a MAX stop, so the campus is easy to reach from downtown.

Beyond the core routes, Transfort also runs the FLEX regional service, which travels along the MAX guideway and connects Fort Collins with Loveland, Berthoud, Longmont, and Boulder. FLEX departs from the Downtown Transit Center and the South Transit Center. The Poudre Express, operated by Greeley Evans Transit, connects Fort Collins to Greeley and Windsor and stops at both the CSU Transit Center and the Harmony Transfer Center.

Rail, Metro, and Trams

Fort Collins itself has no rail, metro, or tram network. The nearest train station is Denver Union Station, served by Amtrak's California Zephyr. Amtrak also runs a throughway bus route from Denver through Fort Collins, but it operates only biweekly, and the Bustang North Line is generally a more affordable and more flexible option for reaching Denver.

Buses and Intercity Connections

For travel beyond Fort Collins, several bus services are worth knowing:

• Bustang — a statewide bus service run by the Colorado Department of Transportation. The North Line provides a direct connection to Denver and stops at Union Station. Buses are modern and punctual, fares are affordable, and each bus has a bike rack so you can bring a bicycle at no extra charge. Bustang stops at the Downtown Transit Center and the Harmony Transfer Center.
• FLEX — Transfort's regional route to Loveland, Berthoud, Longmont, and Boulder, with bike racks on board.
• Poudre Express — connects Fort Collins to Greeley and Windsor. The buses are modern and well maintained, but they do not run frequently and can be delayed, especially at rush hour. Fares are inexpensive, and there is free Wi-Fi and bike racks on board.
• Greyhound — connects Fort Collins with Denver and, in the other direction, toward Salt Lake City via Cheyenne. There is no direct service to Laramie, though it can be reached via Cheyenne.

Most intercity buses, including Bustang, stop at the Downtown Transit Center and the Harmony Transfer Center, making those the easiest places to catch a connection.

Taxis and Ride-Hailing

The city also provides a free, on-demand taxi service on routes that have been suspended. It is best treated as a backup rather than a reliable option: taxis are often very late, so do not count on this service if you need to be somewhere quickly. Ride-hailing apps and conventional taxis are otherwise the usual way to get a direct door-to-door ride.

Walking and Bicycling

Fort Collins is renowned for being exceptionally bicycle-friendly by U.S. standards, with numerous paved trails and designated bike routes. Bike lanes are found throughout the city, even on the busier arterial roads. Biking can often be faster than driving, particularly during rush hour, though the trails sometimes take less direct routes and are not typically given priority at street crossings. A bicycle map is available to help with navigation.

There are plenty of ways to get a bike while you are in town:

• Recycled Cycles rents bikes by the day.
• Guests at the Armstrong Hotel are provided free bikes for the duration of their stay.
• Spin ride-share e-bikes and scooters are available all over the city.
• Many other bike shops, such as The Gearage, may also rent bikes.
• The Fort Collins Bike Coop is likely the most affordable choice for parts and repairs. It is a volunteer-run nonprofit with experienced mechanics and a large selection of used parts, and you can even learn how to fix your bike while they work on it.

The walkable heart of the city is the historic Old Town area, which sits adjacent to the site of the original fort and is home to the Downtown Transit Center, making it a convenient base for exploring on foot.

Getting from the Airport into the City

Denver International Airport is the closest international airport to Fort Collins, and several shuttle services connect it to the city, including Landline and Groome. Both the Groome and Landline shuttles also stop at Northern Colorado Regional Airport, which sits between Fort Collins and Loveland.

If your flight is during daylight hours, the cheapest way to get from the airport to Fort Collins is to combine Bustang with RTD's A Line train. The Bustang North Route connects to Denver Union Station, where you can pick up the A Line to the airport. Because Transfort fares are currently suspended, a budget-conscious traveler can get between Denver or the airport and Fort Collins for very little by routing via Boulder.

Northern Colorado Regional Airport (FNL) serves the Fort Collins and Loveland area and is located between the two towns, adjacent to I-25 and US Highway 34. As of late 2024, it has no domestic flights, so most visitors will arrive through Denver instead.

Practical Summary

For a visitor, the practical picture is this: stay in or near Old Town and you can walk much of what you want to see. Rent a bike or use a Spin e-bike or scooter for longer hops around town, and use the free Transfort buses — especially the MAX — to connect downtown, the university, and the southern parts of the city, keeping in mind that buses do not run on Sundays. For trips to Denver, Boulder, Greeley, or the airport, head to the Downtown Transit Center or the Harmony Transfer Center and choose between Bustang, FLEX, the Poudre Express, or an airport shuttle, depending on your destination and budget.