Colorado Springs Transportation

Getting There

Air

Colorado Springs Airport (COS) +1 719 550 1972 http://www.flycos.com

COS is located six miles from downtown and services the following airlines:

American Airlines (+ 1 800 433 7300/ http://www.aa.com) American West Airlines (+1800-235-9292/ http://www.americawest.com) Continental (+1 800 525 0280/ http://www.continental.com) Delta (+1 800 221 1212/ http://www.delta.com) Mesa (+1 800 637 2247/ http://www.mesa-air.com) Northwest (+1 800 225 2525/ http://www.nwa.com) United (+1 800 241 6522/ http://www.ual.com)

From the Airport

Shuttle: Alpine Shuttle Express (+1 970 641 5074/ http://www.alpineexpressshuttle.com)

Limo: Allendac Limousine Service (+1 719 393 0013/ http://www.allendaclimousine.com)

Taxi: Yellow Cab Company (+1 719 634 5000) Express Airport Taxi

Rental Car: Alamo (+1 800 327 9633/ http://www.alamo.com) Avis (+1 800 831 2847/ http://www.avis.com) Budget (+1 800 527 0700/ http://www.budget.com) Enterprise (1+ 800 736 8227/ http://www.enterprise.com/) Hertz (+1 800 654 3131/ http://www.hertz.com) Thrifty (+1 800 367 2277/ http://www.thrifty.com)

Train

Amtrak (+1 800 872 7245/ http://www.amtrak.com) offers connections to its main lines via the Amtrak Western Throughway Bus Service.

Bus

Colorado is serviced by Greyhound (+1 800 231 2222/ http://www.greyhound.com) bus lines that provide transportation to destinations throughout America.

Car

Colorado Springs is easily accessible from I-25 and U.S. Highways 24, 83, and 115.

Getting Around

Public Transit

Springs transit (+1 719 385 5974/ http://www.springsgov.com) provides a bus service that runs throughout Colorado Springs.

Travel Information

If traveling overseas, take the safety precaution of registering your trip at https://travelregistration.state.gov and for helpful, practical advice about traveling technicalities and safety standards check out http://travel.state.gov/

Planning a Trip

Arriving

By Plane -- Major airlines offer nearly 100 flights a day to Colorado Springs Airport, located north of Drennan Road and east of Powers Boulevard in the southeastern part of the city (tel. 719/550-1972; www.flycos.com).

Airlines serving Colorado Springs include Allegiant (tel. 702/505-8888; www.allegiantair.com), American (tel. 800/433-7300; www.aa.com), Continental (tel. 800/525-0280; www.flycontinental.com), Delta (tel. 800/221-1212; www.delta.com), ExpressJet (tel. 888/958-9538; www.expressjet.com), Frontier (tel. 800/432-1359; www.frontierairlines.com), Northwest (tel. 800/225-2525; www.nwa.com), United (tel. 800/864-8331; www.united.com), and USAirways (tel. 800/428-4322; www.usairways.com).

Getting to & from the Airport -- Several companies provide airport shuttle services; call tel. 719/550-1930 for information.

By Car -- The principal artery to and from the north and south, I-25, bisects Colorado Springs. Denver is 70 miles north; Pueblo, 42 miles south. U.S. 24 is the principal east-west route through the city.

Visitors arriving on I-70 from the east can take exit 359 at Limon and follow U.S. 24 into the Springs. Arriving on I-70 from the west, the most direct route is exit 201 at Frisco, then Colo. 9 through Breckenridge 53 miles to U.S. 24 (at Hartsel), and finally east 66 miles to the Springs. This route is mountainous, so check road conditions before setting out in winter.

Visitor Information

The Experience Colorado Springs at Pikes Peak Convention and Visitors Bureau is at 515 S. Cascade Ave., Colorado Springs, CO 80903 (tel. 800/888-4748 or 719/635-7506; fax 719/635-4968; www.visitcos.com). Ask for the free Official Visitor Guide to Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak Region, a colorful booklet with a comprehensive listing of accommodations, restaurants, and other area visitor services, as well as a basic but efficient map. Inquire at the Visitor Information Center or local bookstores for more detailed maps. An excellent one is the Pierson Graphics Corporation's Colorado Springs and Monument Valley Street Map. The Visitor Information Center, at the southeast corner of Cascade Avenue and Cimarron Street, is open from 8:30am to 5pm daily in summer, Monday through Friday in winter. From I-25, take the Cimarron Street exit (exit 141), and head east about 4 blocks.

Visitors to Manitou Springs -- and every Colorado Springs visitor should also get to Manitou Springs -- can get information from the Manitou Springs Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau, 354 Manitou Ave., Manitou Springs, CO 80829 (tel. 800/642-2567 or 719/685-5089; www.manitousprings.org). You can also contact the Pikes Peak Country Attractions Association at the same address (tel. 800/525-2250; www.pikes-peak.com).

City Layout

It's easy to get around central Colorado Springs, which is laid out on a classic grid pattern.

If you focus on the intersection of I-25 and U.S. 24, downtown Colorado Springs lies in the northeast quadrant, bounded on the west by I-25 and on the south by U.S. 24 (Cimarron St.). Boulder Street to the north and Wahsatch Avenue to the east complete the downtown frame. Nevada Avenue (Bus. 25 and Colo. 115) parallels the freeway for 15 miles through the city, intersecting it twice; Tejon Street and Cascade Avenue also run north-south through downtown between Nevada Avenue and the freeway. Colorado Avenue and Platte Avenue are the busiest east-west downtown cross streets.

West of downtown, Colorado Avenue extends through the historic Old Colorado City district and the quaint foothill community of Manitou Springs, rejoining U.S. 24 -- a busy but less interesting artery -- as it enters Pike National Forest.

South of downtown, Nevada Avenue intersects Lake Avenue, the principal boulevard into The Broadmoor hotel , and proceeds south as Colo. 115 past Fort Carson to Cañon City.

North and east of downtown, Academy Boulevard (Colo. 83) is a good street name to remember. From the south gate of the Air Force Academy north of the Springs, it winds through residential hills, crosses Austin Bluff Parkway, and then runs without a curve 8 miles due south, finally bending west to intersect I-25 and Colo. 115 at Fort Carson. U.S. 24, which exits downtown east as Platte Avenue, and Fountain Boulevard, which leads to the airport, are among its cross streets. Austin Bluffs Parkway extends west of I-25 as Garden of the Gods Road, leading to that natural wonder.

City street addresses are divided by Pikes Peak Avenue into north and south; by Nevada Avenue into east and west.

Getting Around

Although Colorado Springs has public transportation, most visitors prefer to drive. Parking and roads are good, and some of the best attractions, such as the Garden of the Gods, are accessible only by car (or foot or bike for the truly ambitious).

By Car -- The American Automobile Association (AAA) maintains an office in Colorado Springs at 3525 N. Carefree Circle (tel. 800/283-5222 or 719/591-2222; www.aaa.com), open Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 5:30pm and Saturday from 9am to 1pm.

Car Rentals -- Car-rental agencies in Colorado Springs, some of which have offices in or near downtown as well as at the airport, include Avis (tel. 800/331-1212 or 719/596-2751), Budget (tel. 800/527-7000 or 719/473-6535), Enterprise (tel. 800/736-8222 or 719/636-3900), Hertz (tel. 800/654-3131 or 719/596-1863), and National/Alamo (tel. 800/227-7368 or 719/574-8579). You can rent campers, travel trailers, motor homes, and motorcycles from Cruise America (tel. 800/671-8042; www.cruiseamerica.com).

Parking -- Most downtown streets have parking meters; the rate is 25¢ for a half-hour. Look for city-run parking lots, which charge 25¢ per half-hour and also offer day rates. Outside downtown, free parking is generally available on side streets.

By Bus -- Mountain Metropolitan Transit (tel. 719/385-7433; www.springsgov.com) provides city bus service. Buses operate Monday through Friday from 5:10am to 10:45pm, Saturday from 5:30am to 10:45pm, and Sunday from 7:30am to 5:35pm, except major holidays. Fares on in-city routes are $1.50 for adults; 75¢ students, children 6 to 11, seniors, and passengers with disabilities; and free for children under 6. There is also a free downtown shuttle and free seasonal trolley service in Manitou Springs. Bus schedules can be obtained at terminals, city libraries, and the Colorado Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau.

By Taxi -- Call Yellow Cab (tel. 719/634-5000) for taxi service.

On Foot -- Each of the main sections of town can easily be explored without a vehicle. It's fun, for instance, to wander the winding streets of Manitou Springs or explore the Old Colorado City "strip." Between neighborhoods, however, distances are considerable. Unless you're particularly fit, it's wise to drive or take a bus or taxi.