Avon and Vail are about nine miles apart on I-70, and for most visitors the best way between them costs nothing: Core Transit, the Eagle County bus system formerly known as ECO Transit, is fare-free between the two towns. Fares apply only to rides to or from Gypsum, Eagle County Regional Airport and Leadville. What takes planning is driving, because Vail's parking structures charge by the hour and cost more on peak winter days.
Avon to Vail options compared
| Option | Cost | Details | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core Transit Highway 6 bus | Free | Edwards, Avon, Eagle-Vail and Vail on one route, running east and west. The timetable now posted runs April 12 to November 21. | Most visitors, anyone without a car |
| Vail/Beaver Creek Express | Free | Winter only, Beaver Creek to Avon to Vail, every 20 minutes during the season. | Ski days, especially from near Beaver Creek |
| Driving | Paid parking in Vail | About 9 miles on I-70, from Avon (exit 167) to Vail (exit 176). | Groups with gear, evening trips, stops on the way |
| Taxi or private shuttle | Quoted by the company | High Mountain Taxi and Epic Mountain Express are among the companies registered at Eagle County Regional Airport. | Late returns, larger groups |
| Bicycle | Free | Paved paths link the towns, with one unbuilt link on the Eagle Valley Trail. | Confident summer riders |
Riding Core Transit from Avon to Vail
The Highway 6 route runs east from Edwards through Avon and Eagle-Vail to Vail, and west along the same stops. In Vail, Core Transit departures leave from the Vail Transportation Center at 241 South Frontage Road East, inside the Vail Village parking structure; a free Town of Vail bus then links Vail Village and Lionshead. In winter the Vail/Beaver Creek Express is the direct alternative, with stops at Beaver Creek Village, Avon and Vail. Frequency and running time for the Highway 6 route are printed on its schedule PDF on Core Transit's route page, and buses can be tracked in real time.
Skis and snowboards ride if you keep them under your control and out of the aisles and seats, and luggage is fine as long as it stays with you. Bikes go on the exterior rack from dawn to dusk, and you load and unload your own. Snow, ice or road closures can delay buses, so leave early in winter and check Core Transit's alerts page. Riders 18 and under travel free on every route through the end of winter 2026-27.
The Avon/Beaver Creek Connector, a fare-free seasonal service run by Town of Avon Transit, links Avon with Beaver Creek Village but does not go to Vail.
Driving from Avon to Vail, and where to park
Take I-70 east from Avon (exit 167) to exit 176 for Vail Village and Lionshead. Winter weather is the main variable: Colorado's Traction Law applies on I-70 between Dotsero and Morrison from September 1 through May 31 and is switched on when conditions call for it. When it is active, vehicles need either tires with at least 3/16-inch tread rated winter, all-weather or mud-and-snow on an AWD or 4WD vehicle, or chains or an approved traction device. Fines start at $100 plus a $33 surcharge, rising to $500 plus $157 if the violation closes a travel lane. In severe storms CDOT can move to the chain law, which requires chains or an approved traction device on every vehicle. Check COtrip before you leave.
Vail's Village and Lionshead structures are at 241 South Frontage Road East and 354 South Frontage Road West, and the Red Sandstone Garage at 551 North Frontage Road West has a free bus into both villages. Rates change with the season:
| Season | Village and Lionshead structures |
|---|---|
| Summer 2026 (paid parking from May 29) | Free under one hour, then $2 for 1 to 2 hours, $4 for 2 to 3, $6 for 3 to 4, $8 for 4 to 5 and $10 beyond that; cars entering after 3 p.m. park free; overnight $45 |
| Winter 2025-26 (November 14 to April 19) | $10 an hour after the first hour, capped at $30 on non-peak days and $50 on peak days; cars entering after 3 p.m. park free; overnight $60 |
The free-after-3 p.m. rate suits a dinner-only trip from Avon. Current rates and event-day changes are on the Town of Vail's parking page, and where to park at Vail ski resort covers the structures and lots in more detail.
Cycling between Avon and Vail
Eagle County has more than 58 miles of paved paths connecting Vail with neighboring towns including Avon. The Eagle Valley Trail counts 58 of a planned 63 miles as built, and one of the sections still to come, about 1.5 miles between EagleVail and Dowd Junction, sits between Avon and Vail. That gap means part of the ride is not on a continuous separated path, so check a current trail map before you commit. A practical compromise is to ride one way and bring the bike back on the bus rack, which runs from dawn to dusk. To rent rather than bring a bike, see where to rent a road bike in Vail.
If Avon is your base
Avon is the gateway to Beaver Creek, and the Vail/Beaver Creek Express and Highway 6 route make a day at either mountain easy from there. Which Avon and Beaver Creek hotels run guest shuttles to Vail is a question for the property when you book. To weigh the two resorts, see Beaver Creek compared with Vail and getting from Beaver Creek to Vail; arriving by air is covered in the closest airport to Vail, and the Vail hotels directory lists places to stay in town.
