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Longmont travelers will get a direct public bus to Denver International Airport, with hourly service instead of a required connection through another route. RTD Route AL is scheduled to begin September 27, 2026. The Regional Transportation District’s September 9 notice confirms the new SkyRide link, including stops at the Niwot and Lafayette Park-n-Rides.
The route is most useful for travelers starting in that northern corridor, not as a replacement for every Denver airport transfer. Deep Arrival’s Denver neighborhood guide identifies Union Station and LoDo as the airport-rail anchor for a downtown stay. Route AL serves a different decision: reaching DEN from Longmont, Niwot or Lafayette without first routing through downtown Denver.
The Longmont Times-Call reported the board’s approval in July, after local requests for a direct airport connection. RTD’s final September notice now places the route in the service change taking effect later this month. It is not operating yet, so trips before September 27 still need another arrangement.
- Launch: Sunday, September 27, 2026.
- Route: RTD Route AL, a SkyRide bus between Longmont and Denver International Airport.
- Published service span: Hourly, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily; check the actual stop and direction timetable.
- Intermediate stops: Niwot Park-n-Ride and Lafayette Park-n-Ride are named in RTD’s final route description.
- Fare context: RTD lists a $10 standard Airport Day Pass; discount and free-travel eligibility can change the amount due.
Longmont, Niwot and Lafayette Gain a Direct Airport Link
RTD’s final September service changes describe Route AL starting at 8th Avenue and Coffman Street in Longmont. It continues via US 287, stops at Niwot Park-n-Ride and Lafayette Park-n-Ride, then uses E-470 toward Denver International Airport. The Times-Call also identifies Peña Boulevard on the airport approach.
That makes the route a new one-seat option from the listed northern boarding points. Direct does not mean nonstop: intermediate stops remain part of the route. It also does not mean a door-to-door pickup from a home or hotel. Travelers still need to reach a served stop and allow time for the terminal portion after arriving at DEN.
The local context is significant. The Times-Call reports that Longmont residents had fewer direct airport options after the Eight Black shuttle stopped operating in June. The newspaper says RTD staff recommended the new service after requests for airport transportation following the loss of a private provider. Route AL is a public transit response to that gap, not a reopening of the former shuttle company.
For visitors, the useful question is where the stay actually begins or ends. A Longmont visit can benefit from the new northern connection. A hotel near Union Station still has the A Line as its obvious rail link. Choosing between them by the airport name alone would miss the different areas they serve.
An Hourly Bus Needs a Flight-Specific Timing Check
RTD publishes an hourly service span of 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily for Route AL. That is the advertised operating pattern, not a statement that a bus departs every stop in both directions at those exact endpoint times. Use the dated timetable for the boarding location and direction before relying on the first or last journey.
An hourly interval also has a different planning consequence from a frequent urban bus. Missing a departure can mean a substantial wait for the next scheduled service. For a flight, work backward from the airline’s check-in and bag-drop deadlines, then add the airport arrival time and the journey to the bus stop. Do not equate the bus departure time with arrival at the terminal.
The final announcement does not supply a guaranteed Longmont-to-terminal journey time. Traffic on the road approach and time needed after leaving the bus remain part of the trip. A direct link can simplify the transfer without guaranteeing that every early departure or late arrival fits its operating span.
RTD directs customers to its NextRide tools for trip planning and service alerts. Check the date carefully when planning before launch: a search for travel today is not evidence of the September 27 timetable. For a return flight near the end of the service day, compare the actual airport departure with the time needed to leave the aircraft and collect luggage.
The Airport Fare Is Not the Standard Local Fare
RTD’s airport travel page lists a $10 Airport Day Pass for standard-fare travel. Its fare rules distinguish airport travel from the $2.75 standard local three-hour fare. Someone taking the new SkyRide service to DEN should not assume the local fare covers the full airport journey.
The same fare page says all discount fares and monthly passes include airport travel. Eligible discount customers include people age 65 and older, people with disabilities, Medicare recipients and participants in RTD’s LiVE program. The listed discount three-hour fare is $1.35 and the discount day pass is $2.70. Proof of eligibility is required.
Youth age 19 and younger and active-duty U.S. military personnel ride free under RTD’s published rules, also with required proof. These distinctions matter when comparing the cost for a family or group. Multiplying the standard airport price by every passenger may overstate the transit fare, while assuming everyone qualifies for a discount would understate it.
If reaching a Park-n-Ride by car, check parking separately. RTD bases parking charges on duration and whether the vehicle is registered inside or outside the district. The bus fare is not a promise of free long-term parking. Compare the complete trip cost and the return timetable rather than treating the fare alone as the whole airport-transfer budget.
September 27 Also Changes the Existing Airport Train
Route AL is the headline addition for Longmont, but travelers using downtown Denver should check the A Line’s revised times too. RTD’s final changes extend the period of 15-minute service later into the evening, with the 30-minute pattern beginning at 7:30 p.m. rather than the current 6:30 p.m. departure from Union Station.
The detailed schedule notice also identifies the loss of two daily morning trips: the 5:45 a.m. eastbound departure and the 6:42 a.m. westbound departure. Those are specific timetable changes, not a closure of the airport railway. A traveler who routinely catches one of those trips needs to choose a different departure from September 27.
Other September changes include temporary light-rail arrangements and initial center-lane bus operations on East Colfax. They should not be confused with the new Longmont airport bus. For this airport decision, keep the route labels separate: AL is the new SkyRide bus, while A remains the existing airport rail connection.
| If you… | What to do |
|---|---|
| Leave Longmont on or after September 27 | Check Route AL’s exact stop and departure before choosing the airport transfer. |
| Travel before September 27 | Use an existing option; AL has not launched. |
| Stay near Union Station | Compare the A Line timetable rather than traveling north for AL. |
| Qualify for discounted or free RTD travel | Bring eligibility proof and check the applicable airport fare. |
September 27 is the launch date. The new Longmont link and revised airport-rail schedule take effect that Sunday.
Before buying the transfer is the timetable check. Match the actual bus stop, travel direction and date to the flight.
Before leaving a parked car is the cost check. Verify the airport fare, any eligible discount and separate parking charges.
When does the Longmont to Denver airport bus start?
RTD Route AL is scheduled to start September 27, 2026. The final service description lists hourly trips within a 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily span; check individual stop times before traveling.
Where does Route AL stop?
RTD names 8th Avenue and Coffman Street in Longmont, Niwot Park-n-Ride and Lafayette Park-n-Ride on the route to Denver International Airport. Direct service includes intermediate stops; it is not a nonstop private shuttle.
How much is RTD airport travel?
The standard Airport Day Pass is $10. Eligible discount fares include airport travel, while youth 19 and younger and active-duty U.S. military personnel ride free with required proof. Check the fare category for each traveler.
Is Route AL a new Denver airport train?
No. AL is a SkyRide bus connecting the Longmont corridor with DEN. The A Line is the existing airport train from Union Station and has its own September 27 timetable changes.
