Getting around · Colorado Springs
Getting to and from COS: taxi, rideshare, transit & the cell-phone lot
The quickest way to Colorado Springs airport is usually a taxi or a rideshare: a metered taxi gets you to Downtown Colorado Springs, and Uber & Lyft pick up at TNC Staging Zone. Picking someone up instead? Wait free at the Cell Phone Lot. Below: every way to and from the airport, what it costs, whether to park or grab a ride, and how to fold the drive into your Leave-By Time so you reach security with room to get through the line. Check COS TSA wait times today before you decide when to leave.
- Terminal
- 1
- Checkpoints
- 2
- PreCheck
- Yes
- CLEAR
- No
- Global Entry
- On site
- Wait data
- Predicted
Taxis from COS — fare and where to find the stand
Typical taxi fare
Metered
to Downtown Colorado Springs
Drive time
15–25 min
7 mi to Downtown Colorado Springs
A taxi is the simplest door-to-door option and needs no app. Fares to Downtown Colorado Springs are on the meter, so the total depends on traffic and your exact address.
Curbside outside the terminal on the arrivals level; a ground-transportation courtesy phone is in baggage claim next to Carousel 3. Independent operators serve COS 24 hours; listed companies include Pikes Peak Cab (719-888-9000) and COS Transportation/zTrip (719-766-4567). Fares are metered by the operator with no airport-published rate.
The COS cell-phone waiting lot
Picking someone up? Wait free at Cell Phone Lot. Along Milton E. Proby Parkway on the right as you approach the terminal. Wait there until your traveler texts that they're at the curb, then loop in once. On the approach via Milton E. Proby Parkway the lot is on your right before the terminal; wait until your party calls, then proceed to the curb.
Leaving a car for the trip instead of getting dropped off? It's worth checking the lots: compare COSparking by price & distance.
Where to catch Uber & Lyft at COS
Rideshare pickups at COS run through TNC Staging Zone. Uber and Lyft pick up outside the baggage-claim area on the ground level; drivers stage at a TNC staging zone off Milton E. Proby Parkway. Rideshare pickup is at the baggage-claim curb, not the departures level; drivers wait at the staging zone until summoned, so allow a few minutes.
Dropping off? Drop departing passengers at the terminal curb; short-term parking is directly across from the terminal. Colorado Springshas a single terminal, so there's no wrong-curb risk — any door gets you to check-in and security.
Driving to COS — routes & drive time
COS sits about 7 miles from Downtown Colorado Springs, a drive of roughly 15–25 minutes via Milton E. Proby Parkway to Powers Boulevard (SH-21); I-25 Exit 135 for interstate access — closer to the high end at rush hour. That drive time is the first input into your Leave-By Time, so the calculator counts it backward from your flight along with today's security wait and the walk to your gate.
Getting to COS by train or transit
Route 37 is a limited express to Hancock Plaza; reaching downtown proper generally requires a transfer, and service runs on a weekday-oriented schedule.
Fare: Standard adult one-way fare is $1.75, with reduced fares available.
Hotel and city shuttles to COS
Several hotels (Holiday Inn, Hyatt House, Hilton Garden Inn, Radisson) run airport shuttles by request; on-airport parking means no separate parking shuttle is needed. If a shuttle is part of your plan, add its ride time to your Leave-By Time — it's easy to forget the 15–20 minutes between the curb and the terminal.
Park or ride to COS?
The rule of thumb: a round-trip ride is one fixed cost, while parking adds up by the day. For a quick 1–2 day trip, parking usually costs less; for a longer trip, a round-trip taxi or rideshare often comes out ahead.
Want the exact trade-off for your dates? compare COSparking by price & distance — the closest lot isn't always the one that costs the least.
Accessibility and late-night rides at COS
ADA-accessible curbside and parking are provided at the terminal, with accessibility information available from the airport.
Late or overnight arrival? Taxis and app-based rides operate 24 hours, but Route 37 does not run overnight, so plan for rideshare or a pre-arranged car for late arrivals.
Returning a rental on the way out? Return to the rental-car return area near short-term parking; counters are adjacent to the terminal. (We cover where to return a car, not where to book one.)
Pickup zones and curb rules change — we verified COS's ground-transport details as of July 1, 2026. Always check the in-app pickup pin and posted signs when you land.
Flying out of a nearby airport instead?
If a fare or a schedule points you elsewhere, the closest airport we cover is DEN (Denver), about 73 miles from COS in a straight line. The same math on this page — drive time, ride cost, security wait — decides whether the extra distance is worth it.
Other airports nearby
Straight-line distance from COS — check current waits before switching airports.
Before you go COS
COS TSA wait times todaySee today's security wait by checkpoint, then time your ride to the airport.Getting-around FAQ COS
How much is a taxi to or from COS?
Taxis to Downtown Colorado Springs are metered, so the fare depends on traffic and the exact address. Curbside outside the terminal on the arrivals level; a ground-transportation courtesy phone is in baggage claim next to Carousel 3.
Where do you catch Uber and Lyft at COS?
Uber and Lyft pick up outside the baggage-claim area on the ground level; drivers stage at a TNC staging zone off Milton E. Proby Parkway. Rideshare pickup is at the baggage-claim curb, not the departures level; drivers wait at the staging zone until summoned, so allow a few minutes. Open the app after you land and follow its pickup pin, not the curb out front.
Where is the COS cell-phone lot?
Cell Phone Lot — Along Milton E. Proby Parkway on the right as you approach the terminal. It's free, and you wait there until your traveler texts that they have their bags.
How far is COS from Downtown Colorado Springs?
COS is about 7 miles from Downtown Colorado Springs — roughly 15–25 minutes by car depending on traffic, via Milton E. Proby Parkway to Powers Boulevard (SH-21); I-25 Exit 135 for interstate access.
Is there a train from COS to Downtown Colorado Springs?
Not directly. Route 37 is a limited express to Hancock Plaza; reaching downtown proper generally requires a transfer, and service runs on a weekday-oriented schedule.