Downtown Denver's
free bus service for commuters and tourists

RTD's FREE MallRide is a great way to go for commuters, tourists and shoppers in Downtown Denver.

Whether you're working Downtown, enjoying the nightlife or visiting Denver from out-of-town, you'll love the Regional Transportation District's (RTD) FREE MallRide.

The FREE MallRide lets you travel over a mile from one end of Downtown Denver's bustling 16th Street Mall to the other—or anywhere in between—for free! It’s the fastest and easiest way to get through Downtown Denver without worrying about parking availability or expensive parking prices.

Convenient for commuters

Do you commute by RTD bus or light rail? Hop on board the FREE MallRide at the Union, Market Street or Civic Center stations and save yourself a long walk on the 16th Street Mall. Going beyond Downtown? You can make connections at any of the RTD stations for RTD Regional, Express and Local bus routes that travel throughout the metro area, to places, including Boulder, Denver Technology Center, Golden, Longmont and Denver International Airport.

The FREE MallRide also connects with light rail C and E lines at Union Station: Lower Downtown (LoDo)/Coors Field/16th Street Mall and with light rail D, F and H lines at the 16th/California Station (northbound travel) and 16th/ Stout Station (southbound travel) on the 16th Street Mall. Commuters can travel by light rail from Downtown Denver as far south as the Littleton/Mineral Station and the Lincoln Station, the Nine Mile Station in Aurora and as far north as the 30th/Downing Station in Five Points.

If you work Downtown, you can catch the FREE MallRide to your favorite restaurant for lunch or your favorite boutique for shopping. Use it for a quick trip to the bank, running errands or a business meeting at the other end of the 16th Street Mall.

Terrific for tourists

The FREE MallRide travels through the heart of Downtown Denver, making frequent stops within walking distance of some of the city’s most popular tourist attractions. Hop on the FREE MallRide to enjoy the many restaurants, museums, art galleries, theaters, parks, nightclubs, shops, and entertainment and sports venues in Downtown Denver and Lower Downtown.

You can also take the FREE MallRide to Union Station: Lower Downtown (LoDo)/Coors Field/16th Street Mall Station, where you can catch C and E lines to popular destinations, including the Pepsi Center/Six Flags Elitch Gardens and INVESCO Field at Mile High, and E and F lines to Coors Amphitheater near the Arapahoe at Village Center Station.

Smart for shoppers

The FREE MallRide is your connection to shopping in Downtown Denver at the Denver Pavilions Mall located on the 16th Street Mall and Larimer Square on 15th and Larimer.

For a unique outdoor shopping experience, take light rail C or D lines to Aspen Grove shopping mall, located near the Littleton/Mineral Station, or take light rail E or F lines to Park Meadows Mall, located near the County Line Station.

Frequent stops and frequent service

Catching the FREE MallRide is easy. You can get on and off at any FREE MallRide bus stop along the 16th Street Mall. Stops are located at every intersection between RTD’s Civic Center Station and Union Station.

You can use any of the four doors on the FREE MallRide to board or exit. The doors will open when the bus stops and close when the red light inside the FREE MallRide flashes and the driver signals with a bell. The FREE MallRide leaves on the green traffic light. For ease and speed of boarding and exiting, please allow passengers to exit first before boarding. The FREE MallRide is wheelchair accessible. Wheelchair passengers board using a ramp at the second door from the front; shuttle operators will assist with the lift.

The FREE MallRide operates every day as early as 5:00 a.m. on weekdays, 5:30 a.m. on Saturdays and 7:00 a.m. on Sundays/ holidays. Service continues throughout the day with the last complete roundtrip every night at 1:35 a.m. starting at Union Station. The FREE MallRide runs frequently, especially during weekday rush hours, and are based on green traffic signals on the 16th Street Mall.

FREE MallRide safety tips

• Do not walk in front of a moving FREE MallRide.
• Bus operators will ring bell twice when doors are about to close. Doors do not open until the FREE MallRide has come to a stop. Do not try to hold doors open; another FREE MallRide will be on its way shortly. Wait until it has come to a full stop before you either board or exit.
• Do not stand near the curb when a FREE MallRide is passing in front of you. The mirror on the bus needs clearance.
• Stay on the sidewalks and out of the FREE MallRide's turnaround areas at the Civic Center, Market Street and Union stations.
• When standing, hold on to the straps on the overhead poles or grasp the poles themselves. Do not try to ride the FREE MallRide while free-standing.

The shuttle bus of the future...today!

The FREE MallRide buses are hybrid electric vehicles powered by a combination electric/compressed natural gas (CNG) engine. Together, these two technologies provide ultra-low emissions and improved fuel efficiency, helping make the air cleaner.

Come on and take a free ride!

For more information on the FREE MallRide, light rail or other RTD services, log on to RTD-Denver.com or call the RTD Telephone Information Center at 303.299.6000.

Click here for FREE MallRide Frequency