RTD announces enhanced transit service and zero-fare zone for 2027 Sundance Film Festival in January

DENVER (Oct. 22, 2026)––The Regional Transportation District (RTD) announces a comprehensive service plan to support the Jan. 21-31, 2027, Sundance Film Festival in Boulder. The plan includes defined zero-fare routes in the Boulder area. Additionally, enhanced transit service will provide latenight and early morning service to accommodate nighttime movie screenings and volunteer schedules. A temporary service, Route CHAT, will provide access to Chautauqua Park, a key festival venue.

"As the metro region prepares to host one of the world's premier cultural events, RTD is committed to providing seamless and sustainable mobility options for those participating in the Sundance Film Festival," said Debra A. Johnson, General Manager and Chief Executive Officer. "The combination of zero-fare service on key Boulder routes and expanded service throughout the festival reflects my and the team’s commitment to reducing congestion, improving venue access, and creating a welcoming experience for visitors and residents alike."

Operating costs for the zero-fare service will be covered through the $1 million in funding approved by the RTD Board on July 28, for the High-Volume Event Service Pilot and supplemented by Clean Transit Enterprise (CTE) grant funds approved by the CTE Board on Sept. 29. RTD will offer zero-fare service to the public on Boulder area routes serving the festival area.

Zero fare Boulder area routes serving the festival

The following routes will operate enhanced zero-fare service Jan. 21-31, 2027:

• BOLT – provides service between Boulder and Longmont. Extended service, 6:30 a.m.-2:30 a.m.
• JUMP – Boulder via Arapahoe provides east-west connectivity to venues and activity centers along the Arapahoe corridor. Extended service from 5:30 a.m.-2 a.m weekdays, 6:15 a.m.-2 a.m. weekends
• SKIP – serves the Broadway corridor and connects several Boulder venue clusters. Increasing frequency and extending service from 5:15 a.m.- 2 a.m. weekdays, 7 a.m.-2 a.m. weekends
• CHAT – Chautauqua Park provides temporary new service to Chautauqua Park, a key festival venue location every 10 minutes, 8 a.m.-midnight.

Enhanced full fare service

The following routes will be available with regular fare and offer increased vehicles or hours of operation to support visitors and increased ridership.

• SkyRide Routes AB, AL– Additional buses will be staged to support crowds
• Flatiron Flyer – Operating until 2 a.m.

Festival attendees and volunteers are encouraged to download the RTD NextRide mobile app and visit the RTD and Sundance Film Festival websites for the latest on making transit connections.