RTD Hidden Gem - Route 206

Lifelong transit enthusiast and high school senior, Jackson Ledesma, breaks down why he considers RTD's Route 206 to be a hidden gem worth including in one’s travel plans.

Route 206 – Conestoga/Arapahoe/Fairview

Conestoga/Arapahoe to Greenbriar/Gillaspie

Boulder

Route 206 is a blissfully underappreciated gem of Southeastern Boulder. In addition to connecting students to the county’s biggest high school with several feeder middle schools, the 206 connects the major three high-frequency east-west routes from Lafayette with the Flatiron Flyer at Table Mesa and the Flatiron Business Park.

The 206 serves customers of all walks of life efficiently. It is conveniently located near the Flatirons Business Park at 55th and Western; not only does this serve the business crowd, it also serves numerous local and flavorful pop-up breakfast and coffee shops scattered around the business park.

Continuing through the Manhattan neighborhood, the route traditionally serves the Manhattan School of the Arts and operates about half a mile from the East Boulder Community Center. The center offers community events and is home to indoor recreation and a natatorium.

The 206 makes connections to other Boulder-area bus routes, as well as access to Fairview High School and the Table Mesa shopping center. Travel flows to the Harlow Platts Community Park and Viele Lake, where one can walk, jog, or bike around the lake during the summer, and enjoy ice skating, sledding, and other activities by winter.

Near the route’s southern end, the Table Mesa Station offers connections to Denver, and even includes a stop at the Denver International Airport. 

RTD operates over 100 bus routes across Denver and surrounding counties. Operating thousands of daily departures, RTD buses transport nearly 43 million customers every year. RTD’s busiest bus routes are Route 0 on Broadway, Route 15 on Colfax and Route 31 on Federal Boulevard. But this hidden gem is worth a look.