Switchback Van Rentals
Switchback van rentals pretty much takes traditional ski shuttles and mashes them together with car rentals. The most aggravating part of any ski shuttle is that there’s no flexbility. It’s heading to one place, you are hitching a ride, and everything stays on a schedule. But with Switchback, you can just rent that whole van for a long as you need. Pick it up in Denver. Get a 200 mile/day allowance ($.41/mile above that). Shazam. Your own mountain shuttle.
The Switchback Company Convenience
Switchback was started in 2011 to handle some of the particular demands of ski travel: more stops, longer rentals, access more mountains, and overall flexibility. Teaming up with Powderhound, another private shuttle company in Colorado, Switchback uses some of the Powderhound fleet to fill this specific demand from ski travelers.
With their system, their are no lines. No waiting. No hassles. Just show up to their downtown Denver location, enter the code on the van, and you’re off. You don’t have to talk to anyone or walk around the vehicle for a joint inspection.
You do need to get to the office in downtown Denver. Switchback users are typically big groups, and we’ve found that people fly in at different times, and the early arrivers go grab the van and then come pick up the other crew. If you are looking for other options on how to get to Denver from the airport, just ask the sterling crew at Switchback. They’ll give you even more options.
Best Uses
Here are a few things to think over:
- These vans are 12 and 15 passenger, so having a big group–at least 8–is requisite.
- If you plan on visiting multiple mountains. Sure, there are shuttles from Vail to Beaver Creek and Frisco to Breck and such, but you will run on their schedule both ways.
- If you are staying in a home or hotel that is pretty far from the mountain.
- If you plan on visiting other Colorado tourist destinations outside the ski resorts, such as Blackhawk or some of the Hot Springs.
- If you are staying more than 3 days and might have to make more than one trip to the grocery.
There are tons more specific reasons that groups have that make Switchback a no-brainer, but the above bullets captures most of them. So if your group fits any of the above bullets, think about Switchback.
Here are some possible reasons why Switchback van rentals might NOT be right for your trip.
- If you have a group smaller than 8. (That was an easy one. You should have gotten it.)
- If you are staying close to the mountain.
- If you’re only planning on skiing one mountain the whole time. This is common in Vail and Breckenridge. Big mountains. These towns have plenty of restaurants and nightlife to keep people in the town.
Extras
If you are bringing your own skis or just tons of luggage, you can rent a luggage rack or even an enclosed trailer for 14 days. The luggage rack is $60 for two weeks. The trailer is $200 for two weeks. These options will help make the van that much more comfortable to travel in without all of the luggage in everyone’s way.