How to Spend a 6 Hour Layover in Denver: DEN to Union Station by A Line
Updated October 9, 2026
A 6 hour layover in Denver from DEN leaves room for a short trip downtown on the A Line, if your inbound flight is on time. See the restored Great Hall of Denver Union Station and get a coffee inside before the train back to DEN.
The A Line ends at Denver Union Station, so this plan never leaves the building the train drops you at. The station's central hall has been restored as a hotel lobby, restaurant row and waiting room in one, and it is open to everyone. A coffee bar sits just off the hall, with a patio over the fountains of Wynkoop Plaza. Neither stop needs a ticket, both are open every day, and the platform is a short walk away. That is the point. On a 6 hour layover, the round trip by train takes over two hours, so this plan keeps the time in town short and the trip back simple. It suits travelers with TSA PreCheck and a flight that lands on time.
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Is it worth leaving the airport?
Only if your inbound flight lands on time and you have TSA PreCheck or a quiet travel day. The visit is kept short so that you are back at DEN two hours before departure, which is what the airport recommends. If your flight is late, stay at the airport.
Getting from DEN into the city
From your concourse, ride the underground train to the Jeppesen Terminal and follow signs to the Transit Center at the south end, by the Westin hotel. A Line trains run to Union Station, the end of the line. As of October 2026, an Airport Day Pass is $10 and covers the ride back. Buy it at the station machines or in the RTD app, or tap a contactless card on the platform validator.
Plan on about 1 hr 23 min for the round trip between Denver International Airport and the first and last stops.
This plan also keeps 45 min to get out of the airport and 1 hr 30 min to get back through security before your flight. You can customize these buffers with Navi through text.
Times are estimates, not guarantees. Confirm your boarding time with your airline and check entry requirements before leaving the airport. You are responsible for getting back in time for your flight.
Visa and entry
Travelers arriving from abroad clear immigration and customs at DEN, or at their first US airport, before they can leave the building. Domestic travelers need only the ID they flew with. Everyone goes back through TSA screening on return. If your onward flight leaves the country, return earlier, because international check-in closes sooner.
What to do with your bags
DEN does not list lockers or a left luggage counter, so plan on taking your bag with you. A carry-on is easy here, because both stops are inside the station, steps from the platform. As of October 2026, Bounce lists Denver drop-off shops from $3.95 a day, and several sit near Union Station if you would rather walk around without it.
The 6 hour plan, stop by stop
About 2 hr 22 min in the city
Time to head out from Denver International Airport for Denver Union Station. It's a 43 minute transit ride if you leave now. Here's the link
The granite and terracotta Great Hall went up in 1914, replacing a depot damaged by fire, and its arched windows and high ceiling are what most people remember. A restoration completed in 2014 added The Crawford Hotel upstairs and filled the ground floor with places to eat and drink. The Terminal Bar sits in what was the old ticket office. The hall is open to everyone, hotel guest or not, and the A Line platforms are just behind it.
Tip: Check the departure boards by the platforms as soon as you arrive and pick the train you'll take back, then spend the time before it in the hall. The benches and lounge chairs are open to anyone.
- Time here
- 10 to 15 min
- Website
- denverunionstation.com
NaviTime to head out from Denver Union Station for Pigtrain Coffee Co.. It's a 5 minute walk if you leave now. Here's the link
Pigtrain sits just off the Great Hall and takes its name from the trains that carry truck trailers on flatbed rail cars. It brews organic coffee from Conscious Coffees, a locally owned roaster, and sells pastries baked in house, plus coffee cocktails such as Irish coffee. Its patio looks out over Wynkoop Plaza in front of the station. It opens every day from early morning to early evening, so it works for most daytime arrivals.
Tip: Order to go if your train is close. As of October 2026, Pigtrain adds 5% to each bill, 3% for the station's historic preservation and 2% for staff wages, since its staff don't take tips, so the total runs a little above the menu price.
- Time here
- 10 to 15 min
- Website
- pigtraincoffee.com
NaviTime to head out from Pigtrain Coffee Co. for Denver International Airport. It's a 40 minute transit ride if you leave now. Here's the link
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