Industry News
Parking at Vail Mountain can be challenging at times. Recent winters have seen a steady increase in days where parking in the village has filled up, necessitating the usage of overflow parking on the frontage roads and outlying lots.
The demand for parking creates a scenario where the town has to balance charging for parking to reduce the demand in hopes that more people carpool and use public transportation. Last year, the town increased the price of its premier pass, which grants guaranteed parking all season in the Vail Village and Lionhead structures, by 65%, from $3,300 to $5,500.
Fortunately, this season, the prices are mainly staying the same. The passes are on sale now, and the town will start charging for parking on November 10, 2023, which is Vail’s projected opening day. The paid parking will continue through April 21, 2024, and apply to the following lots: Vail Village, Lionshead, Red Sandstone Garage, Ford Park Lot, and Soccer Lot.
Pricing
Prices will differ for what Vail considers a peak day versus a non-peak day. The peak days will be all Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, from December 15 through March 30. Additional peak days will be from December 26 through January 7, as well as MLK Day (January 15) and Presidents Day (February 19). The daily rates for the Vail Village and Lionshead parking structures are as follows.
Rates for the other lots are slightly different.
For those who don’t want to pay by the day and instead buy a season parking pass, the prices are the same as last year. The passes come in six different levels. The Premier Pass for $5,500, Business Premier for $2,200, Employee Plus for $1,850, Employee for $425, Vail Local Pass for $25, and Eagle County Local Pass for $50.
The changes made last year worked well to balance the supply and demand of parking at Vail. Guests can appreciate that prices aren’t increasing and hope the parking experience will be efficient.
