Few American cities have rebuilt their rail network as quickly as Denver. Since Union Station reopened as a regional transit hub in 2014, a whole neighborhood of apartment towers has grown up beside it, and commuter rail now connects downtown directly with Denver International Airport. For renters who want to drive less, the neighborhood you pick determines how useful that network is.
Short answer: The most transit-rich neighborhoods in this directory are Union Station / Central Platte Valley (15 buildings), LoDo / Ballpark (13) and Downtown / Central Business District (17), all within walking distance of Union Station and its commuter and light rail lines. RiNo / Five Points (20) has A Line and light rail stops of its own. Capitol Hill, Uptown, the Golden Triangle, Cherry Creek and LoHi have no rail inside their boundaries and depend on buses, bikes or a walk.
What runs through Union Station
- A Line commuter rail to Denver International Airport, with stops in RiNo and at Central Park along the way.
- B and G commuter lines to Westminster and to Arvada and Wheat Ridge.
- Light rail to the southwest, the southeast and Lakewood along the W Line.
- The free MallRide buses along the 16th Street Mall, connecting Union Station with Civic Center Station.
- Regional buses, including service to Boulder, from the underground bus concourse.
Rail access by neighborhood
| Neighborhood | Buildings | Rail access |
|---|---|---|
| Union Station / Central Platte Valley | 15 | At the hub: commuter rail, light rail, MallRide |
| LoDo / Ballpark | 13 | Short walk to Union Station |
| Downtown / Central Business District | 17 | MallRide to Union Station; downtown light rail stops |
| RiNo / Five Points | 20 | A Line at 38th and Blake; light rail through Five Points |
| Central Park / Lowry | 5 | A Line at Central Park station |
| Sloan’s Lake / West Colfax | 12 | W Line light rail runs just south of West Colfax |
| LoHi / Highland / Jefferson Park | 18 | No rail inside; pedestrian bridges lead to Union Station |
| Baker / South Broadway / Platt Park | 9 | Light rail stations along I-25 at the western edge |
The airport advantage
The A Line is the single best reason to live near Union Station. For frequent travelers, a train from your neighborhood to the airport terminal replaces a long rideshare or parking bill. If you fly often, put Union Station, LoDo, RiNo and Central Park at the top of your list.
Tips for car-light renters
- Ask whether parking is unbundled. In towers near Union Station, parking is often a separate monthly charge. Skipping it is real savings.
- Check bike storage. Denver’s dry climate makes cycling practical most of the year; secure bike rooms matter.
- Map the walk to the platform from each building, not just the neighborhood.
- Plan for the mountains. Even car-free Denverites often use car-share or rentals for weekend trips west on I-70.
Start with the Union Station neighborhood page and compare buildings by parking, pets and in-unit laundry.