Gondola - Chondola
One of the most unique forms of public transportation connects Mountain Village to Telluride offering stunning 360-degree views of the San Juan Mountains that extend as far away as Utah.
Gondola
The gondola, the first and only free public transportation of its kind in the United States, opened in 1996 and was initially built to help improve air quality while expanding the ski area and Mountain Village. It is entirely free to commuters and sightseers.
Since then, it has become a popular attraction for residents and visitors alike, giving them a stunning ride that caps out at 10,540 feet above sea level.
Operating Dates:
Winter Dates: November 22, 2024-April 6, 2025
Summer/Fall Dates: May 22, 2025-October 19, 2025
Operating Hours:
Seven days a week
6:30 a.m. to midnight
*open until 2 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays December 20, 2024-April 5, 2025
Stations
Station Telluride
Station San Sophia
Station Mountain Village
Station Market Plaza
Routes
Mountain Village Center - Telluride Free Gondola
Market Plaza-Mountain Village Center Free Gondola
To see gondola lines live, view our webcams!
Interested in working for the most unique form of public transportation in the country?
Apply to work for the gondola!
Please Take Note
- Without notice, the gondola may close temporarily due to weather conditions, a power outage, or something else that is beyond our control. When this occurs, we follow a specific operating procedure, which includes erecting closure signs and running our bus service. This usually transpires when the gondola is down for a prolonged amount of time – usually 30 minutes or more. We notice the community of any prolonged closures through our text messaging system. Register for alerts here.
- Gondola hours are extended at various times throughout the year, usually for a special event or holiday. Please expect long lines during peak times. As always, we appreciate your patience.
- During the months when the gondola is closed, the San Miguel Authority for Regional Transportation provides free bus service between the towns of Mountain Village and Telluride.
- If you accidentally leave a personal item in a gondola cabin, please call (970) 729-3435 to speak to a gondola operations supervisor. Our procedure for handling lost items can be accessed via our lost and found webpage.
- We will do our best to accommodate passengers who wish to ride alone. To do so, please speak with the gondola operator on duty.
The Numbers
- The Telluride Mountain Village Gondola officially opened on November 19, 1996.
- Approximately 3.11 million passenger rides annually – and safely – and more than 62 million passenger trips have been provided since opening day.
- The gondola operates roughly 287 days each year with routine maintenance scheduled during our shoulder season months.
- It takes about 12 minutes to get from the Town of Telluride to Mountain Village Village. It takes 3 minutes from Mountain Village Center to Market Plaza.
- A cabin travels 11 miles per hour at full speed, which means each cabin travels over 58,000 miles per year.
- Approximately 50 percent of our cabins are pet accessible. We also have wheelchair-accessible cabins.
- The trip between the two towns is eight miles long whereas the gondola travels three miles between the two towns.
- If we relied on rubber transportation, it would take 21 passenger buses to maintain a 1,070 – people per hour capacity. This would translate to more people on the road and more pollutants in the air.
- The Telluride Mountain Village Owners Association purchases renewable energy credits from San Miguel Power Association, which funds the development and operation of regional renewable energy resources.
- The cost to build the gondola was $16 million, and revenues to support the operational cost, which exceeds $3.5 million annually and requires over 82,000 man-hours, are realized from a number of sources with the majority of funding from the Telluride Mountain Village Owners Association, the Town of Telluride makes a monetary contribution and the Telluride Ski Resort contributes one percent of lift ticket sales.
Winter Chondola Operations
In addition to operating the gondola, we also provide a high-speed chairlift referred to as the chondola in the winter only. The chondola is a condensed version of a gondola cabin supporting four passengers at a time during the ski season months and providing access between Mountain Village Center and the Meadows neighborhood. The closest parking lot to the bottom of the chondola is the Meadows parking. From this lot, walk down Adams Ranch Road and through Big Billie’s Apartments driveway and past Big Billie’s Restaurant. The cabins are free to the public whereas skiers and boarders are required to have a lift ticket.
Operating Dates:
November 28, 2024 to April 6, 2025 (winter only)
Operating Hours:
Sunday through Saturday
6:30 a.m. to midnight
*Open until 2 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays December 20, 2024 -April 5, 2025.
Station Locations:
Station Mountain Village Chondola
Station Meadows Chondola
Routes:
Meadows-Mountain Village Center Free Chondola