Winter parking at the Town of Vail, Colorado will see a price bump as we enter into the 2025-26 ski season.
The Vail Town Council announced last week that they approved a change that will now have visitors pay a $10 per hour charge for a maximum of five hours on peak days. On non-peak days, visitors will know pay $10 per hour as opposed to $10 in total for the first three hours.
Vail Town Council voted unanimously in favor of the changes during a September 16th meeting with the goal of raising funds to help with maintenance on the town’s aging parking structures. The increased price will be in effect from November 14th to April 12th.
Vail Town Council Press Release:
Council Approves 2025-26 Parking Program
The Vail Town Council has approved the parking program for the upcoming winter season, with passes providing both winter and summer benefits. Parking pass sales will begin on Oct. 23.
Based on recommendations from the town’s Parking & Mobility Task Force, the program includes a simplified retail rate structure, passes that provide benefits for both winter 2025-26 and summer 2026, minor changes to pass pricing, and maintains the popular “Free After 3” rate for vehicles entering Vail’s structures after 3 p.m. Modifications requested by the town council included a reduction in the cost of the Local Pass from the proposed $55 to $40, and a reduction in the cost of the Employee Pass from the proposed $450 to $400.
A summary of the program and high-level changes from last year is as follows:
- Paid winter parking will be in place from Nov. 14 through April 19, 2026
- Drive-up retail rates will be $10 per hour, with the first hour free.
- Non-peak day drive up retail rates will max out at $30.
- Peak day drive up retail rates will max out at $50.
- Overnight rates will remain unchanged at $35 at the Red Sandstone Garage and $60 at the Vail Village and Lionshead parking structures.
- All passes sold during the winter season will be valid for summer 2026 use, with summer benefits to be determined.
- A combined Local Pass will replace the Vail Local and Eagle County Local passes.
In addition, Donovan Park will continue to offer free parking with a new plate registration system to help better utilize parking availability and provide information to users. Parkers will register a vehicle and will be provided day-of parking information on times when the lot is closed for an event. Currently, when an event is scheduled at Donovan Pavillion, the lot is closed for the entire day, leaving unused parking. This program will be a pilot to test the feasibility of allowing parking on the same day as, but not during, an event.
Vail’s parking revenues directly support the repairs and maintenance of the town’s aging parking structures, while also funding the town’s robust free transit system. Visit www.vail.gov/bus and www.coretransit.org for information on getting to and around Vail for no charge. Core Transit operates for free throughout the majority of Eagle County.
