A Denver day trip from Golden gives you a choice between driving and taking the RTD W Line, which connects downtown Denver with Jefferson County Government Center–Golden Station.
Denver is about 15.5 miles and a 30-minute drive from The Silk Pincushion; the bed and breakfast’s rooms are in Golden. For a city day focused on art, build your plans around the Denver Art Museum and its opening schedule.
- Transit connection: The RTD W Line runs between Denver Union Station and Jefferson County Government Center–Golden Station.
- Golden station: Downtown Golden is about 2.5 miles from the station.
- Museum hours: The Denver Art Museum is open on six days of the week, with later hours on Tuesday, and closes on Wednesday.
Choose a route from Golden to Denver
You can drive to Denver or take the W Line from Jefferson County Government Center–Golden Station.
The W Line links the Golden-area station with Denver Union Station, giving you a direct rail connection between the two cities. Downtown Golden is about 2.5 miles from the station, so you’ll need to plan the local leg as well as the train ride.
Visit Golden identifies walking, biking, taxi, rideshare, Golden FlexRide and the free Ore Cart shuttle as options for reaching downtown. If you’re planning the local part of your trip, how to spend a day in Golden can help you decide what to combine.
If you’re driving, Denver gives you flexibility to set your own schedule, but parking is a separate part of the plan.
The City and County of Denver says its public lots and garages are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for people visiting downtown activities. For the rail journey, use RTD’s route maps, fares and real-time service updates to plan around current service.
Build a manageable day in the city
The Denver Art Museum can anchor a city day, with its weekly schedule giving you a clear way to choose when to go. It is open Sunday, Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; it is closed Wednesdays, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
General admission includes the Hamilton Building, Martin Building and The Kirkland. The ticket is valid only on the date printed on it, and ticketed exhibitions are not included.
The museum lists general admission at $22 or $25 for Colorado residents and $27 or $30 for nonresidents; Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays have peak pricing. Visitors age 18 and under receive free general admission on every day the museum is open.
Choose the Tuesday schedule if you want the museum’s later closing time, or plan a daytime visit on one of its other open days. Check the Denver Art Museum’s official site before you go for current hours, admission prices and ticket details.
Once you have the museum hours in mind, you can decide how much of the day to leave for other downtown stops without relying on a fixed timetable.
Use transit for a car-free visit
For a car-free Denver day, take the W Line from Jefferson County Government Center–Golden Station to Denver Union Station, then plan how you’ll get between the Golden station and downtown Golden. The train connection is the main city-to-city leg; downtown Golden is about 2.5 miles from the station.
Visit Golden describes a walking route via the 6th Avenue Trail or Johnson Road and Ford Street. It is approximately 2.5 miles and takes about an hour on foot. If you’d rather not walk that stretch, the local options include biking, taxi, rideshare, Golden FlexRide and the free Ore Cart shuttle.
The Ore Cart’s Tungsten Route connects Jefferson County Government Center RTD Station with downtown Golden and the School of Mines. Check Visit Golden’s Getting Here information for RTD route maps, fares and real-time service updates before setting out, so you can coordinate the rail trip with the local connection.
If your trip starts at the airport, how to get from Denver International Airport to Golden covers that connection.
Plan the return to Golden
The W Line also gives you a rail connection back to Jefferson County Government Center–Golden Station, so confirm the current service information before you plan your return. The station is about 2.5 miles from downtown Golden, and the same local transport choices can help with that final leg.
If you drove into Denver, public parking lots and garages downtown are open around the clock, according to the City and County of Denver. That gives you a place to park for downtown activities, but the museum’s hours and ticket conditions still shape how long a visit can last.
For a Golden-based trip with no car, the practical sequence is to arrange your connection to the station, ride the W Line to Denver Union Station, and leave time to make the station connection again at the end of the day. RTD’s real-time service information can help you check the rail leg before you head back.
FAQs
Can you take a train from Golden to Denver?
Yes. The RTD W Line runs between Jefferson County Government Center–Golden Station and Denver Union Station.
How far is downtown Golden from the W Line station?
Downtown Golden is about 2.5 miles from Jefferson County Government Center–Golden Station. The walk via the 6th Avenue Trail or Johnson Road and Ford Street takes about an hour.
Is the Denver Art Museum open every day?
No. It is closed on Wednesdays, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Tuesday has later hours than its other open days.
Do children pay admission at the Denver Art Museum?
General admission is free for visitors age 18 and under on every day the museum is open.