Buff Bus

Campus Routes

Our Buff Buses move thousands of students, faculty and staff around campus each day.

Hop bus

City Routes

A variety of local transit routes connect campus with key Boulder locations.

flatiron flyer

Regional Routes

RTD offers bus and rail transit service to DIA, Denver, and surrounding cities in Colorado.

Buff Bus Campus Routes Information and Schedules

Summer 2021 Schedules

Rider Alert
  • Buff Buses are operating on our summer routes and schedules. Please see schedule details for individual routes below.

The Williams Village Limited (weekdays) bus route operates Monday - Friday throughout the fall and spring semesters when classes are in session. There is no fall or winter break service. The route runs clockwise with stops at Williams Village, Engineering Center, C4C, Physics, Math and Colorado/30th Southside.

Schedule

Summer, Thursday May 6 through mid-August

  • There is no summer service.

Fall, beginning Saturday, August 21

  • Monday through Friday from 7am - 5pm (approximately 7-10 mins between buses)

The Williams Village/Bear Creek (full) bus route operates throughout the fall and spring semesters when classes are in session. There is no summer service. The route runs clockwise with stops at Bear Creek, Williams Village, Engineering Center, C4C, Music, Physics, Math and Colorado/30th Southside.

Schedule

Summer, beginning Thursday, May 6

  • Williams Village/Bear Creek will be out of service beginning Thursday, May 6 and resume in the fall semester.

Fall, beginning Saturday, August 21

  • Monday through Friday from 5pm - 11pm (approximately 10-12 mins between buses)
  • Saturday and Sunday from 10am - 11pm (approximately 30 minutes between buses)

The Bear Creek Express bus route operates Monday - Friday throughout the fall and spring semesters when classes are in session. There is no summer service. The route runs out and back from Bear Creek directly to UMC/Case with no other stops.

Schedule

Summer, beginning Thursday, May 6

  • Bear Creek Express will be out of service beginning Thursday, May 6 and resume in the fall semester.

Fall, beginning Saturday, August 21

  • Monday through Friday from 7am - 5pm (approximately 7-10 mins between buses)

The Stampede bus route connects Main Campus to the Discovery Drive area of East Campus. Stampede operates Monday through Friday as detailed below. There is no Saturday or Sunday service.

Schedule

Summer, beginning Thursday, May 6

  • Monday - Friday: 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
  • Saturday - Sunday: no service

Fall, beginning Saturday, August 21

  • Monday through Friday from 7am - 11pm (approximately 10-12 mins between buses)
  • Saturday - Sunday: no service

Marine Street is a campus shuttle route connecting the Marine Street and Exposition Drive areas of East Campus to Main Campus. This route serves two stops along Marine Street, one at the CINC building on Exposition Drive, and three on Main Campus: the Engineering Center/Lot 436, the Center for Community (C4C) and 18th Street (just south of Euclid Ave). Marine Street operates Monday through Friday as detailed below.  There is no Saturday or Sunday service.

Schedule

Summer, beginning Thursday, May 6

  •  Marine Street Express will be out of service beginning Thursday, May 6 and resume in the fall semester.

Fall, beginning Saturday, August 21

  • Monday through Friday from 7am - 5:30pm (approximately 45 mins between buses)
  • Saturday - Sunday: no service

Buff Bus Frequently Asked Questions

City Routes: Getting Around Boulder

A variety of local transit routes connect campus with key Boulder locations. For hours, schedules and route details, visit the City of Boulder website or use RTD’s Trip Planner to plan your commute. 

Key Bus Routes

  • HOP - Twenty Ninth Street Retail District, Downtown, and University Hill 
  • SKIP - Broadway Avenue 
  • JUMP - Arapahoe Avenue 
  • BOUND - 30th Street  
  • DASH - Table Mesa Drive / South Boulder 

 Don’t see a route for you? See the Boulder County Transit Map, or the City of Boulder Transit Map for more options.

Regional Routes: Getting In and Out of Town

To Denver   

The Flatiron Flyer (FF) is RTD’s Bus Rapid Transit service along Highway 36.  It includes six route options.  For specific routes, schedules and details, visit the Flatiron Flyer webpage. 

Flatiron Flyer Routes

  • FF1 – Downtown Boulder to Denver’s Union Station (all 6 BRT stops)  
  • FF2 – Express to Denver with stop at McCaslin (CU Denver) 
  • FF3 – Broomfield to Denver 
  • FF4 – Boulder Junction to Denver Civic Center Station 
  • FF5 – Downtown Boulder to Anschutz Medical Center 
  • FF6 – Denver Union Station to Boulder Junction (East Campus) 

To the Airport (DIA) – SkyRide 

With one stop adjacent to CU Boulder at 16th and Broadway, the SkyRide leaves hourly from Boulder Station, 18 times a day.  Free with an EcoPass or College Pass. Visit RTD’s SkyRide website for more details.  

To Longmont & Fort Collins

If you are commuting to Longmont or further north, the following bus services provide the best options.  Visit the City of Boulder bus website or use RTD’s Trip Planner to plan your commute.

Bus Routes North

  • BOLT - Longmont via 28th then Diagonal Hwy
  • J (Route) - Longmont via Foothills Parkway, Jay Rd, Gunbarrel, Diagonal Hwy 
  • FLEX - Fort Collins - Loveland - Longmont - Boulder

FLEX service is provided by TransFort out of Fort Collins.  RTD EcoPasses are accepted on FLEX.  For details and schedule, visit the Transfort website.   

For other options between Boulder and Longmont, see the Boulder County Transit Map 

To Golden 

  • GS (Route) - Downtown Boulder to Golden via Broadway and Highway 93 

To the Mountains/Slopes 

Buff Bus Service During COVID-19

Sitting on the bus with masks COVID-19 protocols of physical distancing will reduce Buff Bus capacity to approximately 20 percent of normal operating passenger counts (capacity is posted on each bus). Face coverings are required when riding on the Buff Bus. Several teams have worked to develop recommendations and protocols for Buff Buses. 

Buff Bus users should plan ahead and expect times where buses will reach passenger capacity and they will have to wait for the next available bus. Students should also explore alternate modes of travel, such as walking and biking.