Driving from Sante Fe to Telluride on Tuesday - any advice?

[Australian fan]

Hi, we are driving to Telluride from Sante Fe, going to hire a car and drop it at Montrose. I have a couple of questions ( never having really driven in US before).

Firstly - how long will this take?

Secondly,  are there any car hire places in Telluride ( we are getting worried about how we will get car to airport then get back to Telluride

Third - is anyone else driving through that day and has room for two passengers? We would pay costs! ( slightly nervous driver here!)

Thanks everyone 

[Hot Sugar]

Make sure to drive on the right side of the road, not the wrong side like they do down under!

[Australian fan]

Make sure to drive on the right side of the road, not the wrong side like they do down under!

Ha ha ha

I know, I know. I've only driven once in US ( in New Orleans) for maybe five minutes when I crashed car, ended up in police station all night, possibly because I was wearing Culture a Club clothes ...oh but that's a long story...I'm kind of scared of driving again but WE MUST GET TO TELLURIDE

[BillyBeru]

http://www.tellurideexpress.com/

This company runs a service to/from Montrose/Telluride.

[Auntie Hope]

There is a car rental at Telluride Airport. Maybe use the same company based there? Not sure about costs.

Auntie Hope 

[Australian fan]

http://www.tellurideexpress.com/

This company runs a service to/from Montrose/Telluride.

Thank you!

[Australian fan]

There is a car rental at Telluride Airport. Maybe use the same company based there? Not sure about costs.

Auntie Hope 

Thank you, I have changed my booking and we are now collecting from SF dropping at Telluride airport. X

[Bevin]

Ha ha ha
... ended up in police station all night, possibly because I was wearing Culture a Club clothes ...

Looking forward to hearing more about this while sipping on a walkabout cocktail.   

[Hot Sugar]

You do realize that SFO is much further then Santa Fe?

I don't want to speak for AF, but I'm pretty sure when she said SF, she meant Santa Fe.

[Australian fan]

You do realize that SFO is much further then Santa Fe?

I don't want to speak for AF, but I'm pretty sure when she said SF, she meant Santa Fe.

Yes Sante Fe x

[Australian fan]

Ha ha ha
... ended up in police station all night, possibly because I was wearing Culture a Club clothes ...

Looking forward to hearing more about this while sipping on a walkabout cocktail.   

I will, it's a very funny story xxx

[32hour]

Well, when you go from Santa Fe to Montrose, there is one route (through Durango) that takes you past Telluride.  You might think about just keeping your car and parking it in Telluride during the festival.  (I know, it's four days that you're paying for the car and not using it but it might be less of a hassle.)  Depending on the route you take from Santa Fe to Montrose, it's about 350 miles. 

There are a couple of choices in routes, via Durango or via Alamosa, and, for my money, the Durango route is much more scenic.  I live in Southern Colorado and have driven both routes many times.  The drive north from Durango toward Telluride is one of my favorite Colorado trips.

Enjoy the drive!

 Listening to: Niney the Observer, "Blood and Fire"

[TellurideTom]

Just as "32hour" says, if you take the route through Durango you're pretty much in Telluride on the way to Montrose.
Not much sense going all the way to Montrose at that point.
It's about an hour and a half from Telluride to Montrose, so that would be over a four hour delay while you wait for the shuttle.

Check out this Mapquest route and click on the alternate route to see where you're going.

You can either park you car in Telluride for the duration, or see if you can drop it off at the Telluride airport and get another one after the festival. 

[Australian fan]

Well, when you go from Santa Fe to Montrose, there is one route (through Durango) that takes you past Telluride.  You might think about just keeping your car and parking it in Telluride during the festival.  (I know, it's four days that you're paying for the car and not using it but it might be less of a hassle.)  Depending on the route you take from Santa Fe to Montrose, it's about 350 miles. 

There are a couple of choices in routes, via Durango or via Alamosa, and, for my money, the Durango route is much more scenic.  I live in Southern Colorado and have driven both routes many times.  The drive north from Durango toward Telluride is one of my favorite Colorado trips.

Enjoy the drive!

Thank you very much. Is there any way to avoid narrow, harrowing mountain passes? ( nervous, I watched The Long, Long Trailer with Lucy Ball)......

[32hour]

Is there any way to avoid narrow, harrowing mountain passes? ( nervous, I watched The Long, Long Trailer with Lucy Ball)......

Yes.  Head north out of Santa Fe all the way to Alamosa, Colorado.  Turn west on Hwy. 50 to Montrose.  It's a scenic drive although not as jaw-dropping as the other route through Durango.  Santa Fe to Montrose this route is about 350 miles and then another 65 miles or so to Telluride.  Northern New Mexico and Southern Colorado are such beautiful places that you can't really go wrong.

Enjoy the road trip!

 Listening to: Pretenders, "Bold as Love"