Do You Need a Car in Park City?

Most people staying in Park City don't need a car. Park City's buses are free, they link Old Town with both Park City Mountain and Deer Valley, and High Valley Transit's free buses connect Kimball Junction and Canyons Village to the rest of town.

A car starts to earn its keep if you're staying outside the bus network, skiing the Cottonwood Canyons several days, or traveling with a lot of gear and small kids. Otherwise it mostly costs you parking fees.

Getting around Park City without a car

Two free bus systems cover the town. You don't need a ticket or a pass for either.

Park City Transit is the city's own system and has been fare-free since 1975. In the 2025-26 winter season its main routes served Park City Mountain and Deer Valley every 15 to 30 minutes. The winter schedule usually starts in early December and runs to mid-April. For 2026-27, the city is moving away from strict clock-face frequencies and setting run times by time of day and traffic, so check the published timetable rather than assuming a bus every 15 or 30 minutes. Route names for 2026-27 weren't published when we checked.

High Valley Transit runs Summit County's free buses, including the routes into town from Kimball Junction:

• 10X The High Line: an express from Kimball Junction to Canyons Village and Old Town Transit Center. Every 20 minutes until 8 p.m., from 5:52 a.m. to just after midnight.
• 101 Spiro / 224 Local: Jeremy Ranch, Kimball Junction, Canyons Village, Park City Mountain and Old Town Transit Center. Every 20 minutes, daily from 5:27 a.m. to 11:58 p.m.
• 106 Wasatch Back Connector: between the Heber Valley and Park City, every 45 minutes since December 2025, ending at Deer Valley's Snow Park Lodge and stopping at Deer Valley East.

Deer Valley says all three of its day lodges are on Park City's free transit system.

Where you stay decides it

The farther you stay from a bus line, and the more you plan to eat out in different parts of town, the more a car helps. For a ski-in, ski-out stay or a condo near a stop, it usually sits in the lot.

What parking costs at the resorts (2026-27)

Parking is where a rental car adds up.

• Canyons Village: $29 a day in the new garage, with reservations required. Free for carpools of 4 or more and after 12 p.m. A free first-come surface lot sits next to the garage. The garage is expected to open in early December, with temporary surface lots until then.
• Park City Mountain, Mountain Village: paid reservations at all surface lots, carpools free, same system as last season. We couldn't confirm the 2026-27 price. In 2025-26, Ski Utah listed $29 a day for surface lots and $50 for the garage.
• Deer Valley: in 2025-26, parking was free at Snow Park, East Village and Jordanelle, with priority for carpools of 3 or more in one Snow Park lot. No 2026-27 parking announcement had been made when we checked. Reporting from 2024 said Snow Park would drop to about 400 spaces during the village rebuild, so expect it to fill early.

Your lodging may charge for parking too, so ask when you book.

When a car does make sense

Skiing the Cottonwood Canyons from Park City. Snowbird, Alta, Solitude and Brighton are on the other side of the mountains. Guardsman Pass, the summer shortcut, closes every winter, so the drive goes back down I-80, across the valley and up the canyon. Those canyons have Utah's strictest traction rules and paid parking reservations on busy days. For a day or two, a booked ride can be simpler. Our guide to day trips from Park City to the Cottonwood Canyons compares the options.

Staying in Heber City or Midway. Midway is 51 miles from the airport, per the city, and the 106 bus to Park City runs every 45 minutes.

A family with small kids and full gear. Buses work, but moving skis, boots and children through bus stops every morning is real effort. You can rent a car for that, or book rides for the airport legs and use the bus in between.

Exploring beyond the resorts. Day trips to other resorts, Salt Lake City or the Heber Valley are easier with your own car.

If you do rent, read whether you need 4WD for a Utah ski trip. UDOT can activate the traction law on I-80 in Parleys Canyon and on Marsac Avenue in Park City.

Getting from the airport without a rental

Skipping the car means picking another way from SLC to Park City. The options, from most to least hands-on:

Our guide to the bus from SLC airport to Park City has the full timetable, and the Uber and Lyft guide covers rideshare in winter.

For the full comparison of every way into town, see the SLC airport to Park City route guide. If you're staying at the Canyons end of town, the Canyons Village route guide covers the new Skyway gondola and garage.