For years, two ways to reach the base of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort have cost nothing. One is a car with enough people in it to park free in the Ranch Lot. The other is the START bus from the Stilson Transit Center at Highways 22 and 390. Going into the 2026–27 season, the carpool is getting a better deal. A free bus ride may soon cost $2.
Opening day is Nov. 27, 2026. Between now and then, the Teton Village Association, START, the Town of Jackson and Teton County are each changing part of the trip to the tram. Taken together, the changes favor one way of getting there, a car with four or more people in it.
The full car gets its own section of the Ranch Lot
The Teton Village Association runs parking in the Village's commercial core. This season it will rope off a priority area in the Ranch Lot for vehicles with four or more occupants. "We're trying to further incentivize carpooling," Matt Larson, the association's director of resort transportation, told the Jackson Hole News&Guide in late September.
The Ranch Lot is the farthest skier lot in the Village and the only one where carpools park free. It has about 800 spaces. The size of the carpool zone isn't set yet, and Larson said it could change with snowfall and crowding.
Check-in works much the same as before. Last season, carpoolers stopped at an attendant, had their occupants counted and got a card for a discount or free parking. This season, attendants will send qualifying cars straight to the priority area, so they hand out fewer cards. "It takes time for a tenant to count vehicle occupants and distribute cards," Larson said.
The number of people in the car still sets the price. As reported by the News&Guide on Sept. 28, 2026, Ranch Lot rates for this season are:
| Vehicle occupants | Weekends and holidays | Non-peak days |
|---|---|---|
| One or two | $25 | $18 |
| Three | $10 | $5 |
| Four or more | Free, with access to the priority zone | Free, with access to the priority zone |
The association raised the free-parking minimum from three people to four before the 2023–24 season, and it is keeping that rule. Last year Teton County officials said the higher minimum was discouraging carpooling. In February the county decided not to make the association change it. Association officials have called four occupants an industry standard. They also want to see how the county's Stilson transit center changes skier behavior before they revisit the rule.
Season parking is also on sale. 2026–27 Park N Pass sales opened Sept. 22 through the Teton Village Association. You need a license plate number and a credit card to buy one.
The Stilson bus may start charging a fare
The Stilson lot works because parking there is free and the bus to the Village has been free too. The Teton Village district's transportation page, updated Sept. 15, still calls the ride from the transit center to the Village "complementary."
That may change in November. START lost about $1.5 million in federal funding. A public notice from the Town of Jackson, dated Sept. 10, lists a revised proposed fare structure that adds a $2 one-way fare from Stilson to the Village for the first time. Here is what is current and what is proposed:
| Route | Current one-way fare | Proposed one-way | Proposed day pass |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stilson to Teton Village | Free | $2 | $4 |
| Town of Jackson to Teton Village | $3 | $4 | $8 |
| Town Shuttle and On-Demand | Free | $2 | $4 |
| Star Valley and Teton Valley commuter routes | Not stated in notice | $10 | $20 |
The same notice proposes a $150 season pass, a $499 six-month universal pass and an $899 annual universal pass. Riders 60 and older and 12 and younger would pay half price. Children 8 and under would ride free with an adult, and Teton County, Wyoming students would ride free within the county.
None of these fares is final yet. The START Board held a special public hearing on Oct. 1. As of Oct. 3, no outcome had been reported. Buckrail reported that if the board approves the fares, they would take effect in November for the winter season. START will post the final schedule.
If the Stilson fare passes, a free ride to the tram will require a full car. A three-person car in the Ranch Lot pays $5 on a non-peak day. Three people taking the Stilson bus would pay $6 for one-way rides and $12 for day passes.
Fewer buses at midday and after dark
The service cuts are already decided. At a Sept. 14 joint meeting, Jackson Town Council members and Teton County commissioners approved $633,638 in START service reductions for fiscal year 2027. The meeting notes list these cuts, among others:
- Reduced late-night Teton Village service after 8 p.m.
- Full Express service from 6 to 10 a.m. and from 2 to 6 p.m., with one bus between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. and one bus after 6 p.m.
- Reduced late-night Town Shuttle service after 8 p.m., and weekend Town Shuttle service after 10 p.m.
- The van fleet cut from 10 to five, and the On-Demand Library stop discontinued
START director Mike Toronto called the changes "very palatable." He said they target the times of day when the fewest riders will be affected. Jackson Mayor Arne Jorgensen cast the only vote against the cuts. "I am concerned about the level of reduction of service, and who it's impacting," he said.
For a ski day, the morning and afternoon peaks keep full Express service. The cuts fall on a late-morning start, or on dinner in the Village followed by a bus back to town after 8 p.m. A driver with three passengers has none of these schedule limits.
The shuttles START's changes don't cover
Two other shuttles run to the Village, and neither is part of the START fare proposal. The Winter Condominium Shuttle is run by Mountain Resort Services and paid for by the Teton Village Association and condominium owners. It runs often from 7:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily in winter, between the Michael Drive and Rachel Way neighborhood and the base of the tram.
The Teton Village Association also runs its own shuttle to the Village. It is branded for employees, but anyone can ride it. The shuttle has been a point of disagreement between the association and the county, and the proposed Stilson fare has made it more of one. Association executive director Meghan Quinn raised the issue at an association board meeting the week before the News&Guide's Sept. 28 report:
"I'm definitely nervous that people are going to just try constantly get on that."
Village homeowners should know the parking rules that apply to them. Residential owners and their guests must park at their own house or condo. The Ranch, base, upper and mid lots are for hotel guests and day visitors, not overflow from homes. No one may park overnight on any road in Teton Village, residential or commercial. Street parking for a party needs a one-day permit, approved at least five days in advance.
The $150,000 still unfunded
The cuts and fares cover only part of START's gap. Fare increases are expected to bring in about $117,000. The town and county moved $750,000 from FY27 budgets to START. The county pays 48% and the town 32%. The remaining 20%, or $150,000, is supposed to come from "partners" and has not been committed. County commissioner Mark Newcomb named those partners in August. "TVA and the Mountain Resort need to help cover this gap," he said.
As of the News&Guide's Sept. 30 report, neither had pledged a specific amount. Jackson Hole Mountain Resort CEO Doug Pierini said, "We're still willing to help out," and added that the resort needs help from the rest of the business community. The Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce plans to survey business leaders about their employees and whether they subsidize bus passes. Quinn and the chamber's Rick Howe then plan to meet with town businesses and ask them to buy passes for employees. "It's a way just to get more employees and people onto the busses," Quinn said.
Bus service this winter may not stop at the Sept. 14 package. Jorgensen said, "If the partners do not come forward, then I am willing to have some very difficult ... discussions about cutting service."
Key dates before the first chair
- Oct. 4: Last day of Aerial Tram sightseeing. The Tram Dock, General Store and Corbet's Cabin also close for the season that day.
- Oct. 5–11: Bridger Gondola sightseeing, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Oct. 10: JHMR season pass prices go up. Through the online store, the Peak pass is $4,195 and the Grand is $2,950. The resort's store is new this year, so every buyer has to create a new account.
- November: START's new fares take effect, if the board approves them.
- Nov. 27: Opening day. JHMR season pass holders don't need reservations. Ikon and Mountain Collective pass holders must reserve specific ski dates.
- Dec. 4–13: Local's Week in Teton Village, with discounts on food and lift tickets plus free community events. Casper Restaurant opens in December 2026.
- Dec. 5: The Village Block Party at Hotel Terra. It is free and open to the public, with local vendors, live music, food and drinks for purchase, and free babysitting.
If you own in Teton Village and expect guests this winter, the parking rules and shuttle routes affect every visit. Matthew Belford and Coldwell Banker Mountain Properties can help you plan how guests get from the door to the tram before the first storm. Let's Connect.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
