H Line (RTD)

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H Line
H Line train at 16th & Stout station
Overview
Other name	Aurora Line
Status	Suspended
Owner	Regional Transportation District
Locale	Denver metropolitan area
Termini	18th & California/18th & Stout Florida
Stations	16
Service
Type	Light rail
System	RTD Rail
Operator	Regional Transportation District
Ridership	2,232,000 (FY2023, annual)
History
Opened	November 17, 2006
Technical
Track gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Electrification	Overhead line, 750 V DC
Route map H Line highlighted in blue Show interactive map Legend to 30th & Downing 18th & Stout | California 16th & Stout | California Theatre District–Convention Center Colfax at Auraria 10th & Osage US 6 6th Avenue Freeway Alameda I-25 I-25 & Broadway Louisiana–Pearl University of Denver Colorado Yale Southmoor I-25 Dayton Nine Mile I-225 Iliff Florida This diagram: view talk edit Show route diagram

The H Line is a Regional Transportation District (RTD) light rail line that serves stations in Denver and Aurora, Colorado. The line began service on November 17, 2006, with the completion of the Aurora Line as a part of the T-REX Project. When it opened, it was the first RTD rail service to Aurora, and remained the only such service until 2017. It is colored blue on system maps.

It is one of three routes that are part of the RTD's service plan for the corridor, alongside the E and R Lines. The H Line is currently suspended due to RTD's Downtown Rail Reconstruction Project. The line will resume operations following the conclusion of the project in 2027.

Route

The H Line's route forms a "V" shape between downtown Denver and central Aurora, with its apex at the interchange between Interstate 25 and Interstate 225 in southeast Denver. The line begins in the downtown loop, proceeding out of downtown towards the Auraria campus. It joins the C and E Lines north of 10th & Osage station, and travels with them to I-25 & Broadway. The E and H Lines diverge from the C Line onto a flyover and parallel I-25 southeast to Southmoor station. At the interchange between I-25 and I-225, it diverges from the E Line and joins the R Line, now heading northeast. The two lines travel together to Florida station in Aurora, where the H Line terminates.

All stations along the H Line are shared with at least one other RTD rail line. The line's routing is indirect and many bus routes offer comparable or quicker travel times between downtown Denver and Aurora. However, the line is useful for passengers originating in south Denver or transferring to it from other lines for service to the downtown loop.

History

When the H Line began operations in 2006, it operated from the downtown loop alongside the D Line to I-25 & Broadway and the F Line to Southmoor. It then joined with the G Line to its original terminus at Nine Mile station. The G Line was eliminated in 2009, leaving the H Line as the only service operating to Nine Mile until 2017. Service was extended northeast to Florida station in 2017 to coincide with the opening of the R Line, which utilized the G Line's former routing from Nine Mile to Lincoln station.

The F Line was suspended in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and never returned to service. It was eliminated in RTD's January 2023 service change. The D Line was eliminated in RTD's June 2026 service change, which also restored the C Line. As a result of these service changes, the H Line is the only service operating from the downtown loop to points south of Denver.

As of September 2026, the H Line is suspended due to the Downtown Rail Reconstruction Project. Capacity along the line is being replaced by increased frequency on the R Line as well as a temporary "T Line" from I-25 & Broadway to Lincoln. When construction is complete, the H Line will be restored and the L Line will be extended to I-25 & Broadway station. This will replace capacity between that station and the downtown loop lost from the elimination of the D Line.

Stations

Station	Municipality	Opened	Major connections & notes
18th & California (northbound) 18th & Stout (southbound)	Denver	October 8, 1994	Flatiron Flyer
16th & California (northbound) 16th & Stout (southbound)			MallRide
14th & California (northbound) 14th & Stout (southbound)		October 8, 1994	Closed November 27, 2004
Theatre District–Convention Center		November 28, 2004
Colfax at Auraria		October 8, 1994
10th & Osage
Alameda			Park and ride: 240 spaces
I-25 & Broadway			Park and ride: 988 spaces
Louisiana–Pearl		November 17, 2006
University of Denver			Park and ride: 540 spaces
Colorado			Park and ride: 363 spaces
Yale			Park and ride: 129 spaces
Southmoor			Park and ride: 788 spaces
Dayton	Aurora		Park and ride: 250 spaces
Nine Mile			Park and ride: 1,225 spaces
Iliff		February 24, 2017	Park and ride: 600 spaces
Florida

FasTracks

The 2004 voter-approved FasTracks initiative extended the H Line approximately 3.5 mi (5.63 km) to the north along Interstate 225 with stops at Iliff Avenue and Florida Avenue. Work began in 2012, and the two station extension was combined with I-225 corridor light-rail line in 2013. Construction was long expected to be completed in 2016, however opening was delayed until February 24, 2017.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to H Line (RTD).

• RTD H Line Schedule Archived 2017-08-12 at the Wayback Machine