Winter in Lake Tahoe means ski trips, storm cycles, and, if we’re not careful, gridlocked two-lane mountain roads. To ease the seasonal traffic crunch, Tahoe communities are asking residents and visitors to plan ahead and take advantage of the region’s expanding network of free and low-cost shared transportation options.
From microtransit and park-and-ride shuttles to fixed-route buses and ski resort shuttles, millions of dollars have gone into reducing the number of cars carrying just one person.
Here are travel options around Tahoe that allow you to ditch the traffic:
North Lake Tahoe & Truckee
- Park & Ride shuttles run weekends through April 12, 2026, offering free rides to Palisades Tahoe and Northstar from Tahoe City, Truckee High School, and the Lift Workspace lot.
- TART Connect provides daily, on-demand curb-to-curb service — ideal for short trips or linking to bus routes.
- TART fixed routes run hourly along Highways 89 and 267.
- Mountaineer offers free, on-demand rides in Olympic Valley and Alpine Meadows.
Incline Village
- Diamond Peak operates a free ski shuttle throughout Incline Village, connecting to TART’s Mainline Route.
South Lake Tahoe
- Heavenly offers multiple free resort shuttles.
- Lake Link provides on-demand service daily.
- TTD fixed-route buses offer 30-minute service along Hwy 50 plus commuter routes to Carson Valley communities.
With storm season approaching, Tahoe officials hope drivers will try shared transit before reaching for the car keys.
