To Get Around Lake Tahoe This Winter, Use “Anything But One Person Per Car”

As the winter season approaches, Lake Tahoe communities are encouraging everyone to plan ahead and do their part to help reduce traffic congestion throughout the region. Two-lane mountain roads are the norm in the Lake Tahoe area, and to ease congestion that often occurs during and after storm systems, on weekends and holidays, significant investments have been made in free-to-the-rider shared transportation options to reduce traffic impacts. From microtransit services to Park and Ride programs, fixed-route bus services, employee vanpools, and ski area carpool incentives, all of these options are aimed at reducing the number of people traveling one person per car wherever they want to go in the region.

“One of the goals of the Lake Tahoe Destination Stewardship Plan partners is to help change the culture and behaviors around the use of shared transportation,” said Nettie Pardue, managing director of the Destination Stewardship Council. “There has been both significant investment in and increased use of free-to-the-rider options, and it’s up to all of us – residents and visitors – to plan ahead and continue making use of them. After all, if you’re in traffic, you’re part of the traffic.”

The reinvestment of tourism-generated and other regional funding has contributed to the expansion of the variety of shared transportation options available in North Lake Tahoe, Truckee, and South Lake Tahoe. Whether transportation to fixed-route bus services are needed, or a ride to recreation experiences or downtown areas to shop or dine, here are the best ways to leave personal vehicles behind and get around via anything but one person per car this winter:

North Lake Tahoe to Palisades Tahoe

• Park and Ride: Free shuttle service on weekends through April 12, 2026, park at the Tahoe City Transit Center and take a free shuttle to and from Palisades Tahoe.
• TART Connect: Daily on-demand winter service operates throughout the California side of North Lake Tahoe (from Stateline to the West Shore, plus to/from Olympic Valley after 6 p.m.), providing curb-to-curb service for any trip within the defined service area – perfect for short trips or connecting to TART bus stops.
• TART Fixed-Route: TART’s hourly Highway 89 route runs along the west shore of Lake Tahoe from Tahoe City to Truckee with additional stops in Olympic Valley. Early morning runs are extended, beginning at Crystal Bay.
• Mountaineer: Free, on-demand winter transportation is offered daily in Olympic Valley and Thursday through Monday in Alpine Meadows (plus Tuesday and Wednesday Dec. 24-25, Dec. 30-31, 2025 and Feb. 17-18, 2026), and daily between the two valleys.

North Lake Tahoe to Northstar

• TART Connect: Daily on-demand winter service operates throughout the California side of North Lake Tahoe (from Stateline to the West Shore, plus to/from Northstar after 6 p.m.), providing curb-to-curb service for any trip within the defined service area – perfect for short trips or connecting to TART bus stops.
• TART Fixed-Route: The hourly Highway 267 Route travels between Crystal Bay and Truckee with additional stops near the Village at Northstar and the Truckee Airport.

Truckee to Palisades Tahoe

• Park and Ride: Free shuttle service on weekends through April 12, 2026, park at the Truckee High School fields/TTUSD parking lot and take a free shuttle to and from Palisades Tahoe.

Truckee to Northstar

• Park and Ride: Free shuttles on weekends through April 12, 2026 are offered to and from Northstar from the Lift Workspace parking lot in Truckee.
• TART Connect: In Truckee, daily winter service is offered, and provides curb-to-curb, on-demand service for any trip within the defined service areas. It’s perfect for short trips or connecting to TART bus stops.
• TART Fixed-Route: The hourly Highway 267 Route travels between Crystal Bay and Truckee with additional stops near the Village at Northstar and the Truckee Airport.

Truckee to Sugar Bowl/Donner Summit

• Park and Ride: Free daily service is offered between Truckee and Donner Summit through April 12, 2026 when Old 40 is open.

Incline Village to Diamond Peak

• Free Ski Shuttle: Diamond Peak’s free ski shuttle offers convenient access to the resort from a number of locations throughout Incline Village. Morning and mid-day pick-ups are available on weekends and peak periods. 
• TART Fixed-Route: The hourly TART Mainline Route travels the western shore of Lake Tahoe from Tahoma to the north shore at Incline Village. This route ​​connects to the Diamond Peak free ski shuttle route at the Hyatt. 

South Lake Tahoe to Heavenly

Heavenly Resort Shuttles: Complimentary resort shuttles offer three routes to make getting to the resort’s base areas convenient and stress-free. The California Route connects the California Main Lodge and Heavenly Village. The Kingsbury Route runs from Stateline Transit Center to Boulder and Stagecoach Lodges, and the Lodging Route links major South Lake Tahoe properties with the resor

Lake Link: Free, on-demand transportation is offered daily in South Lake Tahoe, providing curb-to-curb service for any trip within the defined service area – perfect for short trips or connecting to fixed-route bus stops.

Public Transportation: Offered by the Tahoe Transportation District, fixed-route bus service offered on the South and East shores of Lake Tahoe includes 

• 30-minute service is available along Hwy 50

• Hourly fixed route services along Hwy 50 and into some neighborhoods

• Regional commuter service between South Lake Tahoe and Minden/Gardnerville and Carson City via SR-207 

Ground transportation service is also offered from the Reno Tahoe International Airport to South Lake Tahoe via South Tahoe Airporter, and to the North Lake Tahoe and Truckee regions via the North Lake Tahoe Express.

“No one likes sitting in traffic, but every one of us has options when it comes to being part of the solution,” continued Pardue. “If you haven’t yet tried park and ride, TART Connect or Lake Link, or a good ol’ fashioned carpool, now is the time.”