Take the Train to Ski in Colorado for Less than $20 This Winter

When the Winter Park Express returned in January of the 2016–17 season, there was a lot to be excited about. The train trip departing from Denver’s Union Station promised to bypass I-70’s notorious ski traffic, replacing it with a scenic, two-hour ride up into the mountains that culminated in a 6.2-mile ride through circa-1927 Moffat Tunnel before the train chugged into Winter Park’s station.

And then skiers found out the price—from $80 for a round-trip fare, and sometimes as pricey as $140—which made riding the train little more than a novelty for most. It also only operated on the weekends, making logistics tricky.

Since then, the Amtrak-operated Winter Park Express has stuck to a similar pricing scheme and a limited schedule, adding in some holiday Mondays and offering a wider range of fares to suit different budgets. All in all, it’s been a success, and has demonstrated an unwavering interest in routes to the slopes that don’t involve sitting in standstill traffic.

Case in point, a couple months ago the Colorado Department of Transportation unveiled a plan to utilize Colorado’s existing rail lines and extend service beyond Winter Park to Steamboat and further north. Championed by Colorado Governor Jared Polis and state lawmakers, the proposal intends to utilize train tracks already in place to create passenger rail service from Winter Park to Steamboat and as far north as Craig. But those plans are still years away.

In the meantime, Amtrak just announced significant upgrades to the ski train experience, debuting in time for this season. This includes lower train fares, an expanded schedule, more passenger capacity, and an earlier start to the season.

The Winter Park Express will begin service on December 20—three weeks earlier than in past years. There will be two holiday weekends on the schedule: December 20 to 22 and December 27 to 29. Fares will start at $19 each way, and increase based on demand, and fares for kids ages 2 through 12 are only half the cost of adult tickets.

For the bulk of the ski season, Jan. 9 through March 31, trains will run Thursdays through Mondays, departing  at 7 A.M. and arriving at Winter Park at 9 A.M. The return trip leaves at 4:30 P.M. and arrives back at 6:40 P.M. at downtown Denver’s Union Station. Also new this season, all trains will carry two additional passenger cars, increasing capacity from 270 to 400 seats per train.

During a press conference at Union Station earlier this week announcing the upgraded ski-season service, Governor Polis said that he hopes to eventually offer year-round train service. Until then, ski train tickets are on sale now.