Denver’s Ski Train Returns With Tickets Starting at $9

Tired of sitting in traffic? 

Denver’s ski train is back with tickets now on sale and four-day-a-week service starting after the New Year. The Amtrak train, dubbed the Winter Park Express, departs from Denver’s Union Station and delivers skiers, snowboarders, and other travelers to Winter Park Ski Resort, with an additional stop in Fraser, Colorado.

The Winter Park Express’ first seasonal service begins during the final weekends of December, accepting passengers between the 19th and the 21st alongside the 26th and the 28th. It’ll also run between January 2nd and 4th. 

Starting January 8th, the Winter Park Express begins operating on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays until March 29, 2026. The train departs Union Station at 7:00 a.m. and heads back to the city from Winter Park at 4:35 p.m. Tickets start at $9. Bringing your skis or snowboard along comes with no additional charge.

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According to an Amtrak press release, the Winter Park Express is the first leg of a state-proposed route that would eventually run from Denver to Craig. The release added that passenger rail along the Front Range is a state priority. 

The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) partnered with the Winter Park Express for the first time last winter in an effort to expand service and lower the cost of tickets. The release said that the partnership contributed to an increase in ridership by more than 150%. 

“In Colorado we are focused on providing convenient, safe, and affordable transportation that saves people money, gets us where we need to go, reduces traffic, and protects our clean air,” said Governor Jared Polis, in a statement.

“I look forward to riding the train this year and encourage all Coloradans to skip the bumper-to-bumper traffic and ride the Winter Park Express this season,” he added.

The Winter Park Express dates back to 1940. After being shut down in 2009, the route was revived in 2015 for a special one-day service that sold out, prompting the addition of another trip. It officially hit the tracks again in 2017.