Amtrak’s Popular ‘Ski Train’ Is Back This Winter With More Routes — What to Know

Amtrak’s popular Colorado ski train is returning for another season and this time the rail company is starting earlier and running on more days to accommodate increased demand.

This ski season, the Amtrak Winter Park Express will kick off its seasonal service on Dec. 20 and run from Denver’s Union Station to both the Winter Park Resort and nearby Fraser, Colorado, according to Amtrak. The train will offer 69 round trips, which is 29 more than last season.

“We look forward to a bigger season than ever, with more than twice as many trips and an additional destination,” Dennis Newman, Amtrak’s executive vice president, said in a statement obtained by Travel + Leisure. “With the State of Colorado expanding its partnership with the resort and Amtrak, the future of passenger rail on this corridor is bright.”

To start, the train will run from Dec. 20 to Dec. 22, from Dec. 27 to Dec. 29, and from Jan. 3 to Jan. 5, 2025. Then on Jan. 9, service will expand to five days per week (Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays) through March 31.

The train, which features a bi-level Sightseer Lounge for looking out at the incredible mountain views, will depart Denver at 7 a.m. each day and arrive at the mountain resort at 9:11 a.m. and in Fraser at 9:41 a.m. The train will then depart Fraser at 4:05 p.m. and depart the Winter Park Resort at 4:35 p.m., arriving back in Denver at 7:05 p.m.

Tickets for the train, which include carrying on skis and snowboards, start at just $19 (or $9.50 for kids) and are available to book online at amtrak.com.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis called the train a “great opportunity for Coloradans and visitors to explore our mountains without the hassle of driving or traffic” and said the expanded service will “save time and money on our way to enjoying our great outdoors.”

For its part, Winter Park features more than 3,000 acres of skiing and more than 170 trails, offering something for everyone. The mountain, which is on the Ikon Pass, also boasts more than 340 inches of snow each year thanks to its base elevation of 9,000 feet and more than 3,000 feet vertical.