Colorado’s Ski Train Celebrates 10th Season, Tickets Just $9

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The price of lift tickets may be creeping higher each season, but in Colorado, at least this year, there’s at least one ski-related cost that’s staying the same.

Adult tickets for the Winter Park Express, an Amtrak train line that connects Denver to Winter Park Resort, are now available starting at $9 for adults, the same price as last season, thanks to sponsorship from the Colorado Department of Transportation. And, yes, you can bring your ski gear as a carry-on for no additional charge.

The four-day weekly route kicks off on December 10 and continues until April 4 for a total of 68 round trips. You can find more information here.

Amtrak, in a news release, also touted the “bi-level Sightseer Lounge,” which offers “panoramic views of the Rocky Mountains from upstairs and café service downstairs with snacks and drinks for purchase.”

It’s a decidedly European way to hit the slopes and a notable outlier compared to the vehicle most Americans use on their way to the mountain: cars.

For Denver residents, the alternative has a notable advantage over its competitor. Getting to Winter Park by train involves sidestepping I-70, the freeway known for getting clogged with traffic when the powder piles up.

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.

The continued operation of the Winter Park Express adds to the growing momentum for passenger railways in Colorado that could, in the future, help connect skiers to more ski resorts by train.

Voters recently approved a sales tax hike for the restoration of service along the Interstate 25 corridor and, as part of the broader Mountain Rail Initiative, Steamboat Springs is considering prospective locations for a station so the town is ready if passenger rail service moves forward.

Elsewhere across the U.S., there are a few other options to ride trains and go skiing. To name a few: Whitefish, Montana, has an Amtrak stop that connects to Spokane and Seattle, Washington. From San Francisco, California, you can get to Truckee by train.

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Related: Non-Profit Oregon Ski Area Secures Funding for New Chairlift

This story was originally published by POWDER on Nov 11, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add POWDER as a Preferred Source by clicking here.