The Winter Park ski train will run more often and cost less to ride this season.
The ski train, revived by Amtrak in 2017 as the Winter Park Express, has proven popular in recent years. It’s also been expensive to ride — up to $139 for a round trip between Union Station in Denver and the resort.
But on Monday, state officials announced price cuts of more than 40 percent and service improvements to the line.
“Who wants to drive Berthoud Pass on a day like today or many days in winter?” Gov. Jared Polis said at a chilly press conference at Union Station. “Not to mention the hours of delays for driving and the perils of driving on winter roads. So why not enjoy a nice, warm, convenient train ride?”
Here are the details:
- Prices. One-way tickets will run from $19 to $39, with lower prices on lower-demand days. Kids between the ages of 2 and 12 will be half off — starting at $9.50
- Frequency. Trains will now roll earlier in the season — weekend service starts Dec. 20. They will run more often during the week, too, with service offered on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays from Jan. 9, 2025, to March 31, 2025
- One more stop. Trains will also stop at Fraser, about five miles west of Winter Park, so non-ski passengers can more easily use the service
- Bigger trains. Each train set will have two more cars on it this year, increasing capacity from about 270 passengers last season to 400 on each trip this season
The Winter Park Express expansion will be paid for by fees on rental cars the legislature created earlier this year. State transportation officials worked quickly to put those dollars into use, said Colorado Department of Transportation Executive Director Shoshana Lew.
“This is a very rapid turnaround,” she told reporters.
Revenue from those fees will also be used to attract larger federal grants and will help fund much larger rail projects, said outgoing state Senate President Steve Fenberg, D-Boulder. Transportation officials are advancing rail plans along the Front Range and from Denver to the Yampa Valley that will likely take years to plan, fund and build.
But for now, Fenberg said, he’s happy to celebrate the short-term improvements to the Winter Park line.
‘We took a look at existing tracks and existing service routes and explored how we could make small adjustments to increase frequency, bring down costs, and expand ridership,” Fenberg said. “The opportunity to bring these ideas directly to the Winter Park Express was unbeatable.”
