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We love train travel and including it in our trips whenever possible. Who knew that we would get to ride the Amtrak Winter Park Express, aka the Ski Train, for our family ski trip? As we were planning our visit, I was browsing Instagram and saw a post from Amtrak that was just too fortuitous to pass up. The Ski Train does from downtown Denver right to the Winter Park Resort, eliminating the need for a rental car or driving in the ice and snow. Sold!
The Amtrak Winter Park Express is a fun, scenic and convenient way to journey from Denver to Winter Park, Colorado, especially popular among Denver skiers. For the 2025 season, the service has expanded its schedule and reduced fares, making it more accessible to a broader audience. Hopefully it’ll continue this way for the 2025/2026 ski season (we’ll keep this updated). If you have any questions about riding the Winter Park Express Ski Train or planning a trip to the Winter Park Resort in general, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more!
Winter Park Express Ski Train Schedule
The Winter Park Express started its 2025 season with runs on the weekends starting in December of 2024, and then into January 2025. They were successful!!! Starting January 9, 2025, the service expanded to operate five days a week, from Thursday through Monday, continuing through March 31, 2025. This increase in frequency from previous years is great both for locals and visitors because there’s a lot more flexibility depending on how long you want to be up on the mountain skiing. For us, we did 4 days/3 nights and it lined up perfectly with the Ski Train.
The Winter Park Express Ski Train departs Denver Union Station at 7:00 a.m., arriving at Winter Park Resort at 9:11 a.m. If you’re only skiing or if you’re staying at the Winter Park Resort, this is your stop. If you’ve got accommodations in the town of Fraser not too far away, you stay on for another few minutes. The return journey leaves the Fraser-Winter Park station at 4:05 p.m., stops at Winter Park Resort at 4:35 p.m., and arrives back in Denver at 7:05 p.m. It was spot-on for timeliness for us.
Is the Winter Park Express the same as the California Zephyr?
When you’re booking your train passage, the California Zephyr Amtrak route follows the same path, so depending on how your dates line up, you may have the option to book that route. The difference in the routes is not the tracks they follow, but the dedicated purpose of the train. The California Zephyr travels between Chicago and the San Francisco Bay Area. Because it’s not just running from Denver to Winter Park, it’s subject to delays, sometimes up to eight hours. The Winter Park Express Ski Train starts at Denver’s Union Station and only goes from here to Winter Park, thus being VERY on time.
At the end of the day, you can book passage on the California Zephyr route to Winter Park if the Ski Train isn’t going on the day you need, but if you can book the Winter Park Express, you’ll have a solid, consistent experience.
Winter Park Express 2025 Pricing
Keeping the Ski Train service more affordable, one-way fares for the 2025 season start at $19 for adults, with children’s tickets (ages 2–12) available at half price, starting at $9.50. Prices may vary depending on demand and booking time, so early reservations are recommended to secure the best rates. With rates being flexible as the train books up, we traveled on the Winter Park Express Ski Train on a Thursday through Sunday and our total for a family of four was $173 ($68 DEN -> WPR; $105 WPR -> DEN).
Need to Know for Riding the Winter Park Express Ski Train
I will say, riding the Winter Park Express Ski Train was the most informal train travel experience I’ve ever had in any country. It is literally full of people already wearing their ski clothes and bringing backpacks and ski gear, freely roaming and lounging about the different cars. It’s so chill. You can choose which train car you ride in, and if you’re lucky you’ll be able to score a table in the lounge car with the glass dome. But it’s all very friendly, so if you need to introduce yourself to other passengers to sit where you want, do it! Make a friend!
The Ski Train leaves Denver’s Union Station PROMPTLY at 7:00 am. If you’re bringing luggage on the Winter Park Express, you’re responsible for it. You cannot check bags or have luggage assistance for the ski train, so be out on the platform and loading yourself onto the train by 6:45 am AT THE LATEST. The conductors will guide you to a train car with enough space for your gear or luggage, but you need to be able to manage it yourself for the most part.
NOTE: you’ll see a “baggage check” window and such in the train station AND there is the California Zephyr that also goes to Winter Park, so if you ask anyone for information or assistance, remember that you’re riding the Winter Park Express Ski Train and not the full service Zephyr route.
Once you’re loaded onto the train, relax and enjoy the ride. The staff on the ski train is really fun. I think they love working a route that’s all about adventure and skiing. From the snack bar lady (who was the funniest train employee ever) to the conductor checking tickets, they’re all a part of the fun and make the trip a good time.
Scenic Highlights Along the Route
The journey from Denver to Winter Park is about 67 miles and passengers get some pretty cool views of Colorado’s diverse landscapes. Shortly after departing Denver, the train begins its ascent into the Rocky Mountains, providing panoramic vistas of the Denver area before making its way into the forests and winding streams. I really enjoyed the transition from flat, dry Denver up into the snowy, icy mountains. It’s quite the build up as you approach the ski area.
One of the most notable features of the route is the passage through the historic Moffat Tunnel. Completed in 1928, this 6.2-mile tunnel cuts directly through the Continental Divide, significantly reducing travel time and offering a unique experience as passengers traverse beneath the mountain range. Yes, my ears popped in the tunnel because I’m sensitive like that. Right when the tunnel portion is done, BOOM! You’re at the Winter Park Resort. And that’s why they call it the Ski Train.
As the Winter Park Express climbs up from Denver, keep your eyes peeled for wildlife. We saw a huge herd of elk on the plateau just before getting to the Big Ten Curve (a big bend in the railroad tracks) and we saw several eagles. While this isn’t as epic as the Rocky Mountaineer train journey from Vancouver BC to Banff, it’s a nice abridged version that train lovers will enjoy.
Are there other Ski Train Routes?
Unfortunately there aren’t other ski areas serviced by the Ski Train or other train service. You’d think that skiing in Vail, Breckenridge or Estes Park would be popular enough to warrant ski train service, but nope. Between there not being the right train routes or the proper level of demand, ski train service is limited to the Winter Park Express, which is perfect for family skiing anyways.
More Scenic Train Routes You’ll Love
While the Winter Park Express is a seasonal service specifically catering to skiers and winter travelers like us, Amtrak’s California Zephyr that I mentioned does the full route, not just between Denver and Fraser-Winter Park, but the California Zephyr is a long-distance train running from Chicago to Oakland, California (the Bay Area). The Rocky Mountaineer’s Red Rocks route covers a part of this too.
Another beautiful train route we’ve enjoyed that’s similar to the Winter Park Express, but is longer, is the Empire Builder Amtrak from Seattle to Glacier National Park. Going from Seattle’s King Street Station or Portland’s Union Station (the two lines meet to form the Empire Builder) this route crosses the Cascade Mountains, the plateau and heads up into the Rockies. It’s a great 1 day trip.
While it’s not in the mainland USA, another bucket list train trip for train lovers is riding the Alaska Railroad. Whether you’re doing the route from Fairbanks to Anchorage on the Aurora Train or if you’re a cruise ship passenger heading up to Denali National Park, the Alaska Railroad covers some of the most beautiful landscapes in America. I love this train!
The Amtrak Winter Park Express Ski Train really does provide a unique and memorable travel experience, combining the convenience of not having to drive yourself with the stunning beauty of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. With its expanded schedule and affordable fares, it offers an fun and easy option for anyone heading to the Winter Park Resort for a ski adventure.
If you have any questions about the Ski Train or planning a trip to the Winter Park Resort (or other areas around Denver) please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more and help others plan unforgettable adventures, especially when it’s for family fun!
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