The last time Amtrak offered a train to Winter Park ski area in 2015,
But that was a trial run. A weekend — two round trips — in March to see if Denverites still would embrace the historic ski train. They did, grabbing almost 900 round-trip tickets, priced at $75 for a ride from the city to Winter Park and back.
This time around, Amtrak and the resort are offering service on 26 weekend days and holiday Mondays Jan. 7 through March 26. with tickets priced at $39 each way for early buyers. Prices will rise to $49 and $59 once the early tickets are sold out. Travelers can choose their departure and return dates, or take the train one-way only.
As of noon Tuesday, $39 one-way tickets were still available for Jan. 7 and Jan. 8, the first weekend, and buyers still could select coveted upper-level seats on the Superliner cars. An Amtrak spokesman said Tuesday afternoon that first-day sales were “strong” and a tally of first-day sales would be available Wednesday.
After 18 months of negotiation, Amtrak, the Denver-owned Winter Park resort and rail owner Union Pacific a revival of the ski train that ferried Denver skiers to their hill for almost 70 years before closing down in 2009.
The ski area is building a $3.5 million, wheelchair-accessible rail platform mere yards from the chairlifts to accommodate the new rail service. The resort, operated by Denver-based Intrawest, hopes the rail service will grow its destination traffic, appealing to visitors who can ride trains from Denver International Airport to the resort village. Amtrak says the 500-passenger Winter Park Express will use double-decker Superliner cars.
Travelers who miss the opportunity to book on the Winter Park Express — or want to travel midweek — still can ride the rails to Grand County. Tickets from Union Station to Fraser on the Amtrak’s California Zephyr start at $18 one way, and
