The Winter Park Express ski train has ferried more than 15,000 passengers between Denver and Winter Park ski area in the first-half of its debut season.
“The response has exceeded most Amtrak expectations,” Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari said, “and has given us several ideas to consider for next year too.”
The weekend rail service, which and runs through Sunday, March 26., revives a rail-riding tradition born in 1940. The trains rattling along the 62-mile rural stretch between Denver and Winter Park ski area stopped in 2009. by Amtrak, Union Pacific Railroad, the city owned Winter Park ski area and its operator Intrawest, the Colorado Transportation Commission and the Colorado Rail Passenger Association breathed new life into the ski train. After sold more than 800 $75 round-trip tickets in mere hours, the service launched anew this year.
One-way tickets cost $39, $49 or $59 and the train can hold 554 riders. Five of the first six Saturdays of the new train service have sold out.
