Riverfront Park is now your Denver Ski In / Ski Out Neighborhood
In 1940 a train route began carrying passengers between Denver and the town of Winter Park Ski Resort. The route climbed about 4,000 feet (1,200 m) and passed through 29 tunnels before reaching the final mountain underpass, the 6.2-mile (10.0 km) long Moffat Tunnel. This is the highest railroad tunnel in the United States and the third longest, After the Cascade Tunnel in Washington state and the Flathead Tunnel in Montana. For years Denver residents enjoyed a traffic free cruise through the mountains for their ski adventures with a travel time of about 2 hours and 15 minutes. The ski train service was simple, one trip up leaving in the early hours of the morning and a return shortly after the mountain closed. The schedule allowed for a full day on the hill and got you home in time to meet friends for a downtown dinner.
The Ski Train under its previous ownership made its final run to Winter Park on March 29, 2009. The reasons the ski train ceased were many, including escalating insurance liability costs, the uncertainty around the new Denver Union Station Development project, and conflicts over the lease line usage.
But on Saturday, March 14, 2015, under a new ownership structure and as part of the 75th Ski Train anniversary celebration, the ski train made what was to be a one day trip. The tickets went on sale and sold out that same day. So they scheduled a second trip. It sold out just as quickly.
Someone was paying attention and the Denver – Winter Park Ski Train is coming back for this upcoming 2016-2017 Ski Season.
Ski Train Tickets go on Sale Tomorrow
Tickets go on sale TOMORROW – August 30th 2016. You can get your tickets here.
There is a limited number of early bird discounted tickets available. So book early and save. Here is the pricing information from the Amtrak page.
Book this Trip Starting August 30 — Early Bird Discounts Available
Book your travel on this historic train trip, which originated in 1912, at the early bird price of $39/one way. Only a limited number of seats are available for each train and each price level. Book early before the one-way $39 discount tickets are sold out. Tickets will then be available at $49 and then $59 respectively, as each lower-priced seat sells out. Discounted tickets are sold on a first come first served basis.
With one-way tickets and service on Saturday and Sunday you can make it a day trip, a weekend-long trip or an extended vacation. Customize your length of stay at Winter Park Resort and get as much skiing/riding in as you’d like.
This means Riverfront Park is now officially a ski in / ski out neighborhood. Just throw your skis over your shoulder and walk across the bridge to catch the train. No more driving in traffic, no more worrying about road closures, and no more congested parking.
The returning Denver to Winter Park Ski Train will operate from January 7 through March 26, 2017. The Winter Park Express runs Saturdays and Sundays only (plus Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday January 16, 2017, and President’s Day Holiday February 20, 2017) with one trip up and one trip back. It’ll be interesting to see if there is more day trip tickets sold or if they have a large overnight stay crowd.
Here is the train schedule.
- Depart Union Station at 7 am
- Arrive at Winter Park at 9 am
- Depart Winter Park at 4:30 pm
- Arrive at Union Station at 6:40 pm
From 1940 to 1988, the service was operated by the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad, then purchased by the Ansco Investment Company. The resumed service will be run by Amtrak. We couldn’t be happier to see it’s return, and Riverfront park residents are celebrating this amazing new amenity for the neighborhood.
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