The Winter Park Express ski train posted extraordinary ridership numbers, showing its popularity is a “roaring success,” with ridership in 2025 exploding to 153% of last year’s total, according to the governor’s office

The train, operated through a partnership between Winter Park Resorts and Amtrak, runs from Denver to the Winter Park Resort and the Winter Park-Fraser station during the ski season.

Nearly 44,000 riders used the historic train to get to Winter Park this year, averaging 89% of capacity overall and weekends running regularly at 95% capacity.

Service for the Winter Park Express expanded in January from three days a week to five days a week. Meanwhile, fares were cut by more than 40%. With the fare reductions, one-way tickets for the Winter Park Express start at $19 or $9.50 for kids.

Food and beverages are available on the train and the Sightseer Lounge car gives passengers panoramic views of the Rockies.

“Historic ridership increases on the Winter Park Express prove that when Coloradans have more affordable, reliable and safe transportation options to get to the mountains, we flock to it,” said Gov. Jared Polis. “Thanks to this year’s state investment, more Coloradans than ever skipped the I-70 traffic and took the train to the mountains. Expanding this service and delivering mountain rail in this corridor will continue this historic growth, reducing traffic and pollution and saving people time and money.”

The ski train operates from mid-December through the end of March for the winter season.

The decreased fares were funded by a “congestion impact fee” imposed on rental cars by the Colorado Transportation Investment Office.

“The final numbers for ridership on the ski train come just as Colorado and Union Pacific Railroad have signed an historic agreement to allow UP to continue operations through the state-owned Moffat Tunnel while also permitting the state to operate expanded passenger rail service on Union Pacific rails. CDOT is in the process of planning the re-establishment of passenger rail service from Denver to Craig, connecting communities in the Yampa Valley with the state’s largest metro area,” said a release from Polis.

Amtrak officials were similarly satisfied with the first season’s results.

“Our train crews and our team of volunteers rose to the challenge of unprecedented ridership for the Winter Park Express, delivering the service safely and successfully,” said Jennifer Mitchell, Amtrak executive vice president, strategy and planning. “Thanks to Gov. Polis and Colorado DOT for their support and to our operating partners at Union Pacific, BNSF Railway and Denver RTD for a sensational season.”