New 'Ski Train' Approved for Steamboat, Colorado

By 2026, Colorado plans to add a daily roundtrip to Granby as well as expanded possibilities for connections between Denver & Winter Park, Granby & Steamboat Springs, Hayden, and Craig. 

Plans for expanded use of the railway come following investments by the state to lower the costs of and increase frequencies of the Winter Park Ski train, which takes passengers from Denver to Winter Park Resort.

During the 2024/25 ski season, more than 44,000 trips were booked on the Winter Park Ski train, marking a 153% increase from the previous season. 

The Moffatt Tunnel itself also plays an important role in the history and execution of transportation from Colorado's front range to the mountains. The 100-year-old tunnel cuts through the Continental Divide at 9,239 feet in elevation in a 6.2 mile long route. Due to its east-to-west orientation, the Moffat Tunnel was an original provider of a crucial connection from Denver to the West Coast as a transporter of commerce and goods.

In recent years, I-70 West of Denver has been a notorious point of contention when it comes to skier traffic. As it passes Floyd Hill, northwest of Denver, the interstate's backups rival even the worst of Little Cottonwood, Utah's 'red snake' during ski season.

While those headed to Winter Park and Steamboat divert from I-70 onto Highway 40 just past Downieville, rather than staying on 70 towards Vail or as it passes into Summit County, use of the train will provide relief on 70's most congested points.