If you haven’t heard, the ski train from the newly renovated station in downtown Denver to Winter Park has started up again… or as my uncle used to say, “Vin-tah Pahk.” Images of Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye hopping onto a train in the movie “White Christmas” flash through my mind. The idea of getting away from stop-and-go traffic and instead traveling on an iron horse just sounds so magical. So, what are America’s best options to go by train to ski resorts for a long weekend?
Smugglers’ Notch (Vermont)
New York (Moynihan Train Hall) – Essex Junction $122 round trip
11:33 am arrives at 8:18 pm (Departure)
9:44 am arrives at 6:25 pm (Return)
The East Coast has one of the most extensive rail networks in North America. From New York, Boston, Philly or even DC, you can get to multiple ski resorts via locomotive. One of the most magical on the list is Smugglers’ Notch. Laying across three distinctive mountains (Morse, Madonna, and Sterling) and having trail names such as “Rum Runner,” “Hangman’s Noose,” and “The Black Snake” all derived from smugglers who frequented Smugglers Notch during the War of 1812, it has a deep history AND amazing skiing to go with it. If you do stay at the resort, transfers can be arranged from the train station in Essex Junction to your lodging. At the resort, guests can easily go car-free. A complimentary on-call shuttle service operates within the Resort Village, while the Mountain Shuttle loops between the Village and the upper mountain base area.
Mission Ridge
Seattle – Wenatchee $144 round-trip
4:55 pm and arrives at 8:51 pm (Departure)
6:45 am and arrives at 11:29 am (Return)
Following the original route of the Great Northern Railroad, the route winds its way through the towns of Gold Bar, Index, and Baring. Near the 4,000 foot summit, you’ll travel into the Cascade Tunnel. It’s the second longest in North America! Before you know it, you’ll pass through the beautiful Bavarian town of Leavenworth and the new Icicle station. There is no place like Leavenworth during the Christmas season. The town is dressed-to-the-hilt for the holidays.
It used to be that you could stay in Leavenworth and ski Stevens Pass but the ski resort removed the daily shuttles in 2021 and haven’t brought them back. Fortunately, you can still head to Mission Ridge without a car! Located on the east side of the Cascades, the snow is drier, and with over 300 days of sunshine, you’ll be guaranteed to get your fix of Vitamin D. While staying in Wenatchee, don’t forget to arrange your spot on the local shuttle to get to/from the ski resort – it’s as easy as that.
Palisades Tahoe / Northstar California
Emeryville (Bay Area) to North Lake Tahoe (via Truckee) – $128 round trip
8:25 am arrives at 2:01 pm (Departure)
7:35 am arrives at 12:35 pm (Return)
The transcontinental railroad revolutionized the settlement and economy of the American West, connecting the eastern railroad network via Omaha all the way to the seaports in Oakland/San Francisco. To make the final journey over the Sierra Nevada, Truckee’s rail yard was established as the place to get additional engines to help push over the summit. The extra power may no longer be needed, but it’s still used as a gateway to all the ski resorts in North Lake Tahoe. Northstar California is the closest resort to the train station and one of 12 downhill ski resorts in the region. With over 3,000 acres & averaging 300″+ a year, it’s a great option when taking the rails from the Bay Area. And, once you’re in Truckee, the community makes it easy to be car-free with FREE daily shuttles to each of the ski resorts in the region.
Winter Park
Denver (Union Station) – $100 round trip
7:00 am arrives at 9:00 am (based on past years)
4:30 pm arrives at 6:40 pm (based on past years)
The oldest “Ski Train” may be on the East Coast, but Colorado has a lot of history when it comes to ski trains. One of the longest running was the route to Winter Park from 1940 until the 2008-09 season. Reinstituted a few years ago, the engine climbs over 3,960 feet across 56 miles to the Moffat Tunnel finally arriving at the Winter Park Station. Winter Park itself is also the longest running resort in Colorado with over 3,000 acres, 29 feet of snowfall, and an uphill capacity of 40,000 riders per hour. This will help you spend more time on the slopes and less waiting in line. The ski train begins its 2025 season on January 10th and runs on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
Whitefish
Chicago, Twin Cities, Spokane, Seattle
Varies
Last, but not in any of the way least, is the classic train ride to Whitefish Mountain Resort. The Amtrak line known as the Empire Builder begins its journey in Chicago traveling through Minneapolis/St. Paul and finishing up in Seattle. This route provides access to the world class ski area known as Whitefish Mountain Resort (also still called Big Mountain by many.) In addition, the quaint ski town of Whitefish provides a “Snowbus” free of charge (they accept donations of course) that can shuttle you from Whitefish up to Big Mountain. Besides being one of our favorite ski towns in North America, the resort is blanketed with over 300 inches of snow across its 3,000 acres.
Even if the golden era of ski trains has passed, there are still resorts you can visit by iron horse. We usually think of driving or flying to a destination, but don’t forget the Choo! Choo!… It could be a fun twist to add to your season. For more fun ideas like this, tips on what gear to bring, or just to read about unheard of ski resorts that have untracked powder for days or weeks, check out our guide: Ski Trip Planning – Plan The Best Ski Holiday Ever!
Whitefish, MT is still the best and only train worthy destination!
Amtrak to Whitefish is incredible. The Amtrak Depot is right there in downtown Whitefish. The infamous “Snowbus” is a free service (they accept donations of course) that will shuttle you and yours from Whitefish to the ski mountain. Everything you need is a walk away in Whitefish Montana. Looking forward to going again next month.
How about NYC to Waterbury, VT servicing Sugarbush and Stowe?
What do you know about NYC to Waterbury, VT? do you know if there’s transportation from Amtrak to Sugarbush or Stowe?
Hey Bernard,
We’ll call around to some of our friends that live over there as well as do some research to see if we can get an answer to this question.
I’ve been to Whitefish twice by train with our departure being from Wisconsin. Be warned the train schedule is not reliable. On our first trip we were a bit late but not in a major way. The second trip our arrival and departures were significantly behind by schedule. If you can accept that and are prepared for that the train is a good way to go.
Schweitzer in Idaho is also a possibility from The Empire Builder.
The trip from Grand Fords, ND is a 16 hour butt weary ride. Bring money for food on the train – not cheap.
One of my most memorable vacations as a kid was a train ride from Chicago to Idaho for a ski trip. I’m actually wanting to plan one in the next couple of years with the young kids.
>>a ton of affordable shuttles from downtown Truckee to each of the ski resorts in the region
Yeah, good luck with that.
Definitely written by someone who’s never tried to get to any of these resorts from Truckee without a car.
I’ve ridden TART from the Truckee depot to Northstar. Once at Northstar I had no need for a car. What’s been your experience?
How about Schweitzer Mountain Resort in Northern Idaho. You can reach with the Amtrak Empire Builder after you traveled through Whitefish, Montana. The train keeps going to Sandpoint, Idaho where Schweitzer is located. Schweitzer is the biggest resort in Idaho.
Hey Patrick,
WHOA! I’ll have to take a look at that. Thanks for pointing that out. 🙂 I know what our next update will be. 😉
Hi Alex,
The Amtrak Empire Builder goes from Whitefish, MT to Libby, MY where another small ski area called Turner Mountain is located and then keeps going to Sandpoint, ID where Schweitzer Mountain Resort is located.
I call the Amtrak Empire Builder the ultimate Skier’s Train.
You can still get to Winter Park by train even when the “ski train” is not running (like this year with Covid). Take the California Zephyr Amtrak train from Denver to Fraser/Winter Park. It doesn’t stop right at the resort, but stops in Fraser which is on the free bus shuttle, maybe 15-20 minutes from the slopes.
We are planning our second family trip by train from the midwest to Winter Park by train. It’s cheaper than flying and our kids like it so much more than driving because they can move around, and the train is pretty cool.