So you made it to Denver. Now how do you get to Winter Park?
Winter Park sits about 90 miles from Denver International Airport and roughly 70 miles from downtown Denver. That is an easy drive, a comfortable shuttle, or a genuinely lovely train ride, depending on how you like to travel. Here is the honest breakdown of all three, plus what to do once you arrive.
Quick Comparison
| Option | Time | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Rental car | About 2 hours from DIA | Flexibility, exploring, big gear loads |
| Airport shuttle | About 2 to 2.5 hours | Not driving in snow, door-to-door service |
| Winter Park Express ski train | About 2.5 hours from Denver Union Station | Skipping I-70 entirely, arriving at the lifts |
| California Zephyr | Year-round daily service to Fraser | Off-season travel, non-ski trips |
1. Rent a Car at Denver International Airport
The most popular and most flexible option. We have a rental partnership with Alamo, so request a quote when you confirm your vacation with us and we will sort it out.
Book AWD or 4WD. Not as an upgrade you hope for at the counter, but as the vehicle you actually reserve. Colorado enforces a traction law during winter storms, which in practice means you need all-wheel drive with snow-rated tires, or chains. Berthoud Pass is not the place to discover your rental has summer tires.
The Route
Take I-70 west, then exit onto US-40 just after Idaho Springs. From there it is about 40 miles over Berthoud Pass into Winter Park.
Check conditions before you leave. Dial 511 or visit COtrip.org for closures, delays and traction law status. Passes do close, and it is much better to find out at your hotel than at a roadblock.
Three Things Locals Would Tell You
Stop in Idaho Springs. If you are hungry, Beau Jo's is your first taste of Colorado-style pizza. Honey is mixed into the dough and there is more on the table to drizzle on your crust, which sounds strange and is excellent.
Slow down through Empire. The speed limit drops and it is very easy to miss. Nobody wants a ticket 20 miles from their vacation.
Respect Berthoud Pass. Steep grades and a series of switchbacks make this short stretch slower than the mileage suggests, especially in weather. Build in extra time and avoid doing it after dark on your first mountain drive.
Local's tip: pull off at the summit of Berthoud Pass for a photo of the road winding down the mountainside and the Continental Divide behind it. You just drove that. Take the selfie.
Watch for Wildlife
Elk, deer and moose cross US-40 regularly, particularly at dawn and dusk. Scan the shoulders and slow down.
Summer Only: Trail Ridge Road
Closed in winter. Trail Ridge Road through Rocky Mountain National Park typically closes to through traffic from late October until late May. If you are reading this for a ski trip, this route is not available to you. Check the National Park Service page for current status.
In summer, though, it is spectacular. The highest paved road in Colorado, nearly 50 miles through the park, topping 12,000 feet. Access from Estes Park or Grand Lake, allow about four hours for the full route, and stop at the Alpine Visitor Center. If you finish in Grand Lake, that is the largest natural body of water in Colorado, and Sagebrush BBQ & Grill has buckets of peanuts on the tables that you are encouraged to throw on the floor. From Grand Lake, Winter Park is about 45 minutes on US-40.
2. Airport Shuttle to Winter Park
Home James Transportation
511 S Zerex St, B207, Fraser, CO 80442
Phone: (970) 726-5060
Book online: book.ridewp.com
Office hours: Daily 8:00am to 5:00pm
If driving a mountain pass after a travel day sounds exhausting, this is the answer. Home James runs airport pickup with front-door drop-off, offering both regularly scheduled shared shuttles and private charters. They are the established local operator and they know the road in every condition.
The shared van is the budget-friendly option and the drivers are a genuine part of the experience. A private transfer makes sense for larger groups, late arrivals, or families with a lot of gear.
Book in advance. Home James is the preferred service in the valley and holiday weeks fill up.
The Catch Worth Planning For
There are no car rental companies in Winter Park. If you shuttle in, you have no car for the rest of your trip. That is fine if you plan for it, and a real problem if you do not.
Uber and Lyft are unreliable here, with thin coverage and long waits, particularly late in the evening. Do not plan around them. Instead, rely on the free town bus (below), book local taxis or private drivers in advance, and choose lodging within walking distance of what you want to do.
See our full transportation options page for the complete list of local operators.
3. The Winter Park Express Ski Train
This is the fun one, and the only ski train in the country that drops you essentially at the lifts.
The Winter Park Express is a seasonal ski train running between Denver Union Station and the Winter Park Resort base, roughly 100 feet from the lifts. It departs Denver at 7:00am, arrives around 9:11am, and returns from the resort at 4:35pm, back in Denver by about 7:05pm. Trip time is roughly two and a half hours each way through one of the most scenic stretches of the California Zephyr route.
2026/2027 dates and fares have not been announced yet. Amtrak has made its announcement in early November for each of the last two seasons, so expect news around then. For a sense of scale, the 2025/26 season ran 57 round trips, with holiday weekend service in late December followed by four-days-a-week service from January into late March, and it also stopped at Fraser. One-way fares started at $9, with kids from $4.50, and skis and snowboards travelled free.
It sells out. Weekend trains in particular. Book as soon as the schedule is released.
Local's tip: find your way to the Sightseer Lounge car, where the windows curve up into the ceiling. It is the best two and a half hours of scenery you will get sitting down.
4. The California Zephyr, All Year Round
Worth knowing about, and frequently confused with the ski train. The California Zephyr is Amtrak's daily long-distance service between Chicago and the Bay Area, and it stops at the Fraser-Winter Park station year-round rather than at the resort base.
This is your rail option outside ski season, or if the Express schedule does not fit your dates. From the Fraser platform, The Lift free bus stops just steps away, and there are restaurants within walking distance.
Getting Around Once You Are Here
The Lift, Winter Park and Fraser's free town bus
Phone: (970) 726-4163
Routes and schedules: theliftwp.com
The Lift connects the Town of Winter Park, the resort base and Fraser, and it is free. Buses generally run every 30 minutes in peak season and hourly off season. It means you can have a proper dinner with wine and not worry about driving, which is worth a great deal.
One honest caveat: the schedule slips in heavy snow, which is when you most want it. If you are catching a train, a shuttle or a dinner reservation, build in a buffer rather than counting on an exact arrival. Call dispatch if you need to confirm.
See our getting around Winter Park page for routes, plus parking information if you are driving to the resort.
Two Notes for Your Arrival Day
Consider arriving the night before you ski. New for 2026/2027, lifts open at 8:00am on Saturdays and Sundays from December 5, 2026 through April 4, 2027. An 8:00am first chair is a hard ask if you are still driving up from DIA that morning, and a pleasant walk if you slept here.
Go gently on arrival night. Winter Park sits at roughly 9,000 feet, and drinks hit noticeably harder up here. Drink water, eat a real meal, and save the big night for later in the trip. Our high country safety guide covers altitude properly.
Which Should You Choose?
- Rent a car if you want to explore beyond town, you are travelling with a lot of gear or small children, or you want groceries and hot springs on your own schedule.
- Take a shuttle if you would rather not drive a mountain pass, you are arriving late, or you are staying somewhere walkable and do not need a vehicle.
- Take the ski train if your dates line up, you are staying at or near the base, and you would like the journey to be part of the holiday rather than an obstacle in it.
Where to Stay
How you travel should shape where you stay. No car? Book ski-in ski-out or the Town of Winter Park, where you can walk to the lifts or to dinner. Driving and exploring? Fraser and the surrounding area and Pole Creek open up more of the valley.
Browse private homes, condos, townhomes, the Luxury Collection, pet friendly rentals, or homes with a private hot tub.
Our vacation planners will help you match the right home to how you are travelling, and can sort your rental car quote at the same time. Check current lodging deals, then browse all Winter Park vacation rentals.
Call us at 970-722-0707. However you get to Colorado's playground, we will make sure the rest is easy.
More Winter Park reading:
- The Perfect 1-Day Ski Itinerary at Winter Park
- Best Restaurants in Winter Park, CO
- High Country 101: Staying Safe Above 9,000 Feet
Schedules, fares, road conditions and operator details are current as of publication and subject to change. Mountain passes can close in winter weather. Always check COtrip.org or dial 511 before you travel, and confirm train and shuttle schedules directly with the operator.