Looking for the best way to get from Denver to Winter Park? Or maybe you want to head home from Winter Park to Denver? There are lots of different way you can travel to Winter Park such as taking the train from Denver to Winter Park train station. If you are flying into Denver International airport you can also take the Denver to Winter Park shuttle. To help you pick and choose the best way to get from Denver to Winter Park, I have put together the best, easiest and cheapest way to head up the mountain.
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Denver To Winter Park Summary
- There are ski trains between Denver and Winter Park train station which you can book here. (from $20)
- Take the bus from Denver to Winter Park from as low as $13. You can get tickets via this link.
- You can book an Airport shuttle from Denver to Winter Park on this site. We use it all the time.
- You can also rent a car to drive from Denver to Winter Park. You can rent cars at very sharp prices on rentalcars.com
Train from Denver to Winter Park
Are you up for a beautiful train ride through the Rocky Mountains? Then why not take the train from Denver to Winter Park. Taking the train to Winter Park train station will help you start your holiday in a relaxed way while enjoying the snow-covered panoramic views of the Rocky Mountain national park.
Taking the train from Denver to Winter Park train station is quite easy. Trains leave every day from Union Station in downtown Denver. When you are travelling in ski season from Early January to Late March, you can take the Winter Express. The Winter Express train from Denver to Winter Park takes you directly to the Winter Park base on weekends. The train ride to the Winter Park station takes about 2 hours with the earliest train at 7:30 am and the return train leaving Winter Park at 4:30 pm.
If you are taking the train from Denver to Winter Park during the weekdays you can take the Amtrak California Zephyr. This train runs daily and all year. It takes you from Denver to Fraser. Fraser is about 5 miles from Winter Park – but there is a free Winter Park shuttle that takes you through Winter Park village to the base.
The train from Denver to Winter Park travels between Chicago, Illinois and Oakland California. The train comes with sleeper cars equipped with bedrooms, roomettes and family rooms. It means that you can easily board this train on any of the other stops to travel from your hometown to Winter Park by train.
To book a train you can head to Omio.com where trains from Denver to Winter Park are available from as little as $20!
Denver to Winter Park by Car
Are you looking to drive from Denver to Winter Park? The beautiful and panoramic drive from Denver to Winter Park will take you about 2 to 3 hours depending on traffic and weather conditions.
But how far is Winter Park from Denver? Winter Park is about 90 miles from Denver. The most direct route from Denver to Winter Park is the I-70 after which you exit onto Highway 40. Highway 40 is a windy path through the famous Berthoud Falls and Empire, a scarcely populated former mining settlement.
If you are travelling from Denver to Winter Park in winter, please keep in mind that you will probably come across snow. The Berthoud Pass lies quite high, and it is not uncommon for the I-70 corridor to be blocked and closed.
The closing of the Berthoud Pass can make your trip from Denver to Winter Park a lot longer. When closed you will probably have to drive via Silverthorne to Kremmling and Granby adding at least 2 hours to your trip.
If you want to drive from Denver to Winter Park it is a good idea to check the Colorado Department of Transportation to see whether or not the Berthoud pass is closed.
Taking the shuttle from Denver to Winter Park
There’re a number of shuttles available from Denver to Winter Park, some of them also leaving from the Denver International Airport.
Many of them are luxury vans and guests have the choice between meeting them at a scheduled time or prior booking. This would involve scheduling, paying ahead of time and deciding where to be picked from and dropped to.
Most companies will advise travellers to book their transfer from Denver to Winter Park ahead of time to avoid unnecessary disappointments and inconveniences. You can also choose to book an entire van if you’re travelling with a large group.
The convenience of the shuttle from Denver to Winter Park would also include the space, and driving with experienced drivers which can be particularly handy when tackling the snowy elevations and the windy roads. It will also give you the opportunity to relax and enjoy the scenery.
The Home James Shuttle Service is an example of one of these shuttle services, the shuttle runs eleven times during the course of the day between Denver International Airport and Winter Park.
The operating times are between 9:00am to 10:00pm from the airport if you want to travel between Denver and Winter Park and 5:30am to 7:00pm from Winter Park to Denver. After late March, the schedule relaxes a bit and they only operate about six times a day.
Hire a car to drive from Denver to Winter Park
Renting your own car will allow you to program your day as you please and dictate your own times. you can rent a car at Denver International Airport and head straight to Winter Park.
I would advise you to hire a four wheel drive, which will ensure you can navigate any type of weather. All you will need to hire a car from Denver International Airport is a valid driver’s license and experience trailing along icy and sometimes snow filled roads.
Parking will not be an issue at Winter Park, if you get there early enough you will probably be able to snatch one of the free parking lots, they’re all located within half a mile of the ski lifts.
If you walk in from the north end of Winter Park Resort, you will be able to conveniently walk right up to the ski area. There’re a few stops you can make on the way to Winter Park from Denver. Dinosaur Ridge is west of Denver, and will be entertaining for kids, or you could visit a mine, and take a mine tour, educational and entertaining at the same time.
Stopping at Idaho Springs is another option, breathtaking sights of endless rows of pine trees near the glass like lake and nice breezes on a sunny day.
If you travel during spring, you may be able to catch the Georgetown Loop Railroad and even experience an old-time steam locomotive which was one of Colorado’s first visitor attractions. It is a mesmerizing stretch of three-foot narrow gauge railroad going through the Rugged Mountains.
Lieze Neven is a globetrotting travel writer and expat currently based in Nepal. With a passion for exploration, she has lived in Dubai, the UK, and Belgium, alongside her international teacher husband. Her parents live in France and she tries to visit Paris at least once a year. Together, they travel the world looking for the best hotels, experiences and food locations have to offer!