The Winter Park Express ski train is cutting fares and expanding service this winter in cooperation with state government, officials announced at a news conference Monday.

Fares will be 43% lower than last year, according to a news release put out by the governor’s office. Beginning Jan. 9, there will be 69 roundtrips, 29 more than last year. Two additional passenger cars will be added, bringing the number of seats available to 402, a 50% increase over last year.

Winter Park Resort and the Colorado Transportation Investment Office. an independent business owned by CDOT, will share the additional costs of expansion according to CDOT communications director Matt Inzeo. Winter Park is owned by the city and county of Denver.

The Winter Park Ski Train operated from 1940 until 2009, when it was shut down by Ansco Investment Company due to rising costs of operation. It came back as the Winter Park Express in 2017, as a service of Amtrak.

Service this season will be Thursdays to Mondays through March 31. There will be additional holiday service, Dec. 20-22 and Dec. 27-29. One-way adult fares range from $19 to $39, with fares for children (ages 2 through 12) starting at $9.50. Tickets went on sale Monday.

The train is scheduled to leave Denver Union Station at 7 a.m. and arrive at the Winter Park base at 9 a.m. It is scheduled to depart Winter Park at 4:30 p.m. and arrive in Denver at 6:40 p.m.

Also new this season, Amtrak is adding a stop at the platform in Fraser, six miles north of the Winter Park base.