When most people think about a ski trip in North America, they think of flying to their ski destination or taking a road trip. But at a number of ski areas, especially on the East Coast, skiers and riders can get there by train. Some ski areas run shuttles that meet trains at the station, while others are a short taxi, rideshare, or rental car ride away. Taking the train is an accessible, often affordable option, and it can even be quicker than driving when bad weather or traffic comes into play.
Skiers and snowboarders in Boston, New York, Washington, D.C., and many other East Coast cities will find train routes that get them close to some of the best ski areas in New England and beyond. Here’s how to reach a number of East Coast ski resorts by train. Train schedules and shuttle services change from season to season, so check the latest before you go.
Travel to These East Coast Ski Resorts by Train
Wachusett Mountain, Massachusetts
Wachusett Mountain is one of the closest ski areas to Greater Boston, and it’s easy to reach by train. In winter, MBTA Commuter Rail trains on the Fitchburg Line run from North Station in downtown Boston to Wachusett Station in just over an hour, and Wachusett runs a free weekend shuttle from the station to the mountain, timed to meet set morning and afternoon trains. Check the ski train schedule before you go. Ski Magazine has called Wachusett the most accessible ski area in the eastern U.S. It has about 1,000 feet of vertical, with day and night skiing on 27 trails.
Killington and Other Vermont Ski Areas on the Ethan Allen Express
Amtrak’s Ethan Allen Express runs daily between New York City and Burlington, Vermont, by way of Albany and Saratoga Springs, with views of the Hudson River Valley, Lake Champlain, and Vermont’s Green Mountains along the way. To ski the Beast of the East, get off at Rutland and take a local bus or shuttle about half an hour to Killington or its sister mountain, Pico.
Stay on to Middlebury for quick access to Middlebury Snowbowl, and Mad River Glen is under an hour’s drive from there. Die-hard New Englanders know Mad River Glen for its famous “Ski it if you can” motto, thanks to its challenging, often ungroomed terrain, and it’s skiers only, no snowboards.
From the end of the line in Burlington, Stowe, Sugarbush, and Smugglers’ Notch are all within about an hour’s drive, great picks for larger resorts with a wide variety of terrain. Farther south on the line, Willard Mountain, a small New York ski area about 30 minutes east of the Saratoga Springs stop, has 16 runs served by five lifts and mostly beginner-friendly terrain.
Stowe and More via the Vermonter
Another popular route for car-free skiers is Amtrak’s Vermonter, which connects Washington, D.C., New York City, and western Massachusetts with northern Vermont, ending in St. Albans. Get off at the Waterbury-Stowe stop, and you’re about a 25-minute ride from Stowe, where you can explore the charming town or head to one of New England’s most acclaimed mountains.
Farther south on the line, the Brattleboro stop is about 40 minutes from Mount Snow, an Epic Pass resort that’s great for families and known for its Carinthia terrain parks. In Massachusetts, the Greenfield stop puts you about 30 minutes from Berkshire East, rated the No. 1 small ski area in Massachusetts by OnTheSnow users. Up north, the Essex Junction stop is about 30 minutes from Bolton Valley, with about 70 trails across 300 acres, and about 40 minutes by rideshare from Smugglers’ Notch, where guests staying slopeside can use the resort’s village shuttle to stay car-free. At the end of the line, St. Albans is about an hour from Jay Peak, the snowiest ski area in the East.
Thunder Ridge, New York
Thunder Ridge is the easiest ski area to reach by train from New York City. Take Metro-North’s Harlem Line from Grand Central to Patterson Station, the closest stop to the ski area, and a free shuttle runs the short distance to Thunder Ridge on weekends and holidays. Metro-North has also offered discounted train-and-lift-ticket packages through MTA Away, making it an easy, affordable day trip to Thunder Ridge’s roughly 100 acres of terrain. See Thunder Ridge’s ski train page for details.
The Northeast has some of the best public transportation access to the slopes in the country. Before you go, check each railroad’s policy for traveling with skis and snowboards. For train routes to ski resorts across the country, see our guide to taking the train to ski resorts in the U.S.
Additional Reading
Where to Ski Near New York City
Where to Ski Near Philadelphia
Header image: ©Sugarbush Resort/Audrey Huffman
