Steamboat Springs, Colorado-September 28, 2026-Imagine stepping aboard a train in Steamboat Springs and traveling through the Yampa Valley toward Denver — without getting behind the wheel. That possibility is part of a larger effort to explore passenger rail service between Craig and Denver, and the city is taking a local step to better understand what a future passenger rail station could mean for the community.

The City of Steamboat Springs, in partnership with Steamboat Ski & Resort Corp., the Colorado Department of Transportation and Union Pacific Railroad, has launched the Steamboat Springs Passenger Rail Station Location Study. The six-month study will evaluate potential locations for one or more future stations while exploring how a station could function within the community, including access, connections, amenities and surrounding land uses.

“Passenger rail could create a new way for people to get to and from Steamboat Springs, and this study gives us a chance to start thinking about what that could mean for our community,” said Planning & Community Development Director Rebecca Bessey. “We want to hear from the people who know this community best. Their ideas, experiences and priorities will help us better understand what a future station should provide and what will be important as we look at potential station locations.”

The effort is part of the broader Colorado Mountain Rail initiative, which is exploring the potential for passenger rail service connecting communities along the Front Range and through the mountains to Craig. Many details of that larger vision remain to be determined. The local study is focused on understanding potential station locations and community priorities so that Steamboat Springs can be better prepared for future discussions if passenger rail service advances.

The study will consider factors such as site feasibility, transportation access and connections, environmental considerations and infrastructure needs. Community input will help identify priorities for station access, functionality, amenities and the area surrounding a potential station.

This project is not intended to determine whether passenger rail service will occur. Instead, it provides an opportunity to examine what a station could look like, where it could potentially be located and how it might function within Steamboat Springs if passenger rail service becomes available.

A future station could serve a variety of people, including residents traveling for work or appointments, visitors arriving in town, students and families, seasonal workers, or people looking for another way to travel through the mountains.

Community members invited to participate

An online questionnaire will be open October 1 through November 1 and will ask community members how they might use passenger rail and what they would like to see in and around a future station. Take the questionnaire and learn more about the study through EngageSteamboat.

Community members can also get a closer look at potential station-area locations during a guided site tour from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, October 28. The tour is expected to include stops near the Historic Depot, Rodeo Grounds and Emerald Park. Participants will receive an overview of the study, view potential locations from public rights-of-way, and have an opportunity to ask questions and share initial observations. Space on the tour bus is limited, so advance registration is encouraged through the project website.

The passenger rail station conversation is just beginning. The questionnaire and site tour are the first opportunities in a six-month community engagement process. Additional opportunities to learn about the study and provide feedback will be offered as the work progresses.

The study will result in a better understanding of potential station locations, community priorities and other considerations that could inform future discussions should passenger rail service advance in northwest Colorado. Community members are encouraged to visit EngageSteamboat and sign up for updates to follow the study and participate in future conversations.

-WeServeTheCity-

Contact
Email Rebecca Bessey, Planning and Community Development Director, or call 970-871-8202
Email Michael Lane, Marketing and Communications Manager, or call 970-871-8220