When Salt Lake City was awarded the 2034 Winter Olympics, the conversation immediately turned to venues, infrastructure, and investment. Most of that conversation has focused on Park City Mountain Resort, athlete facilities, and lodging capacity. But a growing movement of transit advocates in both Utah and Colorado is focused on something bigger — and potentially more lasting — than any single venue: a passenger rail network connecting the two greatest ski states in the country.
The idea of a ski train linking Denver and Salt Lake City isn't new. But the 2034 Olympics may be the most realistic catalyst it has ever had.
The Push for a Cross-State Ski Train
A growing group of young rail advocates in both Colorado and Utah is pushing for ski train service connecting the two states before the Olympic torch arrives in Salt Lake City in 2034. The goal is to give skiers, visitors, and Olympic guests a way to travel between Denver and Salt Lake City entirely by rail — through some of the most spectacular mountain terrain in the West.
Leading the charge on the Colorado side is the Western Rail Coalition, which is pushing for a state study of reviving the dormant Tennessee Pass Line through Eagle County between Glenwood Springs and Leadville. The coalition also supports Mountain Rail between Denver and Steamboat Springs — with first phase service to Granby launching next year — as well as proposed daily passenger service between Denver and Grand Junction with stops in western Eagle County.
The ultimate vision is a continuous transit corridor running through the historic Moffat Tunnel to connect Colorado directly to Salt Lake City.
The Olympic Precedent
This isn't the first time Salt Lake City has used the Olympics as a catalyst for transit investment. The 2002 Winter Games were directly responsible for launching the TRAX light rail system that Salt Lake City residents rely on today. Advocates believe 2034 could do the same for mountain and intercity rail — if the political will exists to make it happen.
The bigger challenge now, according to Utah transit advocates, is extending that investment beyond the Wasatch Front metro area and into the mountains. That extension — eventually crossing state lines to Colorado — is exactly what the current movement is pushing toward.
The Utah Challenge
Colorado has made meaningful progress in recent years, passing dedicated funding for mountain rail and building out robust state-run bus service through CDOT. Utah faces a steeper climb.
Utah's legislature has historically underfunded rail infrastructure and tourism initiatives, with critics pointing to competing priorities including Advanced Air Mobility projects and a proposed gondola up Little Cottonwood Canyon that many transit advocates argue won't actually connect to existing mass transit.
The honest assessment from those closest to the issue is that connecting Denver and Salt Lake City by rail before 2034 is possible — but it will require a level of political prioritization that Utah has not yet demonstrated on transit infrastructure.
Why This Matters for Park City and Salt Lake City
Beyond the Olympic story, this conversation matters for anyone living in, investing in, or considering a move to the Wasatch Front.
Park City Mountain Resort, owned by Vail Resorts, is expected to serve as one of the central hubs for the 2034 Games. Getting tens of thousands of athletes, officials, and spectators to and from Park City without overwhelming an already strained canyon road system is a legitimate logistical challenge — and one that a regional transit solution could meaningfully address.
More broadly, the infrastructure investments that follow major events like the Olympics tend to have long-lasting effects on real estate markets. The neighborhoods, corridors, and communities that benefit from improved transit access consistently see long-term appreciation in property values — a pattern Salt Lake City experienced firsthand after 2002.
Whether or not a cross-state ski train becomes a reality by 2034, the conversation it has started about transit investment across the Wasatch Front is one worth following closely.
Curious what the 2034 Winter Olympics could mean for property values in Park City or Salt Lake City? I'd love to share what we're seeing in the market. Reach out anytime.
