I rode Amtrak's legendary Winter Park Express train to a Colorado ski resort. It's a great alternative to driving.

My train was scheduled to leave Denver Union Station around 7 a.m. to arrive in Winter Park around 9 a.m. — right as its ski lifts open for the day.

I live just outside downtown Denver, so I woke up at 6 a.m. to drive to the parking garage adjacent to Union Station, where I'd booked an overnight parking spot. I arrived at the tracks around 6:20 for my 6:30 boarding time.

My return trip would depart Winter Park at 4:35 p.m. (right after the ski lifts close) and arrive in Denver around 7 p.m.

The train allows riders to take their skis or snowboards as a single carry-on item.

Since passengers can bring two carry-on items and one personal item on board, I was able to travel with my skis, overnight bag, and a small backpack.

While boarding the train, I passed my equipment to an Amtrak team member, who placed them in a special storage area.

All seats on this train are coach — there are no business or first-class options. As the train filled up, I had no trouble finding a seat.

Seats were arranged in pairs (or clusters of four), and I felt quite comfortable. They can recline slightly and most have pull-down tray tables, similar to what you'd find on a plane.

Many of my fellow passengers seemed excited and buzzing with energy — you'd never know it was barely 7 a.m. As the train exited the station, some of them started cheering.

The vibes on the train ride were excellent overall. Even our lively conductor made sure to stop and chat with each passenger while checking tickets.

I and many other passengers had our laptops out to use during the ride. Unfortunately, we lost cellphone service about 30 minutes into the trip, and I wasn't able to use my hot spot or do much on my computer after that.

Fortunately, I was able to spend most of the trip looking out the window at the stunning mountain scenery.

My favorite spot on the train was the dining car, which had domed windows on top and large ones on either side. It had the best views.

This car also had snacks and drinks for sale, so I bought myself a hot coffee.

The highly relaxing trip took roughly two hours in total.

When we went through Moffat Tunnel on the final stretch of the journey, an Amtrak employee told us it was time to put on our ski gear because we were just minutes away from Winter Park Resort.

We pulled into the train platform shortly after 9 a.m., and I could see the ski runs right out the train windows.

Amtrak employees unloaded our skis and snowboards for us, and we stepped off the train platform and right onto Winter Park grounds.

We were less than 50 steps from Winter Park's base ski lift and village area, where we could grab a bite to eat, rent a ski locker or equipment for the day, and buy a lift pass.

The Amtrak journey to Winter Park wasn't overly expensive and felt highly efficient. It was a great alternative to driving to the mountain.

Although I've been told driving from downtown Denver can be a slightly shorter trip at around 90 minutes, that doesn't factor in traffic.

Winter Park can get really congested during peak ski seasons, so I was happy to not be stuck in a car. Plus, since I wasn't driving, I was able to fully embrace the stunning mountain views around me.

The only real downside for me was that I couldn't bring my dog as the train is not pet-friendly.