Denver West Express, Inc. (DWE) proposes to develop a world-class alpine commuter rail system connecting Denver International Airport (DIA) to Colorado’s premier mountain resort communities in Summit and Eagle Counties. When constructed, this 178-mile single-track railway will be one of the most significant transportation infrastructure investments in Colorado’s history and position the state as a global leader in sustainable mountain tourism and regional connectivity.
The project addresses critical infrastructure deficiencies along the Interstate 70 (I-70) corridor, which currently serves as the primary route connecting the Denver metropolitan area’s 3.3 million residents and DIA to ski resorts that attract nearly 14 million annual visitors. I-70 is already at crisis level—a trip that takes no more than two hours under normal conditions regularly exceeds four hours for the 100-mile journey from Denver to Vail. This congestion costs Colorado’s economy an estimated $1.7 billion annually in lost productivity, environmental degradation, and diminished quality of life. Additionally, DWE opens new workforce commute opportunities for the housing strained resort areas in Summit and Eagle counties.
DWE will construct a single-track, electrified railway system utilizing Battery Electric Locomotive (BEL) propulsion technology, with passing sidings at Bailey, Frisco, and Avon stations capable of operating passenger trains at an average speed of 90 miles per hour. The single-track configuration with strategic passing infrastructure provides cost-effective capacity while maintaining reliable operations. The alignment includes two major tunnels: a 4.94-mile Continental Divide tunnel and an approximately 6.5-mile Fremont Pass tunnel, as well as several shorter tunnels, all engineered as double-wide single-bore tunnels to accommodate double-stack freight and military applications. Total tunnel length across the entire system will exceed approximately 12 miles, representing approximately 6.7% of the total route distance.
Battery Electric Locomotive technology is selected as the primary propulsion system, representing the optimal balance of environmental performance, operational flexibility, and life cycle cost for alpine railway operations. This choice eliminates the weather-related challenges and high infrastructure costs of overhead catenary systems while providing the environmental benefits of full electrification. BEL technology aligns with Colorado’s renewable energy goals and offers substantial capital cost savings compared to catenary alternatives.
The estimated total capital cost ranges from $28.5 billion to $33.0 billion (2025 dollars), reflecting significant savings from the single-track configuration compared with dual-track alternatives. Construction is anticipated to span 12-14 years across three primary phases. Cost estimates are derived from analysis of comparable European alpine railway projects, including Switzerland’s New Railway Link through the Alps (NRLA) program, which completed the 35.4-mile Gotthard Base Tunnel at a cost of approximately $12 billion, and the ongoing Brenner Base Tunnel connecting Austria and Italy, currently estimated at $11 billion for 34 miles of construction.
Revenue projections indicate the system will achieve 18.5 million annual passenger trips by Year 10 of full operations, generating approximately $1.20 billion in annual fare revenue at an average fare of $65 (minimum $55), and $1.35 billion in total system revenues. The benefit-cost ratio of 1.52:1 and projected farebox recovery ratios of 176% (Year 5) and 194% (Year 10) substantially exceed international benchmarks for premium intercity rail services, reflecting the high demand characteristics of the DIA-to-resort corridor and the premium pricing the market will support. Funding will be secured through a balanced portfolio comprising federal grants (54%), state appropriations (27%), local contributions (7%), and private investment (6%), with the remaining 6% from bond financing backed by dedicated revenue streams.
DWE will serve six primary passenger stations, including three (3) mainline stations equipped with passing sidings to enable train meets and overtakes on the single-track mainline: Denver International Airport, optional I-25/Parker Station, RTD Mineral Station, Bailey, Frisco, Avon, an optional Vail Valley spur, and Gypsum, with maintenance facilities in Watkins (east) and Gypsum (west). The project will create an estimated 72,000 direct and indirect jobs during construction and 2,100 permanent operations positions, while reducing annual vehicle miles traveled by 340 million and carbon emissions by 155,000 metric tons annually upon full operations.
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