Denver's Union Station originally opened in 1881 and by 1900 there were 60 trains per day arriving and departing from the station. In 1914 the station was expanded and included the construction of what is today's iconic terminal. By the 1970's there were 35 tracks behind the station serving five railroads. The oil bust in the 1980's combined with mergers by various railroads and the decline in rail traffic (both passenger and freight) left the area in a state of disrepair. Passenger train traffic to Denver Union Station was reduced to 2 Amtrak trains per day (the California Zephyr), as even the popular Ski Train which shuttled skiers from Denver to Winter Park ceased operations. As of April 22nd of 2016, however, Denver Union Station will once again be a busy place, as over 70 'Train to the Plane' commuter rail trains will depart the station daily for a 37 minute, 23 mile journey to Denver International Airport. The $9 RTD fare for the commuter train is a bargain compared to an average cab fare of $65 for a one way trip between downtown Denver. The Hyundai Eagle P3 cars reach a speed of 79mph and can carry 90 passengers.
