MONTPELIER, Vermont — Convenience and quality are found at Vermont’s 50 ski areas. Reliable trains, quick city flights or the open road on just one tank of gas make traveling to Vermont’s renowned ski areas affordable, comfortable and quick. In fact, winter in Vermont often welcomes six times the state’s population in nearby travelers seeking mountain vacations. So whichever mode travelers choose ??“less time en route means more time to enjoy the mountains. Choose from planes, trains and automobiles??В¦

PLANES

This year, the readers of SKI Magazine ranked Okemo as one of the East’s top ten for access. Airline service is available through Albany, Boston, Burlington, Hartford, Lebanon, Manchester, Nh. and Rutland. Carriers servicing gateway airports include AirTran, American Airlines, Continental, Southwest, JetBlue, Delta, US Airways Express operated by Colgan Air into West Lebanon, and Cape Air, servicing Rutland.

Ascutney is easily accessible from several airports as well. Bradley International Airport in Hartford is 126 miles, Burlington International Airport (BTV) is 106 miles, Lebanon Municipal Airport is 20 miles, Logan International Airport in Boston is 133 miles, Manchester Airport is 87 miles and Rutland State Airport is 36 miles close.

In less than an hour from BTV, skiers and riders can boot up at Bolton Valley, Mad River Glen, Sugarbush, Smugglers’ Notch, Stowe Mountain Resort and Trapp Family Lodge. BTV offers direct flights from New York, Boston, Chicago, Washington D.C., Atlanta, Baltimore, Cleveland, Charlotte, Detroit, Minneapolis, Newark, Orlando and Philadelphia. In many cases, both JetBlue and AirTran offer flights for as little as $50 each way. BTV is served by JetBlue, AirTran, Delta’s Business Express, Continental, USAirways & United.

Convenient for those visiting Killington or Pico Mountain, JetBlue has included new codeshare service to Rutland ??“ a short drive from the slopes. Through the JetBlue-Cape Air alliance, customers can book travel on a single itinerary to Rutland from top domestic destinations that connect through Boston including New York/JFK, Washington/Dulles, Pittsburgh, Fort Lauderdale and Orlando.

For smaller aircraft intending for the Stowe area, the Morrisville-Stowe Airport has a 3,700 ft. asphalt runway. For reservations, call Stowe Area Association at 1.800.24.STOWE, that’s 800.247.8693.

Flight Facts: The Southern Vermont Regional Airport in Rutland and BTV welcome skiers and riders. BTV offers 49 arrivals and departures per day, on six major carries from 14 hub locations. In 2007, 1.52 million travelers flew into BTV and blizzards were not detrimental. “We have a crew of maintenance technicians whose motto is ‘catch the flakes on the way down’ and we take pride in the fact that we don’t have delays or close, only under the most extreme of conditions,” Burlington International Airport Director Brian Searles said.

TRAINS

All aboard. No need to keep hands on the wheel ??“ sit back and enjoy the scenery. Passenger train service is available daily on Amtrak’s Ethan Allen Express from New York City’s Penn Station to Rutland, Vt. ??“ a quick drive to Killington, Pico and Okemo.

To Mount Snow, hop on The Amtrak Vermonter to Brattleboro, or the new Ethan Allen Express to Rensselaer/Albany, just over an hour from Stratton as well.

The rebirth of the Ski Train is also at hand at Ascutney Mountain Resort in Brownsville. Only five miles away from the Windsor Station, this Ski Train stop will be bustling with skier activity this year. Specially priced Ski Train packages for Ascutney Mountain Resort include: 20% off round-trip train fare and train station shuttles.

Amtrak also offers service to Waterbury, Vt., less than 20 minutes from Bolton Valley, Stowe, Sugarbush, Trapp Family Lodge and Mad River Glen.

AUTOMOBILES

The resorts are an easy drive from most of New England, New York and New Jersey. As Vermont’s southernmost ski resort, Mount Snow is just over two hours from Boston and four from New York City. Once on-site, Mount Snow runs several free buses that go as close as Snow Lake Lodge or as far away as Brattleboro, Vt. Bus service also runs to Brattleboro. Why spend extra cash traveling to far-off destinations when some of the best skiing and riding is so close?

Put it on cruise control and get ready, because Ascutney Mountain Resort is just six miles off I-91 and 2.5 hours from Boston and Hartford, and four hours from New York City.

It’s not hard to find Stowe Mountain Resort. Since the ski area shares its name with the town, there’s no confusion about where you’re headed and the “Ski capital of the East” is an easy, enjoyable trip from just about anywhere. Also the home of Trapp Family Lodge, Stowe, in north-central Vermont, is a 40 minute drive from Vermont’s largest airport and 15 minutes from Interstate 89. Driving to Stowe from any eastern city is 90% state or interstate highway. Clear signs, no traffic, well-maintained roads, and gorgeous, countryside make it a pleasant drive from the airport or other northeastern locations.

When visiting Trapp Family Lodge, arrangements can be made in advance for shuttle service to and from the Amtrak station in Waterbury and BTV in Burlington, VT. Trapp Family Lodge is happy to assist guests with this transportation prior to their arrival.

Smugglers’ Notch Resort is easily accessed by the great Vermont Interstate Highway system, but there are two caveats. One is that when heading north, stop and take a break at the I89 rest stop near Sharon, Vt. Here the $6.3 million building features the country’s oldest (and perhaps most beautiful) Vietnam memorial with an eternal flame. And there is also an interesting ecologically advanced waste water treatment system in place called a Living Machine that purifies the water there via a greenhouse full of plants. Tour the Living Machine at this rest stop, and also one at Smugglers’ which uses the same system as part of its total treatment facility.

The second caveat is to leave I89 on the way to Smuggs at Exit 10, and continue on Route 100 into Morrisville, bypassing the famous Route 108 that leads into Smugglers’ Notch Pass. The reason? The Pass is closed in the winter, so it is highly recommended to drive around the mountain to the resort for the quickest route.

Located in southern Vermont less than 200 miles from most metropolitan areas, Magic Mountain offers skiers and riders the chance to enjoy classic Vermont terrain without the long commute. Whether coming for a day or a long weekend, Magic Mountain provides an authentic Vermont experience for the whole family without breaking the bank at the pump. Not only is Magic Mountain close to home, it also offers some of the lowest rates in New England. Weekends and Holidays are only $56.00 for adults and midweek skiing and riding is as little at $25 per day. Magic Mountain is an ideal destination for those on a budget.

Mad River Glen also offers an incredibly affordable ski getaway with its proximity and lift prices. But if you really want to save on your ski trip, check out the Mad River Glen Rideshare Forum. This is the place where drivers and riders (passengers, mind you) can link up to rideshare to the mountain. It’s a great way to save money, have fun meeting new people and be green. Learn more about the Mad River Glen Rideshare Forum at www.madriverglen.com/rideshare/ . Save time by reducing traffic.

Killington Resort is the largest regional destination resort in the Northeast and has the travel options to suit. For those driving from points south and east of Killington, the Skyeship Gondola offers quick access to the slopes daily and eliminates the 12-mile round trip to the Killington basin access points.

Around the Pico Mountain and the Killington region, Vermont’s largest mass-transit system “The Bus” provides convenient and comfortable transportation to lodging properties, restaurants and business on Killington’s famed access road. In addition, The Bus provides regional service to Rutland and the many dining and shopping opportunities that Vermont’s second largest city has to offer.

Stratton’s location in southern Vermont is one of its greatest assets. Located less than a four hour drive from New York City and three hours from Boston, Stratton is close to home. Bus lines also run into nearby Brattleboro.

“Location, location, location.” Like most clich?В©s, that one, has a good bit of truth in it. Bromley Mountain’s location in the southwest corner of southern Vermont allows it to boast that it’s one of the closest big mountain resorts to the New York metropolitan area and without question, the closest resort to New York’s Capitol Region. Add in the fact that Bromley’s just 2.5 hours from Hartford and 3 hours from Boston and it’s clear that Bromley’s a relatively short drive from all of the northeast’s major population centers. And as long as we’re talking proximity, consider the fact that Bromley Mountain’s just a few minutes’ drive from Manchester’s famous designer outlets and about an hour from Brattleboro, named one of the top ten “art towns,” with a population less than 30,000, in the book “The 100 Best Art Towns in America” and “The Best Tourist Spot in Southern Vermont” (Valley Advocate, Mass.).

Heading north, enjoy the beauty of the open road and the scenic wonders of the Northeast Kingdom. Burke Mountain, in the heart of Vermont’s spectacular Northeast Kingdom, is just 3 hours from Boston and 2.5 hours from Montreal. Burke Mountain is 7 miles from Exit 24 off Interstate 91, in the village of East Burke, a genuine Vermont village with a general store, great places to eat and plenty of welcoming smiles.

All-Mountain Skis