Every Train Tour in Alaska

Whether passing through rolling green mountains in summer, or snow-covered scenery in winter, Alaska Railroad is your invitation to see Alaska at its best.

If you think a cruise is enough to see Alaska, we assure you there is much, much more to discover.

The Alaska Railroad has been connecting Alaska's communities since 1909, and continues to be one of the most remarkable ways to see the state.

This guide has every train route in Alaska, so you can understand which will suit your trip best. Still wondering? Contact one of our Travel Designers, and they will pair you with your perfect route.

Trains in Alaska Summary:

• Most train tours in Alaska are operated by Alaska Railroad
• There are three primary summer train tours, and one winter train tour
• A few other trains operate in Alaska, including historic day tours and trains used by cruise lines

Why Take a Train Trip in Alaska

The simplest answer is that on a train tour of Alaska, you'll see some of the state's most spectacular views from the comfort of a glass-domed rail car.

Alaska covers over 665,000 square miles and is the largest state in the USA by far. It contains eight national parks, three major mountain groups — according to Britannica — comprising over 3,800 individual named mountains. The Alaska Railroad itself stretches across 470 miles from Seward in the south to Fairbanks in the north.

Despite this, land tours in Alaska are still a largely under-the-radar adventure. And even less appreciated is the absolute joy of an Alaska train trip — only 17% of Denali National Park visitors arrive by train. But the journey is easy, convenient, and overwhelmingly beautiful.

A train trip in Alaska is more than getting from A to B and more than just amazing scenery — though it is both of those things.

Beyond just a great chance to enjoy the scenery, you're invited to enjoy onboard commentary from exceedingly friendly (and extremely knowledgeable) local tour guides. They have ridden the routes dozens of times and will point out wildlife and views along the way. Their expertise enriches any trip through the mountains.

Alaska Railroad Train Schedules

For easy comparison, these are all of Alaska Railroad's train routes, including stops, duration, operating season, and available service levels:

Trains	Denali Star	Coastal Classic	Glacier Discovery	Aurora Winter Train	Hurricane Turn Train
Rail Route	Anchorage ? Wasilla ? Talkeetna ? Denali ? Fairbanks	Anchorage ? Girdwood ? Seward	Anchorage ? Girdwood ? Whittier ? Portage ? Spencer ? Grandview	Anchorage ? Wasilla ? Talkeetna ? Hurricane Flagstop Area ? Healy ? Nenana ? Fairbanks	Talkeetna ? Chase ? Curry ? Sherman ? Gold Creek ? Twin Bridges ? Chulitna ? Hurricane
Duration	11 hours 40 minutes	4 hours 35 minutes	2 hours 20 minutes (to Whittier)	11 hours 30 minutes	Duration varies
Season	May ? September (Summer)	May ? September (Summer)	May ? September (Summer)	September ? May (Winter)	Year-round
Service Levels	GoldStar Service or Adventure Class	GoldStar Service or Adventure Class	Adventure Class	Adventure Class	Adventure Class

If you take a rail vacation with Alaska By Design, we'll do all of the work for you. We'll select the right train for your trip, arrange the tickets, and book your stays and activities along the way.

And we'll include the highest service level available by default, every time.

Each one of these trains makes for a fantastic Alaska excursion or an excellent way to connect stops along your vacation. We recommend each one, but to different travelers.

Credit: Alaska Rail Vacations

Alaska Railroad Train Routes

Alaska Railroad runs five different routes.

While all offer opportunities for wildlife viewing (including popular animals to see in Alaska like bears, moose, and bald eagles) and marveling at its remarkable views, each route also offers convenient transport to a different must-see spot.

Credit: Alaska Railroad

Denali Star Train | Anchorage to Fairbanks

Best for: Gateway to Talkeetna & Denali National Park

The Denali Star Train is the best train tour in Alaska. It's the longest route by Alaska Railroad, and runs between Anchorage in the south and Fairbanks in the north.

There are many notable points along the route, but the most popular (and our personal favorites) are Talkeetna or Denali National Park.

Denali National Park is obviously a highlight — over 4 million acres of untouched wilderness, North America's tallest mountain, and being the namesake for the train route are all hints as to why. You'll see the vast national park and, weather permitting, Mount Denali (federally designated as Mount McKinley) itself from the train.

We always recommend breaking the Denali Star train journey in two and spending time here to experience the park: hikes, guided drives, or a once-in-a-lifetime backcountry lodge stay, your choice.

Talkeetna, on the other hand, is a destination for travelers of all kinds. The town itself is rustic in an entirely endearing way. Its grand two-block 'downtown' is made up of historic wooden shops and cozy eateries. To those drawn to the wild, Talkeetna is known as the base camp for Denali climbers and offers a variety of adventure activities.

Trip Highlights:

• Longest train trip in Alaska
• Passing Denali National Park
• Mount Denali (also known as Mount McKinley) sightings

Credit: Alaska Railroad

Coastal Classic Train | Anchorage to Seward

Best for: Gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park

The Coastal Classic Train is our choice for the best day trip train tour in Alaska. That is because it leaves Anchorage early in the morning at 6:45am, arrives in Seward — gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park — in the late morning, and returns to Anchorage at 6pm that same evening.

You'll start along the Turnagain Arm as you leave Anchorage — views over the water included, of course — before turning away from the fjord and the Seward Highway into a mountain pass across the Kenai Peninsula.

That means the Coastal Classic gives you double the scenery for a single train ride: both majestic mountains and the namesake coastal views.

The domed-glass coaches are incredible, but after setting off, we spent nearly the whole trip on the outdoor viewing platform looking at the views! - Jenna, Team Member

As we mentioned, Seward is the gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park where you can hop on a glacier cruise to see marine wildlife, landscapes, and glacier calvings from the water.

At the end of your cruise, you can board the train again, Anchorage-bound, and enjoy any views you missed on the way in. Or, spend a night (or two!) here to experience its other activities.

Trip Highlights:

• A day trip to Kenai Fjords National Park
• The mountain pass along the Kenai Peninsula

Credit: Alaska Railroad / Teresa Severson

Glacier Discovery Train | Anchorage to Whittier

Best for: Gateway to Prince William Sound

The Glacier Discovery train is perfect as a round trip, as it can be neatly completed in a single day, leaving plenty of time at its destination for a grand tour of Prince William Sound.

The Glacier Discovery train actually runs between Anchorage and Grandview (a 5-hour 35-minute trip), but the vast majority of visitors disembark at Whittier. For that reason, the Glacier Discovery train is best known for connecting Anchorage and Prince William Sound day cruises.

The return evening train leaves Whittier at 6:45pm, which means that, like the Coastal Classic, it makes for a perfect day trip from Anchorage. Or, the perfect way to connect an Alaska cruise with a land tour.

If you ride the Glacier Discovery past Whittier, you'll reach the Spencer Glacier whistle stop — a spot only accessible by train and only stopped at by request. There, you can hike to the glacier or camp overnight.

Unlike the Coastal Classic, the Glacier Discovery only offers Adventure Class, meaning no food is served onboard.

Trip Highlights:

• Turnagain Arm water views
• Kenai Peninsula backcountry

Credit: Alaska Railroad / Kerry Tasker

Aurora Winter Train | Anchorage to Fairbanks

Best for: Chasing the Northern Lights

The Aurora Winter Train is Alaska Railroad's winter service connecting Anchorage and Fairbanks. It follows the same route as the Denali Star, unlocking the iconic landscapes in their winter coat.

You'll roll through snow-covered landscapes, past towering mountains, to the Interior Region, where the Northern Lights frequent winter nights.

Due to the short daylight hours in Alaska in winter, you’ll have the chance to spot the Aurora Borealis from the train at the very end of your journey.

And once you're in Fairbanks, Northern Lights-viewing from outdoor hot springs is just a short hop away.

Trip Highlights:

• Aurora sightings from the train
• Snowy winter train experience

Credit: Alaska Railroad / Michael Gerenday

Hurricane Turn Train | Anchorage/Talkeetna to Hurricane Gulch

Best for: Local use and backcountry exploration

The Hurricane Turn train is a 'flagstop' train connecting Alaskans living in remote backcountry cabins and homes with civilization. But it is also used by visitors who want to see Alaska at its most authentic.

The Hurricane Turn embodies the rustic living that defines Alaska.

Travelers can flag down the train at any point along the route to both board and disembark the train. For visitors, this means you can hop off wherever you please to hike, fish, or camp. For locals, it means disembarking to return home.

That means, while the Hurricane Turn train follows the same route as the Denali Star, it offers a very different experience.

Its duration will vary depending on the number of pickups it has. Similarly, the train will often slow or stop for wildlife viewing — one of the perks of its loose schedule.

You won't find extra amenities like other routes — you'll have to bring your own food and drinks on this one — but you'll find friendly onboard staff, off-track travelers, and locals living in extremely unique circumstances. That is to say, you're guaranteed to come back with a story.

Trip Highlights:

• Remote route through Alaska’s backcountry
• Authentic local experience in Alaska

Alaska Rail Vacations on the Alaska Railroad

Riding Alaska Railroad doesn't mean you are bound to the train. You can book multi-day tours that combine rail travel with overnight stays at hotels and lodges, and excursions into the wilderness.

Credit: Tia Froehle

First-time Favorites | Best of Alaska Rail & Glaciers

The Best of Alaska Rail & Glaciers is our best-selling trip and prominently features two train tours on the Alaska Railroad. It's our best taster of the state, showing you exactly why we love it in under a week.

Picture it.

You're in a narrow mountain pass, miles from the closed paved road and even further from the closest city. You're passing rivers that few ever see besides glaciers that have existed for a millennium. And there's nobody else around.

Between your rail journeys, we recommend and arrange tours and excursions in stand-out destinations. That might be a city tour of Anchorage, a guided Jeep excursion at Denali National Park, or something as grand as a helicopter flightseeing tour, landing atop a glacier to go dog sledding across the ice. It's up to you.

On the train to Denali, we've included GoldStar Service for you to make your journey that bit more special.

Routes Included:

• Glacier Discovery
• Denali Star

Credit: Alaska Railroad / Teresa Severson

Best of Alaska by Train | Alaska Train Vacation

What a grand train-hopping tour this is!

This tour covers all three major summer routes on Alaska Railroad.

From Anchorage, you'll start on the Coastal Classic to Seward, enjoying your choice of excursions once you arrive.

Then, a day trip to Whittier and a Prince William Sound cruise (taking the Glacier Discovery back).

And you'll end on a two-day jaunt north to Denali National Park, riding the flagship Denali Star train in GoldStar Service on the way there, and the option to upgrade for another ride on the way back to Anchorage.

Routes Included:

• Coastal Classic
• Glacier Discovery
• Denali Star

Credit: Travel Alaska / ChrisMcLennan

Alaska Northern Lights Train | Aurora, Ice Fishing and Dog Sledding

Northern traditions can be found in abundance in Alaska. On this tour, we connect you to them by way of the Aurora Winter train — 12 hours of snowy scenes seen from deep in the backcountry, far beyond where roads go.

This trip is about simple pleasures paired with bucket-list experiences: hearty, home-cooked Alaskan dinners after dog sledding through boreal forests; hot chocolate on the train as you pass North America's tallest mountain; relaxing hot springs baths as the Northern Lights dance overhead.

And speaking of the Northern Lights, once you reach Fairbanks, you have three evenings dedicated to spotting the Aurora Borealis. And with a 90% success rate across three-night stays, we're confident you'll have the trip of a lifetime.

We also have options that take you to the Arctic, if that's your calling.

Routes Included:

• Aurora Winter train

Credit: Alaska Rail Vacations

Book Today with Alaska Rail Vacations

Want help planning? At Alaska Rail Vacations, we'll pair you with a rail travel expert who will build your train vacation.

No matter where — fjords, mountains, or to where the Aurora Borealis lives — there is a train that will take you there — slowly, quietly, and in full view of the wilderness.

In the meantime, subscribe to our newsletter to stay in touch. We’ll send you inspiration, select packages, and feature offers your way.

Credit: Alaska Railroad, Alaska Railroad / Michelle Park

Extra Alaska Railroad Information

Alaska Railroad offers two service levels across its trains: GoldStar Service and Adventure Class.

In GoldStar Service, you sit on the top-level of glass-domed viewing cars — which themselves have access to an outdoor viewing platform — while the bottom level is reserved for a dining room. You're treated to a meal or two in the dining car, depending on your route.

GoldStar Service is available on select routes.

Adventure Class is available across all routes on Alaska Railroad. It offers the same stunning views through large windows, but meals come at an extra cost.

Other Train Tours in Alaska

Alaska Railroad might dominate the train-tripping options in Alaska, but there are a select few other trains in the state. This can cause confusion — many run similar routes as Alaska Railroad's trains. But each has its specific uses or locations, and not all are right for the independent traveler.

Other trains in Alaska include day tours and cruise-owned rail lines.

Other Alaska Train Schedules:

For easy comparison, these are the other train schedules in Alaska. We've included their stops, duration, operating season, and whether it is typically taken by independent travelers.

Trains	White Pass Summit Train	McKinley Explorer®	Princess® Rail Service	Wilderness Express Train Cars
Rail Route	Skagway ? White Pass	Anchorage ? Talkeetna ? Denali	Anchorage ? Talkeetna ? Denali	Anchorage ? Wasilla ? Talkeetna ? Denali ? Fairbanks
Duration	2 - 3 hours	8 hours	3 - 8 hours	12 hours
Season	April ? October	May ? September (Summer)	May ? September (Summer)	May ? September (Summer)
Bookable?	Yes	No	Yes	No

Credit: Dora Dalton

White Pass Summit

White Pass Summit is a historic day-tour train option in Skagway. Alongside Bennett Lake, a vintage train coach trundles through the wilderness, retracing the original route to the White Pass Summit, passing historic sites as you go.

We love this train. Though it is not featured as a default in our packages, we offer the White Pass Summit Excursion as a custom add-on to Skagway trips. Reach out to a Travel Designer if you are interested in taking this train.

Credit: Meg von Haartman

McKinley Explorer® Dome Train

The McKinley Explorer® is a train excursion offered by Holland America Line, exclusively used by their passengers.

The McKinley Explorer® runs a limited variation of the Denali Star train route, from Anchorage to Denali National Park.

As this train is used exclusively by cruise lines, we do not sell these trips and cannot recommend them for private bookings.

Princess® Rail Service

Princess® Rail Service is the Princess® Cruise line alternative to the McKinley Explorer® or Denali Star trains. It runs along the same Alaska Railroad tracks that the other two do, and offers a similar onboard experience.

While you can book this route as an independent traveler, we do not work with Princess® rail service and typically suggest taking the Alaska Railroad train instead for the most authentic experience.

Credit: Alaska Railroad

Wilderness Express Rail

The Wilderness Express Rail cars are not a separate train, but instead attach to the back of Alaska Railroad's Denali Star train. By virtue, they follow the same route and the same season.

These train cars are typically reserved for large groups taking cruises, though small amounts of independent reservations are taken online.

We do not work with Wilderness Express Rail, nor do we recommend them for private bookings.

FAQ

Is the Alaska Railroad still running?

Alaska Railroad operates year-round, and has been for over 100 years.

How much does it cost to ride the Alaska Railroad?

The price of a trip on Alaska Railroad depends on which route you take and which service level you choose.

The fare alone can range from $119.00 for Adventure Class onboard the Glacier Discovery train to upwards of $500 for a longer trip in GoldStar Service.

At Alaska Rail Vacations, we include the price of your ride with your tour package, choosing the highest service level available on any route, and including hotels and customized excursions once you arrive. Our multi-day packages start at $1,713.

What is the most scenic train ride in Alaska?

It depends on what you want to see, but the most scenic train ride in Alaska is the Coastal Classic route.

From this train, you'll see coastal views along the Turnagain Arm, mountain views across the Kenai Peninsula, and arrive in the fjord port town of Seward.

Can you sleep on the Alaska Railroad train?

Alaska Railroad does not operate any sleeper or overnight services onboard its trains, so you cannot sleep on board.

The longest routes on Alaska Railroad are the Denali Star and Aurora Winter trains, both being approximately 12 hours. These are completed in a single day. But we strongly recommend breaking them into multi-day journeys for the chance to experience Denali National Park.

Is the Alaska train worth it?

For a tour of Alaska's remarkable landscapes, the train in Alaska is absolutely worth it.

Not only do you get to see majestic mountains and ample opportunity for wildlife viewing, but you get to enjoy the train's staff commentary, onboard local food, and a relaxing rail journey.

Both our team members — who have made the journey themselves — and our travelers agree that a rail vacation is one of the best ways to see Alaska.

Feature Image Credit: Alaska Railroad