alaska train tour 2023

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Alaska Railroad Tours

Alaska railroad trips, rail & car or rail & bus packages plus day trips by train.

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An Alaska railroad or train tour offers an unparalleled window into Alaska’s backcountry “soul.” Alaska railroad vacation packages and train tours take visitors between Seward and Fairbanks to places only accessible by train, through magnificent landscapes, and some of Alaska’s most colorful communities. Alaska railroad itineraries are available for a single day , as an add-on to an Alaska cruise , or as part of a comprehensive, statewide train trip itinerary of 3 to 15 days. Train tours in Alaska can also be combined with car rentals and bus tours to round out your Alaska travel experience.

Choose from 17 vacations in Alaska related to Alaska Railroad Tours

“Active Alaska” Rail Package

Duration: 8 days

Starting at: $2959 / pp

Experience Alaska’s must do outdoor activities: raft, hike, kayak, even take a zipline tour! You start your trip in Fairbanks and travel to Denali where you raft and hike. Then continue south to Seward via Anchorage for a... Browse itinerary

Alaska by Rail Tour

Duration: 10 days

Starting at: $3449 / pp

Travel the entire Alaska Railroad in just nine days! Take the train from Anchorage to Seward, Talkeetna, Denali, and Fairbanks. Cruise to an active glacier, jet boat on the Talkeetna River, view wildlife in Denali National Park and... Browse itinerary

Glaciers and Wildlife Tour

Starting at: $2289 / pp

Combining Anchorage, Seward, Talkeetna, and Denali, this tour provides wildlife viewing opportunities and scenic touring throughout. You travel by the Alaska Railroad to Seward and cruise into Kenai Fjords National Park, well known for glacier scenery and viewing... Browse itinerary

Denali & Glacier Experience

Duration: 6 days

Starting at: $1919 / pp

By train, travel along the scenic Seward and Portage Glacier Highways before entering the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, the second-longest tunnel in North America. On arrival in Whittier, embark on the 26 Glacier Cruise with lunch. Enjoy viewing... Browse itinerary

Alaska’s Autumn Highlights Tour

Duration: 9 days

Starting at: $2709 / pp

Enjoy the vivid fall colors of Alaska both on the ground and in the sky! Begin your journey in Anchorage with a glacier day cruise through Prince William Sound. With an eye out for wildlife, you will travel... Browse itinerary

Alaska by Rail and Car Tour

Starting at: $1879 / pp

This rail and road trip takes you from Anchorage to Fairbanks on a classic Alaska train trip aboard the Alaska Railroad with an independent tour by car from Fairbanks to Valdez, driving the scenic Richardson and Glenn Highways.... Browse itinerary

Aurora Train Travel in Fall and Winter

Duration: 5 days

Starting at: $1149 / pp

This Aurora Train travel experience on the Alaska Railroad features some of Alaska’s best fall and winter activities in Anchorage and Fairbanks.  Begin your fall or winter tour with a day trip from Anchorage on a guided tour... Browse itinerary

Alaska Railroad Adventure

Duration: 7 days

Starting at: $2419 / pp

Touring Alaska by train is a relaxing way to experience all that the Great Land has to offer. Designed for independent travelers and train enthusiasts this tour utilizes several segments of the Alaska Railroad. This round trip itinerary... Browse itinerary

Relax Alaska

Duration: 11 days

Starting at: $3649 / pp

Great for travelers looking to explore Alaska at a relaxed pace. This tour starts in Anchorage and combines travel by train and motor coach between Seward and Fairbanks, ending with a scheduled flight from Fairbanks returning to Anchorage.... Browse itinerary

Ultimate Alaska Winter Wonderland and Iditarod

Starting at: $2129 / pp

This comprehensive Alaska winter travel experience begins with sightseeing in Fairbanks, including a great chance to see the northern lights. Departing from Fairbanks, travel by motorcoach to the historic town of Healy on the outskirts of Denali National... Browse itinerary

An Alaskan Odyssey

Starting at: $3989 / pp

This unique itinerary takes you from the North Pacific waters of Prince William Sound to the Arctic coast near Prudhoe Bay. This itinerary is for independent travelers seeking a chance to see the incredible diversity of Alaska, from... Browse itinerary

Alaska’s Gems Tour

Starting at: $2809 / pp

This tour provides Alaska travelers with many key Alaska highlights, combining travel by train and by deluxe motorcoach. Enjoy opportunities to view towering glaciers up close and perhaps catch a glimpse of a glacier "calving" into the waters... Browse itinerary

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Best Train Tours

From the most scenic trains in Alaska to the best rides for those short on time.

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• Best Alaska Train Tours

Most Popular

• Denali Star Train
• Seward Coastal Classic Train
• GoldStar Dome Service

Wilderness Express Dome Rail

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Transportation Finder

There are three things to consider when picking your best Alaska train tour. First, what route would you like to take? The railroad runs 470 miles from Fairbanks to Seward. Popular Alaska train routes include the Denali Star between Fairbanks and Anchorage with a favorite stop in Denali National Park , the Coastal Classic between Anchorage and Seward , and the Glacier Discovery running roundtrip from Anchorage to Whittier and Grandview. What's the best of the best? Check out our Most Scenic Alaska Train Routes advice page.

Next, what train service are you interested in? The Alaska Railroad , which includes the Adventure Class and GoldStar Dome classes of service, runs the full length of the railway in Alaska. The Wilderness Express and McKinley Explorer are privately operated premium dome train services. The Wilderness Express runs between Anchorage and Fairbanks, while the McKinley Express only travels between Anchorage and Denali Park. To see what each has to offer, please visit our Alaska train comparison page. You can also visit our Best Alaska Train for Me advice page for more amenity details.

Finally, how much time do you have? Although taking the train in Alaska is a wonderfully scenic experience, travel by railway most often takes longer than traveling by road. We usually recommend combining train and motorcoach service to make the most of your time and budget. And for those travelers with less time to play, a train day trip out of Anchorage is a perfect option. You can either head north to Talkeetna near Denali Park or south to Seward near Kenai Fjords . There is also an exciting day trip train option to Spencer Glacier and Grandview .

Many of the best Alaska trains are incorporated into our custom travel packages . To see more, head to our Alaska Trip Finder and search for packages based on travel by train.

Alaska Railroad Denali Star Train

See the sites and go the distance between Anchorage, Talkeetna, Denali National Park, and Fairbanks aboard the Alaska Railroad's flagship train route. Learn More >

Alaska Railroad Coastal Classic Train

Ride between Anchorage and Seward on what many describe as the most scenic train route in Alaska. See the Turnagain Arm, several glaciers, and blue mountain lakes on the way. Learn More >

Alaska Train Day Trips

Discover train adventures perfect for visitors with an extra day or two in Anchorage. Learn More >

Alaska Railroad GoldStar Dome Service

An upgrade from the standard Alaska Railroad train service, the luxury GoldStar service offers reserved upper-level seating beneath dome windows plus all-inclusive meals. Learn More >

Alaska Railroad Adventure Class Service

Ride the Alaskan rails in Adventure Class, the Alaska Railroad's standard class service offering reserved seating and fantastic views at value-oriented rates. Learn More >

Splendid views from dome windows, reserved upper-level seating, and delicious food await passengers aboard this deluxe train service traveling between Anchorage and Fairbanks. Learn More >

McKinley Explorer Dome Train

Travel from Anchorage to Denali National Park and back aboard this specialty Alaska train service offering reserved dome seating and a full-service dining room. Learn More >

The quickest and easiest way to book Alaska train and bus transportation. Compare all train suppliers, view live inventory, rates, schedules, and get an instant confirmation. Lowest rates and satisfaction guarantee. Learn More >

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Alaska Train Vacations | Our Best Selling Alaska Railroad Vacations

Explore our extensive range of Alaska Railroad Vacations and start dreaming of massive glaciers, majestic mountains and pristine national parks of America’s Last Frontier. 

Our alaska train tours, operate from the cruise ship terminals in whittier and seward to fairbanks and passing through anchorage, talkeetna and denali national park. .

All of our fabulous itineraries include Alaska Railroad's luxury GoldStar rail cars, which feature plush upper-level seating with a domed glass roof, an open air viewing platform and services such as meals and drinks in the downstairs dining area. 

Take the train in one direction and combine it with coach or a rental vehicle on the way back. 

This is the best way to plan a comprehensive exploration of alaska..

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Alaska Train Trips REVIEWS

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"Loved this vacation!"

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"Alaska Train Trips - we were so grateful for the careful planning and ideal itinerary for our vacation."

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"Amazing Vacation ! Well Planned"

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Railroads & Locomotives Tourist Railroad Profiles Travel with Trains: Alaska 2023

Travel with Trains: Alaska 2023

North to Alaska! A 'Trains' Magazine tour explores the railroads of the final frontier

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What’s it like to travel with Trains Magazine? Read Editor Carl Swanson’s day-by-day impressions of the 49th State. Information on all our upcoming tours is posted here .

Alaska 2023

Day 1, Sunday 9/10 | Fairbanks

Depending on where you live, getting to Alaska can take a while. In my case, it meant waking in time to catch a 4 a.m. airport shuttle from Milwaukee to Chicago, a six-hour non-stop flight to Anchorage, and another hour in a regional jet to reach Fairbanks. It was a long day. I think that’s why, when I arrived in Alaska, I briefly wondered if American money was accepted. I was either jet-lagged or losing my marbles.

Fairbanks is in the middle of Alaska. It is the state’s second-largest city, but that doesn’t make it especially big. About 33,000 people call it home. Tour participants were met at baggage claim by our two coordinators from Special Interest Tours. They planned everything and did a fantastic job of keeping the tour moving smoothly.

I had a couple of hours to relax in my hotel room (in the downtown Marriott, across the street from the Dog Mushing Hall of Fame, and, no, I am not making that up). Then it was time to head downstairs and board the chartered bus that would accompany our tour and take care of non-rail transportation needs.

With the short drive to our welcome dinner, our nine-day Trains Magazine Alaska tour was officially underway.

In the coming days, we covered the Alaska Railroad main line from the northern end of track in Fairbanks to the southern end of the line at Resurrection Bay in Seward. Along the way, we made a few detours to experience more of the 49th State. The ARR is unusual. It’s a state-owned Class II operating both passenger and freight trains. Our 2023 tour marked the 100th anniversary of the ARR’s completion.

Our welcome dinner was held at the Alaska Salmon Bake at Fairbanks’ Pioneer Park. It’s surrounded by a grass-covered earthen berm and one enters through a mineshaft (a well-lit and extremely clean mineshaft … but still) to emerge in a beautiful grove of trees with many picnic tables.

It’s a nice setting but dinner is a bit complex. One collects a plate from the first shed, walks down a path to the next shed where the salad bar is located, then onward to select sides (mac and cheese, coleslaw, etc.) from the side shack, or whatever they call it, and further down the path to line up by a fire pit for a massive slab of grilled salmon (or prime rib or, in my case, breaded halibut) and, finally, a visit to the beverage barn.

The idea seems to be, why make do with one building when you can have six? Taking a seat at a picnic table with one of our travel coordinators, I said, “This is a goofy place.”

“I know!” she said enthusiastically, “Alaska is so weird !”

My halibut was very good. Talking to others on the tour I learned those who selected salmon, the specialty of the place, were generally unimpressed. Fish cooks fast over an open fire and the cooks were giving the fillets a little too much time in the flames. My advice? If you’re eating in Fairbanks’ Pioneer Park, go for the prime rib.

The driver of our chartered motorcoach was an interesting person. A retired airline pilot, bored and wanting to get out of the house, he had taken a job driving tour buses. For the coming week, he would shadow our group. He would drop us off at a train station in the morning, hustle down the highway to pick us up at another station in the evening, and shuttle us to our hotel then, perhaps, later driving us to a restaurant.

Heading back to our hotel after our dinner, our driver detoured to take us past the former Fairbanks passenger station, remodeled beyond all recognition, and the north end of the Alaska Railroad’s main line, which is also the northernmost railroad track in North America. (It ends behind the local newspaper’s office and there is a historical marker.)

Day 2, Monday 9/11 | Fairbanks to Denali National Park

Our bus arrived at 7 a.m. and we were off to the new Fairbanks depot to board ARR’s flagship train, the Denali Star . We rolled up to the train station just as boarding began. One of our group coordinators hurried inside and immediately returned with our tickets. This was a nice thing about Alaska: Trains, restaurants, and hotels are quite accustomed to dealing with tour groups and have it down to a science. Hotels had neatly organized stacks of room keys waiting for us, the restaurants had tables set aside, etc.

Tickets in hand we strolled through the lobby and right onto the train. (Our luggage stayed on the bus.) We would be riding in one of the custom-built 89-foot-long bilevel passenger cars the railroad dubs “GoldStar Service.” The lower level of each of these massive cars contains restrooms, a kitchen, and a full-service dining room, with all meals included in the fare. Upstairs are 78 reclining coach seats under panoramic windows and a staffed bar with complimentary beverages. At the very end of the car, sliding glass doors access an open-air deck. Made in 2005 by Colorado Railcar to Alaska Railroad’s design, the cars are smooth-riding and comfortable.

The Denali Star ’s consist also includes single-level coaches and rebuilt classic dome cars, which provide the standard coach service the railroad dubs “Adventure Class.” Lower-level vestibules allow riders to walk the train if they wish.

We were soon rolling south behind a pair of SD70MACs , which make up the backbone of the railroad’s freight operations and also power ARR’s long-distance passenger trains.

During the summer months, ARR runs passenger trains during the day and freights at night. This gave the Denali Star smooth sailing down the single-track main but we weren’t the only thing moving. In addition to its own scheduled trains, Alaska RR operates passenger trains under contract for a couple of private operators.

A few minutes past noon, our train pulled into the Denali National Park station. Train stations are uncommon in National Parks, but this one serves an important purpose. In 2021 the railroad delivered 59,861 park visitors, taking an estimated 14,500 motorcoaches off the lone two-lane highway that serves the park. We stepped off the train and right onto our waiting motorcoach to be driven a short distance to our hotel, where we were already checked in and our rooms ready.

After lunch in the hotel dining room, we had time to settle into our rooms, which had stunning views of the surrounding mountain range. It was a warm day and I spent a ridiculous amount of time on my room’s balcony just taking in the view.

In the evening, we reboarded our bus for a visit to the Alaska Cabin Nite Dinner Theater. I’m not particularly a fan of dinner theater, but this one was excellent. The story revolves around real-life Fannie Quigley, a pioneer and cook who opened a primitive restaurant in this area in the early 1900s to feed gold prospectors. The dinner theater occupies a large log cabin, and the food is hearty and served family-style at wood tables. Fannie’s history, and those of her friends and neighbors who drop by, unfolds through storytelling, and energetic singing, and a great deal of humor. Save room for the berry cobbler!

Day 3, Tuesday 9/12 | Denali National Park

We were back on the move the next morning, but not by train. After breakfast, a Park Service bus driven by a certified interpretive guide picked us up at our hotel for a 5-hour narrated driving tour of the 9,492-square-mile Denali National Park (that’s bigger than New Hampshire). Since there’s only one road into the heart of the park and only Park Service buses are allowed, this is not only a great way to see Denali, it’s the only way.

Caribou and moose were sighted along with ptarmigan, Alaska’s state bird, and even a fleeting glimpse of a wolverine as we moved from dense forest to arctic tundra enjoying dramatic views of the mountain range that includes the park’s namesake peak, highest in North America. (Denali means “the great one, the big one.”) Seeing the peak was a treat. It’s so frequently shrouded in clouds that only about 30% of park visitors will see the mountain. Our guide said this was the first time in a month that one of her tours glimpsed the peak.

Our park bus delivered us back to our hotel in the early afternoon but I hadn’t gotten my fill of the park, so I hopped on the hotel’s free shuttle and spent the remainder of the day in Denali, checking out the nature center and photographing the northbound Denali Star .

With snow already moving down from the mountains, the park was scheduled to close for the season the following day. This also meant our hotel was closing until spring. As people checked out, crews moved in to winterize the now-vacant rooms. Although the weather remained comfortable, albeit rainy at times, winter was chasing us south. By the last day of our tour, we had an hour less daylight than we had on the first day. The Denali Star was also making its last runs, soon to be replaced by the weekends-only Aurora , which runs between Anchorage and Fairbanks during the winter months.

Day 4, Wednesday 9/13 | Denali to Talkeetna

We were waiting at the Denali Park train depot when the southbound Denali Star rolled in shortly after noon to take us on the next stage of our journey south. Ahead was a 5-hour ride in GoldStar class, climbing to the highest point on the ARR, the crossing of the Continental Divide at 2,363 feet. Once over the Alaska Range, we rolled sedately downhill and across the ARR’s longest and tallest bridge, which spans Hurricane Gulch (named for the occasional extreme winds encountered here), 296 feet below the tracks.

At 5 p.m., we disembarked in the former mining and fur-trapping town of Talkeetna, population just over a thousand, and were driven a short distance to our overnight stay in Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge.

The town of Talkeetna is best described as “quirky.” The fictional town in the television series “Northern Exposure” was inspired by this community’s offbeat character. For example, you can pay your respects at “The Tomb of the Unknown Hippie,” a memorial garden dedicated to both long-time residents and transients alike. Its website helpfully explains, “The Tomb of the Unknown Hippie was originally conceived in the 1980s after  a night of drinking.”

Day 5, Thursday 9/14 | Talkeetna round trip— Hurricane Turn

Today’s train ride was both more of the same but completely different.

Our motorcoach delivered us to Talkeetna’s depot, where we boarded the northbound Hurricane Turn . We would retrace our journey of the day before, all the way back to the train’s namesake bridge, then return to Talkeetna.

The Hurricane Turn is the last true flag-stop train remaining in North America and is the most laidback train I’ve encountered. There is a snack bar in the dome car that operates on the honor system, just take what you want and leave your payment in a box on the counter. Some passengers brought their dogs along. A 14-year-old going moose hunting with her father boarded with a high-powered rifle (borrowed from her mother) tucked under her arm. No one found this unusual.

The train stops here and there to pick up or drop off hunters and people living off the grid. We even halted for a few minutes to watch salmon spawning in a shallow gravel-bottomed stream next to the tracks. Remember, this is taking place on the ARR’s main line.

Alaska Railroad passenger trains have onboard car hosts who provide narration. The host on the Hurricane Turn was well-informed on many subjects, ranging from wildlife to the details of living off the grid. If you’ve ever used an outhouse at 40 below zero, she informed us earnestly, you would understand how much of a game-changer an indoor composting toilet can be.

She also mentioned we were about to take a siding and wait for a southbound passenger train, a meet routinely scheduled at this place. At this siding, the guide told us, deep in the wilderness, is the cabin and art studio of Shannon Cartwright , a well-known illustrator of dozens of children’s books, the combined print runs of these adding up to more than 2 million books. Visitors are welcome.

The train stopped, and I joined several members of our tour who braved the drizzle and puddles to visit what is certainly America’s most remote art gallery. I briefly worried the train might leave without us, but the conductor came along to make sure we didn’t go astray. (While we shopped, he fed treats to Cartwright’s huge and friendly dog.) The tiny gallery offers prints of her whimsical illustrations for sale, as well as many of her books. One lady commented, “I can’t believe how much art you’ve produced.” With a shy smile, Cartwright said, “Well, I have a lot of time.”

Then we splashed away to reboard our train and, with the day’s brief rush of business concluded, left her to her work.

Our next stop was Hurricane Gulch. The train dropped me off short of the bridge to try for a photo as the train moved out to midspan to let passengers stand in the baggage car doors for a vertigo-inducing view of the river 300 feet below.

On the way back to Talkeetna, the train halted at an informal trackside park to let us stretch our legs. It’s a flat patch of ground bordered by a fast-moving creek with tall rock walls. Railroaders thought it made a nice picnic ground, so they built a fire ring and hauled in a picnic table. From time to time, people get off the northbound here, enjoy a picnic and a few hours of solitude in the wilderness, and are then picked up by the returning southbound. Why did we stop here? On the other hand, why not? It’s a different sort of railroading.

I greatly enjoyed my trip on the Hurricane Turn . It offered a look at an Alaska you can’t get from the plush and pampered confines of GoldStar class.

Day 6, Friday 9/15 | Talkeetna to Anchorage

Today we would board the Denali Star for the final leg into Anchorage, but since it rolls into Talkeetna at 5 p.m. we had time to explore the town. (For the adventurous, Talkeetna’s airport is a good place to book Denali flightseeing or a glacier landing tour for an extra charge.)

As for me, I walked around, pretty much at random, and stopped at the town’s store to buy a soft drink. While my purchase was being rung up, a couple entered and said, “We were hoping to see the mayor.”

The clerk pointed to a huge antique dogsled suspended from the rafters above our heads. “He’s sleeping in that. Just climb the stairs and look over the railing.”

Their conversation struck me as odd, but many things about Talkeetna struck me as odd.

I should have climbed those stairs myself because I missed one of Alaska’s best-known politicians. As an unincorporated community, Talkeetna doesn’t have an elected mayor. Instead, a cat living in the town’s store has held the post of honorary mayor for many years.

“You know, it is a very small neighborhood so I can’t imagine needing more than that,” resident Cris Vargis explained to Anchorage television station KTUU.

Across the street from the general store is the tavern and inn where President Warren Harding stayed when he visited the state to drive the ARR’s golden spike, 100 years ago. Some locals believe the president was fatally poisoned here. (Harding, suffering a mysterious illness, died in San Francisco on his return trip from Alaska.) Who would want him dead? Well, Harding was having an affair with his secretary, which the first lady knew about. After his passing, she refused to allow an autopsy and had him embalmed an hour after his death.

To be fair, Florence Kling Harding is an extremely unlikely suspect. So if you don’t believe the murder angle — and doubters include most historians — there’s also a theory Harding suffered food poisoning courtesy of the lobster meal he consumed at Talkeetna. Either way, the resident I spoke with was pretty sure the town killed him.

The train arrived and whisked us southward. We arrived in Anchorage at 8 p.m., where our trusty motorcoach was waiting to take us the few blocks to our downtown hotel. After the small towns and large swaths of wilderness, being in a large city again was a jarring transition.

Day 7, Saturday 9/16 | Anchorage – Engine 557 Shop Tour

It was a day to look behind the scenes. In the morning, ARR employees welcomed the Trains’ Tour and showed us around the railroad’s massive Anchorage Shops. Impressive for its size and capabilities, the Shops perform nearly all needed repairs since components can’t practically be sent out to be rebuilt, given the state-owned line’s isolation from the nation’s rail network.

We also posed for a group photo with the ARR’s specially decorated SD70MAC commemorating the 100th anniversary of the railroad’s completion. The design is based on the early 1950s passenger paint scheme.

We reboarded our motor coach for a drive to Wasilla where the volunteers of the 557 Restoration Company treated us to lunch in the steam shop and a detailed briefing on their progress toward restoring 2-8-0 Consolidation No. 557 to operation. They knew how to win us over — good food and a steam engine!

The 557 is part of the S160 class 2-8-0 locomotives built between 1942 and 1945 by Alco, Baldwin, and Lima for the United States Army Transportation Corps. The 2,120 locomotives built to this design represent the largest-ever single class of steam locomotives. Known as GI Consolidations, most served overseas but a dozen made their way to Alaska. Once restored, the 557 will be the only operating example of the once-numerous S160 class in the United States.

The determination of the group and the amount of local backing they’ve received is remarkable. Restoration work is going very well. When will we see it in steam? Their goal is “Ride in ’25”!

Day 8, Sunday 9/17 | Anchorage to Seward round trip

Our last full day in Alaska began before dawn with boarding of the Coastal Classic and a scenic 4-hour ride to the south end of the ARR in Seward highlighted by its long run alongside Turnagain Arm, where the steep mountains of the Chugach Range meet the sea, followed by a steeply winding climb into the heart of the mountains. It’s easy to see why National Geographic Traveler named the Coastal Classic one of the top 10 train rides in North America.

The Coastal Classic lays over in Seward for most of the day, giving our group time for a 6-hour cruise of Kenai Fjords National Park. The 1,000-square-mile park contains 40 glaciers flowing from the Harding Icefield, Its limited land access means a boat tour is the best way to see the sprawling park. It was a clear day, but windy and rough at times on the Gulf of Alaska.

The trip was narrated by the captain who noted at one point that our next landfall, should he maintain our current heading, would be Antarctica, making this one of the longest uninterrupted expanses of water on the planet. Instead, he took us on a 110-mile round trip to Kenai’s Holgate tidewater glacier. After all, we had an evening train to catch and, sad to realize, a morning flight back to the lower 48.

Associate Editor Bob Lettenberger leads the 2024  Trains  Tour of Alaska in September 2024. Details of all our upcoming rail adventures can be found here .

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4 thoughts on “ travel with trains: alaska 2023 ”.

I enjoyed your story. Alaska is an awesome place that my wife and I have enjoyed on a 15 day sea and land cruise ending in Fairbanks. I tell everyone that Alaska should be in your bucket list.

I enjoyed all of the article. My experience is mostly a ride on the one car RDC Hurricane Turn, December 7, 1995. Great Smoky Mountain Railway also claims to run a member on the large class of GI Consolidations and I believe the U S Army steams one at Fort Eustis. Russia’s Class 0-10-0 of 1912 had 11,000 engines and Germany’s 1942 Kriegslok 2-10-0 had 7,000. GI engines had competition, but now they are preserved all over the world.

Glad you had a great time. Now you might understand why we lived just outside of Fairbanks for 20 years. Hopefully you looked in on the Tanana Valley Model Railroad Club layout while you were in the train station in Fairbanks. Nice article! Been to all those places, some on the train, some in our Suburban and a few in our airplane (wife is a pilot).

Fantastic article! I was in the Navy and we pulled into Seward, so of course I jumped on the train to Anchorage. Fantastic article, thanks!

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You can make bus and train reservations for the summer of 2024 by clicking on the Book Now button and just be sure to enter 2024 for the year. Our online booking system has updated rates and schedules, just enter your trip details to see what options are available.

We encourage you to book early for 2024, especially if you plan travel on the Alaska Railroad GoldStar , Wilderness Express or McKinley Explorer dome railcars. It may be hard to believe, but these popular trips can sell out well in advanace. You can reserve your train seats now with AlaskaTrain.com by paying a deposit as low as 10%. Book with confidence knowing that your reservation is 100% refundable and changeable up until 31 days prior to travel, with purchase of our low cost, Worry-Free Cancellation Waiver.

If you need help booking other Alaska travel services such as tours, cruises and hotels, Alaska Tour & Travel can help with that as well .

Thanks visiting our website, we look forward to helping you plan your trip. Please also take a moment to read the top ten reasons why you should book your Alaska train trips with AlaskaTrain.com .