Planning The Ultimate Vacation By Rail In Alaska

Alaska is the ultimate vacation destination for outdoor enthusiasts. With its rugged terrain, stunning glaciers, and abundant wildlife, tourists can always find something new to explore. Many visitors to the Last Frontier choose to explore the state by car or boat. However, others opt to get around on the state’s world-class rail system! Train rides in Alaska are one of the most popular ways for tourists to see the state’s vast wilderness during a visit.

Get To Know More About Alaska’s Spectacular Rail Systems

Vacations by rail in Alaska offer visitors a unique way to explore the state on day trips or multi-day tours. Two railroads operate in Alaska: The Alaska Railroad and the White Pass & Yukon Railroad. Train rides in Alaska offer travelers an exciting yet comfortable way to see the state. Both trains travel through areas inaccessible by road, offering tourists the chance to visit locations off-the-beaten-path. They also offer whistle-stop services for their passengers, meaning travelers can disembark in the backcountry for a quiet day of fishing, hiking, and picnics!

Five Fun Facts About The Alaska Railroad

The Alaska Railroad was established in 1914 during the gold rush era. It was built to connect the coastal town of Seward, where gold was discovered in 1896, to Fairbanks in the interior. Today, the railroad stretches over 500 miles and connects Anchorage, Seward, Whittier, and Fairbanks. Each year, thousands of tourists book train tours of Alaska on the Alaska Railroad.

• The Alaska Railroad is the northernmost railroad in North America. It is also one of the only rail lines that stop at backcountry whistle stops, where passengers can disembark on an Alaskan railroad trip to hike a glacier!
• During the year, the Alaska Railroad offers visitors the chance to ride special “event trains.” These trains include an Easter train, a kid's Halloween train, a family fun train, a beer train, and more.
• The Alaska Railroad has 656 miles of track, 1,381 freight cars, 45 passenger cars, and 57 locomotives.
• Kids under two can ride for free but only if they sit on your lap. If you want them to have their own seat you will need to buy a kid’s ticket.
• The Alaska Railroad offers two levels or classes of service on its Denali Star and Coastal Classic routes. Adventure Class is considered the standard or coach service while GoldStar service is an upgrade to one of the railroad's newer luxury dome railcars.

Over the years, the Alaska Railroad has won awards from National Geographic Traveler, USA Today Travel, Trip Advisor, and the National Tour Association. If you are a train enthusiast, planning a vacation by rail in Alaska should be on your bucket list!

Where Can I Go On A Train Tour Of Alaska?

The Alaska Railroad has more than 500 miles of track stretching from Seward to Fairbanks, with stops in top destinations like Anchorage, Talkeetna, and Denali National Park. These train tours of Alaska are convenient and fun options for those who want to see the Southcentral and Interior of the state but do not want to drive themselves. The Alaska Railroad features five main rail lines that wind through scenic countryside for an unforgettable journey!

Here is a quick breakdown of the five main lines, with a list of when the service runs and where the trains stop.

Train Line	Train Route	Train Service	Description
Coastal Classic Train	Anchorage > Girdwood > Seward	Daily service; mid-May – mid-September.	The Coastal Classic is ideally suited for day trips from Anchorage to Seward and Kenai Fjords National Park.
Glacier Discovery Train	Anchorage > Girdwood > Portage > Whittier > Portage > Spencer Glacier > Grandview	Daily service; late May – mid-September.	Departing from Anchorage, the Glacier Discovery Train travels much of the same route as the Coastal Classic, with the addition of a turn-off the main line to the tiny port town of Whittier and a turnaround point of Grandview.
Hurricane Turn Train	Talkeetna > Chase > Curry > Sherman > Gold Creek > Twin Bridges > Chulitna > Hurricane	Thursday – Monday, mid-May – mid-September; 1st Thursday of the month, October – May.	The Hurricane Turn Train offers locals flag-stop access to the backcountry; while visitors enjoy the views of Denali, Indian River Valley, and Hurricane Gulch. In the winter months, the Hurricane Turn Train makes the round-trip journey to Hurricane starting from Anchorage.
Denali Star Train	Anchorage > Wasilla > Talkeetna > Denali > Fairbanks	Daily service; mid-May – mid-September.	The Denali Star is the Alaska Railroad’s flagship train. On a clear day, this route offers incredible views of the train’s namesake peak: Denali, the tallest mountain in North America.
Aurora Winter Train	Anchorage > Wasilla > Talkeetna > Hurricane > Healy > Nenana > Fairbanks	Weekends (Northbound Saturday, Southbound Sunday) mid-September – mid-May; select mid-week service in February and March.	The Aurora Winter Train travels weekends between Anchorage and Fairbanks, making the northbound 12-hour journey on Saturday and the return trip on Sunday. The route also features select mid-week departures. Along the way, it stops in Wasilla, Talkeetna, and provides flag stop service to the 50-mile stretch of backcountry south of Hurricane Gulch.

Five Fun Facts About The White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad

 If you want to explore Alaska’s Inside Passage, the White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad travels from Skagway in Alaska to Fraser, British Columbia in Canada. This route was established in 1898 during the Klondike Gold Rush but is now a scenic rail line that takes visitors through Alaska’s rugged terrain and impressive scenery.

• The White Pass & Yukon Route was designated an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark in 1994. This honor is shared by only 36 world civil engineering marvels, including the Eiffel Tower, the Statue of Liberty, and the Panama Canal.
• The White Pass & Yukon Route climbs from sea level in Skagway to almost 3000 feet at the summit in just 20 miles and features steep grades of 3.9 percent. The tight curves of the White Pass called for a narrow gauge railroad, with rails three feet apart on a 10-foot-wide roadbed.
• The construction of this engineering marvel took the labor of 35,000 working men to complete during two years of harsh weather conditions and treacherous terrains. The men used only black blasting powder and crude tools to hew out the 110-mile line.
• When you take a train tour of Alaska on the White Pass and Yukon Rail Route, you will experience the breathtaking panorama of mountains, glaciers, trestles, and tunnels from the comfort of vintage train cars. You can board the train for adventure in Skagway, Alaska between early May and late September for day-long or multi-day tours!
• In 1988, the White Pass & Yukon Route reinvented itself as a tourist attraction. The line now operates as a narrow gauge excursion railroad between Skagway and White Pass Summit. The active line was later extended for train rides in Alaska to Bennett in the 1990s and to Carcross in 2007.

Several train tour options are available, which range from two hours to full-day vacations by rail in Alaska, with drop-off options for camping and hiking excursions. Route highlights include Glacier Gorge, Dead Horse Gulch, and Bridal Veil Falls. The train climbs steeply up to White Pass, the boundary between the United States and Canada, at 2,888 feet in elevation. The two-hour train tour is one of the top excursions in Skagway and is a popular option for cruise ship passengers in port for the day.

Incredible Train Tours Of Alaska

Whether you ride the Alaska Railroad or the White Pass & Yukon Raile Route, there’s no shortage of adventure with vacations by rail in Alaska. Among towering mountains and stunning glaciers, these iconic train journeys offer a unique perspective on Alaska's breathtaking landscapes. Immerse yourself in the rich history and natural beauty of Alaska as you traverse through picturesque valleys and rugged terrain, witnessing the untamed wilderness unfold before your eyes.