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Alaska by Train: A Comprehensive Traveler’s Handbook

Train in Denali National Park, Alaska

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Have you ever wanted to visit Alaska? Most people have The Last Frontier on their bucket lists, and even people who have visited before generally want to return. It’s vast and beautiful, and there’s no other place like it.

One great way to enjoy and explore America’s Land of the Midnight Sun is by train, but many people don’t think about this option until after they’ve arrived. At that point, it may be challenging to add a train tour to one’s itinerary, so you might want to consider this fantastic method of travel early on in your planning stages. That way, you can work around it rather than try to work it in later on.

Train in Denali National Park, Alaska

Two railroad companies serve Alaska – and they’re both wonderful. Whether you use them as a primary mode of transportation while visiting Alaska or whether you combine train trips with other methods of travel, you’re going to love exploring Alaska by train. Read on to learn more about it, and check out these top tips for visiting Alaska.

TL;DR Best Train Trips In Alaska

Train Route Departure City Arrival City Travel Duration Scenic Highlights Ticket Price
Denali Star Anchorage Fairbanks 12 hours one way Denali National Park, Hurricane Gulch $269/$489
Coastal Classic Anchorage Seward 4.5 hours one way Kenai Mountains, Kenai Fjords National Park $119/$243
Glacier Discovery Anchorage Grandview 5.5 hours one way Turnagain Arm, Spencer Glacier $158

You can book travel on either of these railroads on your own, but you’ll also see rides on both offered as part of cruise ship excursions. If you travel during the heavy tourism months in Alaska, you’ll almost certainly be sharing your train trip with cruise ship passengers, whether you are on a cruise or not.

Train Trips By Alaska Railroad

Alaska Railroad on the Turnagain ArmAlaska Railroad on the Turnagain Arm
JT Fisherman / Adobe Stock

If you want to see Alaska by train, then you’re likely going to want to spend some time on Alaska Railroad. This company has 470 miles of track in Alaska. It starts at Seward in the south and terminates in Fairbanks in the center of the state.

Whether you ride a portion of the route offered by Alaska Railroad or ride it from end to end, you’re sure to have a great time, enjoy excellent service, and see a lot of beautiful Alaska through the windows. Alaska Railroad does railroad travel…

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