I will preface this post by saying that these are my subjective opinions, gleaned from 10 years of experience booking Alaska trips for travelers, as well as multiple personal trips I’ve taken there in recent years. Although there are more, the most popular route on the Alaska Railroad for tourists is between Seward, Anchorage, Denali National Park, and Fairbanks – so I will mostly be referring to this.
I took the train from Seward to Anchorage and then also from Anchorage to Denali National Park. It was during the Covid19 pandemic and they were not operating fully, so due to itinerary and time restraints, I rented a car and drove the rest of the way to Fairbanks from Denali.
My personal preference, after having experienced the train firsthand, would be to take it between Seward and Anchorage (the Coastal Classic), and to rent a car in Anchorage and keep that all the way up to Fairbanks (or vice versa – car Fairbanks-Denali-Anchorage, then train Anchorage to Seward).
- Having your own vehicle gives you flexibility and the ability to explore more off-the-beaten path. It’s also really beneficial having your own wheels in Denali so you aren’t just shuttled around with all the other hoards of tourists, and can go do whatever hikes, restaurants, and wilderness scenery you want on your own schedule. it’s a very vast, sparsely populated area and public transportation doesn’t go everywhere.
- The scenery between Anchorage to Denali to Fairbanks is nothing compared to the views you’ll get out the windows of the train between Seward and Anchorage. Especially if you only have a limited amount of time and also are trying to keep prices down. If you can only choose one segment to take the train on, let it be the Coastal Classic.
From Anchorage north, the scenery is mostly trees, although it isn’t uncommon to see wildlife here and there. But if you’re going to Denali anyway, you’ll see plenty of wildlife there and the train really isn’t going to be your sweet spot for that.
However, between Seward and Anchorage the scenery is ocean, waterfalls, cliffs, steep drop-offs, and curves where you can see the front/back of the train winding like a snake. The train slows when you’re passing through the most scenic locations and the conductor narrates the journey for you and tells you what to look for and where.
There’s also the matter of which class of service to choose on the train. The options are GoldStar and Adventure Class. You’ll definitely want GoldStar on the Coastal Classic route because it includes the domed windows where you can see all around you in a panoramic view. It also includes meals in a dining car (a sit-down meal with a waiter and a menu, believe it or not) and beverages including fancy hot chocolates and alcoholic drinks as well.
If you’re on a tight budget and traveling north of Anchorage on the train for the convenience and ability to sit back without having to worry about driving or directions, I would say Adventure Class could be a good option. Just be aware that you pay extra for food and drinks, and although there are nice big windows, the views aren’t as vast as the GoldStar Class with the 180° domed windows.
There are more tips regarding planning your itinerary to Alaska that I could share, but I won’t do that here and now. A lot of it is really up to personal preference and your style of travel. As I mentioned, even the information above is highly subjective. The best way to get a truly personalized and custom journey to Alaska and make sure you’re getting everything you want out of your bucket list trip, is to start planning with Aum Journeys. We’ll discuss your interests, your comfort level, your personal budget, and any other preferences you have and help guide you to preparing the itinerary that best fits your needs.
There’s so much to see and do in Alaska, and I understand that I just jumped right in with explaining some routing and details that might seem confusing without much background information on the destination. Let’s talk! I’d love to help you get a better understanding of everything the destination has to offer and what method of exploring would suit you best. 🙂
Leave a Reply