Alaska Railroad Aurora Winter Anchorage To Fairbanks One Way

The views are just absolutely amazing. The train cuts through Denali state park in winter, allowing you to see the 3rd highest isolated peak on earth in the vast snowy landscape. The dining cart food was honestly pretty good too, try the reindeer bolognese or the pot roast! The train guide was really funny too and gave nice information, along with trying to help you spot wildlife along the way.

It is a very comfortable 12 hr train ride, with sit down dining for all meals if desired. The food prices were very reasonable compared to airports. The narration was very informative and entertaining.

No Viator contact person available at the train station by the time you travel Travelers need to go train station ticket office , present Viator E-ticket + travelers ID ( passport ) in order to get official paper ticket for the train

Alaska was the only state my husband had yet to visit so we took the opportunity to tack on an Alaska trip to an event we were attending in Seattle since we were so close anyway. We are seniors so wanted something scenic and a bit slower paced, although we did do some side excursions which varied the pace. We traveled from Anchorage to Talkeetna for the first leg of the train portion of our trip. We'd recommend spending some time in Talkeetna. The view of Denali was the best from there and the small town is nice to spend a few hours in, grab lunch, do some shopping. The next morning it was off to Fairbanks. We were Gold Star level so got to go to the observation car. But even if you're not Gold Star service there are still open air observation decks that you can frequent for your views. Meals were good on the train and it was just nice to sit and talk, nap, have a drink, look out the windows, etc. The train has staff that does narration along the route so you know what you are looking at which is helpful. Once in Fairbanks you have a plethora of options for things to do so find out what works for you and have a great time!

We had a beautiful sunny day with stunning views of Denali as we rode the train (12+ hours) from Anchorage to Fairbanks. We did the Gold Star car with the glass roof and meals served in the dining car. Our only issue was it took a full hour (we were the last container) to get baggage.

We were so impressed that all was handled perfectly by Alaska rail. Our tickets and activities were all arranged for us. Terrific when you actually get what you paid for when so far from home.

This is the most amazing trip ever ! It surpasses the Rockies , and the trans Australia Indian Pacific . Easy checkin , comfortable and roomy seats , huge picture windows and excellent train crew . We went adventure class ( cheapest ) - and checked out the rest of the train. We made the best choice … you can always pop up to the dome for a view but actually it’s nicer from your own seat . Both sides have a perfect view ; we saw Denali in a blue blue sky and A BEAR ! The onboard commentary was excellent; only on when there was something useful or interesting , not endless burble All staff were polite and super helpful but the whole train loved crew member Cicily and her impeccably behaved assistance dog. Good meal choices from hot served food to coffee and sandwiches .

What an incredible trip from Anchorage to Fairbanks! The best way to see Alaska's diverse scenery. We had a beautiful sunny day for our trip and were lucky enough to see Denali in it's splendor. Staff was incredibly friendly and helpful with regular commentary about things of interest for us to see. If you purchase the guide book at the station ($5) you can pick out the mile markers on the right side of the tracks and read along. There were moose, dall sheep, and eagles to see. We ate lunch and dinner in the dining car. Food was reasonably priced, excellent and delicious. The grab and go snacks in the snack car were limited so it is definitely worth it to eat in the dining car. As a seasoned rail traveler across the US, this was another trip to check off my bucket list. A trip well worth doing on a visit to Alaska!

It's a long trip and kind of expensive, but I recommend it anyway. The views of mountains, rivers, and wildlife are unforgetable. Announcements ensure you don't miss anything. I ordered the pot roast for dinner. It was excellent and the portion was fairly large. Staff on the train and in the train station were all pleasant and helpful.

The trip of a lifetime. We boarded the Winter Train in Fairbanks and rode to the end of the line in Anchorage. The views were stunning, the staff (Daniel & Sara) were so knowledgeable and fun to talk to and the food in the dining car was surprisingly delicious and reasonably priced. This is a unique opportunity to see Alaska in a way that few are able to see. I would definitely recommend this trip to everyone.

The train ride was scenic, commentators were great went from Anchorage to Telkeetna great town to stay in.would like to give a shot out to Mario who is staff at the depot in Anchorage he went to the Harley store and got shirts, poker chips etc for me how nice it was to get back and was given those Harley items wow just an awesome man

I'm lucky enough to have travelled extensively over the years and I can honestly say the train journey from Anchorage to Fairbanks and return is one of my top 3 most memorable experiences. The round trip entails 24 hours on the train. I took a book with me as I felt sure I would get bored at some stage. I didn't read a page! I booked the trip directly with the train company and was given a 50% discount as I am over 60. I also booked an hotel room for my overnight stay before travelling to Alaska. I was informed that if I had taken the journey a bit earlier in the year there would have been a good chance of seeing the Northern Lights. All in all, a most wonderful trip.

Overall a very fun trip, perfect for seasoned travelers, never travelers, folks with small mobility issues, almost everyone. It's not really suitable for very young children who are required to sit for 12 hours without much to do (yes, a couple brought a 2 year old and a 4 year old, the kids and their parents were miserable the entire trip). There is not wifi on the train and cell service is very spotty (these are good things, you're really on the train to enjoy the view and not chat on the phone or watch videos on your device). I was so happy there was not internet or cell service. Best advice is to be prepared for the trip. Have some clothing layers as it can vary during the trip from warm to cold and you can get off a few times for a few minutes (highly encouraged, great to stretch a bit). And bring enough snacks in the event there is no food available. There is plenty, but there are lots of reasons they might run out of something or everyone wants the same thing to eat, be prepared !! Also, you cannot control where you sit so just deal with it. We actually had good seats but there's like two windows that are emergency exit windows and those do fog up. The folks sitting by those windows just wiped them down every now and then. You could be seated by some noisy talkers but nothing you can do. The lights were very bright in the car and in the early morning we couldn't see out the window so we, and some other people, asked the train person to turn them off and he did. What a much better experience!! The food was good, and worth it to sit in the dining car with other travelers, it really added to the whole experience. We met some very nice, interesting people who we sat with. As others have noted, there is bag check which we did but you'll wait 20 min or so at the end of the trip to get your bags, but really, what's an extra 20 min when you've been sitting 12 hours. Enjoy!!

We took the train from Anchorage to Fairbanks and had an amazing experience. From baggage drop in anchorage to baggage claim in Fairbanks. On the trip, The views are amazing; the staff was so friendly and accommodating; and the food is surprisingly good. This is a great way to see Alaskas many terrains. The only downside is that you don’t stop for very long at each of the stops. We will do this again on our next visit to Alaska. Tip: Try to get the seats that are on the top level. On a nice day, you will have an incredible view of Denali.

Amazing scenery. Our tour guide was exceptional! Enjoyed breakfast and dinner in the dining car. Details of the trip were well explained. Staff was always available and approachable. First rate all the way around. Highly recommend.

We booked the Aurora train. The train from Anchorage to Fairbanks is a long ride but well worth the time. We saw moose - under the tress, in the water, and in the fields. When leaving Anchorage keep an eye on the tops of the trees. We saw a few eagle nests each with an eagle either in the nest or on a branch close by. The train has a dining car which we are fed in sections. It is all very quick and organized. The train is aa very smooth ride. The only thing that could be improved upon is having cup holders and trays at each seat.

Wonderful ride to Fairbanks! It was a snowy day so we didn’t get to see faraway views but the moose and towns along the way was awesome. We never got off at the stops- not sure why people got off. Something I thought for sure I would do! Seat assignment- this could be better as we had a short window with a fogged up one in front of us so our seat view was terrible. We moved to the cafe seats but couldn’t stay there all day. Lots of standing so we could see our other windows. It would be nice to let people move seats on an empty train. Food was good and just enough choices. Baggage pickup- wish there was a better and faster way to handle. Lots of storage inside the rail cars for a day bag with snacks and warm clothes. Our car was freezing!

This is a wonderful experience! It is almost a 12 hour trip, but the scenery is well worth the long ride! Comfortable assigned seats are nice….one down side is they do not have a plug at each seat! There is a charging set up at the back of each car if you need a quick charge! There is food for purchase at concession/bar area. You are also able to have seated service, order off the menu, for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! Food was tasty! There is an on board guide that points out various sites, historical tidbits, and animal sightings! Before boarding, be sure to purchase the trip guide….lots of great info! This was our 3rd trip on an Alaska Railroad…..highly recommend!

The crew members were very friendly and helpful. Scenery was spectacular during daylight hours. The engine suffered multiple mechanical issues causing unplanned stops. The stops were not an issue but the electrical shutdowns adversely impacted food service due to interrupted power to their computer. The kitchen gave tour groups preferential seating, so as independent travelers we were last to be served at lunch and dinner. Our dinner was a rushed 15 minute gulp down of warm food as we arrived at Fairbanks. Alaska Railroad did not value us as independent travelers! They quickly took our money, but catered to tour groups.

We took the Winter train from Anchorage to Fairbanks. The train was clean and safe, and the stewards provided lots of good information along the way. The winter train is flag stop so we made a few stops along the way. We saw a moose and an eagle but not much wildlife otherwise. The view of Denali was bright and sunny and beautiful! Rare to get the full view of the mountain because of the weather, but we did! We ate all three meals in the dining room and it was delicious and fairly priced. The trip was 12 hours from Anchorage to Fairbanks.

So excited to do this 12 hour train ride from Anchorage to Fairbanks through the wilds of Alaska. We had a short wait for the window to open, but check in went smooth even though it was fairly crowded. We didn't realize that we were to do baggage check in while waiting in the depot to board until someone told us. We boarded at 8:00 am and departed at 8:30 am. All seats faced the front of the train and we were assigned seats. Our seat's window was not fully at our seat (the space between windows blocked part of our view). There were two passenger cars, a dining car and 2 restrooms at the back of each passenger car. Our car was sort of noisy and our view wasn't the best, so we checked with our car host and he said that we could move to the other car which wasn't full and much quieter. Each car had a host that pointed out wildlife, points of interest and answered questions. We had a great time with Lauren our host, she was very informative and told us some great stories. Each car had their own time to go to the dining car. We were served breakfast, lunch and dinner. The meals were good: for breakfast we had barley hot cereal with fruit compote and coconut milk, hot mint tea, biscuits with gravy & sausage; lunch we ate angus burgers, chips, beer; dinner there was caesar salad with chicken and pot roast with mashed potatoes. The scenery was beautiful with lakes, rivers, mountains and forests. We spotted moose, bald eagles and dall sheep. We went through Willow the official start of the Iditarod race, had short stops at Talkeetna and Denali, our stops were short because we were running late. We had different stops along the way called Flag stops where we would pick up passengers that live out in the middle of nowhere and use the train for transportation to the cities. Went over Hurricane Bridge our highest elevation of 2,253 ft. Some areas we could only go 5 mph so not to create a landslide. We were suppose to have arrived in Fairbanks at 8:00 pm but we didn't get in until 9:30 pm. The last part of the trip it was dark so we were ready to get off, but we really enjoyed the rest of our journey through beautiful Alaska.

Tremendous scenery along the journey. Great meal service, comfortable coaches and seating. Friendly and knowledgeable staff providing local information periodically throughout the journey. Well worth the experience.

I took a book expecting to spend much of the 12 hour ride reading, but enjoyed the scenery and the crew’s commentary on history and wildlife so much that I never even opened my book. I highly recommend this adventure. I do have to warn you that the dining car meals are disappointing - not great offering’s, but worse, the food arrives cold. Stick to a sandwich or snacks from the bistro.

Great trip, but lucked out with a beautiful clear day. May not have been so great if weather would have been bad. Meal service was a bit slow but that was the only negative.

Constant beautiful views and the whole team on board were super friendly. Andy and Laura were lovely and kind and provided funny and informative commentary of the landscape around.

We were very pleased with our train ride from Fairbanks to Anchorage. I purchased breakfast, lunch and dinner. For breakfast I had the biscuits and gravy which was very good. I had already eaten breakfast at my hotel so this was plenty. For lunch, I had a cheese burger and chips and it was also very good. For dinner, I had the roast beef, which I really didn't care for but at it anyway. Would not get that again, We brought our own drinks on board which was a great money saver. I brought my own Diet Coke along with some cups and my husband brought bottled water.I was given ice for my Diet Coke every time I ate in the dining room.. The conductor did a great job of narrating our trip which made the time go by fast. The views were amazing. I am looking forward to riding on the train again this summer.

I'd take the train again. We went for the 12hr ride in December and was WOWED by the scenery. Things no 1 else can see. We were shocked how good the food was too. It's roomy enough to take a nap if you wish. Staff friendly and if they see wildlife they announce it. Saw bull moose. Great 1st day of our vacation. Tip - there are cell phone charging areas near bathroom but you have to leave it or stand back there and wait. Unless train isn't full then you can sit n relax.

Please note this review is for the Winter Anchorage Train. It averages around 100 riders on the weekend whereas the summer Denali train averages between 200 and 300 people per day. Hopefully this will also answer a lot of questions other people had about the Alaska rail service. Overall – great trip. We rode from Anchorage to Fairbanks which is about 12 hours. The 12 hours do go surprisingly fast because of all of the things to see. Staff was nothing but friendly from Pat in reservations to all of the people working on the train. Parking at the Station: Yes, there is parking at the train station right across the street. But at $25 per day you may want to consider taking an Uber or taxi to take you to and pick you up from the station. Arrival Time. Your ticket and their website will tell you that you need to be at the station at least 1 hour before departure because as a federal agency (trains) it is considered a TSA boarding station. We were there over an hour early. They say if you are not there an hour early you risk losing your seats to other people. This has to be an issue for the summer, fuller trains. We saw several people check in as late as 7:55 with no issues. Whether you have a ticket or not you need to check in and get your actual boarding pass. You will then get your assigned seat. When we made the reservations we were never given the opportunity to request a particular seat so I am assuming they assign them first come / first served. Regardless – do not sweat it. There is almost no difference between A or B car or where your seats are located. Other than the fact the people in Car A get to go to meals first, they are all the same with the same great views. There were no bag checks for security. Their site says that each traveler is only allowed 1 carry on and everything else needs to be checked. We followed this rule but many did not. Most had a carry on (purse / backpack / laptop bag) and another bag. Each car has a place to store the extra bags in your assigned car. You are also told that if you bring alcohol you are not supposed to drink it on board. Internet. They do not have but was amazed at the fantastic cell coverage and speed. In 12 hours I was without any service for maybe a total of 90 minutes. Phone / Laptop charging. Was pleasantly surprised. They have a phone charging station in the dining car that you can plug into at any time. There are also at least 4 AC outlets throughout the train and people had no issues me plugging in. There are also AC outlets in the back of the train that the crew had no issues with me plugging into Food. They offer a full breakfast, lunch and supper menu. The selections are nice and the food quality was good. You can also go to the dinner car throughout the trip and get drinks at any time. The only things they do not sell are snacks (chips, candy bars, etc). But you can bring your own and as much as you can fit in your carry on. Same goes for drinks as long as non-alcoholic. As far as alcohol prices, an Alaskan Ale is $8. Sure it is high but where else are you going to buy one on the trip. I have uploaded photos of the menus as of October 2022. If you have the time, it is a fantastic trip. You will not see the interior of Alaska like you do on this trip. As far as returning from Fairbanks you can take the train back the next day or you can get a low cost one way far from Alaska air. Some people had talked about driving back. The Alaska residents that were onboard highly recommended against it. Said that in good weather it would take about 10 hours to drive the 500 miles and you would not want to try it in uncertain weather. They also said that if you rented a car, every rental agency is going to charge an extra free to get the car returned to Fairbanks.

We road from Anchorage to Fairbanks, through Denali. It was a cloudy day, blocking the Mountain View’s, so it was a long 12 hours. The food was just ok, not much selection.

We rode the Gold Star Dome Train from Anchorage to Denali then finished our trip the next day to Fairbanks. Train was beautiful. You could get up and move around during the trip. Water, coffee, tea and soft drinks were free. Bar in each train car. Phone charging station was at the bar. Trip included bkfast, lunch and dinner with 2 alcoholic drinks. Food was served on linen table cloths on 1sr floor. You get an option for meals. Breakfast was eggs and pancakes, lunch was a hamburger/chips and dinner was pot roast/garlic mash potatoes, rolls and green beans. Got a healthy serving for dinner and pot roast melted in your mouth. I had beet and wine with lunch and dinner. White/chocolate moose dessert was served while in seats after meal. The scenery from Anchorage to Denali was beautiful. Trip was narrated. Passengers also were encouraged to yell out moose sightings. Saw several moose on the trip. Trip from Denali was scenic but mostly forest.

Long trip but nice saw bear, moose and caribou. Great people working train, very entertaining. Could not see Denali- clouds but views were fantastic

This trip reminded me how peaceful and relaxing it is to travel by train. We have new interest in slow food and slow stitching - so why not slow travel? The trip also redefined the concepts of wilderness and vastness for me. The mountains, rivers, bays, and streams are spectacular, as is the sheer scale of it all. Alaska is a very special place - and this train trip is a wonderful way to see the interior. It was restorative in so many ways.

As spring quickly approaches I had to reminisce about the amazing train ride that my son and I took on the Aurora Winter Train from Fairbanks, Alaska to Anchorage, Alaska in December. I definitely must say that our journey aboard the Alaska Railroad was one amazing winter adventure that we will always remember. The Alaskan Railroad team’s performance was exceptional for our journey. First, the ticket agent was extremely professional and absolutely kind. My son is a railroad fanatic and he was so excited to receive an Alaska Railroad armband, ink pen, and a travel booklet from her. There was a gift shop in the station as well, thus I was able to purchase a Alaskan Railroad train for him and a t-shirt. He loved the items tremendously however, I loved the professional service which was given. We arrived at the train station early so we had to wait until the conductor called for boarding. This process was orderly and quick. All the seats aboard the train were occupied, however, there was ample space to store your personal items, clean restrooms, and a dining area as well. The staff onboard was the friendliest I had ever met and were gracious enough to share an abundance of information with the passengers regarding the wildlife, towns, and simply the way of life for those who call The Last Frontier home. I loved their stories and how they not only did their required jobs but went above and beyond to connect with passengers. I was amazed to see people bringing their mail to the train and also boarding the train from some quite isolated areas. My ride on the train allowed me to peek into a world that I didn’t even realized existed. That’s the amazing thing about train travel: it allows one to sit back, relax, and view the world from a train window which provides such a different perspective. The ride from Fairbanks to Anchorage is approximately 12 hours; however, time passes quickly and is so pleasant when you are from New Orleans where snow is rarely seen. We loved the winter wonderland view from our windows even though we only had a few hours of daylight. The Alaska Railroad took my son and I on the most amazing winter journey. We saw endless snow and somehow felt that we were in a permanent snow globe. Many people don’t enjoy cold temperatures but I must say we loved every moment of our journey aboard the Aurora Winter Train. Our favorite part was when we had an opportunity to exit the train for photos for a few moments. The train was decorated with Christmas lights and it made for our storybook moment. Our arrival in Anchorage was bittersweet because we had such a magnificent time. It was somewhat sad for me because this trip to Alaska marked the end of my son’s journey with a guy called Santa. I am truly happy that I chose the Alaskan Railroad as one of the activities that marked a closing to one of his childhood memories. Thanks for an amazing journey! We definitely hope to travel on the Alaska Railway again. All Aboard!!!

Very well organized. This was an excellent tour of Alaska. We met some very interesting people and perhaps made some new friends.

What a wonderful experience. Nice staff that narrated the entire trip (knowledgeable local info, plus wildlife spotting and alerting passengers where to look). Great food and service in the dining car; snacks available the entire trip. No worry travel with the granddaughter who loved the train.

A great way to see Alaska in the winter. we have driven the entire route from seward to fairbanks in summer and driven fairbanks to healy in the winter and appreciate this perspective. you can’t stop and see some fun towns but it’s a great way to get from anchorage to fairbanks. some stop and stay in different towns as well. scenic the whole way. the food cars has decent food as well .

We bought our tickets back in December 2021 for mid February 2022. A week before our departure from Anchorage, we were forced to push the trip due to COVID. They provide no other mean but a phone number to manage/cancel your booking, and after 40 minutes of waiting on the phone, I finally managed to speak to an agent. We moved our booking for two weeks later, and we were charged with the 10% change fee as they claim. Turns out that we couldn't find any accommodations on Fairbanks for March, so 24hr later I was calling once again to completely cancel our booking. After another 30 minutes of waiting, I got to speak to another agent, who had the sympathy of charging us only 5% of the cancelation fee (still, that makes it 15% of the price of the tickets). She confirmed to me that I should get the refund to my original payment method in 5 to 7 business days. 7 business days passed and the refund was nowhere to be seen. It took me another two days of complaints and another 50 minutes on the phone to get our refund back. They also promised on two occasions to give us a follow-up call, but they never did. I absolutely don't understand how they can run a business that is stuck in the 80s, nor I can understand how is it that they are so quickly to charge you, but take their time to return your money. We were really excited to return to Alaska and ride the Alaska Railroad, but after the regrettable experience that we had with this company, we'll never will.

I took the last 4 hours of this trip as part of a day trip with the railroad from Fairbanks to Denali in a van with a return trip from Denali back to Fairbanks on the train. The train was beautiful, clean, not too crowded and had stunning views! I would definitely recommend!

As a train ride and tour this was magnificent. From Anchorage to Denali the scenery got better and better, and the "Gold Star" seats were worth the extra price. Included meals were good and soft drinks, coffee and 2 alcoholic drinks were included. The narration was good when you could hear it over the noise of the train and the passengers. BUT, and this is a big but during the pandemic, there were many people ignoring the mask rules. They did announce that federal law required masking, but there was no enforcement. Of course, this is a red state and there may not be mandates for masking. They also reminded people about social distancing, but again, no enforcement. When we got to Denali the baggage pick up was a joke, and very dangerous. There is a very narrow area where they slide the luggage, and people were crowding and squashing up against each other, and it was dangerous. How many of the people were vaccinated? Not everyone was wearing masks. If the baggage handlers brought the luggage out and lined it up so people could see their bags and not have to crowd so tightly it would be much safer.

Taking the train from Anchorage to Fairbanks this past Saturday was a wonderful experience. The 12 hour trip flew by and I was sorry to see it come to an end. The staff on board was very good and I’d like to give a special shout-out to Jazmyn Shaw, whom I met that day. Besides being extremely nice, she was exceptionally helpful while being an absolute professional. Kudos to her for being a top notch representative for Alaska Railroad.

Okay and accept the tour agent charged me two times and still did not get refund yet. Can someone please look into it asap. Thanks. Bob

A 12 hour train ride from Anchorage to Fairbanks. Incredible journey!! I highly recommend this! The Winter Train was magnificent. Staff was awesome. Food delightful. Cocktails were plenty! Met new friends and made the acquaintance of a sweet WW2 vet traveling alone. What a sweetheart!!!

Amazing train ride from Anchorage to Fairbanks. We got exceptionally lucky with a beautifully clear day in March. Unreal views of Denali, so many moose and bald eagles. The food on the train is fine. The service was super great - everyone (especially the conductor) seemed to actually truly really love their job. If you have the means and the time, this is sooo worth it.

I recommend this to everyone who will visit Alaska.we enjoyed all the sceneries and the train was comfortable.

We took the train one-way from Anchorage to Fairbanks in February 2020. We were early to the train station as all communication said to be there an hour before departure - there was only one other couple there before us. There's a very small coffee cart with muffins and bagels, but they didn't open for a little while and only had one person working the cart so service was slow. Not really any need to be exceptionally early to be fair, you only collect your tickets from the counter before getting on the train. Onboard, the train carriages and seats were spacious and fun. My partner and I enjoyed swapping seats for who sat next to the window. The day we were on the train had spectacular sunny weather so we were lucky with the views. It was however exceptionally cold, with -35 Fahrenheit when we arrived into Fairbanks that evening. The train was cold at times and we had to ask the staff to turn on the heating (I actually don't believe it was even on as there were large metal things down by our feet which suddenly became hot after we spoke to the staff). The food on the train was not great. We opted to sit in the 'dining cart' for lunch (along with what must have been the whole train) and were rushed through service very quickly. My partner literally had a hotdog and mine was a burger - not exactly fine dining experience. The other food cart had ice creams, coffee, sandwiches, pizza etc and was a come-and-go-as-you-please arrangement. It was a lovely way to travel and we were extremely lucky with the weather and views, however I was expecting better service and to not have to sit in winter coats onboard the train. Furthermore, the people seated across from us happened to be seated in an emergency exit window which actually froze over throughout the course of the trip. It's inappropriate that they had paid the same as everyone else and couldn't see out of their window. The staff didn't do anything for these people. I felt so sorry for them and had this been my experience i'd be asking for a refund. Overall, we had a lovely time and saw lots of Alaska including lots of wildlife, however the Alaska Railroad needs to prioritise service and could do with upgrading the trains.

What a wonderful experience this train was. We loved Conductor Warren and his stories and humor. He is truly enjoying his “best life” and he gave excellent recommendations for places to eat in Talkeetna. The entire crew slowed down the train or whatever it took to help us see moose, get pictures of Denali and other mountain ranges. Truly a customer focused crew.

We did this train ride as one of the key experiences of our Alaskan adventure. The train was comfortable enough with decent facilities. There was enough food and beverages to keep us fed during the trip. It was no problem to move about the train and there were options to sit in the open carriages. The scenery was ridiculously amazing until it became dark. The staff were friendly. We had to stop in the middle of nowhere to pick up a local and drop her at a neighbours place an hour up the track. The trip was held up while a moose ran along the track and there were others seen through the trees. It was a truly memorable experience in so many ways.

Our train was canceled due to a possible avalanche. Needless to say, mother nature can't be controlled, but after traveling by many delayed,cancelled & re scheduling planes from the east coast,we were deeply disappointed to get the news when we finally made it to Anchorage the night before.

What a great choice of things to do - a winter train ride while in Alaska. I have seen many documentaries about the Alaska Railroad but I certainly didn’t think it would be as fun as it was. The train depot in Anchorage was busy with around 130 guests waiting to board the train when I arrived about 45 minutes prior to the departure. I learned during the ride that this number was rather low which added to the comfort of the ride. The almost 12 hour trip started right on time on a snowy Saturday morning. Once the sun began to rise it was a nice fresh white covering every where you looked. There was a pretty good snow falling for about seven hours of the ride which did hamper the extended view tremendously. Once the sky cleared we did have some nice extended views of the landscape before darkness set and the view went away. The temperature during the ride was comfortable - I was not cold at all but i did see guests that had their jackets on for most of the trip. The food in the sit down dining car was good. I had dinner there - Reindeer Penne Pasta and Salmon Chowder. The did have breakfast and lunch service as well available. The bistro had drinks, sandwiches, snacks and treats available for the entire trip as well with several booths to enjoy your purchases or even play some of the onboard games. The crew was awesome - Conductor Warren, Guide Mia and Guide Caleb were also a pleasure to listen too. From various announcements about things too see (such as moose, landmarks and other info) to them keeping the place clean (I saw them cleaning the bathrooms at least three times). It was nice to have the space to roam around for photo opportunities on both sides of the train (due to a small guest count). I thought it was very interesting each time we stopped in the middle of no where to let residents off at their remote cabins. What a lifestyle. I would suggest that if you have a carry on size bag do take it on with you. There were some racks in the back of each car that could accommodate them (at least in our car). That would have saved twenty minutes on the end of the trip. Also, bring a back up battery for your phone as your battery may not last the entire trip. My phones data plan worked for about 65% of the ride - I switched the phone to airplane mode during those times to extend my battery. This was a very enjoyable trip and I suggest you take advantage of it - even it’s only a one way and then you fly back to Anchorage like i did.