5 best Alaska train trips (before/after cruise, day trip, Alaska Railroad, Yukon, tours) Alaska travel tips

Hi there!

One of the must-do things in Alaska is to travel by train!

You can arrange your Alaska train trip on your own or through your cruise line.

The most popular train excursion to do during an Alaska cruise is the train in Skagway cruise port.

For all other train rides in Alaska, you will need to spend time on land in order to do through the Alaska Railroad.

For an Alaska Railroad train ride, you can do it as an extension of your cruise vacation if you do a one-way cruise between Vancouver and Anchorage.

If you start or end your cruise in Anchorage, you can do an Alaska Railroad train ride for before or after your cruise, and you can book this on your own. There are also must-do tours to go along with your train ride!

Cruise lines also offer cruise and land combo packages (called “cruisetours”) which include train rides. Depending on the package you book, you can go to places like Denali National Park and Kenai Fjords National Park by train.

I’ve been on a train in Alaska before a cruise, after a cruise, and during a cruise! I did these train rides in the months of May, September, and October, and you can do the train rides throughout the summer as part of your cruise too.

I’ll explain below the best train routes you’ll want to choose from for a first trip to Alaska!

 

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1. White Pass and Yukon Route train (Skagway to Yukon excursion)

The White Pass train is the most popular train excursion to do during an Alaska cruise.

This is in Skagway cruise port, which is one of the best Alaska cruise ports.

Skagway was a gateway town for people who were in search of gold in the Yukon of Canada during the Klondike Gold Rush in the late 1800s.

It was during this time that the idea was born to construct a railroad from Skagway to the Yukon to make it easier to cross over the White Pass summit. Read more of the railroad history.

Today, the White Pass train is a complete tourist activity that combines amazing mountain views with Klondike Gold Rush history.

The White Pass train takes you from sea level just near the cruise port, and goes up up up to the White Pass summit.

There are White Pass train excursions that are train-only excursions, which means it’s a round trip train to the summit and back.

There are also combo tours that are the train ride one way, and the other way is a drive along the Klondike Highway. With a combo tour, you can tour a bit of the Yukon on land. (Passport required, since you’ll be stepping foot into Canada.)

 

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How to book this train excursion

Look for a White Pass train excursion through your cruise line. They will offer a train-only excursion as well as combo tours.

You can also book train tickets directly through White Pass and Yukon Route Railway.

As long as your cruise ship is not tendering in Skagway cruise port, I don’t think it would be a problem to book directly.

If you are tendering, it’s an unknown how long it will take you to get off the cruise ship, so that’s why I would be hesitant to book directly in that case. You can find out exactly where your cruise ship will dock in Skagway.

There are also tour companies like Chilkoot Tours that offer combo tours.

 

So the White Pass train is the one train ride to do during your actual cruise, and it’s in Skagway. See more of the best things to do in Skagway to decide if you want to make it a part of your port day there!

Next, these are trains on the Alaska Railroad, which is THE train company in Alaska. You will need to spend at least one night on land in Alaska in order to make these an extension of your cruise… before a cruise to start your cruise in Anchorage, or after a cruise if you end your cruise in Anchorage! Cruises that start or end in “Anchorage” are actually the small towns of Whittier or Seward, a train ride away from Anchorage! (You can go by shuttle too.)

 

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2. Anchorage Whittier train (Glacier Discovery train)

There are one-way 7-day Alaska cruises between Whittier and Vancouver.

Anchorage airport is the airport near Whittier, so you’ll fly in or out of Anchorage for Whittier cruise port.

You can take a train from Anchorage to Whittier, and then start your cruise from Whittier cruise port!

You can end a cruise in Whittier, and take a train from Whittier to Anchorage after your cruise!

Anchorage to Whittier is a 2.5 hour train ride.

In 2024, round trip tickets between Anchorage and Whittier are $129 per person. A one-way ticket is $101. See current prices through Alaska Railroad on the Glacier Discovery train.

The train schedule will allow you to do a day trip by train to Whittier from Anchorage.

 

👆 A scenic train ride in Alaska on the Glacier Discovery train between Anchorage and Whittier.
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👆 Alaska Railroad train route map for the Anchorage to Whittier train.

 

👆 The Glacier Discovery train schedule for Anchorage to Whittier: The train departs Anchorage at 9:45am and arrives in Whittier at 12:05pm. In 2024, the Anchorage Whittier train route runs from June 1 to September 15, with select days in May.

 

👆 The Glacier Discovery train schedule for Whittier to Anchorage: The train departs Whittier at 6:45pm and arrives in Anchorage at 9pm. See the updated Glacier Discovery train schedule at Alaska Railroad.
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Your must-do tour in Whittier is a boat tour of the Prince William Sound glaciers in Chugach National Forest.

It’s the 26 glacier tour! You’ll get up close views of 2 glaciers, and pass by a bunch more glaciers… for a total of 26 glaciers?! 🤪

This tour lines up with the train schedule in both directions, so it’s possible to take the train, do the 26 glacier tour, and then hop on a train back to Anchorage in the evening. Lots of people do this train day trip.

Because cruise ships typically have a late evening departure from Whittier, you can also do the 26 glacier tour before a cruise or after a cruise, and also take the train!

 

👆 Alaska Railroad train in Whittier Alaska. The Whittier train “terminal” is right in front of the small boat harbor and cruise port. (It is hardly a “terminal” as you’d think of it. It’s more like the train depot is in the middle of the street! Small town Alaska!)

 

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How to book this train and tour

I booked the Glacier Discovery train through Alaska Railroad and the 26 glacier tour through Phillips Cruises.

I’ve started a cruise in Whittier, and when I did that, I took a train to Whittier from Anchorage on the morning of the cruise, did the 26 glacier cruise, and then got on the cruise ship! You can drop off your luggage at the cruise port before your tour, or the tour company will store your luggage during the tour.

I’ve also ended a cruise in Whittier, and when I did that, I got off the cruise ship, did the 26 glacier cruise, and then took the train to Anchorage right after the tour! I left my luggage with the tour company during the tour.

 

Major cruise lines with one-way cruises between Vancouver and Whittier are Princess and Holland America in 2024 and 2025, and NCL (Norwegian Cruise Line) starting in 2025.

 

 

3. Anchorage Seward train (Coastal Classic train)

There are one-way Alaska cruises between Seward and Vancouver.

Anchorage airport is the airport near Seward, so you’ll fly in or out of Anchorage for Seward cruise port.

You can take a train from Anchorage to Seward, and then start your cruise from Seward cruise port!

You can end a cruise in Seward, and take a train from Seward to Anchorage after your cruise!

Anchorage to Seward is a 4.5 hour train ride.

You can read the reviews about the scenic train ride between Seward and Anchorage.

In 2024, the cheapest round trip tickets between Anchorage and Seward are $211 per person. One-way is $124. The Coastal Classic train also has a higher class category, the glass dome GoldStar Service, which is $430 round trip and $253 one-way. See current prices through Alaska Railroad on the Coastal Classic train.

 

👆 Alaska Railroad train route map for the Anchorage to Seward train.

 

👆 The Coastal Classic train schedule for Anchorage and Seward. The Anchorage to Seward train departs Anchorage at 6:45am and arrives in Seward at 11:20am. The Seward to Anchorage train departs Seward at 6pm and arrives in Anchorage at 10:15pm. In 2024, the Anchorage Seward train route runs from May 15 to September 15. See the updated Coastal Classic train schedule at Alaska Railroad.
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Seward is a small town in Alaska that has a number of lodge options, and that includes waterfront hotels in Seward.

So you can stay for a few days in Seward, or it’s also reasonable to make it a day trip from Anchorage. You can go by train both ways in one day… as long as you don’t mind the 9 hours on a train in one day!

You can also take a shuttle one way, and the train the other way. The Park Connection shuttle is $75 and takes 3 hours with an 8am departure from Anchorage.

Seward is the gateway town for Kenai Fjords National Park.

Your must-do activity in Seward is the Kenai Fjords National Park tour. This tour lines up with the train schedule in both directions, so it’s possible to take the train, do the Kenai Fjords tour, and then hop on a train back to Anchorage in the evening.

Because cruise ships typically have a late evening departure from Seward, you can also do the Kenai Fjords tour before a cruise or after a cruise, and also take the train!

 

How to book this train and tour

You can book the Coastal Classic train through Alaska Railroad, and you can book the Kenai Fjords National Park tour through Major Marine or Alaska Collection.

The 6-hour Kenai Fjords National Park tour that starts at 11:30am lines up with the train timing to be able to make it a day trip from Anchorage.

 

Major cruise lines with one-way cruises between Vancouver and Seward are NCL (2024), Royal Caribbean, and Celebrity.

 

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4. Denali National Park (Denali Star train)

You can go to Alaska’s most famous national park by train!

A train trip to Denali National Park will require a few extra days on land.

You can take the Alaska Railroad train to Denali from Anchorage or Fairbanks. Both of these cities have airports so you can check flight prices for Anchorage airport and Fairbanks airport.

Fairbanks to Denali is a 4 hour train ride. (Technically the train schedule will allow you to do a day trip to Denali from Fairbanks.)

In 2024, the cheapest one-way ticket between Fairbanks and Denali is $88 per person. The Denali Star train also has a higher class category, the glass dome GoldStar Service, which is $190 one-way. See current prices through Alaska Railroad on the Denali Star train.

 

👆 The Denali Star train schedule for Fairbanks and Denali. The Fairbanks to Denali train departs Fairbanks at 8:20am and arrives in Denali at 12:10pm. The Denali to Fairbanks train departs Denali at 4pm and arrives in Fairbanks at 8pm. In 2024, the Fairbanks Denali train route runs from mid-May to mid-September. See the updated Denali Star train schedule at Alaska Railroad.

 

 

Anchorage to Denali is a 7.5 hour train ride.

In 2024, the cheapest one-way ticket between Anchorage and Denali is $193 per person, while the GoldStar Service is $362.

 

👆 The Denali Star train schedule for Anchorage to Denali: The train departs Anchorage at 8:20am and arrives in Denali at 3:40pm. In 2024, the Anchorage Denali train route runs from mid-May to mid-September.

 

👆 The Denali Star train schedule for Denali to Anchorage: The train departs Denali at 12:30pm and arrives in Anchorage at 8pm. See the updated Denali Star train schedule at Alaska Railroad.
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👆 Alaska Railroad train route map for the Anchorage to Denali to Fairbanks train.

 

You might consider flying into Fairbanks, taking the train to Denali, stay a few nights, and then continue on by train to Anchorage. From Anchorage, you can go to Whittier by train (day trip) and/or Seward by train (day trip or spend a few nights at a hotel near the Seward waterfront).

There are cruisetours (cruise and land package) that include a train ride to Denali.

 

How to book this train trip

The best cruise lines to do a cruisetour that includes Denali National Park are Princess and Holland America.

Your stay near Denali National Park will be at either the Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge or McKinley Chalet Resort.

To go independently on your own to Denali by train, you can book through Alaska Railroad. This is not a day trip, so you’ll also want to plan for at least 1 or 2 nights at a hotel or lodge near Denali National Park.

 

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5. Fairbanks (Denali Star train)

If “northernmost train station in the United States” sounds like a bucket list worthy item for you, then you’ll want to take a train to or from Fairbanks!

There’s an airport in Fairbanks, so you can start or end your train trip in Fairbanks.

See places to stay in Fairbanks.

You can take the train from Anchorage to Denali (7.5 hours), spend a few nights in Denali, and then take the train from Denali to Fairbanks (4 hours).

Or, you can go take the train directly from Anchorage to Fairbanks. (That’s a 12 hour train ride.)

 

👆 Alaska train route map! Explore the map at Alaska Railroad.

 

HAPPY TRAIN RIDE IN ALASKA!