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Riding the Alaska Railroad
Blue-and-gold train gives passengers an unforgettable trip
By Leon Unruh / Alaska.com
The Interior and Southcentral regions of the Last Frontier are served by the Alaska Railroad, which in the summer transports tens of thousands of visitors.
The Alaska Railroad's two main trains are the Denali Star, which connects Anchorage and Fairbanks through the mountainscape of Denali National Park, and the Coastal Classic, which connects Anchorage and Seward. One train goes each way each day on each route.
Between mid-May and mid-September, passenger trains run daily between Anchorage and Fairbanks. Passengers often continue to Seward from Anchorage. (Route map)
The railroad has summer and winter package tours, and it allows online booking.
At Anchorage's international airport, a passenger depot makes transfers between planes and trains more efficient.
Denali Star
The Denali Star southbound passenger train leaves Fairbanks at 8:15 a.m. The northbound train from Anchorage and Denali arrives at 8:15 p.m. The trip to Denali takes 8 hours from Anchorage and almost 4 hours from Fairbanks.
The one-way fare from Fairbanks to Denali is $50. From Fairbanks to Talkeetna, it's $100. From Fairbanks to Anchorage, the cost is $175. Fares drop about 20 percent outside the peak season, which covers early June through Labor Day.
Coastal Classic
Service is available from Anchorage to Seward on the Coastal Classic, as well as from Anchorage to Whittier and Spencer Glacier on the Glacier Discovery. In the winter, no service is provided to Seward.
Daily summer service between Anchorage and Seward is $98 round-trip and $59 one way. The trip takes 4 hours 15 minutes.
The Coastal Classic stops in Girdwood, a hour south of Anchorage. The Seward to Girdwood fare is $59 one way, the same as Seward-Anchorage.
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