The Alaska Railroad operates year round, with scheduled serviced varying seasonally: the busy summer season stretches from mid-May to mid-September, while the quieter winter schedule spans mid-September to mid-May.
The Alaska Railroad, serves some of the most spectacular destinations in Alaska. Denali National Park, Seward, Talkeetna and. Offering two classes of passenger service, full-service onboard dining, and tracks that just happen to wind through some of the most spectacular scenery on earth, we think you’ll agree that the best way to travel Alaska is by rail.
If you are not buying a land package from one of the cruise lines or maybe you are not going on a cruise, then taking the train from Fairbanks to Denali, then to Anchorage and on to Seward over the course of several days provides you an excellent way to see Alaska.
Now if you are buying a land package from one of the cruise lines and you are taking their train option, you are in fact riding in their rail cars attached to the Alaska Railroad.
Their train cars, (Holland America, Princess, Celebrity, Royal Caribbean) are actually attached to the train at the end.
If you buy a ticket from the Alaska Railroad then you are assigned one of the train cars forward of the train cars the cruise lines operate.
While the train cars the cruise lines have are newer and more luxurious, dome cars and all, the scenery is the same.
You will want to book in advance for the Alaska Railroad in the summer due to the crowds but if you go up at the last minute contact them to see if they have space on the dates you want to travel. They do not offer any interline discount.
Prices from Anchorage to Denali will run you about $131 one way per adult and $66 for kids age 2 to 11. Then from Denali to Fairbanks the cost is $57pp for adults and $29 for the kids. That is Adventure class with value pricing, the lower berth and least expensive way.
For Gold Star Star service, the upper level berth, the cost is $366 for adults and $214 for the kids from Anchorage to Denali and includes breakfast and lunch. From Denali to Fairbanks the cost is $147 and $87 and includes dinner.
Value pricing is May 11 to 31 and Sept. 1 to 18.
Regular pricing is June 1 to Aug. 31. Cost is:
Anchorage to Denali – $163/$83 for Adventure Class & $294/$164 for Gold Star.
Denali to Fairbanks will run $72/$36 for Adventure Class and $162/$95 for Gold Star.
Rates in the reverse direction are slight different and you get breakfast from Fairbanks to Denali and lunch and dinner from Denali to Anchorage in the Gold Star Class.
You can get more info and how to book at https://alaskarailroad.com