See Alaska by train

Old Apr 21st, 2017, 02:16 PM
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See Alaska by train

We are an older couple (70+) and want to visit Alaska in Aug, We don't want to hustle renting a car and driving, so we thought to see Alaska by the train. Anybody can give some advice? Which places to see? Please comment on your experiences. We are planning the trip for 10 days. Thank you
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Old Apr 21st, 2017, 02:30 PM
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Do you want to take the shuttle bus trip into Denali?
If you don't want to rent a car at all, take the train to Healy to get a bus that takes you to the bus into the park.
If you did want to rent a car for 2 days, take the train to Fairbanks and rent the car to go to the shuttle bus start at MP 2 in Denali. Hope for good weather so that you can see the mountain.
Read my trip report for the trip DW and I took early in June last year.
I love train travel but chose the flexabilty of a rental car.
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Old Apr 21st, 2017, 05:24 PM
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The Alaska Railroad's routes are extremely limited, basically Seward to Fairbanks via Anchorage and Denali Park (with some intermediate stops) with a spur between Whittier and the main Seward-Anchorage line. That's it. Seeing anything off that corridor involves a car, boat or airplane, or some combination of the above. With ten days you can split up your time in any of those areas, including a couple at Denali (you reach the interior of the park by bus) or in Seward where you can cruise to Kenai Fjords, or of course Anchorage or Fairbanks.

The train ride between Anchorage and Seward is very scenic; between Anchorage and Denali/Fairbanks somewhat less so, although quite scenic in parts.
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Old Apr 21st, 2017, 06:06 PM
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Do the 10 days include the travel to and from Alaska?

In any case, to maximize time:

you could fly into Fairbanks, take the train to Denali. Take the hotel shuttle, walk or taxi to the VC and take the park shuttle into the park. Get lunch before you go.

Take the train from Denali to Seward, do a wildlife boat trip.

Take the train from Seward to Anchorage.

Fly home from Anchorage.

This could be done in the opposite direction, flying into Anchorage and out of Fairbanks too. The hard part will be getting lodging especially in Seward and Denali. You will be hauling luggage on/off the train and to your lodging. Which city to fly into might be determined by which places you can make reservations.
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Old Apr 21st, 2017, 08:50 PM
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To give you some perspective: tom advises everybody to take trains on every trip . . . and yet he and his DW did not use trains during their trip to Alaska. Just not practical for seeing all that much.
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Old Apr 22nd, 2017, 10:49 AM
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Thank you so much to all of you for your help. Now I see that it is more complicated, not just seat in the train and go... it would have been so wonderful if it was something like the Palace on wheels in India! Dreamer!! ...
I have a lot of homework to do, but, with your help, things are becoming clear in my head.
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