Alaska - train or rental car
 

We have booked a cruise for next year which goes from Vancouver, BC to Seward, Alaska. From there we are heading to Anchorage where we will either ride the train or rent a car to Denali National Park where we will spend about 3 days. We would love to get some opinions on which mode of transportation would be more beneficial for scenery, access to places and expense. From there we will either head back to Anchorage or go up to Fairbanks to fly back home. Also, if anyone has suggestions on must-do's and recommended accommodations, we would love to hear about that too! Thanks so much!

The train to Denali is an overrated experience. There's nothing remarkable about the scenery. I'd rent a car, especially if you think you might go to Fairbanks, plus it will give you some flexibility about accommodations and getting about in the Denali area.

The train to Denali is an overrated experience. There's nothing remarkable about the scenery. I'd rent a car, especially if you think you might go to Fairbanks, plus it will give you some flexibility about accommodations and getting about in the Denali area.

Car car car car car car car.

Faster.

Less expensive even with the gas prices (Alaska's are about 25-30% higher than the mainland).

More flexibility to see things along the way: Whittier, Girdwood (and the conservation center), turnoffs from the highway to hike or birdwatch or whatever along the coast.

You don't indicate how you're getting from Seward to Anchorage - cruise transfer? You can rent a car for a one-way drive (scenic) but the rental rate is very high. If you do that (which would allow you to stop at the sights mentioned by BigRuss above) turn the car in at Anchorage and get a second one for the Denali trip, otherwise you'll be paying the high one-way prices for too many days.

If you rent a car in Anchorage to go to Denali (which you should) then you'll need to return it in Anchorage rather than Fairbanks, or else face the same VERY expensive one-way rates there, too. The drive from Anchorage to Denali takes around 5 - 5 1/2 hours, quicker than the train.

Thank you all for this information. I will look into the car rental and go that route. I really appreciate the feedback from people that have experience with an area I am not familiar with. This is such a great tool. Thanks again!

We took a similar cruise several years ago and took the train from Seward to Anchorage. Sure, the bus ride would have been free, but the train was terrific -- much more fun, much more comfortable, and the scenery was excellent. At one point, my travelmate saw a bear running alongside the train (I was daydreaming and missed it). Between the time that the boat docked in the morning and the train's departure in the afternoon, we took a cruise to the Aialak Glacier on a small boat operated by Kenai Fjords Tours -- easily the best part of the entire cruising experience.