Best way from Anchorage to Denali?
Feb 22nd, 2007, 06:31 AM
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Best way from Anchorage to Denali?
We'll be staying at Denali for a week with an Elderhostel group and need transport from Anchorage to Denali. If it's true that the train ride parallels the highway, is bus a better choice? Recommendations, please?
Feb 22nd, 2007, 09:19 AM
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Hi,
We'll be going to Anchorage in July and driving to Denali. I heard mixed views about the train ride. Taking a vehicle is the way we are planning to get to Denali. If you do not mind the drive, which can be about or less than the train, and possibly, a little less expensive, take a car.
You'll have more opportunities to stop and go and to see more. Look at maps and check out the travel distance. Little research may change your way of commuting.
Good luck!
We'll be going to Anchorage in July and driving to Denali. I heard mixed views about the train ride. Taking a vehicle is the way we are planning to get to Denali. If you do not mind the drive, which can be about or less than the train, and possibly, a little less expensive, take a car.
You'll have more opportunities to stop and go and to see more. Look at maps and check out the travel distance. Little research may change your way of commuting.
Good luck!
Feb 23rd, 2007, 06:34 AM
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You are very limited without a car in my opinion. There is so much to enjoy and do in the Denali Park area. Meal options are also far better with your own transportation. Is not a car an option for you?? Would allow plenty of ad lib stops along the way to also enjoy!!!
Feb 23rd, 2007, 06:51 AM
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Elderhostel has a number of trips at Denali:
http://www.elderhostel.com/programs/...keyword=denali
We're signed up for Outdoor Adventures Hiking trip.
No, I don't think we want a car. This is our first Elderhostel experience and I think we will make that our focus for the week.
Back to my question -- looking for an answer from people familiar with mass transit from Anchorage to Denali. Train or bus recommended?
http://www.elderhostel.com/programs/...keyword=denali
We're signed up for Outdoor Adventures Hiking trip.
No, I don't think we want a car. This is our first Elderhostel experience and I think we will make that our focus for the week.
Back to my question -- looking for an answer from people familiar with mass transit from Anchorage to Denali. Train or bus recommended?
Feb 25th, 2007, 10:41 AM
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O.k., I've done the trip from Anchorage to Denali three ways - car, shuttle, and train.
Car is the best way since you can make your own stops. The scenery is very nice, especially once you start through Denali State Park. Also, if you wanted to do something like stop in Talkeetna for a flightseeing trip (highly recommended if the mountain is out), a car gives you much more flexibility. However, once you reached the park, the car doesn't gain you much. You can only visit the park via the park buses, and there are free shuttles to get you around the tourist area and hotels outside the park. So, while a car is a nice way to get you to the park, it basically sits while you're there. And, given the expense of car rentals in Alaska, this can get pricey.
The train ride does indeed parallel the highway for most of the journey. The train ride can be very nice and relaxing. If you don't feel like driving the whole distance, this is a very nice option. You can get up and walk around, the seating is comfortable, there's a dining car, and an observation car. The Alaska Railroad also employs young people to answer questions and give commentary on the area as you pass by, which is very nice. For some people, the train ride is a bit too long and a little boring. It's certainly slower than a bus or car, and a bit more expensive.
I took a shuttle when I just wanted to get to Denali ASAP. I was staying at a hostel in Anchorage, and the shuttle van picked me up at the front door early in the morning. The shuttle was very cheap and pretty fast. We stopped at a grocery store on the way to supply, and there were a couple of scenic stops, but we mainly just went straight for the park. The shuttle driver was happy to talk and give his opinion about the area as we passed by, but his views were either a crusty, localized opinion of things or a rote, by-the-book recitation.
So, as much as I enjoyed the drive, I'd probably recommend against renting a car due to the expense. As for bus vs. train - I say do both! Take the bus to Denali, and the train back. Or, vice versa.
Car is the best way since you can make your own stops. The scenery is very nice, especially once you start through Denali State Park. Also, if you wanted to do something like stop in Talkeetna for a flightseeing trip (highly recommended if the mountain is out), a car gives you much more flexibility. However, once you reached the park, the car doesn't gain you much. You can only visit the park via the park buses, and there are free shuttles to get you around the tourist area and hotels outside the park. So, while a car is a nice way to get you to the park, it basically sits while you're there. And, given the expense of car rentals in Alaska, this can get pricey.
The train ride does indeed parallel the highway for most of the journey. The train ride can be very nice and relaxing. If you don't feel like driving the whole distance, this is a very nice option. You can get up and walk around, the seating is comfortable, there's a dining car, and an observation car. The Alaska Railroad also employs young people to answer questions and give commentary on the area as you pass by, which is very nice. For some people, the train ride is a bit too long and a little boring. It's certainly slower than a bus or car, and a bit more expensive.
I took a shuttle when I just wanted to get to Denali ASAP. I was staying at a hostel in Anchorage, and the shuttle van picked me up at the front door early in the morning. The shuttle was very cheap and pretty fast. We stopped at a grocery store on the way to supply, and there were a couple of scenic stops, but we mainly just went straight for the park. The shuttle driver was happy to talk and give his opinion about the area as we passed by, but his views were either a crusty, localized opinion of things or a rote, by-the-book recitation.
So, as much as I enjoyed the drive, I'd probably recommend against renting a car due to the expense. As for bus vs. train - I say do both! Take the bus to Denali, and the train back. Or, vice versa.
