Alaska Tours (alaskatours.com) · Rail and self-drive package

Alaska by Rail and Car Tour

Rail and self-drive tour: Anchorage, Denali, Fairbanks, Valdez

Alaska by Rail and Car Tour, a rail journey with Alaska Tours (alaskatours.com)

Alaska Tours runs this eight-day, seven-night Alaska by Rail and Car Tour, combining Alaska Railroad travel from Anchorage to Denali National Park and on to Fairbanks with a self-drive rental car from Fairbanks to Valdez and back to Anchorage. Day 3 includes a narrated 4 to 6 hour bus tour into Denali National Park before the afternoon train to Fairbanks, where day 4 is free to explore attractions such as the Museum of the North on your own. From day 5, you drive the Richardson and Alaska Highways to Valdez, passing the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, the Wrangell-St. Elias Mountains, Worthington Glacier, and the waterfalls of Keystone Canyon, with what the operator describes as ample time for photographic stops. Valdez itself is a day at leisure, with museums and a salmon hatchery to explore before driving back to Anchorage past the Matanuska Glacier. This suits independent-minded travelers who want a scenic train ride combined with the freedom of a self-drive road trip, rather than a fully escorted tour.

What to know before you look closer

  • Meals, gratuities, transfers in Anchorage, car rental coverage such as LDW or liability insurance, additional driver fees, gas, and GPS rental are all extra.
  • Optional extras such as the Columbia Glacier Cruise, the Meares Glacier Cruise from Valdez, and the Riverboat Discovery Sternwheeler Cruise in Fairbanks cost extra and are not part of the included package.
  • Days 4 through 7 are self-guided by rental car; the operator does not provide a guide for the drive to Valdez or the sightseeing there.
  • The evidence does not name the hotels used, their star rating, or current departure dates; confirm these directly with the operator.

Day by day

  1. Day 1overnight: Anchorage (downtown area)

    Anchorage Arrival

    Arrive into Anchorage and transfer to your hotel by shuttle or on your own. Anchorage is Alaska's largest city, nestled between the Chugach Mountains and Cook Inlet.

  2. Day 2railovernight: Near the Denali park entrance

    Anchorage to Denali National Park

    Transfer to the Anchorage train station by hotel courtesy shuttle or on your own. At 8:15am travel from Anchorage to Denali National Park aboard the Alaska Railroad, arriving 3:45pm. Evening free for optional activities or leisure.

  3. Day 3railovernight: Fairbanks

    Denali National Park to Fairbanks

    Depart on a narrated bus tour into Denali National Park (approx. 4-6 hours, 30-43 miles into the park depending on weather/road conditions). In the afternoon, travel by train to Fairbanks, arriving 8:00pm.

  4. Day 4overnight: Fairbanks

    Fairbanks

    Pick up your rental car in Fairbanks and tour the area on your own. Attractions include the Museum of the North, Pioneer Park, the Ice Museum, and the Santa Claus House in North Pole. Optional tours available such as an Arctic Circle tour or Sternwheeler Riverboat cruise.

  5. Day 5overnight: Valdez

    Fairbanks to Valdez

    Drive the Richardson and Alaska Highways southeast from Fairbanks to Valdez, past North Pole, with scenic overlooks of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, Denali (on clear days) and the Wrangell-St. Elias Mountains. Drive past Worthington Glacier and through Keystone Canyon with its waterfalls, including Bridal Veil Falls.

  6. Day 6overnight: Valdez

    Valdez

    Day free to explore Valdez, including the Valdez Museum, the Solomon Gulch salmon hatchery, and the Maxine & Jesse Whitney Museum. Optional glacier cruise or kayaking tours in Prince William Sound available.

  7. Day 7overnight: Anchorage (mid-town area or near the airport)

    Valdez to Anchorage

    Drive north through Thompson Pass to Glennallen, on the western edge of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, then southwest past the Matanuska Glacier and through the Matanuska Valley to Anchorage.

  8. Day 8

    Anchorage Departure

    Free time for souvenir shopping or additional excursions depending on departure time. Return your car to the airport rental station and depart Anchorage.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 2The Alaska Railroad departs Anchorage at 8:15am for Denali National Park, arriving 3:45pm.
  • Day 3A narrated Denali National Park bus tour of 4 to 6 hours travels 30 to 43 miles into the park, followed by an afternoon train ride to Fairbanks.
  • Day 5Driving the Richardson and Alaska Highways from Fairbanks to Valdez passes scenic overlooks of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, Denali on clear days, and the Wrangell-St. Elias Mountains, plus Worthington Glacier and the waterfalls of Keystone Canyon, including Bridal Veil Falls.
  • Day 7The drive from Valdez to Anchorage passes through Thompson Pass, the edge of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, the Matanuska Glacier, and the Matanuska Valley.

Included

  • 7 nights accommodation
  • Train from Anchorage to Denali and Denali to Fairbanks
  • 4-6 hour bus tour into Denali National Park (depending on weather and road conditions)
  • 5 days midsize car rental from Fairbanks to Anchorage, including a one-way fee and unlimited mileage
  • All taxes and fees

Not included

  • Transfers in Anchorage
  • Meals
  • Gratuities
  • Car rental coverage (such as LDW or liability insurance)
  • Additional driver fees
  • Gas
  • GPS rental

Questions travellers ask

Is train travel included?
Yes, for part of the trip. The Alaska Railroad is included from Anchorage to Denali National Park and from Denali to Fairbanks; from Fairbanks onward the trip continues by rental car.
Is it guided or independent?
It is a mix. The bus tour into Denali National Park is guided, but the drive from Fairbanks to Valdez and back to Anchorage, and the sightseeing in Fairbanks and Valdez, are self-guided by rental car.
Which trains are used?
The Alaska Railroad, in standard/adventure class rail car seating with reserved seats; Deluxe dome car seating is available as a paid upgrade.
What does the car rental include?
A 5-day midsize car rental from Fairbanks to Anchorage, including a one-way fee and unlimited mileage. Car rental coverage such as LDW or liability insurance, additional driver fees, gas, and GPS rental are not included.
What will I see on the drive to Valdez?
Scenic overlooks of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, Denali on clear days, and the Wrangell-St. Elias Mountains, plus Worthington Glacier and the waterfalls of Keystone Canyon, including Bridal Veil Falls.
What is not included?
Meals, gratuities, transfers in Anchorage, car rental coverage, additional driver fees, gas, and GPS rental.

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