Amtrak Vacations · Independent rail & cruise vacation

Alaska Rail and Sail with Denali National Park from Los Angeles

Los Angeles to Fairbanks by Amtrak, Alaska cruise, and Alaska Railroad to Denali

Alaska Rail and Sail with Denali National Park from Los Angeles, a rail journey with Amtrak Vacations

Amtrak Vacations runs this 18-day, 17-night rail and cruise vacation from Los Angeles to Fairbanks. It opens with an overnight ride on Amtrak's Coast Starlight up the Pacific Coast to Seattle, followed by a rail journey past the Cascade Mountains to Vancouver for two nights and a hop-on, hop-off city tour. From Vancouver, the Norwegian Jade sails a 7-night route through the Inside Passage, calling at Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway and cruising Glacier Bay National Park and Hubbard Glacier. After disembarking in Whittier, a narrated transfer reaches Anchorage for two nights that include a guided tour past Earthquake Park and Lake Hood. Alaska Railroad's Denali Star then carries travellers to Denali National Park for two nights of guided touring through forest and tundra, with wildlife spotting for moose, caribou, and grizzly bears, before a second rail leg north to Fairbanks. The final two Fairbanks days are unstructured. This trip suits travellers who want a long Alaska itinerary combining a full week-long cruise with several distinct rail journeys.

What to know before you look closer

  • The included list states the Alaska Railroad leg runs from Seward to Anchorage, but the day-by-day itinerary describes disembarking the cruise in Whittier and boarding a 'sightseeing transfer' (not explicitly named as a train) to Anchorage; confirm the exact departure point and mode before booking.
  • Government taxes and fees applicable to the cruise are not included in the price.
  • No meals are listed among the inclusions for the land and rail portions; confirm what, if any, meals are covered.
  • The package offers 28 accommodation options across tiers and cities, so the specific hotel you get in Seattle or Vancouver depends on the tier selected.

Day by day

  1. Day 1overnight: Onboard Amtrak (Coast Starlight)

    Overnight Onboard Amtrak

    Welcome to Los Angeles! This afternoon, make your way to Los Angeles' Union Station and board Amtrak's® Coast Starlight for a breathtaking ride up the Pacific Coast.

  2. Day 2overnight: Seattle

    Seattle

    Arrive in Seattle this evening after your scenic journey up the Pacific Coast aboard Amtrak's Coast Starlight. After checking into your hotel, take the evening to explore the Emerald City at your leisure. You might stroll through Pike Place Market, admire the views from the waterfront, or grab dinner at one of the city's renowned restaurants.

  3. Day 3overnight: Vancouver

    Vancouver, BC

    Take in the views of the Pacific Northwest scenery and Cascade Mountains as you travel from Seattle to Vancouver. Once you arrive in Vancouver, check in to your hotel and begin using your included hop-on, hop-off pass to explore all the city has to offer.

  4. Day 4overnight: Vancouver

    Vancouver, BC

    Today, continue exploring Vancouver with your hop-on, hop-off city tour. Visit popular attractions including Stanley Park, Chinatown, Gastown and more!

  5. Day 5overnight: Onboard Norwegian Jade

    Overnight Onboard Norwegian Jade

    Departure on the Jade® is at 5:00 pm today! While at sea, take some time getting acquainted with many of the ship's amenities including the delicious dining options, bars and lounges, dazzling casino!

  6. Day 6overnight: Onboard Norwegian Jade

    Overnight Onboard Norwegian Jade

    Today, sail through the islands of the Inside Passage, the longest sheltered inland waterway in the world, and get ready for amazing views and wildlife like nowhere else! Be on the lookout for orcas and humpback whales!

  7. Day 7overnight: Onboard Norwegian Jade

    Ketchikan

    Spend the day in Ketchikan. Its Tlingit Indian name, Kach Khanna, means "spread wings of the eagle." Chances are you'll see one of these magnificent birds perched atop a Sitka tree. Thanks to its abundant rainfall, Ketchikan is surrounded by some of the world's most lush wilderness.

  8. Day 8overnight: Onboard Norwegian Jade

    Juneau

    Today you will dock in Juneau, Alaska. Juneau has been called "Alaska's peak experience," certainly due in part to its unparalleled glacier viewing from such places as Tracy Arm Fjord, the Juneau Icefields and Glacier Bay National Park. Kayak up one of the area's many protected waterways, go flightseeing, tour historic downtown or try your hand at panning for gold.

  9. Day 9overnight: Onboard Norwegian Jade

    Skagway

    Today, you'll sail into beautiful Skagway. In a single year from 1896 to 1897, this remote town along the Inside Passage grew from a few tents to a city of 20,000 gold seekers. Today, travelers come in search of other riches - to experience yesteryear along Skagway's charming boardwalk lined with buildings that replicate those Gold Rush days.

  10. Day 10overnight: Onboard Norwegian Jade

    Cruise Glacier Bay

    Today you will sail to Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, a United Nations World Heritage Site. Comprised of 3.3 million acres of natural wonders, it is home to magnificent glaciers, snow-capped mountains and abundant birds and wildlife.

  11. Day 11overnight: Onboard Norwegian Jade

    Cruise Hubbard Glacier

    Get up close and personal with the gigantic Hubbard Glacier, North America's largest tidewater glacier. It's 1350 square miles of blue ice and one of the most active in Alaska!

  12. Day 12overnight: Anchorage

    Whittier to Anchorage

    After disembarking from the Norwegian Jade in Whittier, Alaska, take some time to explore this seaside community surrounded by mountains and beauty. This morning, you will board a sightseeing transfer to Anchorage. This fully narrated tour includes incredible views of the Portage Glacier Valley and Turnagain Arm before arriving to downtown Anchorage.

  13. Day 13overnight: Anchorage

    Anchorage, AK

    Take a guided tour today through Anchorage and learn about its history and the culture. Visit Earthquake Park, Lake Hood, the world's busiest seaplane base, and more.

  14. Day 14railovernight: Denali National Park

    Denali National Park, AK

    Today's adventure will have you riding onboard Alaska Railroad's Denali Star as you travel through backcountry Alaska to Denali National Park.

  15. Day 15overnight: Denali National Park

    Denali National Park, AK

    Explore Denali National Park on a guided tour as you'll travel through the forest and tundra, see the wild rivers and glaciers, and learn what makes this an amazing Alaskan landscape. Bring your binoculars with you to search for wildlife near and far as moose, caribou, Dall sheep, wolves and grizzly bears have all been spotted.

  16. Day 16railovernight: Fairbanks

    Fairbanks, AK

    Explore Denali at your leisure this morning and enjoy the hotels complimentary shuttle to take you to town or the visitor center where many trail leave from. This afternoon, board Alaska Railroad for the journey north winding along Healy Canyon, following the curves of the Nenana River below, as you make your way to Fairbanks.

  17. Day 17overnight: Fairbanks

    Fairbanks, AK

    Today you can explore Fairbanks at your leisure. Take a stroll along the Chena River, visit one of the many art galleries filled with paintings and pottery or check out some of the shops with Alaska Native art and jewelry.

  18. Day 18

    Your Journey Ends in Fairbanks

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 1Amtrak's Coast Starlight departs Los Angeles for a scenic overnight ride up the Pacific Coast to Seattle.
  • Day 10The cruise sails to Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, a United Nations World Heritage Site of 3.3 million acres.
  • Day 11The cruise reaches Hubbard Glacier, North America's largest tidewater glacier at 1,350 square miles of blue ice.
  • Day 14Alaska Railroad's Denali Star carries travellers through backcountry Alaska to Denali National Park.
  • Day 16Alaska Railroad continues north from Denali to Fairbanks along Healy Canyon and the Nenana River.

Included

  • One-way Amtrak® in Coach accommodations from Los Angeles to Seattle on the Coast Starlight®
  • One-way Amtrak® rail or thruway from Seattle to Vancouver
  • One-way Alaska Railroad® in Adventure Class accommodations from Seward to Anchorage; Anchorage to Denali and Denali to Fairbanks
  • 9 nights' hotel accommodations
  • 1 night onboard Amtrak
  • 7 nights' onboard the Norwegian Jade

Not included

  • Government taxes and fees applicable to the cruise

Questions travellers ask

Is train travel included?
Yes. The package includes Amtrak's Coast Starlight in Coach from Los Angeles to Seattle, Amtrak rail or thruway service from Seattle to Vancouver, and Alaska Railroad in Adventure Class (the Denali Star) from Whittier/Anchorage to Denali National Park and on to Fairbanks.
Is there an overnight train?
Yes, one night is spent onboard Amtrak's Coast Starlight between Los Angeles and Seattle.
Which cruise ship is used?
Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Jade, on its 7-day Alaska sailing with Glacier Bay, northbound from Vancouver.
Is this trip guided or independent?
It is an independent rail and cruise vacation, with guided sightseeing tours in Vancouver, Anchorage, and Denali National Park; the Seattle evening and the Fairbanks days are left free to explore at your leisure.
What is not included?
Government taxes and fees applicable to the cruise are not included.
How many nights are on the ship, train, and in hotels?
The package includes 7 nights onboard the Norwegian Jade, 1 night onboard Amtrak, and 9 nights of hotel accommodations.

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