Alaska Railroad · Multi-day rail tour package

Grande Alaska Tour

12-day rail tour of Alaska from Anchorage to Fairbanks on three trains

Alaska Railroad's Grande Alaska Tour is a 12-day, 12-night package that runs the length of its main line from Anchorage to Fairbanks, using the Coastal Classic, Glacier Discovery and Denali Star Trains. After arriving in Anchorage, travelers ride to Seward for a Kenai Fjords National Park cruise, then return to Anchorage for leisure days and a side trip to Girdwood that includes a Spencer Glacier raft float. The Denali Star Train then carries the group to Talkeetna for an Alaska Range flightseeing tour and dryland dog mushing, and on to Denali National Park for a wildlife bus tour and a Jeep tour, before a final push to Fairbanks for a Riverboat Discovery sternwheeler cruise and flightseeing above the Arctic Circle. Booked in Adventure Class or the upgraded GoldStar Service, this suits travelers who want a full rail crossing of Alaska paired with cruise, wildlife and flightseeing add-ons rather than a single point-to-point ride.

What to know before you look closer

  • Only the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge is named as a specific hotel in the evidence; the operator does not specify which hotels are used in Anchorage, Seward, Denali or Fairbanks.
  • Days 1 and 4 in Anchorage are unguided leisure days where the operator suggests booking additional excursions on your own; these are not included in the base price.
  • The itinerary does not list an overnight location for day 5 or day 11; confirm the accommodation schedule with Alaska Railroad before booking.

Day by day

  1. Day 1overnight: Anchorage

    Arrive Anchorage

    Arrive in Anchorage, Alaska's largest city. Book an excursion, or explore shops, museums and restaurants at your leisure.

  2. Day 2railovernight: Seward

    Coastal Classic Train to Seward

    Board the Coastal Classic Train for a ride along Turnagain Arm and through scenic Grandview. Upon arrival in Seward, explore the charming port town, including a dog sled ride, lunch at an Alaska roadhouse and a tour to Exit Glacier (Real Alaska Tour).

  3. Day 3railovernight: Anchorage

    Kenai Fjords cruise; return to Anchorage

    Embark on a cruise of Kenai Fjords National Park in search of glaciers, whales, sea lions and more. That evening depart for Anchorage on the Coastal Classic Train.

  4. Day 4railovernight: Anchorage

    Anchorage at leisure

    Get out and explore! The Alaska Railroad offers a wide range of excursions from Anchorage.

  5. Day 5

    Anchorage museums and culture

    Visit one of the many museums and cultural centers in Anchorage.

  6. Day 6railovernight: Anchorage

    Girdwood, Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center and Spencer Glacier float

    Ride the train to Girdwood, disembark for a short transfer to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center to see brown and black bears, moose, wolves and more, then reboard the train for a short ride to rail-access-only Spencer Glacier Whistle Stop and a guided raft float down the Spencer and Placer Rivers.

  7. Day 7railovernight: Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge

    Denali Star Train to Talkeetna

    Depart for Talkeetna aboard the Denali Star Train. See Denali by air on an Alaska Range flightseeing tour.

  8. Day 8overnight: Talkeetna

    Dryland dog mushing

    Experience the summer version of Alaska's state sport: dryland dog mushing.

  9. Day 9railovernight: Denali

    Denali Star Train to Denali National Park

    Journey to Denali National Park aboard the Denali Star Train. Enjoy an evening of entertainment and a meal at a local dinner theater.

  10. Day 10overnight: Denali

    Denali wildlife tour

    Embark on a wildlife Denali bus tour with an expert naturalist guide.

  11. Day 11rail

    Denali Jeep tour and train to Fairbanks

    Explore Denali on a guided Jeep tour before riding the train for an evening arrival at the northern terminus of the Alaska Railroad: Fairbanks.

  12. Day 12overnight: Fairbanks

    Riverboat Discovery and Arctic Circle flightseeing

    Take a tour on the Riverboat Discovery, a historic sternwheeler, for a glimpse of life in Interior Alaska; see dog sledding and an Alaska Native village. Later that day, travel above the Arctic Circle on a flightseeing tour.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 2The Coastal Classic Train follows Turnagain Arm and passes through scenic Grandview on the way to Seward.
  • Day 3A cruise into Kenai Fjords National Park searches for glaciers, whales and sea lions before the Coastal Classic Train returns to Anchorage that evening.
  • Day 6The train continues to the rail-only Spencer Glacier Whistle Stop for a guided raft float down the Spencer and Placer Rivers.
  • Day 7The Denali Star Train carries the group to Talkeetna, timed with an Alaska Range flightseeing tour.
  • Day 12A historic sternwheeler, the Riverboat Discovery, gives a look at life in Interior Alaska before a flightseeing trip above the Arctic Circle.

Questions travellers ask

Which trains does the tour use?
The Coastal Classic Train (Anchorage to Seward), the Glacier Discovery Train (Anchorage/Girdwood to the Spencer Glacier Whistle Stop) and the Denali Star Train (Anchorage to Talkeetna, Denali National Park and Fairbanks).
Is it Adventure Class or GoldStar Service?
Both are offered; Adventure Class starts from $6,385 and GoldStar Service, Alaska Railroad's upgraded rail service, starts from $7,285.
What's included besides the trains?
A Kenai Fjords National Park glacier and wildlife cruise, a Spencer Glacier raft float, dryland dog mushing in Talkeetna, a Denali wildlife bus tour, a Denali Jeep tour, a Riverboat Discovery sternwheeler cruise and an Arctic Circle flightseeing tour.
How long is the tour?
12 days and 12 nights, from Anchorage to Fairbanks.
Are any days unguided?
Yes. Days 1 and 4 in Anchorage are described as leisure time, with the operator suggesting excursions travelers can book on their own.
Where do you stay?
The evidence names only the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge, for two nights in Talkeetna; other overnight stops in Anchorage, Seward, Denali and Fairbanks are not named.

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