Alaska Railroad Aurora Winter Anchorage to Fairbanks One Way
Description
Experience the splendor of winter in Alaska from the comfort of a warm railcar, complete with comfortable seats, large picture windows and onboard dining. The Aurora Winter Train travels between Anchorage and Fairbanks, making the northbound 12-hour journey on Saturdays, as well as select mid-week departures (Tuesdays and/or Thursdays) December through March. Flagstop service is provided along the 50-mile stretch of roadless backcountry south of Hurricane Gulch. While the Aurora Winter Train travels the same stretch of tracks as the summer Denali Star Train, the views are strikingly distinct; the vibrant colors of Alaska’s summer landscape give way to the quiet serenity of pristine snow. On a clear day, a spectacular view of Denali rises into view above the Susitna River. And anywhere along the tracks, a watchful eye may be rewarded with the sight of a moose in the wild.
Tour Options
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Infants (0-1) may be added to a reservation as lap children (not requiring a paid, reserved seat) but they must be registered in the booking. To register an infant as a lap child, please indicate so in the “Special Requests” option in the final checkout and include the infant’s name, age and gender.
Reviews(62)
The views are just absolutely amazing. The train cuts through Denali state park in winter, allowing you to see the 3rd highest isolated peak on earth in the vast snowy landscape. The dining cart food was honestly pretty good too, try the reindeer bolognese or the pot roast! The train guide was really funny too and gave nice information, along with trying to help you spot wildlife along the way.
It is a very comfortable 12 hr train ride, with sit down dining for all meals if desired. The food prices were very reasonable compared to airports. The narration was very informative and entertaining.
Incredible experience! The staff on board were great, and the scenery was just magical! Besides, the train arrived earlier than expected. I would do it again without hesitation!
No Viator contact person available at the train station by the time you travel Travelers need to go train station ticket office , present Viator E-ticket + travelers ID ( passport ) in order to get official paper ticket for the train
Alaska was the only state my husband had yet to visit so we took the opportunity to tack on an Alaska trip to an event we were attending in Seattle since we were so close anyway. We are seniors so wanted something scenic and a bit slower paced, although we did do some side excursions which varied the pace. We traveled from Anchorage to Talkeetna for the first leg of the train portion of our trip. We'd recommend spending some time in Talkeetna. The view of Denali was the best from there and the small town is nice to spend a few hours in, grab lunch, do some shopping. The next morning it was off to Fairbanks. We were Gold Star level so got to go to the observation car. But even if you're not Gold Star service there are still open air observation decks that you can frequent for your views. Meals were good on the train and it was just nice to sit and talk, nap, have a drink, look out the windows, etc. The train has staff that does narration along the route so you know what you are looking at which is helpful. Once in Fairbanks you have a plethora of options for things to do so find out what works for you and have a great time!
We had a beautiful sunny day with stunning views of Denali as we rode the train (12+ hours) from Anchorage to Fairbanks. We did the Gold Star car with the glass roof and meals served in the dining car. Our only issue was it took a full hour (we were the last container) to get baggage.
We were so impressed that all was handled perfectly by Alaska rail. Our tickets and activities were all arranged for us. Terrific when you actually get what you paid for when so far from home.
This is the most amazing trip ever ! It surpasses the Rockies , and the trans Australia Indian Pacific . Easy checkin , comfortable and roomy seats , huge picture windows and excellent train crew . We went adventure class ( cheapest ) - and checked out the rest of the train. We made the best choice … you can always pop up to the dome for a view but actually it’s nicer from your own seat . Both sides have a perfect view ; we saw Denali in a blue blue sky and A BEAR ! The onboard commentary was excellent; only on when there was something useful or interesting , not endless burble All staff were polite and super helpful but the whole train loved crew member Cicily and her impeccably behaved assistance dog. Good meal choices from hot served food to coffee and sandwiches .
What an incredible trip from Anchorage to Fairbanks! The best way to see Alaska's diverse scenery. We had a beautiful sunny day for our trip and were lucky enough to see Denali in it's splendor. Staff was incredibly friendly and helpful with regular commentary about things of interest for us to see. If you purchase the guide book at the station ($5) you can pick out the mile markers on the right side of the tracks and read along. There were moose, dall sheep, and eagles to see. We ate lunch and dinner in the dining car. Food was reasonably priced, excellent and delicious. The grab and go snacks in the snack car were limited so it is definitely worth it to eat in the dining car. As a seasoned rail traveler across the US, this was another trip to check off my bucket list. A trip well worth doing on a visit to Alaska!
It's a long trip and kind of expensive, but I recommend it anyway. The views of mountains, rivers, and wildlife are unforgetable. Announcements ensure you don't miss anything. I ordered the pot roast for dinner. It was excellent and the portion was fairly large. Staff on the train and in the train station were all pleasant and helpful.
