Getting Around

The Alaska Railroad's aptly named Coastal Classic route is probably the most beautiful stretch of the Alaska Railroad.

Take this to:

• Visit the resort town of Girdwood for dog sledding, flightseeing, rain forest hikes, or an overnight at The Hotel Alyeska
• Go to Seward, where you can take a Glacier & Wildlife Cruise into Kenai Fjords National Park, visit the Alaska Sealife Center, walk right up to the face of Exit Glacier, and stay at the Seward Windsong Lodge miles up the picturesque Resurrection River Valley.
• Take some extra time and explore. You can do the round-trip in a day, 4 hours on the train in the morning and 4 hours returning in the evening.

What it's really like:

This train traces scenic Turnagain Arm, where you'll have an excellent chance of seeing Beluga whales, moose, and Dall sheep. You'll see awe-inspiring landscapes punctuated by wildlife, as well as lush stands of alder and spruce nourished by coastal rains and high sun.

You’ll stop at the town of Girdwood, then it’s into the Kenai Mountains, a dramatic landscape of corrugated peaks that stretches as far as you can see. The train stays in the mountains, mostly away from the roads, giving you views you can’t get from a car. You’ll see glacial backdrops, alpine meadows, wildflowers, and wildlife as you pass through tunnels and past railroad houses on your way to Seward.

Some Coastal Classic riders take the train both ways, doing it as a daytrip in just over 8 hours. It’s also fun to spend one or two nights in Seward visiting the shops and touring the bay. Catching the train back to Anchorage in the afternoon often provides spectacular sunsets over Cook Inlet throughout the summer. Some people head to their next destination via cruise ship out of Seward.