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Alaska Train Rides and Excursion Trains

Despite the fact that Alaska train rides include only two operations, the Alaska Railroad and White Pass & Yukon Route, they offer some of the most unforgettable excursions you may ever have the opportunity to take. The Alaska Railroad, as a Class II freight line is the only such company anywhere in the country that also offers full passenger service (more information about such can be found below) between Seward, Talkeetna, Nenana, and Fairbanks (it does not serve Anchorage). To the south, the WP&Y is a tourist-only railroad connecting Skagway with Carcross, Yukon Territory offering travelers not only surreal views but also taking them over high trestles and long tunnels through the Coast Mountains.

Obviously, unless you are from the state taking a vacation to Alaska is an expensive proposition. However, if you are able to take such a trip and have the time I would highly recommend a ride on either of these two railroads. The White Pass & Yukon Route probably offers the better scenery with several different excursions to choose from. However, it only operates during the warmer months of the year. In contrast, the Alaska Railroad provides year-round service in snow, rain, or sunshine (they even include their timetable directly on their website). While its passenger trains are meant as a public service for the state the railroad also offers vacationers several options to choose from including onboard meals and vacation packages.

Alaska Train Rides And Excursion Trains

White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad

Address: P.O. Box 435, Skagway, Alaska 99840

The narrow-gauge White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad, located in Alaska, is the busiest tourist railroad in the country, even more popular than the legendary Strasburg Railroad, due to the line’s spectacular scenery and limitless supply of tourists aboard cruise ships that dock at Skagway. While the WP&YR today is a very successful tourist railroad its heritage lies as a freight hauler, once serving several ore mines located between Skagway, Alaska and the Yukon Territory of Canada (which is another unique feature of the railroad, its lines are split with half operated in the United States and the other half in Canada). While the Alaska Railroad offers some spectacular scenery of its own few train rides anywhere in the world offer such stunning scenery as the WP&YR. For more information about planning a trip on the WP&Y please call toll free at 800-343-7373 or visit their website by clicking here.

Alaska Railroad

Address: P.O. Box 107500, Anchorage, Alaska 99510

The Alaska Railroad is technically not a tourist railroad but an operating freight system which is a vital transportation artery for the state. However, it also offers regular passenger service along its route, the only for-profit railroad in the country to do so. The ARR currently offers five different scheduled passenger trains along its system which include the Denali Star, Coastal Classic, Glacier Discovery, Hurricane Turn, and the Aurora Winter Train. For more information about planning a trip on the Alaska Railroad and all the packages they have available please call toll free at 800-544-0552 or visit their website by clicking here.

Please Click Here To Return To The Main Tourist Railroads Section

If you mentioned in a history of trains in Alaska please click here. Also, for more information Alaska train rides you might want to consider the book Tourist Trains Guidebook (yes, that is the WP&YR pictured on the cover!), which is put together by the editors of Kalmbach Publishing's Trains magazine. The guide below is the latest, released in just April, 2011 that now includes more than 470 museums and tourist trains. In any event, if you're interested in perhaps purchasing this book please visit the link below which will take you to ordering information through Amazon.com, the trusted online shopping network.

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