Alaska’s wild and unspoiled nature is so extensive that one cannot cover it all by car, while trains let you watch the most beautiful scenery on the continent as if you were in the front row. The train window view is much better than any highway drive, starting from glaciers calving into turquoise waters and grizzlies fishing on the riverbanks.
These are not only a means of transport but also moving observation decks that let you immerse in the Last Frontier without even caring about the navigation of the winding mountain roads. The Alaska Railroad and White Pass & Yukon Route offer routes that snake through terrain most people only see in nature documentaries.
Here is a list of 15 scenic train rides in Alaska to book for your next adventure.
Denali Star
The Denali Star runs 356 miles from Anchorage to Fairbanks, passing directly through Denali National Park along the way. This 12-hour journey showcases Mount Denali on clear days, along with sprawling tundra where caribou and moose wander freely.
The route operates from mid-May through mid-September, giving you the best weather window for wildlife spotting and mountain views.
Coastal Classic
This route connects Anchorage to Seward in about four hours, hugging the Turnagain Arm, where you might spot beluga whales surfacing in the water below. The train winds through the Kenai Mountains and passes glaciers that look close enough to touch from your window.
Seward itself sits at the gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park, making this ride a perfect starting point for glacier cruises.
Glacier Discovery
The Glacier Discovery route takes you from Anchorage to either Whittier or Spencer Glacier, depending on which excursion you choose. Spencer Glacier stops let you step off the train for guided hikes or kayaking adventures right up to the ice itself.
The Whittier route travels through two long tunnels and along cliffs where waterfalls cascade down to Turnagain Arm below.
White Pass Summit Excursion
Starting in Skagway, this narrow-gauge railway climbs nearly 3,000 feet in just 20 miles to reach White Pass at the U.S.-Canada border. The route follows the treacherous path taken by gold prospectors during the 1898 Klondike Gold Rush, with sheer drops and historic sites marking the journey.
You’ll cross wooden trestles and see Bridal Veil Falls tumbling down granite cliffs along the way.
Hurricane Turn
The Hurricane Turn is one of America’s last flag-stop trains, meaning you can literally wave it down from the tracks if you’re a local heading into the backcountry. This route runs 55 miles from Talkeetna to Hurricane, passing through roadless wilderness where adventurers and fishermen use the train as their only access point.
It operates year-round on Thursdays and Fridays during winter, with more frequent summer service from mid-May through mid-September.
Aurora Winter Train
Running from September through May, the Aurora Winter Train connects Anchorage and Fairbanks when most tourists have gone home, and the landscape transforms into a snowy wonderland. This is your chance to see the northern lights from a heated train car while traveling through frozen forests and snow-covered peaks.
The route runs on weekends, giving Alaskans and winter adventurers a reliable connection between the state’s two largest cities.
GoldStar Service On Alaska Railroad
GoldStar service puts you in double-decker glass-dome cars with 180-degree views and an outdoor viewing platform where you can feel the crisp Alaskan air. The upper level keeps you above other passengers, and meals are included with your ticket—think salmon and reindeer sausage served at your seat.
This upgrade works on any Alaska Railroad route and transforms a great train ride into an unforgettable experience.
Grandview Cars With Princess And Holland America
Private tour operators run their own luxury railcars attached to Alaska Railroad trains, featuring full-length glass ceilings and wrap-around outdoor platforms. These cars come with white-tablecloth dining and dedicated tour guides who share stories about the landscape rolling past your window.
Princess and Holland America offer this service primarily on the Denali Star route as part of their cruise-tour packages.
Spencer Glacier Whistle Stop
This unique excursion drops you off at an unmanned platform surrounded by absolutely nothing but wilderness and a massive glacier. You get about four hours to hike, kayak, or simply sit on the rocks before the return train picks you up.
It’s like having a private national park for the afternoon, with activities ranging from easy walks to guided paddling trips across the glacial lake.
Bennett Scenic Journey
The Bennett Scenic Journey extends beyond White Pass all the way to Bennett Lake in British Columbia, adding another hour of mountain scenery to your trip. At Bennett, you’ll find the restored gold rush town where stampeders built boats for their final push to the Klondike.
This full-day excursion includes lunch and lets you explore the lake area before heading back down the mountain.
Chilkoot Trail Hiker Service
In case the renowned 33-mile Chilkoot Trail is on your itinerary, the White Pass Railway has a hiker service that will transport you from Skagway to Fraser, British Columbia, the closest point to the northern part of the trail. By using this service, you would not have to bother with shuttles, and you could dive into your olden days adventure straight away without the troublesome logistics.
The train operates several times a day in the summer season, and its timing is just right for hikers to plan.
Portage Glacier Cruise Connection
The Glacier Discovery route to Portage includes a cruise on Portage Lake, where you’ll float right up to the face of Portage Glacier. The train ticket bundles with the boat tour, creating a seamless experience that takes you from Anchorage to ice-filled waters in just a few hours.
Gray Lines operates the cruise portion, with Forest Service naturalists explaining how these massive ice rivers form and move.
Canyon And Tunnel Experience
Also departing from Skagway, this shorter White Pass excursion focuses on the engineering marvels that made the railway possible in 1898. You’ll travel through two tunnels blasted through solid rock and cross Bridal Veil Falls Bridge, suspended high above Dead Horse Gulch.
The two-hour round trip packs in dramatic scenery without requiring a full day of travel.
Seward To Spencer Glacier Kayaking Package
This combination ticket puts you on the Coastal Classic to Seward, then back up to Spencer Glacier the next day with kayaking gear included. You’ll paddle across the turquoise glacial lake while chunks of ice float past and the glacier looms ahead.
Local outfitters provide guides, equipment, and instruction, making it accessible even if you’ve never been in a kayak before.
Adventure Class On Alaska Railroad
Adventure Class offers comfortable seating in regular train cars with large windows and access to outdoor vestibules between cars. You’ll pay significantly less than GoldStar passengers while still getting the same spectacular views and route.
Snacks and drinks are available for purchase in the café car, and you’re free to move around and claim whatever viewing spot looks best at the moment.
From The Gold Rush To Modern Adventure
Now, the rails that cross Alaska have been reallocated to carry trains that were originally built to transport gold, supplies, and the immoderate fortune-seekers through the unbelievably rough and hard-to-get-to areas. In fact, this road network now supports the movement of tourists who prefer to enjoy the mountains rather than mine for minerals, suggesting that the journey at times becomes more important than the destination.
The adventure in these routes has not dissipated at all. What actually happened is that they have merely exchanged mining tools for camera ones and made the getting of each person to the once considered unreachable place so comfortable that everyone could eventually enjoy it.
You might either be seeing the glacier calve from a dome car or waving to the Hurricane Turn like a local. Access to Alaska’s wilderness by train is both thrilling and surprisingly civilized.
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