2024 Alaska — All inclusive tour
Special Interest Tours and Trains Magazine bring you a rail excursion tour with outstanding views of the Denali National Park and down the Kenai Peninsula. Get ready to enjoy beautiful scenery from Sept. 8-17 with Trains Associate Editor Bob Lettenberger on a 9-day adventure. This all-inclusive tour highlights some of the best scenic railroads and museums Alaska has to offer.
Time to tour
Day 1 (Sept. 8): Welcome to Alaska
Arrive in Fairbanks and get settled in at the hotel. Shuttles will be provided on this day from the Fairbanks airport to the hotel. Those arriving early can explore downtown Fairbanks, the Chena River walk, and the Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitor’s center, all within walking distance from the hotel. In the afternoon plan to visit the Alaskan Pipeline en route to your dinner at the Alaskan Salmon Bake at Pioneer Park. Get acquainted with Trains Associate Editor Bob Lettenberger and fellow tour guests while enjoying dinner together.
Day 2 (Sept. 9): Denali Star
You’ll depart early and enjoy breakfast on the train while heading southward into Denali National Park. You’ll arrive in the heart of the park around noon and transfer to your hotel to settle in for a 2-night stay. In the evening get ready to head to the Alaska Cabin Nite Dinner Theater, which houses a night of fun, festivity, and food! You’ll join their heroine Fannie Quigley and an unforgettable cast of characters in this true-to-life Gold Rush tale of adventure in early 1900s Alaska. It’s a great mix of colorful storytelling, spirited music, and humor, brought to life by talented performers.
Day 3 (Sept. 10): Explore Denali
With a full day in the park, you’ll take a chartered Tundra Wilderness Tour to learn about the history and wildlife of this grand national park. The park houses the country’s tallest mountain and over 6 million acres of protected wilderness.
Day 4 (Sept. 11): Denali to Tallkeetna
In the early afternoon you’ll continue south by rail to Talkeetna, which was formed in 1916 as a headquarters for the Alaska Railroad. Here, you’ll settle in for a 2-night stay at the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge.
Day 5 (Sept. 12): Hurricane Turn Train
Today you’ll spend the afternoon on the Hurricane Turn Train, one of the last in the nation to provide flagstop service.
Locals have long loved the Hurricane for access to remote cabins, hunting, and fishing, while visitors consider this train the Alaska Railroad’s best-kept secret for a truly authentic Alaskan experience – not to mention the panoramic views at the train’s turnaround point, Hurricane Gulch. On a clear day, Denali towers over the braided Susitna River.
Day 6 (Sept. 13): Talkeetna to Anchorage
Enjoy some free time in Talkeetna. Guests can use the hotel’s shuttle to visit the historic town at their leisure and explore the many shops and restaurants. In the late afternoon you’ll head to the Alaska Railroad depot and board the train to Anchorage. Dinner will be served on the train. You’ll arrive in Anchorage by 8:00 p.m., which in the Arctic is still time for sunset.
Day 7 (Sept. 14): Anchorage to Whittier
Today we will journey by rail to Whittier, to travel through the combined vehicle-railroad tunnel in North America. We will return to Anchorage by bus — which does give guests time to enjoy the historic city.
Day 8 (Sept. 15): Anchorage-Seward Round Trip
Your last full day will take you on an adventure down Kenai Penninsula to Seward. Breakfast will be served while viewing the sunrise around the Turnagain Arm. In Seward, you’ll enjoy a 6-hour cruise through the Kenai Fjords National Park. This cruise explores the world of whales, wildlife, and glaciers found in the fjords. Experienced captains will narrate your journey and point out the spectacular sights while providing information on the area’s wildlife, history, and geology. A private farewell dinner will be served on your return train to Anchorage. As the sunsets on Alaska you’ll say your goodbyes to the land and fellow guests.
Day 9 (Sept. 16): Alaska RR Shop Tour
Guests will tour the Alaska Railroad’s engine shops. After free time for lunch, we will head to the Anchorage Museum, has state of the art exhibits covering the science, history, art and culture of Alaska. You’ll then have some free time to prepare for your flights home before our Farewell dinner.
Day 10 (Sept. 17): Farewell
Breakfast is included at the hotel. Taxis will be arranged to take guests to the airport. Some guests may continue on with our Whittier extension.
Itinerary developed by Special Interest Tours.
To book your space on this tour, please visit Special Interest Tours.
Interested in Alaska? Check out this article “Unusual locomotives — Alaska” or “Remote railroading in Alaska.”
In the train station in Fairbanks is the Tanana Valley Model Railroad Club. Normally open and in operation during train arrivals and departures. Entering the station from the train, look to the left once inside the station. Coming in from the street-side look to the right. An expansive HO gauge layout displaying the Alaska Railroad from Fairbanks down through the Danali area.