Alaska Railroad Denali to Anchorage One Way

You pay a lot of money for Goldstar class, so the last thing I expected was a car with dirty windows. The film of muck was so bad that in order to take any photos you had to head back to the viewing platform! Very disappointing and a complete 0/10, given that there had been no rain. Onboard food was poor. You don’t pay all that money to get a McDonalds equivalent for lunch, and the “hotpot” for dinner was two slices of fall apart overcooked beef, with mashed potatoes and a few half cooked carrots. Bar service from our Serbian barman was attentive. The onboard narration was poor quality and repetitive, and delivered in an annoying squeaky voice through a poor quality sound system. Poor value for money!

This was the 2nd leg of our train ride trip from Fairbanks to Anchorage. We spent 2 nights in Denali and then got back on the train for the long ride to Anchorage. The 8 hours went by faster than expected and the weather wasn’t great but still we had lots to see. There are announcements and highlights given along the way. We had lunch and dinner (Gold Star) and they were not only delicious but also filling. We were barely hungry at dinner time. The train pulled in a little late and we had ordered an Uber but he had left so we walked to the Hotel from the Anchorage train depot. The bags took a short time to reach the bag area and the walk was not bad after sitting all day. The Gold Star seating is wonderful (upstairs with large seats and table tops like an airplane, domed glass above us and much larger than the other less expensive seating. Definitely opt for Gold Star reservations! 2 Drink tix are included per person as well.

Beware of a scam targeting elderly passengers! My family of 4 booked a package directly through the Alaska Railroad reservations group for round trip travel from Anchorage to Denali, 3 nights in Denali, and then a return train ride back to Anchorage. I trusted the Alaska Railroad reservation group to be professional and know what they were doing but they “mistakenly” forgot to book a return fare for my 84 year old parents, leaving them stranded and forcing us to pay $780 ($340 per passenger) so they could return with us to make our flight home. We either had to pay this exorbitant fare or the train would leave without us, and we had no hotel or transportation. It was awful. Upon reaching out to the Alaska Rail for clarification I was very rudely told it was “my fault for not checking the reservation closely”. I worry how many other elderly passengers are left stranded and forced to pay due to a “reservation mistakes”. After how we were treated I do not recommend this group at all. They take advantage of elderly passengers and it’s just not right.

Our vacation involved a 7-day trip on the Alaska Railroad, so we’ve been all the way from Fairbanks to Seward. Overall, it is extremely convenient. Check-in is simple, and they handle your luggage for you, even picking it up from our hotel room at Denali. Food on board is OK. Our only complaint is there appears to be no policy to address passengers that board even though they are ill. A lady in our car coughed the entire 8 hours from Denali to Anchorage and requested to eat by herself due to illness. No action was taken to isolate her or protect other passengers.

I was not totally sure about this longer train trip (after just taking the train from Fairbanks to Denali). Wow was I wrong. Just spectacular views and we are part of the 30% who got to see the majestic top of Denali. Conductor slowed as the view came into sight for all to see. The time literally flew by. We did splurge on the GoldStar service and it was worth it from our fun drinks to good food as well as outdoor viewing and indoor glass rooftop. The only issue we had was some of the cottonwood seed caused the front of our car to be warmer as it was clogging the vents.

During our land tour into Alaska, we had 2 legs on the Alaska Railroad. Both were amazing! From the food and drinks, to the scenery, both trips were fantastic, everything a train trip in Alaska that could be imagined. What makes it that much more spectacular, was the customer care shown. Inadvertently, I left my backpack at my lodging in Denali at the prior nights lodging. When it was discovered in Anchorage, Shane in luggage handling went above and beyond! Not only did he try to help me go through what luggage was left, he took a report, advised me the steps to take, and when we came back the next day to meet the next train, not only did he remember me, but again, helped me find my bag! AND.... when I tried to tip him for the extra help, he totally refused to take it (not the half way refusal and then take it, but totally refused). That kind of customer care is very rare, and he is a definite asset to the Railroad.

We travelled from Fairbanks to Anchorage. The scenery was exceptional but the train experience was disappointing to say the least. The food was mediocre but the service great. The 'tour guides' (compared to all of the other event guides we experienced in Alaska) seemed more interested in socializing than providing us with information. We purchased the $5 railroad history/travel guide at the station in Fairbanks which was an excellent resource for the trip. We cancelled the second leg of our trip from Anchorage to Seward return and rented a car! Much more value for money and the scenery was basically the same.

We left at 12:30pm from Denali and arrived in Anchorage at 8pm. We were in Adventure class. Comfortable seats but you could walk between cars and go up a flight of stairs to the dome car for better views. There was a dining car with food and beverages for purchase. We had brought a Subway sandwich, so we only purchased drinks. Great views of beautiful mountains, rivers, and forests.

The railroad tour to Denali offers some of the best photographic in Alaska without doubt and the guide we had was entertaining and very knowledgeable. The drawbacks included the 12 hour expected length of the trip and the frequent slowdowns due to other trains on the line. There was insufficient staff to serve lunch in anywhere an an appropriate period of time. My wife and I had to wait an hour to get our food—which was very good but completely slow to be served.

Our journey on the Alaska Railroad GoldStar Dome from Denali to Anchorage was an enchanting experience! The scenic train ride offered breathtaking views, and the commentary provided was perfectly balanced—informative without being overwhelming. It highlighted key areas of interest without constant chatter, allowing us to soak in the stunning landscapes. The onboard staff were simply AMAZING, attentive and friendly, ensuring we had a comfortable and enjoyable trip. The food, while not fancy, was decent and fairly priced. The drinks kept flowing, adding to the pleasant atmosphere. The only drawback was the lack of power outlets in the GoldStar Dome cars, unlike the other cars. However, this minor inconvenience did not overshadow the overall wonderful experience. If you’re traveling between Denali and Anchorage, the GoldStar Dome option is highly recommended for its excellent service, beautiful views, and overall comfort.