Just need to buy a train ticket? Book your ticket on any Alaska Railroad train with our online booking engine.

In addition to train tickets, the Alaska Railroad also sells a variety of activities along the Railbelt -- from Denali flightseeing to Kenai Fjords glacier cruises and more -- as well as hotel stays and multi-day vacation packages. To combine train travel with a day trip excursion, or to book an Alaska Railroad adventure package, call Alaska Railroad reservations at 800.544.0552.

Full payment is required at time of booking when buying rail fare online. If making reservations by phone or email 35 days or more in advance of travel, payment is required within 72 hours of booking.

Package bookings that are made within 35 days of travel require a minimum of 24 hours to confirm availability, and full payment is required at the time of booking.

We accept American Express, Visa, MasterCard, and Discover. For bookings made more than five weeks in advance, we also accept checks received within 72 hours of booking. Of course, you can also pay by cash at any of our staffed ticket windows in our depots.

Please note that our trains are cashless onboard. To purchase food or beverages onboard the train, we accept American Express, Visa, MasterCard, and Discover.

Children under the age of two may ride for free if traveling on an adult's lap, but still require a ticket. If you wish to book a seat for your infant, you will need to purchase a seat at the child rate. Car seats are not required onboard our trains.

Dome car seating is available in our premium service class: GoldStar Service. GoldStar Service offers bi-level, glass-domed railcars, and is available for purchase on the Denali Star and Coastal Classic Trains.

It is best to bring your online confirmation or itinerary. If you do not have either, bring your booking confirmation number. Those 18 and older also need a government-issued photo ID at check in that shows the name exactly as booked for the ticket.

Yes. Passengers still need to check in for their train trip prior to departure. We need to check the identification of everyone over 18 years and issue boarding passes.

Just like the airlines, we are regulated by the TSA. Passengers are required to check-in at the ticket window and show a government issued photo ID (for those age 18 and older) to receive boarding passes. If you have luggage, it must be checked through to your destination.

We require passengers to check-in at the ticket counter one hour early at the Anchorage and Fairbanks depots, and 30-45 minutes at Talkeetna, Seward or Denali. At depots, boarding for all trains occurs 20-30 minutes prior to the scheduled departure. Reservations and seat assignments may be altered if passengers and baggage are not checked in 15 minutes prior to scheduled departure.

If departing from a location with no ticket window (Portage, Whittier, Girdwood, Wasilla), passengers are required to be there 15 minutes prior to departure to wait for the train to pull up. At these stations, passenger check-in will be with the conductor on the train.

Each passenger may check two pieces of luggage, no more than 50 pounds each, and may carry one additional piece on board. Up to two additional bags per passenger may be checked for an extra fee. Bags of an odd shape, bicycles, strollers and pet kennels can be checked for an additional fee as well. Read more at the bottom of this page.

When traveling between destinations, passenger luggage rides aboard the same train in the baggage car. Upon arrival, passengers that have booked an adventure package with us can expect to have their luggage transferred to and from rail depots and hotels via complementary hotel shuttle service. There may be exceptions; please inquire at the time of booking.

Regardless of service class, all of our passenger cars feature comfortable, forward-facing, semi-reclining seats with large picture windows.

GoldStar Service features bi-level, glass-domed railcars. Passenger seating is on the top level under the dome ceiling, while the lower level houses a full-service dining room. The top level of the GoldStar cars also offer an outdoor, upper-level viewing platform -- the only of its kind in the world.

Adventure Class cars may vary in style, but all offer comfortable seating and large windows.

Denali Star and Coastal Classic Train passengers may opt to upgrade to the first-class GoldStar Service, featuring ticketed seating in glass-dome double-deck railcars.

For Adventure Class passengers, there are vista dome cars on the Coastal Classic, Denali Star and Hurricane Turn Trains. The upper level seating in the vista domes is unassigned and is open to all passengers on the train. We encourage everyone to take turns in the dome so that everyone has an opportunity to spend some time there.

Adventure Class passengers enjoy comfortable, ticketed seating and large picture windows. Adventure Class guests are free to explore among all Adventure Class cars and may purchase meals in the GoldStar dining room, but may not access the upper level of the GoldStar cars.

Learn more about Adventure Class.

Passengers that purchase GoldStar Service are seated on the second level of our two-story fully-domed cars. GoldStar passengers also have access to an open air, glass-roofed, viewing deck on the upper level to the rear of the car. These cars are positioned near the front of the train, with the best views from the upper level outdoor viewing platform.

GoldStar Service tickets include meals in the full-service dining room, as well as all soft beverages and two complimentary alcoholic beverages.

Learn more about GoldStar Service.

Yes, you may bring a stroller on the train; however, it must fold up if it is your carry-on, or it may be checked as luggage. For safety, strollers may not be used while onboard the train.

We are pleased to provide wheelchair lifts at all stations. Accessibility on other connecting modes of transport can vary, so please check with an agent for details. Alaska Railroad’s passenger trains are wheelchair accessible and comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Service animals are welcome aboard.

Yes, however pets are only permitted onboard in the baggage car, and must be in an airline-approved kennel.

At the Spencer Glacier Whistle Stop, kennels may be left next to the train upon disembarkation and picked up upon your return.

Please note that some hotels throughout Alaska do not accept pets.

No. We are unable to hold luggage for passengers, either overnight or for just a few hours. We do not have lockers at any of our depots. Passengers may check their luggage only after checking in at a ticket counter.

One exception: passengers disembarking from a cruise ship and departing on the Coastal Classic Train from Seward may check luggage in early at the Seward depot.

No. Smoking is not permitted on any Alaska Railroad train. Passengers may smoke in designated smoking areas outside the depots prior to boarding the train. Passengers traveling on board the Denali Star may disembark for a few minutes at the Talkeetna and/or Denali depots while we board new passengers. There are no such stops on the Coastal Classic or Glacier Discovery trains.

Yes. There are public parking lots, which charge various fees, in Anchorage across the street from our depot, in Seward near the small boat harbor, in Whittier near where our train departs, and in downtown Talkeetna. Parking is available for no additional charge at our Fairbanks and Girdwood depots, at Portage, and in Denali at the National Park Service Visitor Access Center.

No, the Alaska Railroad does not provide any transfers. Taxis are available in Fairbanks and Anchorage, and the majority of hotels we book do provide transfers to and from the depot and sometimes the airport as well. Onboard staff will call ahead for you to notify your hotels that you are arriving by train and to send a shuttle if possible. However, you should not rely 100% on hotel shuttles as they are limited in supply and there can be delays during busy times of the day. Taxis are readily available and may be your fastest option.

15-20 minutes.

Yes.

No, there are no car rental facilities at the depots. If you are renting a car, you might check to see if they would provide a shuttle transfer from the depot.

In Whittier, the Glacier Discovery Train stops just across the street from the large cruise ship dock, and a 5-minute level walk from the small boat harbor.

In Seward, the train depot is approximately 1/2-mile from the large cruise ship dock, with a level, curbed and guttered sidewalk available should you decide to walk. The depot is also a short walk from the small boat harbor.

Our track covers over 500 miles from Anchorage to Fairbanks, Anchorage to Seward and Anchorage to Whittier. Check out our Route Map here.

Alaska Railroad staff provide narration while onboard the train, sharing the stories behind the sights along the Railbelt. During the summer, this narration is provided by local high schoolers who have successfully completed the Alaska Railroad Tour Guide Program.

The Alaska Railroad does not provide tour guides to escort travelers throughout the duration of day trips or multi-day adventure packages. These unescorted, independent packages include rail travel, accommodations, guided activities and most transfers; in advance of departure, travelers receive a personalized itinerary of all travel details.

Dressing in layers will help you prepare for Alaska's weather changes. Temperatures average around 65 degrees during the summer months.

Yes, we do have outlets available at a few seats for medical use only. Please request such seating at the time of booking.

No. Like traveling on an airline, when you purchase a train ticket, it is for a specific date and route. For example, if you have purchased a ticket from Anchorage to Fairbanks, you cannot get off the train in Denali and expect to continue the ride to Fairbanks the next day. You would need to purchase a ticket for Anchorage to Denali, then a second ticket for Denali to Fairbanks.

For our policies on ticket changes or cancellations, view our Terms and Conditions.

The Alaska Railroad does provide flagstop service aboard the Hurricane Turn Train and Aurora Winter Train, which allows passengers to get on or off the train at any point along the route. This service is used primarily by Alaskans to access remote homes in the roadless backcountry north of Talkeetna.

No. At this time there is no connecting rail between Canada or the Lower 48 and Alaska. The Alaska Railroad travels between Fairbanks and Anchorage, Seward and Anchorage, and Whittier and Anchorage. Passengers wishing to connect to our rail in Whittier or Seward should contact the Alaska Marine Highway for ferry service from Bellingham, WA or Prince Rupert, BC. Those wishing to connect to our rail in Anchorage or Fairbanks should contact an airline.

As a provider of regularly scheduled public transportation, the Alaska Railroad offers active and retired U.S. military 20% off published retail rail fares.

Seniors (65+), Medicare card holders, and individuals with certain disabilities are eligible to particpate in the Alaska Railroad's Half Fare Program, allowing these individuals to travel for half fare during non-peak times (non-summer months); these fares are available for travel aboard the Aurora Winter Train and winter Hurricane Turn Train. For more information about the Half Fare Program, review our Half Fare Policy and our Half Fare FAQs.

Yes, please visit our Groups page for more information.

The Alaska Railroad offers checked baggage service. For your safety and the safety of others, only one carry-on is allowed per person. Carry-on bags may not exceed 15” x 14” x 6”. Please remember to carry on medications, cameras or other items that you will need during your train ride.

Each ticketed passenger may check two (2) pieces of luggage (Winter Aurora Train four (4) pieces of luggage). The luggage weight limit is 50 pounds per bag. The baggage fee for bikes, excess, oversized, and overweight bags is $20.00 per item.

All animals must be transported in the baggage car in a kennel (provided by the passenger). There is a $20.00 fee for transporting each kennel. Only Service Animals are permitted in passenger cars. Firearms, including rifles and revolvers, are not allowed inside passenger coaches or depots.

Firearms may be transported in the baggage car only if:

• they are unloaded;
• they are stored in a locking hard-sided case; and,
• the bolt action is removed or a trigger locking guard is applied.

Concealed weapons are not allowed onboard any train or in any depot. Bear Spray must be placed in checked luggage.

During hunting and fishing season, game and/or fish must be cleaned, packed in bags, and placed in coolers before being loaded in the bag car. Inflatable kayaks, canoes and rafts must be deflated and packed in a backpack or duffle bag.

Due to space constraints full size non-inflatable kayaks and canoes are not permitted.

Federal Railroad Administration regulations prohibit the transport of fuel, other than 5 liters or less of white gas, or 60 liters or less of kerosene, in its original container, in the bag car. Propane or other flammable fuels are not allowed in baggage cars in any amount.  Fuels are prohibited aboard all passenger trains with the exception of the Glacier Discovery Train, which is outfitted with a special transport compartment; camping fuels must be checked with the conductor at the time of boarding.

Luggage storage is not available at any train station.