Alaska Railroad Coastal Classic Train
With unsurpassed beauty, this Alaska rail route is classic for good reason.
Alaska Railroad Coastal Classic Train
With unsurpassed beauty, this Alaska rail route is classic for good reason.
Alaska Railroad Coastal Classic Train
With unsurpassed beauty, this Alaska rail route is classic for good reason.
Alaska Railroad Coastal Classic Train
Just over 110 miles of train track lay between Anchorage and Seward, a coastal town on the tip of Resurrection Bay. This is the Alaska Railroad's famed Coastal Classic route. It's earned that fame for the diverse and beautiful scenery it travels through, much of which is viewable only from aboard the train.
The Alaska Railroad runs two Coastal Classic trains daily during the summer. The Anchorage to Seward train departs at 6:45 AM and arrives at 11:05 AM. The Seward to Anchorage train departs at 6:00 PM and arrives at 10:15 PM. Many Kenai Fjords day cruises and other activities in Seward operate around the Alaska Railroad schedule, so it's quite common for visitors to spend the day adventuring after arriving in the morning or before leaving in the evening. The morning train into Seward also works for visitors continuing to a glacier route cruise from Seward to Vancouver.
The Coastal Classic route takes just over four hours. When leaving from Anchorage, the train briefly travels through town before heading east into the wide-open scenery of the Turnagain Arm. Dall sheep are often spotted grazing atop the craggy cliffsides that border the Turnagain, while bald eagles regularly fish in its silty waters. The train makes a stop in Girdwood and Portage, before heading off into roadless wilderness for the next 40 miles. A series of glacier views soon follow, first of Spencer and then Bartlett and Trail. These high alpine landscapes are vibrantly colored by meadow grasses and wildflowers through the summer. The route ends in Seward after descending through Moose Pass and along the bright blue Kenai Lake.
The Alaska Railroad offers both Adventure Class and GoldStar Dome service on their Coastal Classic route. Passengers seated in Adventure Class enjoy comfortable reserved seating, picture windows, and access to a cafe car and shared dome viewing area. GoldStar Dome passengers are seated in the upper level of a private car under full length dome windows. The Coastal Classic is the perfect route for this specialty seating: The scenery certainly warrants 360-degree views. Breakfast, two adult beverages, and all non-alcoholic beverages are included in the GoldStar ticket price. To learn more about each service, please visit our Adventure Class and GoldStar Dome pages.
Because the train track and highway take different paths for a portion of the route, we recommend traveling one way by train and the other by Park Connection Motorcoach. You can use our Train & Bus Express Checkout to see availability, rates, and to book online. Curious about other places to see by rail in Alaska? Explore the Denali Star and Glacier Discovery routes.
