Although Denali National Park was established in 1917, its first visitors didn't come till several years later. And when they did, they came by train. The Alaska Railroad still serves the Denali train depot today.

Visitors arriving and departing Denali National Park by train ride on the Alaska Railroad's Denali Star route, a 356-mile stretch of rail between Fairbanks and Anchorage. Passengers traveling south from Fairbanks arrive into Denali Park at about 12:10 PM, while passengers coming north from Anchorage or Talkeetna arrive at 3:40 PM. The southbound train leaves at 12:30 PM and the northbound at 4:00 PM.

Two private dome trains also visit the Denali Depot. The Wilderness Express operates on the same schedule as the Denali Star, while the McKinley Explorer runs on a slightly different timetable. The northbound McKinley Explorer arrives at 4:40 PM. The southbound departs the Denali Depot at 9:15 AM. Denali Park is the terminus for the McKinley Explorer, so it does not run a northbound train out of the park.

You can check out our Alaska Railroad schedule for more details on all rail routes or use our Alaska Transportation Finder to see availability and rates.

The historic depot is located inside Denali National Park and is within walking distance of the visitor center. Most Denali Park area hotels meet incoming guests at the depot and provide shuttle service to their respective locations.

Alaska Railroad Denali Depot
Mile 1.5 Denali National Park Road
Denali Park, AK 99755

Traveling by train to Denali is quite popular. We recommend booking as early as possible to secure seats, especially in the GoldStar Dome service. You can easily book your tickets online with our Train & Bus Express Checkout tool.