Denali to Talkeetna Transportation
Choose to travel by road or rail in route south from Denali.
Denali to Talkeetna Transportation
Choose to travel by road or rail in route south from Denali.
Denali to Talkeetna Transportation
Choose to travel by road or rail in route south from Denali.
How to get from Denali to Talkeetna
It is a quick trip from Denali Park to Talkeetna, about three hours on the road or four hours by rail. Both modes of transport offer several options. The town of Talkeetna is a great stopover on the way to Anchorage and is especially convenient for those spending the night before continuing to Seward or Whittier. Talkeetna is also an excellent spot to take a scenic flight to Denali. In fact, the town is closer to the summit of Denali than the national park entrance.
4 hours by train | 3 hours by bus | 2.5 hours by car
Keep reading for additional details, or if you are ready to book bus or train tickets, head over to our Train & Bus Express Checkout.
Take the Train
The Denali Star train departs Denali Park daily during the summer at 12:30 PM and arrives in Talkeetna around 4:40 PM. You can choose from Adventure Class or GoldStar Dome service from the Alaska Railroad, or privately-operated dome railcars like the Wilderness Express or McKinley Explorer. The Wilderness Express makes up the last two cars on the Denali Star train, while the McKinley Explorer is a separate train that operates on a slightly different schedule (departs Denali Park at 9:15 AM and arrives Talkeetna at 1:40 PM).
Ride the Bus
The Park Connection Motorcoach offers both morning and afternoon departures from Denali Park for the three-hour trip to Talkeetna. The service features clean, modern coaches with pickups available at most major Denali Park hotels. Same-day connecting service is also available from Denali Park or Talkeetna all the way to Whittier or Seward.
Drive Yourself
The drive from Denali Park to Talkeetna is only about 150 miles. Talkeetna itself is about 14 miles up a well-maintained "spur" road off the main highway. You generally can't rent a car in Denali Park or drop one off in Talkeetna, but we do offer a variety of roundtrip and one-way car rental options from Fairbanks and Anchorage, and even have a special option for Seward and Whittier rentals. Please see our car rentals page for more details.
