There’s no better way to experience Alaska than cruising through the gorgeous countryside on a train! And luckily, there is a magical train ride that runs throughout the winter. No hiking, no gear required, and you can see the bears from behind a nice, safe barrier of steel and glass. The rest of the Alaska Railroad routes stop for the next 9 months, but the Aurora Winter Train keeps on cruising all year long. The temperatures may be cooling down, but no matter how cold the scenery in interior Alaska is always gorgeous. This 350-mile ride will allow you to enjoy the beauty of Alaska in a truly relaxing way.
The aurora winter train runs north from Anchorage to Fairbanks throughout the fall, winter, and spring. The current season will run September 22, 2018 – May 5, 2019.
The train heads 350-miles north from Anchorage to the interior city of Fairbanks, passing by the incredible beauty of the interior and Denali National Park.
Weekend service is steady throughout the winter and the weekday service changes, so check the schedule here before planning your winter train adventure.
All tickets on this train are Adventure Class. The trains are all accessible, and all passengers have confirmed seat with large picture windows. You can roam the train, visit the glass-dome viewing car, or check out the Wilderness Cafe.
There are three cool options for adventure this winter: the Talkeetna Pie-Making tour to the Talkeetna Roadhouse, the Aurora adventure to watch the aurora in Fairbanks, or visit the World Ice Art Championships in the spring.
The train ride lasts about 12 hours and the northbound trip from Anchorage to Fairbanks runs from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. The southbound leaves the next day at 8 p.m., cruising through the night and into the sunrise, arriving in Anchorage at 8:30 a.m.
The incredible Aurora Winter Train will be chugging along all winter long, so plan a wonderful adventure this winter to cruise through Alaska's scenery in style and relaxation.