Alaska Railroad Corporation — Attraction in Seward

We had a terrible experience with the Alaskan Railroad. Everyone should be aware of what they did to those of us who were displaced by the fires in Denali. We had Gold Star tickets and this was our experience. We arrived via the railroad from Fairbanks on the day we would all be evacuated. What happened when it came time to head to Anchorage 2 days later was inexcusable. There was basically little to no communication from the railroad to the resorts. Everything was up in the air and the trains were clearly running as we watched them pass through without stopping at the Denali station. We were told to be in front of the Princess Lodge at constantly changing times so our resort took us early to be sure we were transported in whatever manner the railroad had arranged for us. We stood in the parking lot for over an hour, were handed tickets and told a bus was coming. There was no communication from the workers as to who was boarding which bus and the manner in which we would be boarding, creating palpable anxiety amongst the passengers. As busses arrived, a mad stampede would ensue to get on the bus. Picture a line nearly a football field long of people standing around with all their luggage and depending on where the bus was compared to you, you may have a chance. The railroad employees would yell “wait, get back” because the drivers were getting off for “a break". We all stood there waiting for the starter’s pistol to go off to begin the mad dash. That's fun with senior citizens, kids, and luggage in tow. That's the best you can come up with Alaskan R.R.? If you were lucky enough to get to the bus, you dropped your bags and raced to find a seat. We finally got on the bus after an hour.  Meanwhile more people got dropped off, adding to the crowds. We left Denali after 1 pm, half an hour after boarding the bus. We were told by our driver that we would be stopping along the way and that he had "called ahead", they would have drinks, food, and sandwiches all ready to purchase. Well 25 minutes into our bus ride we stopped at this "destination". To everyone that is from the lower 48, we pulled into a gas station in the middle of nowhere in Alaska. Buc-ee's, Pilot, Flying J, was only a dream compared to what he built this place up to be. As we pulled in, 2 other tour buses pulled out of the lot and everyone on the bus said at the same time "oh no". Yup the shelves in the tiny convenience store were empty, as in what a grocery store shelf looks like prior to a blizzard hitting southern Georgia. Even the stuff that nobody eats like black licorice, circus peanuts, and red hots were gone, nothing, nada, zilch! We got back on the bus, were handed a bottle of water and proceeded on our 7.5 hour trip to Anchorage. We stopped at the Talkeetna train station, with no food or drink, and the Wasilla station but were not allowed to get out. We pulled into Anchorage after 8 pm, well after the train would have arrived. I have never seen such disorder or rude employees. We all understand this was an extenuating circumstance but it should have been handled much better. We were given NO FOOD and only 1 bottle of water for what took over 7 hours. Does that sound like a great day to anyone? I bet Alaska transports prisoners better. How were we compensated? They told us how grateful we should be because they were going to refund us the difference between the price of a Gold Star ticket and adventure class. Be thankful because they “didn't have to do anything”, we were told. Fast-forward to when we get home, I see we have been refunded an amount. I do some calculating and we were given approximately the difference between Gold Star and adventure class. A quick search shows it costs less than $100 per person to take a bus from Denali to Anchorage. We paid nearly $200 for our privilege and experience. I have called numerous times and have been rebuffed each time. I have asked to speak with a supervisor, each time they are gone for the day or are busy and will call me back. They have never called me back. This is how they treat their...

Our family visited Alaska in July 2024, and took the Denali Star train with Goldstar service (glass dome car, meals and drinks included) to travel from Anchorage to Denali and back again a few days later. I wholeheartedly agree with other reviewers and online travel blogs that this is a big splurge worth making if you’re probably only going to travel here once. The train was hands-down the highlight of our entire trip, for both the grown ups and the kids (6 and 8). It’s a long journey (8 hours each way by train, vs about 6 hours by car), but it doesn’t feel like it. The meal service breaks things up (and was delicious), and the views get increasingly spectacular the further north you go. We spent a lot of time on the outdoor viewing deck and enjoyed the periodic guide commentary on interesting things to see (including occasional wildlife). The guides for part of the trip are high schoolers in a summer program, but we didn’t find this out until later, and you would never know it as they did such a professional job. The bartenders on the trip were also great, and happily indulged my kids with occasional cups of maraschino cherries and whipped cream, much to my chagrin!! I highly recommend the Denali Star train to anyone looking for a once-in-a-lifetime Alaska experience. It is expensive, but we found it to be worth...

A Railroad Track runs through it... The majestic beauty of Snow Capped Mountains and the Tranquil Ocean added a cool gray and steel blue canvas that complimented the rugged steel that belongs to the Alaska Railroad Corporation (408 Port Ave, Seward, AK 99664). A Wonder of my liferime.

Pull offs, that lend to photographic ops, are strategically carved out along Seward Highway. This is a popular point to see the convergence of the three mentioned above.

Additionally, more adventurous travelers and locals took safe hikes down rocks and ledges that brought them much closer to the Ocean's edge.

More mountains are to the front / side / back of you depending on how you park and soak up the magnificent beauty of nature and man in harmony. In the Name of Jesus, thank you for allowing my eyes to behold these divine creations. Visit Alaska. Yes, Visit Alaska. My amateur camera and phone could not capture the essence and beauty. See and discover 1st hand. Travel with another so that you can take turns gazing at the horizons and...