Home > Destinations > North
America > Alaska > Regional Highlights > Alaska Railroad
Alaska Railroad
The first rail lines in Alaska were built in 1903 by a company called the Alaska Central Railroad. These tracks ran from Seward northward carrying passengers, freight, and mail to the upper Turnagain Arm. Purchasing the railroad in 1914, the United States Government extended the rail farther north and moved the headquarters to Anchorage. Currently, there are 611 miles of track with 57 locomotives.
In the summertime, the Alaska Railroad is one of the most extensive ways to see the vast Alaskan scenery. Providing both passenger and freight service, it is the last full-service railroad in the United States. The cars feature wide windows and domes with luxurious seating and dining facilities. Various routes throughout the state transport travelers to and from Anchorage, Denali, Fairbanks, Seward, Whittier and Talkeetna. The trip between Talkeetna and the Hurricane area is one of the last flag-stop railway routes--where passengers can board the train anywhere on the route by waving a white flag--in the United States and is the only service providing transportation and supplies to the Hurricane area.
People often see moose, dall sheep, black bear, and eagles on a train ride from the large dome windows, which offer enormous views of the landscape. Excellent photographic opportunities of nearby cities and passes are part of the journey as well. You can ride the Alaska Railroad on our Alaska Explorer.
