Denali & Talkeetna by Rail – 2024

Tour Highlights

See Denali from the luxury of the McKinley Explorer private train!

Explore Denali on the “OTHER” train – the McKinley Explorer ULTRAdome car private train!  This amazing upscale offering puts travelers in a specially-built railcar with large wrap-around windows with an open air platform to give you the full Alaska wilderness experience.  The 3 hour trip to Talkeenta is narrated, along with bar service at your seat by the car attendant.  If you are hungry, you can dine on the 1st level of the car (so no rushing to grab a table with a few hundred other folks on the train).  Once in Denali & Talkeetna, you don’t have to worry about a thing as you are bussed to the Mt McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge in Trapper Creek;  while in the southern portion of Denali National Park, you’ll have access to flightseeing, white water rafting, and bus tours to the closest entrance to Denali.

On the second day, you’ll be transferred back to the rail depot where you’ll enjoy a 4 hour, jaw dropping trip to Denali in the same Ultradome Rail Cars, offering 360 degree panoramas as you travel thru Alaska’s remote wilderness to Denali.  Upon arrival in Denali, you’ll have time for a few tours before bed.   

Your return trip will be seamless as your bags get transferred for you and guests can just leave the resort & hop on the bus, to take the same trip back to Anchorage.

Booking options include 3 day, 2 night and 4 day, 3 night tours – bookable on the far right.

This tour is offered on request and we do our best to keep our booking engine updated.

Please note:  No cancellations or changes are permitted within 45 days of travel, we HIGHLY encourage you to purchase travel insurance to cover this trip.  Learn more here.

Departure Point

Anchorage

Key Destinations

Denali & Talkeetna

Activities

Rail adventure, wildlife viewing, adventure travel

Availability

May 14 – September 15, 2024
Not offered every day. 

Pricing & Payment Options

Adult: As low as $369 + tax

Booking Requirements

Must be booked at least 96 hours in advance. Subject to availability.  This tour DOES sell out!

Things you'll see

Brown Bear in Coastal Meadow, Pybus Bay, Alaska
Wildlife
Enroute you'll be able to spot numerous species of Alaska wildlife, including bears, moose, marmots, eagles, and others! Keep your eyes & cameras ready!
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Hurricane Gulch
One of the longest & tallest train bridges in the US, this scenic point is 300 feet above Hurricane Creek, offering one of the most scenic stops to view Denali National Park.
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Denali National Park & Preserve
Explore part of this 7,400 square mile National Park from Denali (or Talkeetna), with both land & air tours offered. Denali's peak, at 20,310 feet, is visible from hundreds of miles away!

What's Included

  • Scenic rail between Anchorage & Talkeetna
  • Scenic rail between Talkeetna & Denali
  • Luggage handling
  • Transfers to/from Lodge
  • 1 night upscale lodge in Talkeetna
  • 1+ night upscale lodge in Denali
  • Dinner show in Denali (4 day pkgs only)
  • Post travel support

Things you'll need

  • Transfers to Anchorage Rail Depot
  • Meals & drinks not included
  • Tips for guides
  • Trip Insurance to protect your vacation

Tours Offered

denali_atv1
$149
ATV Trek
Take a ride into the wild! Driving your own 4-wheel ATV machine is as close as you can get to being in the Wilds of Alaska. This adventure has spectacular scenery and you are in control of your own journey.
denali_horsedrawn
$99
Horsedrawn Carriage
To get a real sense of old time Alaska, travel like the original pioneers did-by horse-drawn wagon. Climb into Black Diamond’s Covered Wagon Adventure and you’ll be in for a trip through time. Meal, soft drinks & house wine included!
denali_sidebyside
$149
Side-by-Side Tour
Let’s Ride Alaska Style! Hop on an ATV Side by Side machine with a friend and strap in for this exciting backcountry Adventure! Meal, soft drinks & House wine included!
Check out more options with our booking partner, Voyij

Itinerary/Schedule

Below is just a sample offered.   Tour may operate with Denali first depending on availability.

Day 1: 9:15AM

Depart from Anchorage Rail Road depot for the 3 hour trip to Talkeetna

Day 1: 12:15PM

Upon arrival in Talkeetna, you’ll be transferred to the McKinley Wilderness Lodge where your bags will be awaiting you.

Day 1: On your own

The rest of the day is on your own to explore the southern entrance to Denali

Day 2: 11:00AM

Transfer back to the Princess Rail for the train to Denali

Day 2: 4:50PM

Arrival at Denali and transfers to the lodge

Day 3: 8:45AM

Depart lodge for Denali Rail Depot and the Princess Rail to Anchorage

Day 3: 5:30PM

Arrival back at Anchorage

More Details & Info

Princess Rail:

Dome Menu – page 1, page 2, page 3

Dining: Breakfast, lunch

Seats are assigned at check-in for the Alaska Railroad AND Princess Rail. 

Princess Rail departs from a second depot that is about 500 feet EAST of the Alaska Railroad Depot  – you must check-in at the white tent FIRST and drop off your bags and receive your ticket to board the train.  You can either walk to the train or ride the bus.

Princess Rail Experience

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Comfortable Seating
Princess rail cars include two-by-two, forward facing seating in its dome cars. Seats have a tray table with cup holder, reclining seat with foot rests, and the upgraded cars have adjustable headrest and power power ports.
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Outdoor Viewing Platforms
Every train will have at least one viewing platform (of size) for every two cars, offering you the chance to capture photos of Alaska's nature in the wild. Cars may have different sizes - Princess railcars typically have a larger platform.
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GPS Moving Map
All cars will have a moving map showing your location; monitors can be either in the upper level seating, lounge area, or in the outdoor viewing platform. This is a one-of-a-kind perk offered on any Alaska rail adventure!
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Contactless Sinks
Rail cars have contact-less soap & water dispensers in the bathrooms, including hand sanitizer throughout the train.
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Accessibility
Every consist (train) will have a majority of cars that offer onboard lifts to make getting to the upper deck easier than most trains, including large, wide bathrooms with plenty of grab bars and room to turn around a wheelchair.
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Onboard Bar Service
Each railcar has its own full service bar, including blender! Drinks are served by a bartender/car attendant to keep you hydrated and enhance your train travel experience. Snacks are also available for purchase from the bartender.

Legal stuff

The booking engine, located top RIGHT, is where you will start.  The system will provide you an ESTIMATED cost of the tour based on your customizations and input.  The rates are based on availability & subject to change.  Should the final price not be acceptable, we do allow you a full refund, no questions, of the deposit!

For overnight & same day travel excursions, we will lock in any/all air or sea travel first, and secure hotel space if overnight was requested. Most tours & excursions will be confirmed at a later date, but not less than 20 days prior to departure.

AYT’s Travel Designers will monitor your flight schedules before and during your trip.  We will work proactively when there are schedule changes or issues – including weather or other issues. We’ll work with you and our vendors to ensure you have a fantastic vacation.

Any upgrades to packages components will require a reprice of the package.  Substitutions are allowed.

Final price is dependent on variables, such as airfare & hotel availability, and government taxes & fees.  Once the travel designer & you have confirmed the options, AYT will require an additional payment.

We HIGHLY encourage you to purchase travel insurance – either individually for this trip or an annual plan.  We can provide you a quote by clicking on the check-box in the booking engine.

The Railtour product requires full payment at time of booking.  While our system is NOT directly connected to Princess, if we are not able to secure your space, we will attempt to book you on the similar Alaska Railroad & offer alternative accommodations in Denali – which may result in a price difference (up or down).  If this is not acceptable to you, we will refund you in full – no penalty.  

AYT accepts American Express, Discover, Mastercard, and Visa.  We also accept ACH (bank transfers) and Zelle. 

All funds collected are paid directly to Princess, and no funds remain held by AYT or in escrow.

 

Changes to your itinerary are subject to availability.  AYT will do its best to honor all change requests.

Date changes may require a reprice or adjustment of the package total.

Name changes & fixes are subject to Princess Lodges. It is YOUR responsibility to ensure that you have provided accurate and legal names of all travelers.  Please verify the names on all receipts & itinerary. We are NOT responsible for any errors made by online bookings.

A full refund, less a $25 admin fee per guest, will be made for cancellations received at least 46 days prior to the date on which you are to commence travel. 

Passengers, who cancel after that date for any reason, including medical or family reasons, are subject to the following cancellation fees: 

 – 45-31 days before commencing travel – 50% of gross fare less $25 admin fee per guest.
 – 30 days or less before commencing travel – 100% of gross fare  (non-refundable)

Princess Lodges reserves the right to cancel all or part of a tour in its reasonable discretion including in response to insufficient sales. If Princess Lodges cancels the entire tour, you will receive a full refund of amounts paid to Princess Lodges. If Princess Lodges cancels a portion of the tour due to weather or other reasons beyond the control of Princess Lodges, or if you decide for any reason whatsoever to not participate in all or part of the tour, Princess Lodges will not be required to make any refunds. For other partial cancellations by Princess Lodges, you will receive a refund for the value of the cancelled portion, with value to be determined by Princess Lodges in a fair and equitable manner. If, due to weather or other unforeseen reasons, flights are adversely impacted or you are required to spend an additional night in a location, hotel and meal costs and other incidental expenses are your responsibility.

McKinley Express Luxury Rail Tour

Starting at: $369*

The AYT Difference

Even though we live in Alaska, we’ve got extensive travel to Belize, Hawai’i, and the world.  AYT uses ONLY vendors that we have used!

AYT has negotiated special rates that are lower than the normal rates you’ll find online.  Our buying power with TravelEdge also means travel tricks you can’t get from one of the “big guys”.

With over 50 years in the travel business, we know all the tricks to keep your vacation going smooth.

AYT has access to key systems & IT to provide you the BEST rates and provide REAL customer support.  This includes our online booking tool for tours & excursions – no need to wait on an e-mail.

Travelers can pay via our fully secure portal, and we accept American Express, Discover, Mastercard, and Visa