Page 289 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2017 - Alaska
P. 289

TR A VEL  INFORM A TION      287


                                                    DIRECTORY
                                                Alaska Railroad
                                                Main Office
                                                PO Box 107500, Anchorage.
                                                Tel (800) 554-0552, 265-2494.
                                                ∑ alaskarailroad.com
                                                Anchorage Depot
                                                411 W 1st Ave, Anchorage.
                                                Tel 265-2494.
                                                Denali Park Depot
       Flag-stop passengers boarding the Alaska Railroad  Mile 1.25, Denali National
                                                Park Road.
       Flag-Stop Service   continue with their journey.   Fairbanks Depot
       The Alaska Railroad proudly   Note that stove fuel cannot be   1745 Johannsen Expressway,
       boasts that its summer   carried on the train.  Fairbanks. Tel 458-6025.
       Hurricane Turn train between             Seward Depot
       Talkeetna and Hurricane is one           410 Port Ave, Seward.
       of the last rail journeys in the   Event Trains  Tel 224-2268.
       world to offer a flag-stop   During the off-season, the
       service. Passen gers can flag   railroad runs many special   Talkeetna Depot
                                                Mile 13.5, Talkeetna Spur Road,
       down the train – also called the   services between Anchorage   Talkeetna.
       “Bug Car” due to a profu sion of   and Portage or Seward. Known
       onboard mosqui tos in the   as Event Trains, these are, in   Tour Operators
       summer – anywhere along the   effect, rolling festivities with
       route, and it will stop to let   specific themes. The Alaska   Mahay’s Riverboat Service
       them board. In the winter, all   Railroad Blues Train runs in   Tel 733-2223, (800) 736-2210.
       Alaska Railroad trains offer a   September and features local   ∑ mahaysriverboat.com
       flag-stop service. This is   blues bands, a blues concert, a   Phillips Cruises and Tours
       important for bush residents   barbecue, and an overnight stay   Tel 276-8023, (800) 544-0529.

       who live in remote areas   in Seward. In October, the Great   ∑ phillipscruises.com
       without ready access to the   Alaska Beer Train offers Alaskan
       road system. Similarly, trav elers   appetizers and microbrews from
       can disem bark any where for a   Anchorage’s Glacier Brewhouse   Phillips Cruises and Tours,
       few days of hik ing or fish ing,   (see p250) while traveling   a flight to the Arctic Circle
       and then board the train again   between Anchorage and   offering magnificent views, river
       wherever they would like to   Portage. During the Alaska State   trips in Talkeetna with Mahay’s
                           Fair between late August and   Riverboat Service, and a Glacier
        The Alaska Railroad  early September, the popular   Bay cruise with glacier landings
                           Fair Train provides a great way   by helicopters. The railroad’s
                           to visit the state fair in Palmer.   website provides timetables
                    Fairbanks
                    •      Trains leave Anchorage in the   and details on special tours.
             Nenana
                •       Tanana  morning, returning in the
                • Clear    evening. For Halloween, the
              Healy                            Tickets and Booking
                •          Alyeska Mystery Trail includes a
        Denali   • Denali National   rail trip to “Girdwoodvania” for a   In the summer, cruise lines
                  Park
        National  Cantwell
         Park    •         haunted murder mystery. The   and organized tour companies
                           railroad’s website has detailed   book up large blocks of seats
                           information on tours.  on the Glacier Discovery,
                                               Coastal Classic, and Denali
              •Talkeetna                       Star. While many clients are
              Susitna      Special Tours       accommodated on the
              • Willow • Palmer  The railroad has teamed up with  companies’ special private rail
             Wasilla  • •
            Eklutna • Matanuska  local operators to offer visitors   cars, other seats get booked up
               • Anchorage  Valdez •  unique rail-based itineraries and   quickly – especially the Alaska
                • Portage
            Girdwood  •    peripheral tours. These include a  Railroad’s own domed cars – so
        Kenai  Grandview  •  • Whittier
           •     •         fabulous ten-day trip covering   it pays to reserve online, or call
                 Moose Pass
           Ninilchik  •    the entire railbelt, taking in   or mail the railroad as far in
          •      Seward    Anchorage, Seward, Denali,   advance as possible. For the
           Homer
          •                Fairbanks, and Whittier. Other   smaller local trains, such as the
                0 km  100  options take in sections of these   summer Hurricane Turn, tickets
        GULF OF  0 miles  100  routes, including a Prince   are available onboard or from
       ALASKA              William Sound cruise with   railroad reservation counters.
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