Alaska Railroad’s Coastal Classic Train has a value-driven option this season, offering your clients the same scenic route between Anchorage and Seward at a lower cost. During the value season running May 16–31 and Sept. 4–14, Adventure Class round-trip fares drop by 14 percent, moving from $219 to $188.
This reduction does not diminish the journey’s signature offerings. Large observation windows frame sweeping mountain panoramas, glacial landscapes and tidal estuaries, where wildlife sightings are frequent. Guests have ample opportunities to spot moose, eagles and even orca pods along the Kenai Peninsula coast.
Alaska is All About Slow Travel
The schedule gives your clients a 7-hour layover in Seward, which can be leveraged when crafting multi-component itineraries.
From mid-May through mid-Sept., the Coastal Classic train departs Anchorage each morning, stops in Girdwood, and arrives in Seward at about 11 a.m., placing your clients steps from the harbor and the gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park. Advisors can recommend connections to glacier cruises in Resurrection Bay, with shuttle transfers meeting the train at the Seward Railroad Depot. For those who prefer to explore on foot, a paved 1.5-mile section of the Iditarod National Historic Trail links the depot to downtown, where the Alaska SeaLife Center, galleries, shops and restaurants await.
Seward accommodations range from the Harbor 360 Hotel, just 0.1 mile from the depot, to the Kenai Fjords Glacier Lodge within Pedersen Lagoon Wildlife Sanctuary, 1.5 miles away. Clients seeking adventure can add excursions—6-hour Kenai Fjords cruises with salmon and prime-rib buffets, zip-lining through coastal rainforest, helicopter tours over tidewater glaciers or the Real Alaska Tour’s Exit Glacier visit and dog-sled demonstration. On-site staff at the Seward depot will bundle these add-on excursions with train tickets.
Late spring travelers who ride the Coastal Classic will appreciate Alaska’s lush greenery and the nearly endless daylight hours. Those journeying in early September will be treated to acres of autumn colors. Both periods maintain comfortable temperatures, typically between 45 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
In addition to Adventure Class, the Coastal Classic offers Upgrade Class seating for clients who prefer leather upholstery and complimentary refreshments. Both classes include access to the dining car, where freshly prepared fare reflects Alaskan ingredients such as wild salmon chowder and locally baked breads.
For more information, visit alaskarailroad.com.
