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Dome train from Seward to Anchorage


Mountaineer0313
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We are sailing northbound from Vancouver next August 24th. I have been looking at the Alaska train website and it seems that the only time slot for the dome car to get from Seward to Anchorage on debarkation day is at 6 pm. I'm not opposed to taking the train that late, but am concerned because I don't know how the daylight is at the end of August. I don't want to spend s much on the dome car and have half of my trip be in the dark. Also, is 6 pm the only time frame or maybe they'll add more as the time gets closer?

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6pm is the only run from Seward to Anc, by the Alaska Railroad. There won't be another run added to the schedule. However there is often a cruise contracted train that leaves at 7am....check with your cruiseline. But then you lose a wonderful day in Seward,

 

I have spent a few weeks in Alaska at that time, specifically sitting in an RV on the Seward waterfront, enjoying the scenery. It wasn't totally dark until just after 10pm.

check the web site for your specific date. https://www.sunrisesunset.com/calendar.asp?back=USAAK&comb_city_info=Anchorage%2C+Alaska%3B149.9003%3B61.2181%3B-9%3B1&month=8&year=2017&time_type=0&wsom=0

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We are sailing northbound from Vancouver next August 24th. I have been looking at the Alaska train website and it seems that the only time slot for the dome car to get from Seward to Anchorage on debarkation day is at 6 pm. I'm not opposed to taking the train that late, but am concerned because I don't know how the daylight is at the end of August. I don't want to spend s much on the dome car and have half of my trip be in the dark. Also, is 6 pm the only time frame or maybe they'll add more as the time gets closer?

 

I think there is a morning train available thru your cruise line...not hard to verify thru your travel agent

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There wasn't a cruise line train for our ship (Crystal Serenity). If you are on one of the mainstream line ships, there probably will be. We spent one night in Seward so we could take a Kenai Fjords boat trip, visit the Alaska Sealife center and spend some time in town. We took the evening train the next day - August 19 and it was still light when we got to our hotel in Anchorage.

 

Timeanddate.com has a chart with twilight times in addition to sunrise and sunset to give you more info on when it gets dark:

https://www.timeanddate.com/sun/usa/anchorage

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We don’t have a travel agent...

I did look through our booking site and didn’t see anything available. I suppose I can call.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

 

yes, you;ll need to call your cruiseline.

But you WILL have daylight for the evening run, so think twice before giving up your day in Seward.

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There wasn't a cruise line train for our ship (Crystal Serenity). If you are on one of the mainstream line ships, there probably will be. We spent one night in Seward so we could take a Kenai Fjords boat trip, visit the Alaska Sealife center and spend some time in town. We took the evening train the next day - August 19 and it was still light when we got to our hotel in Anchorage.

 

Timeanddate.com has a chart with twilight times in addition to sunrise and sunset to give you more info on when it gets dark:

https://www.timeanddate.com/sun/usa/anchorage

 

This chart shows sunset at 9:26 pm on August 24. There is still twilight after that.

 

We're spending two days in Seward after our cruise and leaving for Anchorage on that dome train, which gets into Anchorage at 10:15 and then doing a 1 am red eye. While we're going in June, I'd do the same if we were going in August. I also agree with people just looking to stretch out there day with a Kenai Fjord National Park glacier cruise. The 6 pm departure is great.

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This chart shows sunset at 9:26 pm on August 24. There is still twilight after that.

 

We're spending two days in Seward after our cruise and leaving for Anchorage on that dome train, which gets into Anchorage at 10:15 and then doing a 1 am red eye. While we're going in June, I'd do the same if we were going in August. I also agree with people just looking to stretch out there day with a Kenai Fjord National Park glacier cruise. The 6 pm departure is great.

 

The graph that I linked to on timeanddate.com covers all the same info as the Alaska.org chart and more. Move the slider on the graph to the day you are interested in and the data will be shown below. There is also a chart below that where you can choose a month and year. On August 24, 2018, sunset in Anchorage is at 9:30 and civil twilight is at 10:19. Civil twilight is when it gets dark enough that one is required in many places to turn headlights on if driving.

 

The data on the Alaska.org chart seems to be off by about a day - it doesn't state a year and things move around a bit from year to year.

 

In any case, it will be reasonably light for the whole evening train ride.

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