Train to Seward

[stevecmo]

This June we will be taking our second cruise from Seward to Vancouver on HAL.  The first time was ten years ago!  If I remember correctly, we took the train from the Anchorage airport to Seward and it left around noonish.  Looking at reservations now and all I see is leaving from the train depot in Anchorage at 6:45 AM.  I probably booked the train thru HAL the first time.  Do they have a separate train the departs from the airport, or have the schedules just changed.

 

I like the idea of getting to Seward at 11:05 but dread having to get up so early.  I know I could take a bus and probably leave later and arrive about the same time, but we really enjoyed the train experience.

 

Anyone have the scoop on the trains or other suggestions?  

[AKStafford]

The Alaska Railroad has the Coastal Classic train that leaves from the Depot and heads to Seward in the morning. Several of the cruise lines offer a chartered train for their passengers that leaves at mid-day. Those you'd have to book through your cruise line.

[masterdrago]

We're doing the A.C.T. Big Bus from the Anchorage Airport 11am to Seward. A schedule is at https://alaskacruisetransfer.com/schedule/

[nonns]

it looks like you are coming from Iowa.  Anchorage is a 3 hour time difference than what your body is used to so it won't seem quite so early

[stevecmo]

1 hour ago, AKStafford said:

The Alaska Railroad has the Coastal Classic train that leaves from the Depot and heads to Seward in the morning. Several of the cruise lines offer a chartered train for their passengers that leaves at mid-day. Those you'd have to book through your cruise line.

 

Thanks!  That must be what we did the first time.  IIRC there was some type of delay on the train and we didn't get to board the ship until.......seems like it was around 6 or 7 PM.  We'd like to have some time to get situated and explore the ship before we sail.  So I think we'll take the early train.  Thanks for the help!

[stevecmo]

1 hour ago, masterdrago said:

We're doing the A.C.T. Big Bus from the Anchorage Airport 11am to Seward. A schedule is at https://alaskacruisetransfer.com/schedule/

 

Thanks for the suggestion!  We're actually flying in the day before we board the ship and staying downtown.  So I think we'd be better off just heading to the depot.

[stevecmo]

1 hour ago, nonns said:

it looks like you are coming from Iowa.  Anchorage is a 3 hour time difference than what your body is used to so it won't seem quite so early

 

Hmmm, that's a good point!

[awestover89]

15 minutes ago, stevecmo said:

 

Thanks!  That must be what we did the first time.  IIRC there was some type of delay on the train and we didn't get to board the ship until.......seems like it was around 6 or 7 PM.  We'd like to have some time to get situated and explore the ship before we sail.  So I think we'll take the early train.  Thanks for the help!

 

If it's available I recommend the Gold Class cars. If not, the view from the regular cars is still great.

 

When we lived in Anchorage we would occasionally take the train to Seward for the night mostly for the views. So much better than the drive down the Seward Highway (unless we were stopping at the Wildlife Center in Portage)

[JRae]

You can also book a private car..we are using Aurora limosines.....you have control of your schedule and it costs about the same as the gold on the train

[quack2]

The early morning train gets you to Seward in time to take a stunningly beautiful boat tour of Kenai Fjords before boarding your ship.

Edited May 9, 2019 by quack2

[Coral]

If you take the early train - do one of the boat tours in Seward before you board!

[awestover89]

35 minutes ago, Coral said:

If you take the early train - do one of the boat tours in Seward before you board!

 

Exit Glacier is also great, and I'm a fan of the Sea Life Center as well.

[Coral]

14 minutes ago, awestover89 said:

 

Exit Glacier is also great, and I'm a fan of the Sea Life Center as well.

I completely agree! There is so much to do in Seward - just do something and not get on the ship right away.

[Anita Latte]

Also keep in mind that for the majority of June, it doesn’t get truly dark with civil twilight all night most nights, and sun rise occurring at or before 4:30 am...so, if you do wake up early...it’s not like it feels that early except for how you feel based on quality of sleep. June doesn’t really have an o’dark thirty. We had to wake early for a fishing excursion and it wasn’t as bad as I thought it might be.

[Mountaineer0313]

21 hours ago, stevecmo said:

This June we will be taking our second cruise from Seward to Vancouver on HAL.  The first time was ten years ago!  If I remember correctly, we took the train from the Anchorage airport to Seward and it left around noonish.  Looking at reservations now and all I see is leaving from the train depot in Anchorage at 6:45 AM.  I probably booked the train thru HAL the first time.  Do they have a separate train the departs from the airport, or have the schedules just changed.

 

I like the idea of getting to Seward at 11:05 but dread having to get up so early.  I know I could take a bus and probably leave later and arrive about the same time, but we really enjoyed the train experience.

 

Anyone have the scoop on the trains or other suggestions?  

 Someone already mentioned it, but remember that 6:45 am is going to seem much later to you, especially at the beginning of your journey. We're from WV, which is 4 hours ahead of Alaska time, and I am the least "morning" person you'll ever meet, but we were up before the sun every morning just because of the time difference. It actually worked out great, because there was no grumbling about getting up early for excursions or making sure to have enough time to eat breakfast. We went to bed early and got up early and had a fantastic time.

[stevecmo]

Thanks for all the great comments and suggestions!!!

 

As I mentioned, we did an Alaska trip ten years ago and had a wonderful time.  That was for our 40th anniversary........so guess what we're celebrating this year! 😀  Last time it was one week on land prior to boarding the ship.  I didn't know if we'd ever make it back so I packed our schedule every minute.  Reflecting back on it later I felt like it was a little too hectic and we didn't really get to relax and enjoy the ship and the cruise.  

 

In fact I just looked and our trip review is still here on CC.......and the picture links appear to work as well.  That got me more excited!

 

 

Anyway, we've been to Seward before including Exit Glacier, but not Sea Life Center.  My plan was to board the ship early, drop our stuff, then explore the town a little.  I've heard great things about the Kenai Fjords tours and maybe we'll do that.  We tried to fit that in last time but had to settle for the Prince William Sound tour last time out of Whittier because of scheduling issues.

 

Again thanks to all that made comments and suggestions.