Alaska Railroad to Seward now open for 2024 booking

[LeeW]

We have been trying to book independent Anchorage to Seward for next summer and bookings opened yesterday 11/2.  Not real enthused about the 6:45 departure but better than using the cruise line charter that gets in late.

[GTJ]

4 hours ago, LeeW said:

Not real enthused about the 6:45 departure but better than using the cruise line charter that gets in late.

I would not be enthused about early morning time either.

 

The railroad has actually reversed the times it has historically operated its regular passenger trains to and from Seward. In its early years train no. 2 departed Seward at about 8:30 a.m., arrived in Anchorage at 1:00 p.m., and continued onward to Curry (just north of Talkeetna), where there was a hotel and overnight stop; the train would continue onward to Fairbanks the next day. In the reverse direction, train no. 1 would depart Fairbanks and travel southward to Curry for an overnight stop, and continue the next day into Anchorage. The train would then depart Anchorage at 1:30 p.m., and arrive in Seward at 6:00 p.m. After World War II, the operation was changed so that there would no longer be an overnight stop at Curry. Instead, train no. 2 would operate from Seward only as far as Anchorage, then turn back, returning from Anchorage at 2:30 p.m. as train no. 1 to Seward. The railroad a new train, nos. 5 and 6, between Anchorage and Fairbanks, effectively moving the overnight stop for through passengers from Curry to Anchorage. Over the years the precise times did vary a bit—you can see the precise timetable from summer 1953 in the attachment—but by the late 1950s passenger service between Seward and Anchorage was discontinued completely. It was not until thirty years later, in the late 1980s, that this service was resumed. However, in its resumption of service to and from Seward, the Alaska Railroad flipped the schedule, so that the train would start in the morning from Anchorage, heading south to Seward, and then return to Anchorage at the end of the day. When service was first resumed it did depart Anchorage a bit later than now, at 7:30 a.m., and returned from Seward at bit earlier, at 5:00 p.m.—see attached brochure. The departure time was likely moved earlier to ensure arrival in Seward well enough before 12:00 noon to permit excursions to be taken while in Seward. Meanwhile, the chartered cruise train are operating more or less on this historic schedule, departing from Seward in the morning, and returning to Seward in the evening.

Alaska Railroad - Summer 1953.pdf Alaska Railroad - Summer 1987.pdf