McKinley Explorer Reviews

We took the McKinley Explorer from Fairbanks to Denali. The fall colors were just coming on so the trip was absolutely beautiful and amazing. I'm a amateur photo nut so I loved the fact that the staff would keep us posted where we were and to be ready for great photo opportunities. If you want to catch some zzzzz's that's possible too because the seats are very comfortable. Don't pass this opportunity up if you get the chance to add it to a Holland America tour.

We rode the McKinley Explorer from Denali National Park to Anchorage. It was an incredible and very enjoyable trip. The train features two story domed cars, which offer a great view of the incredible Alaskan scenery. We were able to see Denali from the train, as well as beautiful rivers, mountains, and ravines. The food on board was excellent, as was the service.

Took the train from Anchorage to Denali, then again from Denali to Fairbanks. Yes its a long trip (8 hours and 4 hours respectively) but the train is comfortable and the scenery is beautiful. There is plentiful alcohol for purchasein the viewing car for those who so desire. We enjoyed the food aboard- delicious chowder, salmon, wonderful berry pie a la mode- the food was as excellent as any upscale restaurant we've eaten in. Our meals were included as part of the meal plan we purchased for the trip- some of our group who didn't have the meal plan were put off by the prices. Not sure if its because they are from areas of the lower 48 where the cost of living is lower, but we from NY didn't find the prices out of keeping with the higher cost of living in Alaska or with the quality of the food and service provided. This gives you an idea of what train travel used to be like and preferable to riding a tour bus. We moved around the car from top level to bottom and the seats were pluch enough to take a nap. A very civilized and relaxing way to travel.

The McKinley Explorer dome topped train from Anchorage to Denali National Park was a breathtaking 8 hour adventure. Every glimpse out of the windows was more fantastic than the last. The mountains, the forests, the rivers, the streams and water falls, and the wildlife made the trip one that will be fondly remember for many years to come.

What a beautiful domed car. Breakfast and drinks (and souvenirs of course) were available. The car had a tour guide, bartender and waiters. The windows allowed clear viewing of the landscape and the trained eye of the guide pointed out animals and places of interest. While traveling between Fairbanks and Denali the weather changed from sunny to a snow shower! And we had to stop for "a few minutes" to "clear a rock slide" off the tracks. Very impressed with how quickly and efficiently they cleared the tracks, we only had to wait about 10 minutes and left with a story to tell. The time went quickly as we listened to narrative and viewed an ever-changing view. A great way to tour Alaska.

This is the land equivalent of an Alaska Cruise. You see an amazing slice to Alaska from the comfort of a train dome car. The staff keeps up a running narrative as the countryside passes by. The food in the dining area is good and reasonable. Try the raindeer sausage. Best photos are from the viewing platforms if you can bear the open temps (we were there in September). The hills were golden with the changing colors. Absolutely amazing. Sit on the left side going to Denali as that seems to have the best views.

Liked the meals the staff was awesome great time?....

Large comfortable seating upstairs in a dome car with panoramic views of the entire trip. Restaurant downstairs with fairly good food and fairly reasonable prices....for Alaska. As almost always, large portions for large bill. Staff if friendly and accomodating.

The Alaska Railway is almost the top 10 railway ride of the world. I took the railway twice, first was from Anchorage to Denali, then from Denali to Fairbanks. The scenery both ways was mind-blowing and awesome. I upgrade to the Gold-class and am glad I did. The gold-class upgrade allows you to be on the top deck of the train with a see-through glass roof and providing you with a 180deg view of the railway and Journey. Also, hot coffee, tea, coco are provided just for the Gold-class passengers. We are also allowed to move around anywhere in the railway with our gold class pin-badge.

We had our lunch on-board, it is recommend to first go for the meals and not wait till you are hungry as the waiting time can be quite long as the dining area has limited seats. The food is average only for the price we are paying. Would strongly recommend for you to bring along your own snacks n crackers to munch.

Wonderful breakfast to start off the trip down to Denali. Great views of the awesome scenery from the comfort of the glass domed rail car.

I have the Rocky Mountaineer on my bucket list but it won't be better than this. From the quality of the the cars, the seating, the viewing, both inside and out, and the food, all were excellent. We were lucky to take the train because it had been recently suspended due to the wild fires. Sad to see so much damage, but the rest of the scenery was spectacular.

Our journey from Anchorage to denial was spectacular! The weather was clear and sunny and we had many opportunities to see Denali from the train. Our hostess, Jane, was very pleasant and helpful with the right amounts of talking and quiet time.

This train is so very nice. We had a great trip from Anchorage to Denali, then to Fairbanks. The staff is wonderful, very spacious, wonderful dining and great service. The views are spectacular and it goes slowly enough for one to enjoy everything.

I was on the McKinley Explorer 2 different days. It was so much fun. The ride was smooth and the big windows helped you see well even if you were sitting on the aisle. There are very nice guides on board who give you lots of information on the way through the area. On the first day we got to eat lunch in the dining car and that was a neat experience and the food was really good. I would definitely recommend this mode of travel if you need to get to Anchorage from Denali.

We traveled by train from Anchorage to Denali. This was an incredible 8-9 hour train ride. There was so much beauty to see along the way and so a lot of wildlife.This train was more like an airplane. Two seats with tray tables but a lot more leg room. Big stunning glass windows. You could get snacks and drinks at your seat. This one also had a dining room on the lower level. We could ofer the snacks and drinks the whole trip. Breakfast and lunch were severed in the dining room and you had to let them know if you wanted to dine. The staff on this one kept us very entertained the whole way. This was such an incredible experience. Snacks and drinks where amazing and fairly priced. My lunch was really good, my spouse and the other 2 at our table were not as impressed. I highly recommend this!

This train is an alternative to the Alaska Railway and is owned by a cruise line and mostly for boats passengers. However they sell tickets to independent travellers. It's cheaper that the Alaska Railway and all passengers travel in dome cars with a guide to talk you through the sites you see on the way. There is also a bar service in each car and a restaurant. Service is excellent. On Alaska Railway food is included in the price but on this train you only pay for what you want.

Although I said it was slow, this is not a criticism as it gives you a chance to see the land you're travelling through. We saw a moose running through water which was lovely.

We traveled on the McKinley Explorer train twice during our tour of Alaska before we embarked on a cruise of the area. The train car is an observation car on the top level with a dining car and rest rooms on the bottom level. Each car has the same set up. The cars are spacious with plenty of leg room and huge windows. We had great views on our trip from Fairbanks to Denali and the food was delicious. Our second trip from Denali to Anchorage was the same great experience. I tried the reindeer chili in a cornbread bowl...delicious. This was one of the highlights of our trip.

This is a very scenic, beautiful train experience (about 8 hours) from Anchorage to Denali. You will see vistas from your upper level seats with full windows from left, overhead to right. You have a guide for your car (ours played the banjo and sang) in addition to full narration and service with snacks and drinks. It makes a quick stop at Talkeetna, but you are not allowed to get off. Lunch in the dining (lower) level was very good and we enjoyed this entire trip very much - although it was a bit cramped for legroom. You are seated at a table across from two others (in our case, strangers). You get a good look at Denali and the Alaska Range, along with rivers and simply beautiful wild surroundings. Highly recommended.

Took the train from Anchorage to Denali. It was comfortable. We had lunch of a cheeseburger and reindeer chili. It was decent but not remarkable. The staff was reasonably attentive (though we asked a couple questions that they said they'd find the answers to and never came back). There was humor mixed into the presentation. I was expecting to see animals though and saw very few at great distances. It overall felt long and I was glad when we reached our next destination. I may not have hard realistic expectations though.

Absolutely beautiful way to see some of Alaska. We were on same train as next review. The weather was a little hotter than usual but it was uncomfortable when the a/c went out. The trains are very clean. Service was great. (Maybe they should have offered a free drink when it was hot like that - hellloooo management...) Our car eventually had the a/c restored but I heard the one behind us didn't. But I would definitely go on it again and will recommend it to others. Employees seemed knowledgeable about the small towns and kept the trip entertaining. Good deal: If you are on the 2 day trip buy the refillable bottle. Unlimited soda or ice tea. We saw eagles and lots of moose. Whole car really got into finding the wildlife. We took this train as part of a cruise tour. Food in dining car is available. They call so many people down to feed them and then call the next group. Everyone has a seat in upper dome car (atleast on our train cars - KNIK and TEKLANIKA ) bathrooms and dining is downstairs.

the train ride was beautiful and the car were comfortable gfor the 4 hr train ride from Denali to Anchorage. Our car bartender , Tyrell was fun and informative, as well as the guide in the car. Alaska scenery is awesome and they pointed out wildlife and historical factoids.

The staff was terrific, food was very good! Overall the trip was a wonderful experience because you could walk around and go to the observation decks for a totally different view.

8 hour train ride from Denali to board cruise ship in Whittier. Staff was very friendly and had a nice lunch included the club car. But a long journey after spending previous 3 days on buses and didn’t get to see much wildlife at all

We only travelled from Denali to Fairbanks on the Explorer, 4 hours but it was a pleasant trip. Staff were young and enthusiastic, drinks were reasonably priced if not a lot of choice, food was pretty good and again reasonably priced. Pleasant way to spend 4 hours, would do it again.

The beauty of Alaska is somewhat showcased on the Explorer. Its a comfortable ride through the wilderness with a ringside seat to enjoy the show. The domed cars allow for maximum viewing pleasure. They even have an elevator for those who need it. White linen tablecloths and silverware compliment the dining experience. Wonderful experience.

Loved the scenery in the glass roof trains. It's a bit slow going but service and views were wonderful.

Liked riding on the train. Had a pushy bartender that expected us to drink. Some of the tour guides were a bit corny. It's aboutt he only way to get around. Beautiful view.

This is a great way to see the wildlife and majesty of Alaska and catch a terrific view if mt McKinley too. Ride in a dome car 18 in the air, perfect views and good on niard

We rode the McKinley Explorer twice - to Denali National Park from Anchorage, and then to Fairbanks from Denali national Park. The ride is very comfortable, and you go through a lot of forested areas, some mountain views, and a few towns - sometimes not the good parts of these towns. (That's where the tracks are - and the other side of the tracks also) You have a window all around you and on top, so you get good views of the scenery. Although they said to look for wildlife, we never saw any - and you're passing by an area quickly, so it would be hard to catch any. We also dined in below - food was good and selections were varied. Both of our rides were served by friendly folks. A tip for soda drinkers - buy the souvenir bottle, and it includes unlimited refills - and it can be used on both trips. The train cars were clean and well maintained. These trips made the long distances pass by quickly. Our car had its electricity blow so no lights for awhile, but we had gotten our food before that happened, so the only inconvenience was that we had to go to the next car to go to the restroom.

We rode from Fairback down to Anchorage, stopping for a day at Denali.
Sitting in the upper deck of the car, it was like a real life travel show...we just kelp looking out the windows!
Dinner was very nice (if a bit pricey), we would take this train again in a heatbeat.
I can't think of a better way to see the view.

Oh. My. Goodness. This train ride was BEAUTIFUL. Quite honestly, Alaska's beauty is definitely underrated, but my gosh this train ride is something everyone should experience. We saw tons of wildlife along the way, and Denali was just showing off the whole time.

Our tour guide, Adam, made the experience even better. He was so full of life, and excitement. I'm sure he sees Denali everyday, but his excitement level was through the roof as if he had never seen Denali. I loved it because it got everyone else excited too.

We had a beautiful clear day on our train ride from Anchorage to Denali. Our train was part of a Holland America Land + Tour Package. They were great with seating our entire group together.

The top floor is seats, and a fully clear glass dome. The top floor has a full service bar, along with a wide snack menu! The bottom floor is a restaurant which serves breakfast and lunch.

I will say it is a LONG ride (~8 hours), but it was beautiful, and I would do it again.

The views were lovely, this is absolutely true . Assigned seating is a plus so there’s no free for all when boarding and all seats had great views. When we boarded, there was a wonderful cinnamon smell, which was their $8 cinnamon rolls.I ordered one for myself and one for my daughter. They were awful! Burnt and too tough to even cut or tear. The coffee tasted to be instant, and beware- their ‘refills” are the price of another cup. So $7 for 2 bad cups of coffee , but I needed caffeine after my 6:15 ship departure. I’m really puzzled by the comments about great food. I saw the chef pour the chowder from a big plastic bag and heat. The cinnamon rolls I later saw him pulling from a freezer bag full of them. Maybe the food quality depends of the car you are on???The ride is loonnggg. We had the unfortunate situation of being seated next to a family with a 4 year old who coughed- open mouthed- the entire 5 hours. Did we all not learn anything the last few years? And a woman a few seats up who talked loudly and nonstop the whole time. The coughing kid and obnoxious lady were just the luck of the draw- no blame on the train. I think if I’d had a really good cup of coffee it all would have been better to an extent.

Our experience on the McKinley Explorer was 8/15/15. It was part of our Holland America land/cruise trip. This was our transfer from Denali/McKinley Chalet to Anchorage/Anchorage Hilton.

A coach picked us up at the main lodge, McKinley Chalet at 9:15 am to take us to the Denali Depot. Holland America had assigned us our rail car-#1055 Nenana and seats-18a and 18b. Our luggage was taken care of by Holland America and loaded onto the train.

We departed at 9:45 am and arrived in Anchorage around 8 hours later.

Each rail car consists of 2 levels. The upper level is where the assigned seats are located. Each seat is well padded for comfort. There is a foot rest and a fold down tray table. It's a full glass dome car with 360° views. There is a host commentator and someone who will handle drink orders. The lower level has the dining area and restrooms. Here there is also an outside viewing platform. A small display case of available souvenirs for purchase. Small lounge/seating area. A video screen showing the progress of the train. The map on the screen shows where you currently are and what sites are to come.

We were told that the train would slow down if Denali was visible but that didn't happen for us. Nice sights/scenery. Talkeetna Summit-highest elevation point-over 2300'. Hurricane Gulch-lots of trestles and bridges. It was pleasant and relaxing.

The scenery from the train was beautiful. The seating was comfortable. We sat near the rear of the car and there was a bad diesel smell. The train traveled at a slow pace. Maybe 35 to 40 mph. Bumpy too.

The power was on and off throughout our 6 hour trip. We baked in the glass oven. It was a long and boring trip. We rode the White Pass Railroad in Juneau and that was gorgeous. Not sure what all the great reviews are about. 6 hours+ and 2 minutes of great scenery. The restaurant was kind of gross too. The server gave our food to the wrong table and then gave it to us after the other table had their fingers all over it. Needless to say, we went hungry on this trip. Our narrator read from card the whole trip and had difficulty reading. I would pay the extra and fly or take the bus.

We took the train from Anchorage to Denali, and we enjoyed every minute. The staff was very courteous and helpful. They were very knowledgeable about our route. The food and staff were very good. The passenger car was clean and roomy. And the views... wonderful! It was a great experience.

When I first heard that we would be on this train for eight hours, I was a bit scared. What would we do? I had nothing to worry about, this train ride was a magnificent experience. We boarded in Denali, and we paid for the elevated, see through ceilings. Sitting so high up gave us a spectacular view. It is a majestic experience to see the mountains, the streams, the bridges from the train.

As we rode, we had an amazing guide, who told us all about our ride. Elissa was incredible. She is a teacher during the year, and this is her summer job. I wish I could be a kid in her class. She told us fantastic stories of homesteaders, the wild, the animals, her life in Alaska and so on. The eight hours rolled by very quickly.

Also worth mentioning, the dining cart is great. We had breakfast and lunch, and both were wonderful. My son's poached eggs were perfect, which much be touch on a fast moving train in the mountains.

When we arrived in Anchorage, I did not want to leave. It was a magical experience.

Great glass domed cars! Takes you though some really beautiful areas. Take it from Fairbanks to Anchorage if you can.

We took the train from Fairbanks to Denali. The train was comfortable and the staff very attentive. The scenery was beautiful and the staff gave us a commentary on where we were and the high points. We had breakfast on the train and if you wanted it you could have reindeer sausage with your meal. The service was excellent, but being fat the seat was a little tight in the dining car. Well worth the money and time. This was part of our package.

When we were back in Wisconsin, one of our friends noted to us to try and get the first car behind the engine, as you view to the forward is over the engine, and if you get a car behind the first, your forward view is spoiled as you are looking at the back of the forward dome car. I do not know how we lucked out, but within our reservations we were assigned car #1 behind the engine and seated in the fourth row seats.

Holland America owns the first four cars and Princes Cruise Line owns the next four cars. Differences is the HA cars have the large high rise dome cars, and the Princes has the lower dome cars. One drawback to the Princes cars is half the people have to sit backwards at tables topside, where the HA cars have passengers all sitting forward with big comfortable seats (with lots and lots of leg room). Suggestion Go Holland America over Princes.

The HA cars each have a crew of about 5 employees that tend the bar, provide narration for the trip and do the cooking. The lower level of each car has its own kitchen and dining room. Meals were relatively inexpensive but very good. Drinks served up on the upper level were very good and ran around $7 each. There are accommodations for 80 people in each car.

The start of the ride was most excellent with a view of all the big mountains and wild life, but as you approached Anchorage the landscape leveled out to tress and trees, broken by an occasional stream. If you have the choice, the best would be to go north from Anchorage into Denali. On our trip south it was like we had our dessert first!

Lots to see on the trip when it comes to wildlife. We saw this big moose Jump into a lake right along the train tracks and swim off with other moose already on the other side. Lots of trumpeter swans and salmon in the clear water rivers were observed.

The train travels the 233 miles at around 32 MPH for most of the trip until we got to about 25 miles of Anchorage where the train was able to speed up as the rails are all welded in this section of the track. The trip took about 8 hours, but the train crew kept you occupied with lots of information.

We think this train trip was well worth it, but doubt we would like anything that would go longer = Like a Transcontinental Canadian trip!

June 7, 2025. This train trip was part of our Holland America cruise tour. We traveled from Denali to Anchorage. We found this trip to be a relaxing and comfortable way to see more of Alaska. The narration was helpful and the views were breathtaking.

We spent the day riding in the domed railcar with views of majestic mountainsides and deep river gorges. Hours and hours of glorious photo ops!

Trip from Denali to Fairbanks not particularly memorable. Trip from Anchorage to Denali spectacular. We had beautiful views of Alaskan countryside and in particular, Mount McKinley.

Our cruisetour included two rides on this great train. We could have taken less time by coach but the scenery including moose and eagles was fantastic. Seats are comfortable, you can move across the aisle to see wildlife or take a photo, and food and drinks are served. We so enjoyed riding from Fairbanks to Denali, on to Anchorage, then to Seward.

Traveled 8 hours from Anchorage to Denali and enjoyed every minute. There was so much beauty that it was almost overwhelming. The train was very clean with dome windows to see everywhere. A bar was on top level and the bartender was great as were all the other staff on the train. Convenient rest rooms and dining car on lower level.

This is a 7-hour train ride from Anchorage to Denali which was part of a Holland America tour. Seating is pre-assigned and very comfortable. The car had high domed windows so we could see in every direction. Our tour guide/attendant was Ryan and he did a superb job of entertaining and educating us. Snacks could be purchased from our seats. Meals were available in a dining room on the lower level. Surprisingly excellent food! There is really no storage space, but that was not a problem as we had been told beforehand.

Brilliant experience, very comfortable, great staff and good food in restaurant. Views were spectacular.

Comfy seats, clean windows, good commentary along the way, nice meals (worth the trip downstairs to try it out), great staff.

Our domed car was beautiful however the trip up was so different than the way back. The journey up was disappointing not because of the scenic vistas or the seats that were roomy and comfortable but because of the staff. Although they seemed enthusiastic they were very focused on only the people who were in the cruise group. We were land dwellers who joined the train because we wanted to avoid the long drive there. One HUGE issue was the microphone was not working on the train and the woman, I believe her name was Sue, had to SCREAM out the information. Not cool for 8 hours. Umm. Replace it or get some batteries please. Then after about 2 hours of her yelling she gave up and only walked thru saying how rare it was to see bear on the journey (which we did). She didn't hesitate to push the moose pins and paraphernalia they were selling. Lunch was a nice break and Celeste made up for the lack of warmth upstairs. She was fantastic and had nice stories. We arrived at the depot and our bags were brought to our room at the princess resort without issue. Honestly. We dreaded the return trip. However,- a fresh crew and Lane with a working microphone made us feel welcome and entertained. He was five star wonderful. He was what we needed to psych us up for the Denali experience. He was filled with enthusiasm and history and jokes. What a total opposite experience. As they say it's the journey not the destination.
The train is beautiful and the glass dome provides panoramic views. We saw bear and moose and Eagles. It was a great trip back.

I would just like to put out a word of advice as an Alaskan to all those who may enjoy the summer here and wonder what exactly to do next...We have no big cities, really, and no main attractions the beauty lies a bit more subtly in everything. So here is my advice to anyone wanting to take an alaskan adventure. The train is a wonderful thing whether you take the mckinley explorer or princess or the great old alaskan railroad. I took it last year for the first time after having spent several summers and just as many winters in the great state of Alaska. It was absolutly breathtaking. The views were gorgeous the stay in denali was both exciting and accomodating. My husband and I enjoyed everything we did. And that was well being pregnant. :) The best place to stay in denali is undoubtedly the denali river cabins. They give you the wilderness feel while still being civilized. And the road house cafe is an excellent source for dinner. There are all sorts of things to help you while away the time like river rafting kayaking horse back riding the big motorized river boats, (i forgot the name) and of course the denali wildlife tour through the park. Anyway to wrap this up i hope if you come here during the summer i hope you find our great state, and excellent source for both fun and adventure.

We rode down from Fairbanks to Denali on the morning train. Tyler was our host. Funny and very informative and knowledgeable. Staff was courteous prompt and friendly. Food was excellent as well. I didn’t realize just HOW good they all were until I rode the other trains on down the line.

Recently took the Princess RailTour (McKinley Explorer) from Anchorage to Denali & back - the service on the train was FANTASTIC! I took the Alaska Railroad down to Seward a few days before to try it out, and the PRT was soo much better.

The seats are much more comfortable, each car has a dedicated bar attendant AND guide, lower level dining, and some type of outdoor viewing area (some cars have larger areas than others). The cars are also in much better shape than the ARR.

While food & drinks aren't included, they are pretty good and the souvenir mugs are worth their value.

Also, Princess rail has these packages at half off right now, so you can really save a lot of money compared to buying everything independent.

The only downside to our trip was the lost luggage on the return, and no one knew about it or where it was. We did get it back the next day, but HAP (Holland America/Princess) is facing some staffing shortages. Hopefully that kink gets worked out, but overall it was a much better experience with the package & having them handle our luggage & check-in versus waiting in lines everywhere.

We took this as part or our cruisetour. We traveled from Fairbanks to Denali, then Denali to Anchorage. The views were nice. Our only issue was temperature control. Some areas of the train were 80 degrees or hotter due to the bright sunshine (The top of the car doesn't need to be see thru as there is nothing to see in the sky.) Other areas were freezing as the air conditioning seemed to blow down over just a few seats. This made the ride very long and uncomfortable for many. Half of the bathrooms weren't working. Some narrators are very knowledgeable while others are new and you miss important landmarks.

Took the McKinley Explorer train to Denali National Park. The ride takes place in a two level modern domed cars that are quite spacious. Upstairs the traveler can easily view the scenery including the possibility to spot moose and bear. On a good day you might be able to see Mount McKinley! The seats are very comfortable and the staff remarkable.
The lower level is used for food service. Breakfast and lunch is served. Souvenirs are also available.
Nice way to travel....

This was such a beautiful train ride from Denali to Talkeetna. The glass dome cars were clean and the views lovely. The food in the lower dining car was very good. The service was pleasant.
Our first view of Mt McKinley(Denali) was breath taking. It was easy to take wonderful photos. I highly recommend this mode of transportation through such beautiful landscape.

We traveled from Denali to Talkeetna as part of our recent Princess Cruise experience in Alaska. Nice alternative to the bus. Great way to see parts of Alaska. Comfy seats and our car-host provided entertaining dialogue along the way. Glare from windows made picture taking a bit challenging. 80 or so passangers in our car. Downstairs had restrooms plus eating and cooking area. A 5 1/2 hr ride. Not an issue with the McKinley Explorer but was disappointed we did not see much wildlife given the extensive habitats we saw including numerous wetlands and ponds. A few swans, ducks, and a muskrat plus a Dall sheep spotted on a mountain side. Still a smooth operation.

We had lunch in the dining area. Nothing really special but a nice treat.

My friends and I traveled from Anchorage to Denali on this 7.5-hour trip. Best train trip EVER! The cars are Glass-Domed. The tour guide was very nice and provided lots of historical information as we traveled. Luggage: You may stow two bags and have one carry-on per person as long as it fits under your assigned seat. Our luggage was delievered directly to our rooms once we arrived, it was waiting on us in our room.

For lunch, they seat you at an assigned table. If you are traveling with a group they seat you all in the same area. I would recommend going as soon as they offer, as we waited and had a long wait before they came and got us. Lunch was DELICIOUS! I had the Cubano sandwich. Wish I had one now. There's also a bar on the car if you are interested in snacks/drinks.

The views from the glass-domed train were breathtaking. We were very lucky, as we were in the last car and had quick access to the open air car for taking photos. They would always announce when wildlife was spotted so you had an opportunity to take pics. Upon entering Talkeetna, we got some SUPER shots of Denali. It was completely visible that day with no cloud cover.

I would DEFINITELY do this trip again. Highly recommend. We booked our adventure via Grayline Tours. I would say they were not the most organized folks, but that's another review.

We rode the McKinley Explorer 2x - once from Fairbanks to Denali and several days later, from Denali to Anchorage. The seats are extremely comfortable and the views stunning. Both trips included narration, which was plentiful, but not intrusive. We saw lots of interesting sights - small towns, moose, bear, locals etc. My only complaint would be on the second leg. The air conditioning in our car was broken. And, the day was very, very sunny. It was unbearably hot inside our car and we were captive. Many of us crowded onto the tiny platform for fresh air. We jockeyed for space, which in itself was unpleasant. Never once did any of the staff make mention of the heat or broken a/c. They didn't say when, or if, the problem would be fixed. The didn't make an announcement to offer cold water. I guess this young crew thought the best way to handle this unpleasant situation was to ignore it. It would be helpful if the rail stations had luggage carts or porters. I had a heavy dufflebag that was difficult for me to maneuver. PS Bring a sandwich, or snacks, for the long ride to Anchorage.

We took this train ride from Denali to Anchorage. It was awesome. The scenery was beautiful but it pretty much was the same after we got out of the Denali area. Still, it was beautiful. The domed windows were large and one had no problem seeing everything. The train is a cashless pay for food, drinks and souvenniers, so bring your credit cards. Our guide, who was there the whole time was very informative throughout the whole trip. Food was very good in the dining car, drinks were reasonable and they offered some fun trinkits for your memories. The book as terrific. Worth the money.

Awesome flight around Mt Mckinley from K2 Avation. Smooth ride---no dipping or quick turns to upset a stomach. Unfortunatly for us the day was overcast at higher elevation so we didn't get to see the mountain top; however the views of glaciers, rivers and Denali National Park were breathtaking.

We all loved the train ride. The seats were so comfortable, our guide/attendant/helpful at everything person was Miss Gail and she did a wonderful job. She pointed out all the attractions, knew lots of Alaskan history and had interesting and often humorous anecdotes to share with us. The views along the way from the windows and dome was amazing. Even the food was good. There was plenty of room to move about the train and we especially enjoyed taking pictures from the platform between the cars and from the caboose. Great way to see lots of Alaskan scenery.
Your site asks if there is a fee for this. I wasn't sure how to answer this as it was part of a Holland America Land & Sea Adventure.

We rode the McKinley Explorer to Denali from Anchorage. It's about an eight hour trip and although it's a bit tiring towards the end, it's a great ride. The equipment is clean and very well maintained from what we experienced. The young people serving us were very knowledgeable and ready for any questions. We ate in the dining section of the car and the food was very good. They cook it right there in the little galley.The smell of the food cooking below will drive you crazy till you get some. The passenger seating is all in the top of the car under a totally glassed in dome and there isn't a bad seat there. The scenery is pretty spectacular. It was part of a Holland America cruise tour so all we had to do was get on and enjoy.

We traveled from Anchorage to Denali and had a very enjoyable ride. We enjoyed the scenery and the staff was wonderful. Rich was our bartender and was hilarious with his really bad jokes. Daisy was our tour guide and was very funny and told amazing stories of her childhood in Alaska. There were only two knocks on the experience; the temperature was not able to be controlled; we were freezing in the front of the car and the people in the back were sweltering. The lunch service was also very late; it was after 2pm by the time we were served. These are not big complaints though especially considering the rest of the experience was top notch.

Seven hour ride from Anchorage to Denali as part of Holland America tour. HAL owns the rail cars, Alaska railroad provides locomotion.
Carts are double decker with dining below and sightseeing above in comfortable seats with clear dome overhead and at sides. Tom H was our narrator and did an excellent job. Good stories, knows a lot about Alaskan history and nature, pointed out wildlife and scenic features throughout the trip. Drink service is offered.
Service and food in dining level were very good. Fresh flowers on the table, white tablecloths, very nice.

We took the McKinley Explorer from Anchorage to Denali thru the Holland Tours. It was the best way to see the country sights. Lunch was excellent and the tour guide was personable, knowledgeable and very good speaker.

I have taken a grandchildon the train for their birthday three times now. The Fairbanks to Denali portion And the Anchorage to Girdwood legs are the most scenic. It is a trek that everyone should do once. The staff is very friendly and helpful. The food is good.

Comfortable scenic way to travel and take in the beauty of Alaska. We are on a hal tour. Coming from Whitehorse via several days on a bus this was a nice and welcome change of pace. Lots more room, comfort, visibility plus a dining car with Alaska reasonable prices. Breakfast $10 -15 and well presented and good with excellent service. Our one complaint was the constant narration, sales pitch, dumb trivia, life stories, requests for tips and directions over and over. On the four hour trip the hostess talked 3.7 and turned it over to others to fill the remaining time. Even my noise canceling ear phones and iPod music couldn't dampen her. Still looking forward to the 8 hour trip to Anchorage but hope we get a quieter hostess.

We were part of NCL tour. Had a private car. Breakfast was wonderful, drinks were reasonable and the scenery was spectacular. Would recommend this trip to others.

To be greeted like 5 year olds when we hd to repeat "Good morning, Miss Gail" and then to hear her life story. The food was great. Her assistant was diplomatic, knowledgeable, considerate, professional and needs to replace miss gail. The woman could not even run the heating system. Not all the failings were on her shoulders (just most). The door between carriages was slammed every minute with staff going between carriages, they were the loudest bunch of people when washing up with crash and bang constantly. So get a seat up front, put earplugs in if Miss Gail is in the lead and enjoy some absolutely fantastic scenery!

We were very lucky to get clear skies and sunshine and the view was absolutely breathtaking !! We saw wildlife of all kinds and our pictures turned out great.

Our tour group was on a land tour and rode the train from Fairbanks to Denali utilizing the Gold Star Service. This consisted of a domed car with comfy seats and views all around. We also ate breakfast on board. The French Toast was delicious and the service was good.
This is just a service that is worth using as a different way to see the scenery other than the highway. Highly recommended!

The McKinley Explorer was fantastic. We rode from Fairbanks to Anchorage with an overnight stop in Denali. The scenery was good and I enjoyed going out to the open air platform on the back of the car to try and get better pictures. But the views from inside were fine also with the big windows all along the cars.

The food on the train surprised me by being better than I would have expected.

The guides on the train were also humorous and presented a lot of interesting information. One of the entertaining parts of the trip was when someone would spot and then say "Moose on the right" and the whole car of passengers would stand up immediately and try and catch a glimpse of the antelered spectacle.

I really enjoy riding on trains anyway, but this would be a nice trip for anyone.

I rode this train from Anchorage to Denali NP as part of a Holland America tour. I found it to be a fantastic introduction to Alaska's scenery and history before getting to Denali. I highly recommend getting outside of the car to the smoking area so you can feel the breeze and get some good pictures of the mountains.

No need for speed, rest and relax enjoy the journey. Sure, the bus will arrive in Denali or Anchorage sooner. But you don’t travel by train to arrive first. Meals, breakfast, lunch, and dinner were tasty.

Ask the bartender for a brown bear. I now have a favorite drink. The Alaska Beer is also a treat.

The tour guide was great, telling us interesting stories and pointing out different animals or places of interests.

Travelled the length of Alaska from Fairbanks back to Anchorage - a 12 hour trip. Whilst the train undoubtedly took the strain during that long day, I would seriously recommend only doing half the journey..... Fairbanks to Denali or Denali to Anchorage...or vice versa. This would be ample time to see this magnificent country without the danger of falling asleep mid track.
Credit Cards only on board....so foreign transactions quite expensive, especially for drinks. Whilst the kitchen is no Rocky Mountaineer culinary experience, it was quite acceptable.
Train guides entertaining, but musak did get a bit repetitive....why not ask for customers' selections?
It's probably the sort of journey you would only do once, but, as I said, consider 12 hours sitting on a slow train...even with grand scenery, only so much of which you can absorb in a long day...

We rode the McKinley Explorer as part of a Holland Americe Cruisetour from Fairbanks to Denali and then (on another day) from Denali to Anchorage. Both legs were well narrated, though we found the second leg to be more scenic. The glass domed cars make for terriffic viewing of wildlife and the narrators will interrupt dialogue to point it out.

The cars are spacious, comfortable and clean. There is an open air/photography platform on the back of each car. Each car has restrooms and dining on the lower level.

We had breakfast and dinner on the train. Both were very tasty and very COLD. And pricey. But we were warned as much and so our expectations were in line. Each car has beverage service (extra $) and that was nice.

Be aware that with so much glass, if it is sunny outside, you will be warm and if it is cloudy, you will be cold. So like everywhere in AK, layering is the word.

Very comfy, good service and fantastic scenery! We all commented that the airlines should pay attention to the seats on the train...they were wonderful. We were not cramped at all!

This trip was part of our Holland America land tour. Holland have their own trains and they are great. The scenic views from Denali to Anchorage from the second floor car are wonderful. The staff staff on the cars are great and provide super service which we expect from Holland America. This is a great way to see the Alaska and we will do it again.

It's been on my bucket list to ride the dome train. The ride was beyond what I imagined! The ride from Anchorage to Denali was about 7.5 hrs. I never tired of the trees & scenery. We had lunch on the lower deck. Lunch was very good but the brownie dessert was one of the best I ever had!

I enjoyed going to the viewing deck to take pictures.

I would highly recommend this trip. I will always treasure the memory of this dome train ride.

We rode the McKinley Explorer from Denali to Anchorage. We lucked out with a sunny day that allowed us fantastic views of Mt.Denali for more than an hour directly from our seats through the glass domed roof. The train practically stops when there are particularly good views, so passengers can take pictures. Snacks and drinks (including alcohol) can be purchased right at the seats. Breakfast and lunch is also available in the lower level white linen restaurant. All along the way, the guide's commentary was funny, informative and educational - very good.

We rode the McKinley Express from Talkeetna to Denali Park and what a ride it was!
Our double decker glass domed carriage had front-facing seats and full bar on the upper deck and a dining room, viewing platform and toilets on the lower level.

Reserved seating with assigned seats meant there was no rush for the best seats. All seats were good, anyway, with leg rests and a tray table that folded onto the back of the seat in front.
We sipped our hot chocolate laced with peppermint schnapps as Alaska rolled by to the informative and entertaining commentary of the host-guide.

With the exception of one jolt (which was subsequently reported to Track Maintenance) the entire journey was a smooth, constantly changing stunning view of mountains, precipices, rivers, canyons, kettle lakes and vegetation.
At one point we came to a halt on a bridge several hundred feet above a river canyon. The sheer drop was breath-taking and the view was stunning.
We saw birds but no wildlife. Though the train travelled at a steady, slowish pace, any wildlife would have been long gone by the time one shouted "moose!"

Dining was by rotation, downstairs. Seating was a little cosy but the food was nicely prepared considering the little galley the chefs had to work in. There was a suggestion that it was fine dining but I beg to differ. Prices were very reasonable and major credit cards are accepted.
It is useful to know that on this train the upstairs bar and the downstairs diner keep different tabs, so you could have two bills to settle.

This was a beautiful and relaxing way of getting from Talkeetna to our accommodation in Denali.

This train trip was amazing. The views are so unique and gorgeous. Being able to have a nice beverage and a meal while enjoying it all was such a treat. Given that they have you as a captive audience, the prices of food and beverages was really quite reasonable. Commentary from our tour guide was excellent and she had a great personality with some excellent insight. Highly recommend.

The McKinley Explorer train from Anchorage to Fairbanks is wonderful. The seats were comfortable with lots of leg room and the view from the domed windows incredible. The "gift shop" was really tiny but I did manage to buy a couple of things.
Meals - had one of each on while traveling. Breakfast and lunch were good but dinner was Excellent. For some reason dining is just more fun on a train. And the good news is that the food was no more expensive than any other restaurant in Alaska.

Let me start off by saying that I DID enjoy this trip - please don’t get me wrong.
It was a wonderful way to see some of the landscape of this beautiful state, and a lovely relaxing alternative to spending another long day on a (cruise) tour bus.
My only complaint would be this:
Firstly: We had pre-set seating - and apparently we were not on the best side of the train. Most of the beautiful scenery was on the left side of the train (facing forward) while those of us on the right got mostly trees.
Any photos we tried to get were littered with other people’s heads or window glare.
Secondly: We skipped the breakfast service, because they said that they were going to start serving lunch at 11:00.
Right.
They didn’t “get” to us until just before 2:00pm.
Starving - we finally made our way down and were offered a lukewarm bowl of soup with an underwhelming salad. Definitely not worth the wait nor the money they charged for it.
Aside from these small issues - we thoroughly enjoyed the relaxing ride. Our narrator Darren and bar tender Geoffrey were great - personable and pleasant.
The seats were comfy, with plenty of leg room.
Those with mobility issues may struggle a bit with the small staircase required to go up to the second level seating area , and also used to go down to the first level for dining and washrooms.
Bring some snacks - Bring a sweater - then sit back and enjoy the ride!

We took the northbound train, departing Anchorage around 9:30am. This train trip was part of our Holland America land tour. Enroute to Denali, with a stop in Talkeetna. We arrived to the Denali rail station sometime around 5pm. Assigned seating in the upper level dome car. With a dining car just underneath us. The seats were comfy, the train was clean, as were the large glass windows. It all looked great. You could also step outside, standing on a small viewing platform. But watch out when close to town, and crossings, as the trains horn can be painfully loud. Chase was our cabin attendant. He had many titles on this day, including bartender. He was wonderful! He made the journey that much more enjoyable. He gave us information as we travelled. Pointing out places, things, and wildlife sightings. I could go on and on about him and making the journey wonderful. We did have a meal in the dining car. It was quite tasty, and filling. I would absolutely love to take this train trip again. Hoping to do a southbound journey next time.

What a way to get from Anchorage to Talkeetna. Very modern, dome roofed train with dining cart, beverage service and a guide.
Part of a package tour for me but so worth the experience if you book it.

We used the McKinley Explorer from Denali to Anchorage. Great Ride with beautiful scenery and very attentive staff. Emma was our in-car bar attendant and Ben was our in-car tour guide. They were excellent! We had amazing views of Denali for most of the trip. The cars were spotless, the dome was great for viewing and we had an excellent lunch!

We took the McKinley Explorer from Denali National Park to Anchorage. The cars were very comfortable and the views from the domed windows were great. The guide in our car was very knowledgeable and gave us a lot of insight into the life style of the people who lived along the railroad tracks. The bartender in our car was also very entertaining, and we enjoyed his humor. Very good experience, would highly recommend.

Better than expected. We went from Denali to Anchorage.
The seats were comfortable. The views are extraordinary. Just amazing to see the scenery change from the wilderness of Denali to the forests of Anchorage. All the views are spectacular.
Service was very good. My son was in a wheelchair and the staff were so helpful in making this a great experience for him without interfering with the other passengers.

Leaving Denali Park we took the McKinley Explorer. Just like the pictures, the view is fantastic along with very comfortable seats. Our tour guide was so knowledgeable and made it so much fun. We went downstairs for lunch. The food was good and reasonably priced. A group of us played cards outside the restaurant area. We saw Sarah Palin's childhood home and just basked in God's creation as we moved along.

It was part of an Evergreen package deal where we were taken from Fairbanks to Denali on this wonderful train. The service, views and the experience was fantastic.
I would recommend anyone thinking of trying it to go for it!

We took the train and traveled in the special compartment of Princess cruises from Fairbanks to Denali (4 hours). We were the last compartment which means that we could take great pictures standing on the open back part of the train. We sat upstairs and when we were ready we went downstairs and had a great breakfast. We had a lovely guide who is a retired school teacher and she talked nearly the whole way. Telling us about what we saw along the way and the answering every question we could come up with. A def worthwhile trip !

One of Top-rated Train Trips There Is, 8 Hours Spectacular Scenery. The train has 2 floors, the upper for passengers with windows, and on the lower floor a very good dining room and the possibility to leave the car to take pictures. There is a Guide throughout the tour, who advises before the most important views. Highly recommended.

This was a great trip - well worth the cost. The tour person was informative and the ride just great. We were able to see so many great things too. We had lunch on board and not rushed. It was difficult if you had problems with stairs - they were narrow and spiral - hard to climb down. Lot of drinking onboard - a bit shocked at how much some people could drink so early in the morning. There was a spot to look outside between cabins but it was also the smoking area. We also had a group that wouldn't leave the open area since they wanted to take photos - no one in our cabin could go outside because of them.

This was an amazing all day adventure from Anchorage to Denali National Park! So much fun to sit back and enjoy the views and leave the "driving" to someone else! So relaxing and enjoyable. Excellent dining facilities and excellent choices of adult beverages! Great way to see some of Alaska!

We took the train from Fairbanks to Anchorage, with a 2 night layover at Denali National Park. The train from the Fairbanks to Denali portion of the trip consisted of 9 cars, and from Denali to Anchorage 13 cars. The train was pulled by 2 SD70MACs. There is a great HO scale layout in the Fairbanks Depot. The train itself was absolutely immaculate. Windows were crystal clear and engines and cars were exceptionally clean. We booked directly through the Alaksa RR and opted for the GoldStar service. We were glad we did. We were in the first car behind the engines and baggage car. The car was a fully domed unit with an open deck area in back. Coctails were available. The last three cars on the train are also fully domed units, but they are are reserved for cruise and tour groups. During both parts of the trip, excellent narration was provided. Various places of interest were described along the way, and a variety of wildlife was seen. The dining area is located on the lower level. The food was very good and was well prepared. At the Denali Depot, we even met one of the employees who was from the same town as us. I can't say enough about the scenery. At every bend, there is a different and magnificent view. It was truly breathtaking. It was amazing to see the changes in vegetation and scenery during the entire length of the trip. This is an absolute 5 star experience - one that will always be remembered. If you want to relax and experience almost 500 miles of the beauty of Alaska, you don't want to miss this opportunity.

The scenery is wonderful. Should that affect the rating of the train itself? It’s debatable, but the service on the train was the equal of the view. The train staff worked very hard to provide whatever you wanted. Good commentary on the view, not too continuous or too intrusive.

We traveled from Fairbanks to Denali National Park. This was a terrific way to make the trip. The scenery was breathtaking and the domed railcar was a fabulous way to take it all in. The cars are two levels you ride above in the dome car and go below to the dining car to sit down for your meal. We had breakfast and the food was surprisingly very good. Highly recommend doing this for all ages. The trip is guided with a travel guide that points out sites and shares information about things you see along the way.

Seems all trains in Alaska are these lovely big, comfortable well serviced means of transport. If you have travelled on the Rocky Mountaineer, you have a good insight into this trip and other train journeys in the area. Nowhere near as expensive and R.M. and you can choose to pay & travel in 2 levels of seating. We travelled in the cheaper class, lovely! Large, layback seats, and a opportunity to go upstairs to glassed area for better viewing. Café area, you can eat in the café or take back to your seat. Trains arrive late, around 8 - 8.30 pm sometimes later, so we chose to eat on the train before arriving at our destination. Restaurant was very nice, the staff were well dressed, and extremely pleasant. We got to know some of them as we used the trains a lot & my husband enjoyed the banter. Food is good and we felt, reasonably priced. ALL the trains travel slowly with a tour guide on board & along with the driver they spot for wildlife and interesting items, also slow down or even stop for photos. We went Seward/Anchorage + Anchorage/Fairbanks/Anchorage and later Anchorage/Whittier - give us the train every time.

Great trains with comfortable seats, viewing (and smoking) decks and reasonable quality, but expensive, food in the downstairs buffet cars.
Outstanding scenery and great hosts/hostesses that keep you occupied with their knowledge and fun banter.
Long trips - 4 hours Fairbanks to Denali and 8 hours Denali to Anchorage but trains ran pretty much on time and the incredible scenery made the time fly by

I cannot begin to say how absolutely stunning the colors of all the trees from Anchorage through Denal National Park! Every shade of yellow, orange, red, green with the contrasting black pines were truly a sight to behold that I will never forget. The train was very comfortable with huge dome windows that give you a tremendous view. We had lunch on the train in the dining car and it was delicious! This was one of the highlights of my trip to Alaska!

We took the Explorer train from Fairbanks to Denali as the start of our 11 day Alaska land trip. We were in the dome car up top and the view was great. We saw 6-8 moose on the 4 hour trip. The service was excellent. We had lunch in the dining car and it was nicely prepared.

The dome windows provide a wonderful view of the landscape and animals. Knowledgeable tour guides narrate the trip, and ours was funny, as well. It was a very pleasant way to travel and see the sights of wild Alaska.

I have visited Alaska several times and driven the Denali-Anchorage road. This was a new and delightful new experience for me and my sister, taking the train. I am very happy I was able to make this trip and in beautiful weather too. The seats were pre-assigned, but there is no bad place to sit. The train and seating is clean and comfortable with plenty of leg room a pocket to put your papers and bits in and a pull down table. The seating is two seats together, up stairs. You are surrounded by spotlessly clean windows. All photos I took through the glass came out with no blemishes. The attendants were amazing and gave just enough history along the seven hour trip to keep the passengers informed. Not an on going commentary where you wish for silence. Food, drinks and snacks are available to be brought to your seat, or go downstairs for a full meal in the dinning car. We ordered drinks and brought our own snacks, there was no problem with this. We were able to move around our carriage and the whole train if we chose. I did go down to the open carriage area to get fresh air, a different view and photos.A very positive experience.

The train was comfortable and there is an elevator inside for handicap access to the upper seating area. The staff was friendly and did a good job.
The upstairs windows provide lots of good viewing but are difficult for getting good pictures. You can go out on the outside platform between the cars, but its usually pretty crowded with people trying to do the same thing.
We ate breakfast on the train. A little overpriced and not huge portions of food, but it did taste good. Unfortunately the food was lukewarm at best.
We don't believe the $5 rail guide they were selling was worth the money but others around us found it interesting.

We highly recommend riding the rail compared to any other means. The staff is courteous, the food is delicious and not more expensive than other Alaska food, and the views cant be beat. Seats are assigned so there is no reason to push for a better view. Bar service is offered. We found the train to always on time so don't be late. WOW!!!!

The train is comfortable and well appointed. The dining is superb but I only gave 4 stars because it is difficult for a person using a cane to go down the narrow spiral staircase to reach the restrooms and dining. We were lucky enough to have a clear day and I was able to take gorgeous photos of Mt. McKinley as well as many other scenic views. The guides on each car are well versed in history and knowledgable about the area. They told us of things coming up that we might want to photo and let us know in advance when good vantage points were coming up. We rode the train from Seward to Anchorage where we stayed overnight, then to Denali Park. After our stay in Denali, we rode from Denali to Fairbanks on the train. It's a great way to see interior Alaska.

We boarded the McKinley Express in Fairbanks and rode it for several hours to Anchorage. The entire experience was a wonderful way to see the countryside, but the most fun I had was eating breakfast in the dining car! There is ample opportunity for taking pictures or to read, or just to relax. Well worth the price!

We took the McKinley Explorer from Anchorage to Denali, a bit over 7 hour ride. The coaches were roomy, there were double high windows throughout the coach, which allowed for spectacular views wherever you sat.

Wildlife sightings are "catch as catch can" , depends on time of day, weather and season of the year. There are no guarantees of course.

There are two clean restrooms on the first level of the coach, along with a three car dining car (for our coach seating 40 people). There is a full kitchen and grill in between dining cars, where all the food is prepared fresh and served piping hot. You can order from the menu or order a la carte. Example, I didn't want a full breakfast, but ordered a toasted bagel and hot tea instead. It is a cashless system, no cash --- and cost of food is not included in your trip purchase, unless you purchased meal vouchers ahead of time.

There are no stops, but the train does slow down for spectacular views of Denali and photo opps. You still are taking photos out of a window, so be aware of the potential for window glare.

Glad we went, would go again.

We took the McKinley Explorer from Anchorage to Denali and it was a relaxing and fun adventure. The bar tender and the guide were great and the food in the dining car just fine. Make sure, if you can, to go to the back of the train and outside when you approach the trestle at about the sixth hour. Stand on the LEFT side of the train for spectacular photos of the gorge. If it is crowded go into the dining car (on the left side again) and you can get the same great photos if you place your camera close to the glass. Only saw three eagles and a bunch of swans but still enjoyed it.

This was a part of our Holland America vacation with three days in Denali followed by a 7 day cruise on Noordam from Seward.
We arrived in Anchorage early evening & had a night in a local hotel before being whisked to the rail depot by coach the next morning. We then boarded our domed rail car with allocated seats for our all day journey to Denali. Each carriage has an assigned guide & bar tender who were both excellent on our trip. The whole journey was extremely informative & entertaining with stunning views for most of the ride. I would say that if there was just one highlight it would be going across Hurricane Gulch over a wooden bridge with stunning views on both sides.
There are snacks & drinks available from the bar (grab the mug with unlimited top ups for hot drinks) as well as a full service restaurant downstairs (we didn't use that so can't comment)

We choose to take this domed train from Denali to Anchorage, to experience the fantastic views, yes it is long and slow- not a criticism- that makes it easier to enjoy the views and that is all part of the overall experience.
Our friends wanted to have this experience and although my husband and I had been on the Rocky Mountaineer, we were happy to go on the McKinley Explorer too!
It turned out to be an amazing day.
The steward was very informative, giving an on going commentary, as was needed, she answered any questions people had and if she wasn't sure would find somebody who did know the answer!
The bartender was attentive too.
We had breakfast, which we choose to have it served at the assigned seat, was very tasty. Lunch was delicious, which we took in the dining car, again the service was fabulous!
As I said at the start, this was an amazing experience!

Comfortable ride in dome cars where you can see the sky and mountains along with the streams beside the track.. Moose and bear sometimes seen along the track. Meals served in the dining car in the lower section of the cars. Food is good, service is excellent.. Small collection of gift items available in each car. Drinks served if desired. Wonderful narration of what you will see and history or the area.

travelling in Mckinley Explorer in the double decker train sitting in the room top covered with glass dome watching the mountains, rivers, wildlife unfolding before you as the train moves is an awesome experience - the guide also plays a good role to make the journey a memorable one

What a memorable experience riding the McKinley Explorer from Denali to Anchorage. Scenic views and wildlife abound for the length of the trip.

The very roomy seats and the dome cars made this long seven and a half hour journey from Anchorage to Denali very enjoyable. Our carriage host was very entertaining with some rather lame, yet funny jokes as well as information about the animals and scenery we travelled along. The train even slowed to a crawl when moose were spotted quite close to the train line. The meal and drink service on the train was quite efficient and the meals whilst not gourmet were rather tasty. Whilst we had been advised to bring only a small tote or purse on board as storage was limited to the space under our seats, the reality was that there was quite a lot of legroom as well as a decent amount of room for a small backpack and a laptop bag. Roll on sized luggage would find no room however.

The dome cars made for extremely beautiful viewing. The train een stopped for a moose viewing and at the long bridge. Food was OK, a 4. and you went down stairs to eat and lost your view while you ate. Alcholic service was slow in the doomed car. Could have used another server. Had a great time going down onto the back deck and taking pictures. What a trip
The overall experience was a must do!

We took a two week cruise and land tour with Holland America and this was the highlight of the trip! The dome car is fantastic for seeing gorgeous scenery and wildlife. The seats are roomy and comfortable and the food in the dining car was absolutely delicious. The train is clean and comfortable with fantastic nature guides telling you what you’re seeing (not too much though… you could still relax). This is a MUST DO when you’re in Alaska.

A great train ride .. had breakfast on the train ... good commentary on board. Andrew is awesome on drinks .. all staff friendly. The country scenery is everchanging and yellow fall colors lovely.

Outstanding is the only word available to describe the McKinley Explorer. We rode the Explorer from Fairbanks to Denali NP, about a 4 hour trip, and then a couple of days later to Anchorage, an 8 hour trip. The train was made up of several types of cars and we were on the Holland America tour car. These HA dome cars are the only way to really enjoy the beautiful scenery of Alaska. The tour guides in each car really know how to make the trip fun and interesting. They were full of information about every significant mile marker on the trip, explained the history of the Alaska RR, and pointed out every significant detail concerning the beautiful scenery as it came into view. The bar in each car was fully stocked and the bartenders were outstanding additions to the team of folks providing meal and beverage service. They provided everything from "smoothies" to whiskey as we rode through the beauty of Alaska. We had lunch and dinner on the train and the food was excellent, well prepared, and the service was impeccable, right down to the white linen table cloth's. Each car was well equipped, the seats were comfortable, and moving about on the train was not a problem. The dome made it easy to take pictures and/or movies. I highly recommend the Holland America rail tour to see Denali and experience the state of Alaska.

This train is comfortable, the food is good, and reasonably priced, and the staff knowledgeable and engaging. Very relaxing, with gorgeous views the entire trip!

Really--- a nice train ride, but painfully slow-going at times. And sometimes scary, as it traversed the side of a steep incline and one only hoped the tracks were secure and that it had not rained recently. the train itself was neat and clean, the dining car meals were very good and not too expensive. The one thing we did not care for was the constant chatter of the tour guide on the train, much of it about his personal life, etc.

We rode the ME from Fairbanks, to Denali, to Anchorage, to Seward and back to Anchorage over the course of a week. I was really glad I bought the water bottle (with soda) as it paid itself off! We ate in the train car below and the food was really good. While the weather wasn't ideal for most of the trip, the views were still pretty spectacular. The train would slow down for wildlife that was close up. I got some great pictures. The gals on board knew a lot about the areas we went through and were able to point out some great details and sights.
While it isn't the fastest way to travel, it is luxurious (nice, big seats that recline) and the glass tops in the goldstar line offer a great view.

We took the train dome car "Gold Star Class" up to Fairbanks and back and absolutely loved every minute of it! So very comfortable, relaxing, and the food was absolutely delicious. Their French toast for breakfast was the best I've ever had, and the salmon chowder just excellent. We loved being able to get up and explore the different train cars, go out on the observation deck and just sit back and enjoy. You can't beat the vastness of the interior of Alaska and a very special bonus was "The" mountain, Denali, coming out of the clouds in all her glory. The train even slowed down for us to get good pictures. The only question we kept asking ourselves was, "why on earth haven't we done this before?" !!!

We took this train from Anchorage to Denail as part of our Holland America Tour. After Denali we continued to Fairbanks by motor coach. The train is much preferred in our opinion. Spacious seats, personable, friendly staff and tour guide. Food was Ok, very acceptable. Views were great for most part would definitely do it again.

Dome cars, comfy seats, tour guide and drinks delivered to your seat. That part. Is great. Breakfasts very good. Dinner offerings first-class as far as offerings, but cooking 5 star dinners in such limited space is impossible. NY strip steak too tough for a steak knife. Salmon dry. Another diner said pork medallions were good. Desserts, however, all yummy. Many choices and all generous sized and very tasty. Lots of helpful staff but everyone expects a tip. One drink on each leg and reasonable tips for all adds up to $50 or more. Bring cash for the tips.

I bought a Northern Lights discount book and they have BOGO. But I would also recommend visiting the Gray Line of Alaska Website http://www.graylinealaska.com/denali-rail-packages.cfm due to they sometimes have specials that are cheaper than the coupon. The coupon is only for the train ride but the special is for the train and a hotel! This is a great ride. Going from Anchorage to Denali you are in the first car facing forward. We got to see Black Bears, Grizzly Bears, Moose, Swans, Moose, Carrabou and various other animals on the ride. On the way back we rode in the last car and I spent the ride with the luggage. Better company and a totally awesome view! I got to see more wildlife than I would in a loud car. The food was excellent. The burger was good and the Reindeer chili was top of the line. I did feel a little taken when Princess Cruise line tour guide was rude. She only paid attention to the passengers that were on the Cruise even though several other passengers wanted to book other excursions. She did not help them. This train is run by Holland and Princess cruise lines. Service to ALL passengers could be improved by offering the same service for all on board. We were also told we were NOT allowed to bring our luggage only a carry on. We had to arrange with the hotel to leave our luggage a day in advance. This did not seem to appear to be true. Princess and Holland Cruise line passengers had their luggage on board and when we arrived it was off loaded. There did not appear that there would be an issue with ALL paying passengers to bring their luggage. I would highly recommend taking the train from Anchorage to Denali and Denali to Anchorage!

Although there was a lot to see, unfortunately we couldn't see it for the tall trees each side of the track. The train is clean and comfortable but goes so slow it can get boring. The restaurant car is OK but a bit pricey and they have a captive audience. I would not bother again.

It was a nice experience to ride this train but the only bad thing was it was SO cold on this train. Some of the folks actually had scarves and ear muffs on! After several complaints from different people, they finally turned the air conditioning off. On our way back, we rode this train again and this time it was extremely hot in the train! We did get wonderful views of Mt. McKinley. We brought our own food with us to eat on the train.

We love trains so much that we have even been on the Glacier Express! Of course we did the White Pass Rail trip, so I was a bit unsure of what to expect on the McKinley Explorer. We all had great fun, and were happy that the train slowed down and even stopped at one point for wildlife sightings! We saw Mt. McKinley...Beautiful!! We had a great lunch of salmon chowder and salad together. We took pictures from the observation deck and really enjoyed our day! The domed cars were comfortable and sights such as the dead Forest, beautiful mountains, forests,waterfalls, and tundra made it a memorable trip for us. We took the bus into Denali and the train out, and we were happy that we experienced both ways to travel..by scenic highway and rail!

The train was comfortable, the crew was very friendly and knowledgeable, and best of all, the view was amazing. The day started with overcast skies and a light drizzle, but thankfully, the weather cleared up in about an hour. What a difference sunshine makes! The temperature was in low 70s, so my sons and I spent half the time on the open-air platform between the cars. The crisp, cool air in your face as the train sped through some of the most beautiful landscapes on the planet was just an amazing experience. We were fortunate enough to see clear view of Mt Denali from multiple perspectives. On the downside, the food was expensive and taste was average at best. We had to wait almost 2 hours before our turn came to go down to eat. By then, some of the items on the menu were no longer available. But I didn't get on the train for food. If you want to enjoy beautiful scenery and get a good view of Mt Denali, I highly recommend this train.

We took the McKinley explorer as part of our cruisetour with Princess and we were quite happy with it. Glass enclosed top level of the car assured unobstructed spectacular views and provided great opportunity for pictures. The good way to take pictures was also from the platform between the cars. Drinks were served right to our seats. The service (narration and drinks) was very good. Lunch was served on the lower level of our car and was good and fairly reasonable. Very good way to travel.

I think I prefer to see the mountains in the later year like September when the snow has kissed the tops and the nip is in the air and the gift shops has sales.

The McKinley Explorer luxury domed rail cars are owned by either Holland America or Princess Cruise Lines. Our Holland America Yukon/Alaska land tour included travel from Denali National Park to Anchorage. This was one of the highlights of our 19 day vacation.
My hubby and I opted to eat breakfast in the train's dining car. Later in the day we ordered snacks for lunch. The train employee comes by to place your name on the list of those wishing to go to the dining car. When a table becomes available the employee comes back to your seat to let you know to follow him to the dining car. All seats on the train are reserved assigned seats and all of the seats are on the second level of the train car. Beware the stairs are spiral and narrow. But you can get up and wander through your train car or into other train cars if you wish. There are three bathrooms available downstairs on each car.

Each train car has a rail guide that gives you tips and history about the train, scenery passing by, stories of the past, major landmarks, etc. Also you have a waiter and bar tender in each train car so you can order meals, snacks or drinks. Cash is not taken so remember to take your credit card for purchases.

There are times when the train will stop (with no passengers allowed to disembark. These times are when your train must go to a side track to let an approaching train go by or when two McKinley Explorer trains meet up to transfer employees and/or supplies. Otherwise there are no stops along the route until you get to your final destination.

Lastly, relax and enjoy the wondrous scenery and sometimes wildlife as you glide along on the 8 hour journey to Anchorage.

As a part of our land & sea package was an 8 hour train trip from Denali National Park to Anchorage. The train was the McKinley Explorer which had domed cars that belonged to the cruise line. The cars allowed for great views. Our train host Judy did an excellent job narrating information throughout the trip. Food and drinks were offered at reasonable prices. Each car had it’s own kitchen, dining area and bartender.

Took the McKinley Explorer from Anchorage to Whittier - beautiful ride down along coast through the Chuglah National Forest to Portage where you go through the wonderful tunnel to Whittier !
Rode in a upper car with bubble top which was great with food served underneath. Great experience- a must if visiting the area !

Luxury rail service in the last wilderness! Saw lots of wildlife, enjoyed the dining car and beverage service and congenial fellow travelers.

We took McKinley Explorer from Denali to Talkeetna, and we found it one of our best rides - very scenic and great staff. Dillon was our guide along the way, Kiki was serving us awesome cocktails. I can take this ride anytime just for the views from the dome train.

The McKinley Explorer train cars are simply excellent. Extraordinary view, comfortable seating, nice restaurant in the lower level (with quite good food), quick service from the bar at the front of the car, and good commentary from the staff regarding surroundings. Logistics from Holland America were also done flawlessly regarding luggage transfer, transfers to and from the train, seat assignments, etc. The rides from Fairbanks to Denali, and from Denali to Anchorage were high points of our Alaska vacation.

We rode the train from Denali to Anchorage. Saw lots of moose and even a black bear! Look for the Mushers Monument! Great service and commentary! Riding in the dome car felt so spacious!

We took the train from Fairbanks to Seward with overnights in Denali, Talkeetna and Anchorage. We enjoyed the train immensely. Riding the train was a lot of the reason for visiting the interior and was an amazing way to see this area. We debated about upgrading to Gold Star service and are so glad we did. It is extra money but is so worth the extra expense. For one, you are sitting on the upper floor where it's easier to see over the trees etc. and there is back porch area of each car where you can be outside to get better pictures and in many cases to smell the fragrant Alaskan air. Plus there is a bartender in each car that dispenses complimentary sodas, coffee etc. as well as cocktails, beer and wine for a fee. As a point of clarity we traveled on the Alaska Railway cars, there are cars on the same train that are owned by the cruise lines and there were air conditioning problems in those cruise line cars but our Alaska railway cars were very comfortable and well maintained. When I booked our trip the railway rep said their cars were nicer than the "cruise line cars" and after visiting some of them I would agree. Every segment of the trip offered different magnificent views but I would have to say the trip from Anchorage to Seward was the most spectacular. After 5 days we were looking forward to our upcoming cruise but were sad to end the train portion of our trip. It is an amazing mode of travel in Alaska and in my opinion is a must do while traveling through the interior region.

We enjoyed this very much. We were assigned a table on the upper level, and there was beverage service in our car. We chose to get breakfast on the train, and were taken to the lower level for this. The food was delicious and it was fun to eat on the train. The only negative was that the view was pretty uninspiring until we got close to Denali. Eat early in the trip so you will be up top for the last leg.

We did two segments on two different days, as part of our landtour through Royal Caribbean Cruises. I wish we had been on this instead of the motor coach from Fairbanks. First off, the staff very welcoming and efficient, the seats are soooo comfy (I also wish the airlines would use these seats), and the food is excellent (we had lunch one day & dinner the next). I happened to be wearing a walking cast on my foot from an accident just previous to our vacation, and unable to navigate the narrow, winding staircase to the upper level dome car. However, our tour director alerted the train staff, so our group was able to go directly to the lower level dining car upon boarding. Once we enjoyed the wonderful meal, I was put on the "lift" to the second level dome seating area and re-joined my group. Upon reaching our destination, I again used the lift to disembark. The views are wonderful from the dome and the train slows down for picture taking of the wildlife and if Mt McKinley is in sight.

Maybe it cannot go faster than this, but taking a long (8 hours from Anchorage to Denali) journey on this train can be very boring. Only the first hour was somewhat interesting. If you are lucky enough to see Mt.McKinley (which is about a 20% chance) then you might enjoy the train ride a little more. The Breakfast and Lunch prices were reasonable and tasted great. I would recommend taking the shortest possible tour with this train. All the trains (McKinley Explorer, Wilderness Explorer, Alaskan Railroad, etc.) are all the same train. They are all connected to the same engine, just different coaches. I hope this review helps with planning your vacation.

We took the train from Anchorage to Denali. It is a long ride, but has great views and chances to see animals as you approach the park. We saw several moose but no bears. We got great views of Mt Denali coming and going. Although I might consider the shorter bus ride back from Denali to Anchorage instead. 7 hrs both was is a long time. You could have breakfast and lunch on the train. We had lunch each way and the food was good. The guides were fun. And even though we were not part of a Holland America tour and were considered independent travelers, the Holland tour staff was helpful to us as well. One of our party left her coat on the bus from the hotel to the depot and we managed to get it delivered with the luggage at the end of the trip.

We rode the train from Anchorage to Denali. What a fun trip! The glass dome makes the experience even better. Tour guide was so full of interesting information on everything Alaska, the towns, the people and more. There is a bartender on the car, so try a Brown Bear Hug, delish! The dining area is on the main floor of the car and the meal was very good. The entire experience was unforgettable.

It's surprising that hours on a train (Denali to Anchorage as part of a Holland America land tour) could be so delightful. Windows are spotless and seats comfortable on the upper level of a two-decker bubble car. And there are viewing platforms for standing outside to take photos unobstructed by glass. The lower level, which also has large picture windows looking out on the spectacular scenery, is set up with booths with white tablecloths and flowers; food is good (but not memorable). Both breakfast and lunch are offered, and when you first get on, servers come around to find out what meal you'd like, and they come to get you when a table becomes available. We were glad we had breakfast before leaving Denali and chose to have lunch on the train, as the assigned time may not be exactly when you'd prefer to dine. The bartender upstairs works non-stop! We were fortunate to catch several views of Denali on an absolutely clear day.

This car is part of Holland America and is pulled on the Alaska Railroad. Goes from Girdwood and Whittier through Anchorage to Fairbanks. Top notch in every area. The cars are the largest dome railroad cars ever built.

When booking our Holland America Land/Sea tour this was one of two events I insisted was included in our package. While I have always been a train buff & fan, this proved to be the most comfortable method of land travel we experienced.

I did not see a bad seat on the train. All seats provided comfortable seats with more than ample legroom. Seated on the 2nd level with the doomed overhead there was no hindrance of visibility. Additionally, passengers were allowed to descend to the base level and view scenery in the open air of a platform for even better photographic opportunities.

While a steep, winding staircase accessed the two levels of the cars, an elevator was available for those with such need. Also on the first level was the dining area where passengers could still view the passing scenery while dining.

While traveling along, the staff attended to refreshment needs and questions of the guests. During the trip a staff member was also providing narration of points of interests, locations along the route, and information about other trains encountered.

Again, not only informative, but what I considered the most comfortable of the land conveyances we took! We traveled this train from Denali down to Anchorage.

I deeply regretted my decision to save a few dollars and book seats on the McKinley Explorer from Denali to Anchorage, rather than pay what I considered an exorbitant amount for Gold Star Dome service for that leg on the Alaska Railroad. Well, as usual, you get what you pay for. We had a spectacular four hours in the Gold Star Dome on the Alaska Railroad Coastal Classic from Anchorage to Seward, in what was hands down the best experience of our entire Alaska vacation. The Gold Star Dome car on that train has an outdoor viewing platform on the upper level, and as a result we were able to take hundreds of phenomenal photos. The McKinley Explorer's outdoor viewing platform is on the lower level, which makes it almost completely useless. Also, in the McKinley cars, the bar is in the front of the car, so you spend 8 hours staring at the bartender, who stares right back at you. The Alaska Railroad train has a bar in the rear, so that your view facing forward through the dome is unimpeded. Finally, since the McKinley is a private train owned and operated by Holland America, most seats are filled by HAL's cruisetour groups. Excess capacity is sold to independent travelers. As a result, there is a bit of a two class system on the train, most notable in that HAL customers were allowed first priority in being called to dine. When at last it was our turn to dine, the service was extremely disorganized, haphazard and slow, except for the one moment when my husband's head was turned to look out the window and the waiter snatched away his uneaten piece of cornbread, which he had saved for last. (The reindeer chili and cornbread are recommended.) Finally, the commentary on the McKinley devolved into a lot of inane blathering just to fill the time. I longed to be alone with my thoughts long before the end of the 8 hour trip. If I had to do it over again, I would certainly spend the extra money and book Gold Star Dome service from Denali to Anchorage on the Alaska Railroad.

Again, I can't say enough about Holland America's organizational skills. This was our last leg of the cruise/land tour from Denali Nat'l. Park to Fairbanks and what an experience. Comfortable as my lazy-boy chair and the view was spectacular. Late afternoon sun shining on the changing leaves and sparkling on the rivers and lakes was awesome. Didn't eat a meal in the lower level dining room but our friends did. They said it was the best salmon they ever had. Did have a Bloody Mary made by Debbie at her bar in the front of our car and it was great; not too hot, just right. All in all a wonderful experience and I suggest a trip on a dome train if you've never tried it. This one is owned by HAL and part of our package deal.

Having completed a lot of the scenic train journeys of the world I have to say that this is the best. Pay the extra for Gold Star class as the outside compartments really make a difference. Saying that because this class is very popular sometimes it is very roomy in explorer class. Definately eat in the dining car as it is good value and very delicious. The views we had were stunning as the weather was so clear and we had amazing views of McKinley. Add this to your bucket list if it isnt already there. Amazing.

The train is a great way to see Alaska. The guides do a great job of telling you about Alaska, and we also saw bears and eagles along the way. The food in the dining car is good, and not too bad for Alaska: sandwich and chips $12. The dessert, which they really push, is pricey: one piece of pie $8. We ate lunch in the dining car on the way to Fairbanks, and we bought Subway subs $8 each, in Denali and brought them with us on the train for the Denali - Fairbanks portion.

We travelled from Anchorage to Denali on the McKinley Explorer. The train was spacious enough for our carry-on bags and comfortable. Our train guide was informative and was as excited as we were seeing Mt. McKinley! She shared much information, but by the end of our eight hours on the train, we were ready for some quiet time. We had breakfast and lunch on the train. Tried the reindeer sausage....it was not for us....but worth a try while there. Highly recommend the drinks from the bar! Excellent coffee with Bailey's, Kahula, and Amaretto! A different, fun way to travel and enjoy the breathtaking sights of Alaska!

Did a land+sea cruise and the McKinley Explorer was part of the trip back to Anchorage and then to Seward to join the ship. It was a very nice ride and our "car host" was very good. The train even slowed down when we spotted Black Bear. Very nice trip and very comfortable seats.

We took the train from Denali to Anchorage. It was an 8 hour ride across beautiful countryside. We also saw some wildlife. There was a moose on the tracks as we were about to take off. He wandered around a bit then ran off. The dome cars are very nice and allow you to see almost unobstructed. The service was just okay, but the commentary was good. We went to the dining car for lunch and it was pretty good. Overall a great experience.

Great service, photo ops. Food not so great. Upgraded to glass-top cars, but any seat allows good views. Especially enjoyed the private open car area. Got hundreds of great pictures until it got too cold.

This was an amazing experience. Adults and kids had a great time. Food was excellent, scenery amazing!

After arriving in Anchorage the day before, this 7-hour train ride was our first travel day from Anchorage to Denali as part of a Holland America trip. What a fun way to travel to Denali - in a glass domed train with excellent view of the Alaska wilderness and Denali. We really enjoyed Ryan who served as our travel guide on our trip. He provided a few good jokes along with history and background of Alaska that made this experience fun. Drinks could be purchased during the entire trip that also joins your car. We also decided to have lunch in the dining car on the lower level while on the train. Our lunch was very fresh and tasty. One of the most fun part of the train trip was going out to the outdoor platform at the back of the train and seeing the beautiful views of the Alaska wilderness from the open air. The pink fireweed along the tracks was beautiful. The views from the train were just spectacular. At several points, we could see Denali in the distance and the snowy peak kept getting larger as we go close to the National Park. This is a great way to travel to the park.

The tour guide was great and the views were fantastic. The time on the train was long, but it felt like it went quicker than it was due to the fun.
Every train car had bar and food service. We didn't eat but did enjoy drinks. We bought the mile guide and it was great to have and track where we were for photos.

This 8 hour ride from Anchorage to Denali was wonderful! Our Holland America tour group had its own dedicated domed railcar which provided breath-taking views. The seats were comfortable and passengers had the ability to move throughout the car. I was quite surprised at the quality of the lunch.. I had salmon and the brownie sundae both which were delicious! Lunch service was leisurely yet efficient to accommodate all the passengers wishing to dine. The railcar host was informative as well as entertaining!
I would definitely travel on the McKinley Explorer again!

We LOVED the train ride ! So comfortable and we felt like royalty ! A must do when you're traveling in Alaska !

Uh…. This is a must-do. If you come up here, ride the train to or from Denali.
Just see it for yourself. You might see Denali if the clouds abide, but the sheer size and scope of the area is incredible.

The domed carriages make the trip! Plus there is a small outdoor space to get some fresh air and take in the scenery. The service is fabulous! We enjoyed good meals, great drinks, and our guide, Bennet was fabulous!!!

I loved this train. The carriages have been specially built to give the best view by curving the glass walls and roof into a dome. This gives you and an almost uninterrupted view. All the passengers are seated on the second level and the toilets, restaurant and outside viewing platform are on the first level.

The journey makes it's way from Fairbanks to Denali National Park. It travels through some very remote wilderness, beautiful forest, crosses rivers and sometimes crosses some very high bridges. It was a great day.

I did it as part of a longer land tour and it was a joy to relax and be free to move around if I wanted, and to have more freedom that a bus can give.

The downstairs restaurant was available for breakfast and lunch, but be warned that lunch starts at 11.30 and you are allocated a time to eat depending on where in the train carriage you are. For us, if you were seated at the rear of the carriage, you were having lunch at 11.30am. I recommend having a light breakfast before you get on the train, otherwise you won't enjoy your lunch.

The restaurant served a good choice of food and was more reasonably priced than I expected.

It was a really wonderful day and I would happily do it all again.

Took the 8 hour rail ride from Anchorage to Denali. Comfortable seats, great views, clean restrooms, good food and staff superb. My husband and I tried their award winning reindeer chili for lunch. Very good and the chef topped it with bacon, yummy! Our rail guide was extremely knowledgeable of the area sights and history as we traveled along. She also had a great sense of humor and kept us laughing. What a wonderful experience!

We took the train from Anchorage to Denali. The train is very comfortable. The server, Sierra, was super funny and very pleasant. The narrator also did a great job telling us about points of interest along the way. We are lunch and it was super fun to do so, especially with the kids!!!! The views are spectacular and I would highly recommend a trip.

The route from Denali to Anchorage takes 6 hours by bus or 9 hours by train. Despite taking longer, the Mckinley Explorer train was by far the better experience.

First and foremost, it's a stunning way to see the amazing beauty of Alaska. You sit on the top deck of a 2-deck train car with giant domed windows that provide 180-degree views. If you want, wander downstairs and outside to the open-air viewing platform on each car.

Second, it's relaxing and comfortable. The seats are significantly more spacious than a bus seat, and drinks and snacks are served during the entire trip. The dining car on the 1st deck serves breakfast and lunch for an additional fee. The food is a tad pricy (expected given the circumstances) but good.

Each car has a Rail Guide who will make sure you have a good experience. Our guide, Kenedie G., was fantastic and super funny. She kept everyone happy and educated us about Alaskan history and nature along the way, while also giving us quiet time to watch the scenery, converse among ourselves, or do our own thing.

The trip was relaxing and wonderful, and I highly recommend it!

Superb dome train from Anchorage to Denali national park..the staff are very friendly and very informative. It's a whole day senic route with nonstop commentary. Great food to buy with drinks..very comfortable seating.

This is a dome train ride from Fairbanks to Denali Park as part of the Celebrity Cruise Land Package. The first 1/2 of the train ride is just in the middle of trees with not a lot of scenery, and then you break out into the open to see the real landscape of Alaska when not in the woods. We had a great train ride, super breakfast, and was able to see the mountains and Mt. McKinley many times on the ride. Not everyone gets to see Mt. McKinley while in Alaska, and they told us only about 20% do.

Took this as part of our cruise package. It was really nice. The seats are comfortable and the views are great. They do a good job of giving you the sights along the way. Food was good, but it took two hours for lunch which was really too long. Bathrooms are down the steps, so if you have a hard time moving, train is not for you. A very relaxing trip after being on a plane for so long the previous day.

Loved the beautiful scenery and view of Denali. The dining was excellent and reasonably priced. Seats are comfortable. Bar service was good.

The McKinley Explorer train trip was superb, the 12 hrs trip back to Anchorage was long but a lot to see . Just looking at the mountains , rivers, lakes and tundra

A few days ago we came up to Denali from Anchorage on the McKinley Explorer - it was wonderful. The carriage felt new. So easy to photograph through the windows, so even though you could go outside onto the little deck, where it was sooo cold and windy, you could just stay in your seat and take photos through the glass. We took our own drinks and food but there seemed to be a good range on the train and the staff on the train were so entertainining. We also saw 5 moose on the way - very quick glimpses! A really lovely and enjoyable way to travel.

Awesome train ride from Anchorage to Denali. It is a long but beautiful ride with lots of opportunities for great photos. The guide did an awesome job telling us about the area and recanting stories. The train is dome shaped and everyone is assigned a seat. However, you can get up walk around, and stand on the outside deck. There is a separate food car and a limited selection of souvenirs. You can also order drinks and snacks throughout the ride.

From 0900 to 1700, Denali to Anchorage
Over 300 miles
Single track with sidings for passing trains
Domed railcards with dining on the base level
Wide variety of food and drinks
Full bar
Live narration throughout
Gift shop onboard
Open air platform for sightseeing unhindered by windows
Great scenery

We took the McKinley Explorer from Denali to Anchorage as part of our Holland America land tour. It was a fantastic way to travel. The HAL cars have passenger seating upstairs, with a glass dome roof, allowing for fabulous views. The seating is spacious and comfortable and there is bar/drink service right to your seat. A guide in each car provides commentary and keeps an eye out for wildlife. Downstairs in the train car is the restaurant. Although it is a limited menu the food is very good.

Keep an eye out for the telegraph poles - the story is that the Railway commissioned a group of people to remove the copper wires - they started in the South and when they got to Denali they ran off with the copper wire. Many poles still boast the glass insulators that have become a collector's item.

I would have given this trip 5 stars except for the problem with the air conditioning. Seating in a dome train car with heat coming out of the vents made the first 90 minutes of the trip quite uncomfortable. Once the crew got the air conditioning issue resolved, it was a very pleasant experience. The only other issue was when the train was going up a large grade increase. They had to turn off all power so the train would not power out. Normally there are 7 train cars but on this trip, there were 9 train cars.
You have assigned seats in the upper dome section of the train car. The lower section is for serving meals. The food was quite good! You can always go outside at each end of the train car to enjoy the scenery and fresh air.

We had the pleasant opportunity to travel from Denali to Anchorage with the McKinley Explorer! The 6-7 hour ride was thoroughly enjoyable throughout with comfortable first class seats, large windows, entertaining guides, attentive staff, magnificent views and unique dining options. The "fun" 250 mile journey through the Alaskan Mountain ranges was well organized and serviced from start to finish with talented staff (Carlo and Rich) who made sure that all went well. We all ended the trip energized and saying "WOW we could do this again and again!"

We took the train to Denali. Nice dome cars providing excellent views however the overall scenery was not that great although the mountains were nice. We went downstairs for lunch which was nice and well catered for. Not much wildlife on the trip other than beavers constructing their dams. Service was gppd on train and well commentated.

We took the McKinley Explorer from Anchorage to Denali and it was superb. Even though we had rain most of the way we still could view the beautiful area. The seats were very comfortable and roomy. We enjoyed a bloody mary from the bar and later had an enjoyable lunch which was very good. A few days later we took the train from Denali to Fairbanks and enjoyed it also. Had a prime rib dinner that was as good as a lot of restaurants.If you don't take the McKinley Explorer you are missing a wonderful experience

The food is good (but slow) but the views are AMAZING and the narration very interesting and adds so much to the trip. A terrific was to make the trip!

Part of our great Alaskan vacation. Very scenic ride through rugged country. Lots of water, waterfalls and trees. Really enjoyed the bears on the tracks.

if travelling from anchorage to denali or vice versa this is the only way to go. beautiful panorama view train cars with full bar service and dining facilities for the 7 hr trip could'nt be more pleasant. on a clear day views are spectactular ride is smooth and quiet.

We began our Holland America land/sea tour with a train trip from Anchorage to Denali on the domed train. Great experience. The train was very comfortable and the scenery was beautiful. We even saw some wildlife: moose, eagles, swans, beavers. The food was good (try the salmon chowder!). Nice way to start a great tour!

We took the train from Anchorage to Denali. We were lucky as it was a clear, sunny, warm day. We enjoyed the history and area lesson along the way. We enjoyed breakfast in the dining car, some adult beverages while standing out in the open area of the train with breathtaking scenery. Our teenager enjoyed an amazing dessert. We were traveling 11 in all aged 15 to 75 and everyone enjoyed the experience. We saw McKinley clearly, salmon jumping and Eagles - not bad for day 1 of vacation!

We took the McKinley Explorer from Denali to Anchorage as part of our Holland America Cruise Tour. It was at the very end of our 15 days in Alaska and we were tired by that time. However, the train was great. All seats are very comfortable upper level domed cars and the scenery was spectacular. I have problems with stairs and the narrow circular stairway was a bit challenging. However, they do have a lift for wheelchairs and I'm fairly sure that if I'd asked, they would have taken me up and down that way. We elected to eat lunch on the Explorer just for the experience. We knew it would be expensive but that was okay. We had to give our names to the porter and then he came and got us when space was available. You are seated with others if you don't have a big party but it was fun to socialize with the couple from England who were seated with us. We didn't see much wildlife on this trip but that was okay as we'd seen so much wildlife at Denali. The scenery was just so lovely that it definitely made the trip worth it. It was also an experience to travel by rail in Alaska, with all the mountain passes and bridges. If you'll only be in Alaska once, you should definitely take the McKinley Explorer while there.

What can I say? It lives up to the hype. 3 grandparents and our 2 year-old LOVED it just as much. We saw a mother moose swim back to save the baby moose who was getting swept away by the current. Spectacular scenery, all tour guides were entertaining. Memories for a lifetime.

this was one long boring ride.it was through a forest with few worthwhile sites.the car and dining car where comfortable and the food was excellent but nothing could overcome the 8 hours.the hostess was great but the time would not more fast enough .it may have been bearable if we did not have a 5 hour train ride the day before.i went on the deck to take pictures but i just sat there and enjoyed the sunny day

We think this is the best way to see the scenery. Very comfortable and easy. The glass roof opens everything up to you. The attendants/guides are great and have plenty to tell you about what you are seeing. Since there are so few roads in Alaska the train is very important to the economy and they seem to keep it up well.

We rode the train from Talkeetna to Denali. The view was great due to the picture windows which were just like those on the Rocky Mountaineer. Our female attendant/ guide worked hard to take orders and serve as well as providing commentary as we traveled. A male attendant sat still and did nothing but cough and snort throughout the journey! A worthwhile trip, Enjoyable!

This is a wonderful way to see the Alaskan countryside. Lots of mountains, fields, lakes, and streams. We went in late-May and saw a little wildlife but not too much. Many photo ops along the way. The food and drinks were good and reasonable and the staff was very friendly.

We have taken the Rocky Mountaineer and we took the 1990s version of the McKinley Explorer and this was the best train trip of them all. The nearly new domed car is very spacious with excellent viewing all around you. We went from Anchorage to Denali and really enjoyed the commentary of the tour guide. She was informative, humorous and on point for almost the entire journey....she made the trip memorable. The scenery was spectacular on a beautiful day. The downside of the trip was the lunch service. The process for taking people from the upper viewing area down to the restaurant was very disorganized and confused. We got promised to be next several times before we actually got to go down. Then when we got down and were seated, the service was very slow and the servers seemed confused. The food was good once we finally got served. Unfortunately the viewing is not good in the lower section and we missed a fair amount of time on the viewing level. Since we took the train early in the season I presume that the kinks in the lunch process got worked out for later trips. We really enjoyed the trip and can forgive them for the lunch problems.

We rode the McKinley Explorer train from Anchorage to Talkeetna and returned to ANC the next day after a night at the McKinley Wilderness Lodge in Trapper Creek.
We boarded the train at the Alaska railroad in Anchorage around 8 am. Not knowing how much breakfast would be on board we decided to eat before boarding. Our seats were booth type seats 4 of us together with a table. We were fortunate enough to be seated with a very nice couple who we really enjoyed spending time with on the train and while at the Lodge.
I must admit while the views were truly Alaska it wasn't as spectacular as I imagined since we went through a lot of trees and that morning was quite over cast with low clouds. That being said we still really enjoyed the train ride. Since most of our week long Alaska trip was in the car it was nice for us both to be able to relax and enjoy the scenery.
The train car we were in was car 7086 "Sanford". It is a double decker with seating upstairs and dining down stairs. They serve beverages at your seat but must go down if you want food.
Then on the return from Talkeetna to Anchorage we were in rail car 1058 "Kashwitna" this rail car was slightly different in that all seats were facing forward and no tables up in the seating area. This also had dining down below. We did have dinner on the train. I ordered soup and a salad and I don't remember what he got. But both meals were good. I can't find my receipt so I don't remember exactly how much the dinner was but it was about average for this type of place.
Now I'm not sure if/how you'd book a particular train car or who we actually traveled with. At the time of making our reservation we booked through Gray Line, when we checked in at the train station we were given boarding passes that said McKinley Explorer Holland America Line. The lodge was a Princess lodge and our return boarding pass said Gray Line of Alaska. So, I guess all the tours and cruise packages share trains and accommodations? Either way everything was handled smoothly. And the staff on the train were very friendly. Oh, and the bathrooms on the train were large and quite fancy.

We boarded the train in Fairbanks, riding to Denali. This was about four hours. Then after spending a day at the park, we boarded and headed for Anchorage. This takes about 8 hours, which seems long, but the day went quickly. The scenery is awesome and keeps you busy. Eating on the train is a fun experience, and considering you are a captive audience, the prices are not terrible. We had breakfast the first day, and dinner the second, taking a lunch with us. The service in the dome car is first rate. Drinks of all kinds are available and they offer a one price ($10) souvenir drink bottle, which they will fill as often as you wish with iced tea or soda. It was a great experience.

We took a morning tour from Fairbanks to Denali on a pre-cruise trip. We enjoyed the scenic vistas and occasional sightings of wildlife. The breakfast was very good with blueberry pancakes and reindeer sausage. The offer several other good choices as well. The ride is a little bumpy and sways a bit, but pretty comfortable overall.

Took an 5 hour bus trip from Anchorage to Denali and this train took 8 hours to cover the same distance. Little slower and more scenic. Wonderful beverage and dining service. Would have been perfect if it wasn't for the 1 and a half year old child who wouldn't stop whining for 7 and a half hours. Passengers were complaining. Really distracted from the whole experience

We rode the McKinley Explorer from Fairbanks to Denali and then Denali to Anchorage. Very comfortable, food was ok...staff was incrediable!

A wonderful experience and SO comfortable. We'd already been on the Rocky Mountaineer and had been warned the McKinley Explorer would not be as good - but it surely was. Seats were very comfortable, service and menu options excellent. Loved being able to gave a main meal in the dining room downstairs and come upstairs for coffee and desert. Excellent views of the wonderful landscape and scenery. Interesting and informative commentary all the way. Felt like we were watching a performance as well as accessing transport. Highly recommended

My Mother & I took an 8 hour trip on the McKinley Explorer from Anchorage to Denali. We were all seated on the top level where the windows extended thru to the roof for spectacular views of Alaska. The dining area was located on the 1st level. There was a small stairway to the top level. We had a bartender dedicated to our car as well as a very knowledgeable tour guide that narrated the route with interesting information. Souvenirs for sale on board were reasonably priced. Breakfast & lunch available in the dining car. The food was delicious!

The train trip takes all day from Denali to Anchorage, leaving about 9 a.m. and arriving in Anchorage around 5 p.m. We were very fortunate to travel on a fair weather day which enabled us to see Mount Denali in its true majestic glory. Apart from this mountain, the scenery is absolutely stunning. Service on the train is good and includes breakfast and lunch if you are so inclined and a bar and souvenir shop offer additional amenities. Several open air viewing platforms on the train offer fresh air and great photo opportunities. This is a great way to see the Alaska wilderness in comfort!

We very much enjoyed this day's ride from Denali to Anchorage. The weather cleared that morning so the scenery was spectacular. I spent a large part of the trip on the outdoor platform since the plexiglass dome windows distorted the photographs too much. Still, it was a very scenic relaxing way to travel.

Rode from Denali to Anchorage. Dome car where you sit on top with glass roof to see everything. Ate lunch downstairs. We ordered turkey sandwich but one thing our food server girl could not tell difference between ham and turkey, she brought ham and said it looked liked turkey but it wasn't. So had her return it. Told her no mayonnaise but sandwich came with mayo anyway. Bill was great telling us stories and answering our questions. The server girl of drinks was very good also; she just got engaged to a guy also working on the same train! You can buy a small amount of souvenirs onboard too. There is an elevator to help handicap people from topside to downstairs and vice versa. Raindeer chili was excellent for lunch downstairs.

We saw 11 moose during our journey on this train. We went to Denali on this train and the conductor slowed down or stopped for all the wildlife. The train is very clean and the staff very knowledgeable and friendly. I would definitely use this rail line again when I am in Alaska (of course I would use Alaska Tour Saver Coupons...best bet).

We had the misfortune to book the McKinley explorer on our Holland America trip to Alaska. Not only did we get lousy seats right opposite the stairs and elevator, so looking out of the right side of the coach was pointless, we also got the carriage that the AC did not work. The AC had to be shut off while we went through the smoke filled area of Willow that was suffering a 8500 acre wild fire, but when they tried to put it back on it worked only at the front of the car, the back end got little or no relief. To compound matters, it was also the record day for heat and there was a further problem of the train rails buckling due to the high temperatures. The rails had to be replaced which caused us a 4 hour delay getting to our destination. The cabin staff did not even bother to come back to our end of the carriage as they were too busy keeping cool at the front and attending to the passengers there, supplying them with ice water, if we wanted anything we had to fight our way through people to reach them. Add to that a poor narration and any sighting of anything came after we had passed it, the trip was a total waste of time and money.

Great way to end an AWSOME Alaska cruise and land vacation on HAL.Our car staff, Jeffery and Darren were over the top in all aspects of their job.This trip is a must do as part of an Alaskan Cruise package and is well worth the time and cost

This was a way to see the vast size of the area, as well as the beauty, the car was comfortable and clean and they served drinks and snacks! going to the caboose to take some photo's should be on your list to do.

The train to Denali was clean, new, comfortable and the food was good too. Overall a nice trip. I would book this again in a minute. You won't regret it

The McKinley Explorer was by far the best way to travel. We took a 10 hr. bus ride from Seward to Denali NP and the train back from Denali to Anchorage. The train was by far the better way to go. The seats are really comfortable, the food very good and it was wonderful to see the views from the dome train car. The staff was extremely friendly and knowledgeable. I would highly recommend this mode of travel over any other to really get to see the Alaska landscape and learn about the area, the animals and the people living in Alaska.

The only thing that beats the scenery is the dining car. Excellent food and service. Overall, the train gives excellent service, but tend to oversell souvenirs

Had the McKinley Explorer as our transit from Fairbanks to Denali on recent 2 week land+cruise vacation. It was fantastic. Spectacular views with great narration by the staff. Nice dining options for breakfast, and the bar was fantastic! Only knock would be the check-in process - was a bit chaotic, not well organized. But we sorta bulled our way into the thick of things, got our luggage checked, and despite being told we should wait another 15 minutes to board, wandered outside, where other staff was ready and willing to get us to our seats and help us get settled. But overall, a great experience!

As part of our Holland Americe Line trip we took the McKinley Explorer train from Anchorage to Denali. We had previously gone by a "lesser" train from Seward to Anchorage (cramped seating and some facing the wrong direction) and would later travel by bus from Denali to Fairbanks. This was the best part of the 3 part trip.
The train has a large dome car in which we travelled - this allowed great views of the area through which we were travelling. The seating was also very spacious and comfortable and all the seats were facing in the direction of travel. Erica our guide was excellent; she was very informative about the sights through which we were travelling and also had many amusing anecdotes. The food in the dining car was good although the service was quite slow and there was a limited choice of menu items from which to choose.
Recommended

What a great experience! You have to eat in the dining car if you want to really make the most of this journey!

Bar service on the train car was a big hit with our group of 8. Great views from the dome cars and the dining car was under us. Meal was good. We had the HAL meal plan.

I highly recommend that you not miss this train ride. The view is beautiful from the glass enclosed train car. You will see beautiful scenary, moose, bears, birds....The service on the train is great. The seperate dining car offers delicious meals. Try the seafood salad sandwich and raindeer chili.

Anchorage to Denali on the train for 6 hours. The seats are like benches that do not lean back and you have to share a table with strangers. We really did not see much and would take the bus next time. If you want to see the mountain, I'd take the White pass & Yukon Route in Skagway. We shared a turkey club and it was tasty even at $12.00. That is the going rate in the north. There also seemed to be a lot of sales pitches for goods like coins.

We took the train from Anchorage to Denali (hosted by Holland America). The seats were comfortable with plenty of leg room. Our seats in the domed car provided a clear view of the scenery The glass was clear and spot free even though it rained. Getting an adult beverage while moving was an added plus. The dining menu for breakfast and dinner was surprisingly broad. Overall a very pleasant experience.

What a great, fun, way to start our vacation! Isiah was a fantastic bartender, Nano was a FUN and very informative host, and Kim was a terrific server. This train is so luxurious with its spacious seats, glass ceiling, ability to stand up, move around and drink & eat!!! I’m celebrating my 50th birthday and Nano generously gave me one of the “50” Alaska pins. 🥰 So generous! We saw one moose at the very beginning of our trip who was running. So enjoy the scenery but don’t be heartbroken if wildlife isn’t seen. Enjoy each other’s company, the great service and relaxing ride!

if you travel on the Alaska train in a dome car, don't forget your sun-hat and sunglasses. The food in the dining car was very good too. Tasty and a fair price. If you like soda pop get it from there instead of your seat. The train car was clean and the seats were comfortable high-back padded type. The A/C worked so well some people actually were cold and covered up on a full sun day (a lot of heat is generated coming thru the glass dome).

We rode the Mckinley explorer from Anchorage to Denali.

Everybody gets an assigned seat under the dome on one of 6 cars....very comfortable, better than an airplane seat. The view is fantastic, and the scenery is for the most part very pretty.....the second half (north end) of the trip is better. There is a guide in each car to explain what you are seeing, and a bartender to serve drinks and snacks.

You can also go downstairs to the dining room for either breakfast, lunch or both. The tables have table cloths, china and silver....a real restaurant. We had breakfast and can't say that the food was any better then ok, but the experience was fun.

The trip takes about 8 hours, and I have to admit to being antsy to get off the train during the second half of the trip. With food and bathrooms on board, there are no stops.

We saw eagles, and a good number of moose, but no bears...

Just got of the train. It has all the features of RockyMountaineer but that is where it ends. The scenery is very good in afternoon but many waited until 3.00 pm for lunch they seemed not to be able to cope with half the dining car full. Food was quite nice. Service of drinks was basically nonexistent and had to go and ask for a drink. Air conditioning did not work beyond front of car and had a constant smell of diesel into to car. Constant whistle of train was annoying and seemed to be a regular occurrence whether there was a side road or not. I think you would see just the same on a bus and get there much quicker!

We had a wonderful trip from Talkeetna to Denali on the McKinley Explorer train. The views were much better than the Rocky Mountaineer, but no food or drinks were included. It was a lovely way to travel to Denali National Park.

The Dome Car is a great way to travel. The scenery and the service is exceptional. Our bartender called Tess in the Dome section (upstairs) served us great cocktails and snacks. The meal downstairs in the dining section was great too, though I would suggest you only take one meal (they offer breakfast and lunch) because you really want to be upstairs, feasting your eyes more than your stomach !

Took gnddgt on train to Denali for her birthday. What fun. Scenery was beautiful. Food was surprisingly delicious for a train and food service was great. Did this year before. You need to do some car at least once. Preferred fbx to Denali portion over Denali/ anchorage years ago did anchorage to gird wood. Wonderful also. Station at girdwood in middle of nowhere so be prepared for good hike to girdwood. Or have someone meet you with car going to take 5 yo grandson next week. His birthday treat

I was in the Glass Dome Car it was comfortable and since the car was not full you could spread out and have more room. Dining car food was good and staff accommodating. Staff tried to educate passengers on the history of Alaska and shared information about areas and homes as we passed them. It however was a long trip but gave me a chance to see the real Alaska off the tourist path and some really beautiful area's.

from greet and meet to the facilities are all perfect . The Glass top is stunning , the restaurant and drink bar aboard each cart are excellent , services were great.

Set your expectations. This is not a photo op. You may see some animals and other interesting things but you're moving way too fast get good pictures. It's also probably not your most scenic route (railroads rarely go through prime real estate.) You will see some beautiful mountains and interesting points of interest but most will be in the distance so relax and enjoy it. What it is, is a very pleasant and comfortable ride to Denali National Park with some cordial hosts, a tour guide, a very busy bartender and kitchen help for the restaurant in the lower level. They do their best to keep you entertained along the way and frequently their "trying" was entertaining. I can't really recommend the restaurant as much as the glorious praise you'll hear about it on the cruise and tours leading in. It's cafe food at best but tasty enough for a meal on the way.

We recently took the McKinley explorer from Anchorage to Denali to stay at the McKinley Chalet Resort. Beautiful views, comfortable seats and the food was great. I would recommend trying the fish tacos or reindeer chili. Our commentator Justin was informative and kept us entertained. The bartender Geoffrey catered to us and made sure we were hydrated the whole trip. It is an experience you must try.

我们很喜欢由Holland America 组织的車箱，88个座位在高高的二层，楼下是有歺室44个位，2个洗手间. 中午轮流下去用歺. 每个車箱有自己的导游讲解和调酒员. 早上9点半从Anchorge 出发，下午4.30pm 到达Denail 国家公园站.

26.08.2014 Today we met in the lobby of the hotel at 8.45 am and we were bussed to the train station or depot as it is called here. The train consisted of a diesel locomotive and 8 domed carriages, most owned by Holland America, we sat in row 9, the carriage carried 88 passengers and downstairs was a dining room for 44 and 2 restrooms. We had a guide and a bartender, 'Griffin', her last name who was a character. We left Anchorage at 9.30 am and slowly picked up speed heading north, passed Wasilla, a town 45 miles from Anchorage and then other small settlements, saw many fast wide rivers and were surrounded by mountains, on the way we passed 2 trains going south, we had lunch at 1pm. The train rumbled on, we were travelling over the tundra with frozen earth stopping the trees from growing big, some were tiny and 500 years old. We arrived at Denali depot in the rain at 4.35pm and then went by bus to McKinley Chalet.

The train has a guide along to announce interesting facts about the areas you are passing through, including the usual cute "dad jokes". Great food and drink service too.

What an incredible experience to see God's non-stop beauty from this comfortable train. The domed windows allowed you to see all around you. Lunch on board was delicious. The staff was pleasant and helpful. Could have done without some of their attempts to sell memorabilia, but they were just doing their job.

Although it rained on us nearly the entire way to Denali from Anchorage, we really enjoyed this travel experience. We were in a domed car so were able to take in the beautiful scenery along the way. Our train host, Amanda, shared a lot of good info with us and our bartender, Mary, made sure we had everything we needed. Our tour plan included lunch in the dining car below the seating area. The dining car service was nice if a bit snug and the food was also good. I tried the reindeer chili and was favorably impressed. Our waitress seemed a little overworked and a bit abrupt at times, but we were waited on and served in a timely fashion. It was a long ride, but I preferred this mode of transportation over any other that we experienced while in AK.

We transferred from Anchorage to Denali National Park on Carnival Corporation-Holland America’s McKinley Explorer that operates one of the largest fleet of dome railcars. The train travels over the Alaska Railroad’s tracks. We were on the McKinley Express Route. The trip started at Milepost 114.3 in Anchorage and ended at Milepost 347.9 at Denali Park Station. Total travel time was about 7 hours.

Accommodations in the railcars were very comfortable. Compared to most airline and motor coach seats, these were quite luxurious. The cars were two stories high. The lower level had restrooms, a dining room, and viewing platforms between railcars. The upstairs had roomy seats placed two and two across the aisle. Each seat had a fold-down tray table and a footrest.

One of the best things was that all seats were assigned at the time of ticketing and were, therefore, reserved. That eliminated the free-for-all scrambling to get the choicest seats with the best views. All seats have excellent views. And, all seas faced forward.

The dome cars facilitated maximum panoramic views. The curved glass segments were fitted into bare-bones frames to provide nearly unrestricted panoramic views ranging close to 180° in a vertical semicircle and nearly 360° in a horizontal circle.

Each car had an assigned host guide who provided commentary and answered any questions passengers had. Our host guide was very knowledgeable, personable, and entertaining.

En route, we saw mostly rural picturesque scenery, mountains, tundra, rivers, and streams. For wildlife, we saw lots of grizzly bears, moose, trumpeter swans, and an eagle.

There were a few rural whistle-stops for locals in outlying areas.

After more than a week of giving us clouds and rain, the Weather Genie finally granted our wish for good weather. It was a very clear day for our rail trip to Denali.

On the approach to an unobstructed scenic view of Mount Denali and others in the range, the engineer announced that we were about to get a full view of the mountains known as The Family ~ Mount Denali and the surrounding mountains that included Mount Crosson (12,800 ft.), Mount Foraker (17,400 ft.), Mount Silverthrone (13,320 ft.), Mount Hunter (14,573 ft.), and others. He slowed the train down to a crawl in order to give passengers a chance to go downstairs and get out onto the open-air platforms between rail cars and take turns at the railings to get photos without having the distortion of and/or reflections from the tinted glass in the rail cars in their photos. The views and photos we got were spectacular.

The majesty of the tallest mountain in North America with a summit elevation of 20,310 feet was astounding. It takes a couple of minutes to wrap one’s head around the concept of a mountain this size because Denali doesn’t have just one peak. It has subpeaks and formations called spurs that are lateral ridges and buttresses which are bluffs in mountaineering terms. So, Mount Denali is not very vertical but also very horizontal.

So, we were part of the extremely fortunate 30% of visitors to see all of Mount Denali as the summit is frequently enshrouded in clouds. Living in a mountainous state and having traveled to mountainous countries, it’s been my experience that mountains tend to make their own weather systems.

We had snacks and lunch on the train. My friend had salsa and chips at her seat. The dining area for lunch on the lower level had large picture windows for uninterrupted views of the passing scenery. I ate lunch there. Although it did not feature a fine dining menu, the dining room had tables with white linen tablecloths and small vases of flowers. Lunch prices were $12.00 and up. One menu item was Reindeer Chili. I ordered the Turkey Club at $15.45. It had oven-roasted turkey breast, hickory smoked bacon, Tillamook cheddar, crisp Romaine lettuce, sliced tomato, sweet white onion, and house-made pesto aioli. It was served on a soft Telera roll which was a Mexican flatbread roll. I pulled out the bacon. The sandwich was well-prepared and slightly upscale. Everything was fresh. It was excellent.

Everything on the train is cashless ~ dining and souvenir purchases. For souvenirs, my friend and I bought hat tac-style pins that read RIDING THE RAILS with a drawing of the train and the souvenir booklet “McKinley Explorer: Ride Guide to the Historic Alaska Railroad” that had the railroad’s history and descriptions of all the mileposts on the different routes.

From the train station, we were bused to the McKinley Chalet Resort, our hotel for the next three days.

Everything was well-coordinated. We were very pleased with Holland America’s operations.

We rate the McKinley Explorer at 5.0.

We highly recommend this train ride to everyone. It's a must-do for anyone traveling to Denali.

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The all day train journey from Denali to Anchorage on the McKinley Explorer was just magnificent. The upper level domed carriage allowed us all to take in the magnificent scenery in fabulous comfort. We were lucky to have Justin Fox as our carriage manager, who was very entertaining as well as informative. Tess was our delightful bartender who worked so hard throughout the day tending to our every need. This was one of the highlights of our Holland America land and sea tour of Alaska.

The McKinley Explorer was an absolutely gorgeous way to see some of Alaska: extremely comfortable seats, 180’views, helpful stewards and entertaining and informative guides. We took the train from Anchorage to De-nali, then again from Denali to Fairbanks as part of our HAL cruisetour. The trip from Anchorage to Denali was spectacular: beautiful views of Alaskan countryside and in particular, Denali. The Denali-Fairbanks trip we found not particularly memorable except the Nenana Canyon – the first part of the trip when leaving Denali.

Clarification: there is a single train which has several cars (McKinely Explorer, Alaska Railroad, Princess, Wil-derness Explorer) attached to a single engine. These cars are operated by different companies but are all connected to the same engine, just different coaches, ours operated by Gray Line of Alaska. Employees were knowledgeable and kept the trip entertaining.

The scenery was fabulous and it was great to be able to go out onto the observation deck on the back of the car to try to get better pictures. But the views from inside were fine (with the advantage of being above the tree-line!). Everyone has a seat reserved in the upper dome car which has a bar serving alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Tip: if you are on the 2 day trip, buy the refillable bottle for $12- you get unlimited soda or iced tea. Both trips included narration, which was plentiful. We were told when something interesting was coming up, be it scenery or wildlife, and the driver would slow the train down for us to get good views or photos. Observation deck, toilets and dining room are downstairs. .You are asked if you wish to dine, then are called down a few at a time. The food on the train was better than we expected: it was reasonably priced, the portions generous and the meal delicious.
There was only one problem: it was uncomfortable when the a/c went out (it seems that this is not uncommon – some passengers lobbied for it to be turned off as we left Anchorage, but the crew knew that it was temperamental. In the end they caved in, with the result that it broke down later!) We were offered iced water to cool us down until the problem could be fixed and eventually the a/c was restored. Apart from the stunning scenery we saw eagles and lots of moose.
These trips made the long distances pass by quickly. A very civilized and relaxing way to travel.

The second time my wife and I have traveled on The McKinley Explorer and the first time for our kids and grandkids. A wonderful way to see Alaska. We traveled from Denali NP to Whitter, AK where we transferred to our Holland-America ship the MS Noordam.

Our service staff members were very attentive. The narrator was well informed and balanced giving information over the public address system and walking through the car to answer questions one-on-one.

Food was good - adequate for the day. Breakfast and lunch were provided (extra fee.).

Drink service was provided upstairs in the doom (extra fee ).

These railcars were more modern. On our first trip 15 years ago the railcars were vintage railcars which were very neat. But the senary was still just as spectacular no matter the age of the railcar.

Took the train from Denali to Anchorage. Our guide Josh was awesome, very knowledgeable and had a great sense of humor. Was a long ride but went by quick. I'm 6'6" and had plenty of room. Food was pricey as expected but good. Scenery was great. Definitely a tour to do if your in the area.

We traveled on the McKinley Explorer from Denali National Park to Anchorage. Having virtually no experience riding trains, this was such a treat. Since it was May, there was still quite a bit of snow in certain areas along the route. And of course, all the mountains still have snow on them. It took about seven hours total, but it's not like traveling on a plane where you're encouraged to keep your seat. You can get up, walk the aisles, go to the back of the train out on the porch-like area. And of course, at some point you get to go downstairs and eat lunch. The food was quite good. And since the train station in Anchorage is right downtown, it's easy to get to your hotel.

We did a 3 day / 7 day land sea excursion of Alaska. We arrived in Anchorage the night before our day long train ride to McKinley National Park. Stayed at the Captain Cook hotel and then a day long train ride to the park. The hotel stay was good rest after a 10 hour air travel day. The McKinley Explorer train ride to the park was excellent. Best way to see scenery and wild life with good narration by tour guide on the train. Very clean, modern, smooth riding (continuous rail). Food service is very good and all at reasonable price.

We traveled on the McKinley Explorer train with a Holland cruise - transferring from Denali to Anchorage. The train was great - the top level was for riding and had a glass (or plastic) top so you could see the surrounding area much better than you would normally. The bottom level was for eating. The food was okay - they did run out of some items, but it was an interesting experience. A very pleasant way to travel.

The dome/dining car from Denali to Anchorage is a must do. There were no dull moments on this magnificent ride.

We covered the entire stretch of railroad in Alaska. The views and the journey is excellent. Well, you have different options when you do this journey either southbound to Anchorage or northbound to Fairbanks. There is a single train which actually has several cars of McKinely explorer, Alaska railroad, Princess, Wilderness explorer attached to a single engine. These cars are operated by different companies and It's up to you to decide in which car you want to travel. The railroad traveled, the time taken, and the scenic are same. Just that the service of bar, food, guide and the price is different. We traveled in Alaska railroad as well as McKinley explorer for different parts of our journey, and we loved McKinely explorer operated by Gray line of Alaska. The way cars are designed, the service you get, food quality and the bar were excellent in McKinley explorer vis-a-vis Alaska railroad. Also, this is cheaper than the gold star service. A tip though try to find deals on Grey line of Alaska website or call them as we got a really good deal of 40% off on this part of our trip which saved us around $500 bucks. However, this operates only between Fairbanks and Anchorage, and you have to choose Alaska railroad between Anchorage and Seward/Whittier.

This was a very pleasant train trip from Denali to Anchorage. The VistaDome cars provide excellent views, the seats are comfortable, the car bartender and hostess were warm, friendly and knowledgeable.

What a treat to have a full-service dining car on this train! The menu, of course, is limited, but diverse enough to satisfy any taste. We enjoyed the Seafood Chowder ($9.50/bowl, $6.50/cup) and split the Seafood Salad Sandwich with chips ($13.00). This sandwich was plenty for two! The chowder was terrific -- a little heat (just right) and chunks of seafood and corn. The sandwich was very good.

Bottom line, good food and nice view as we ate -- worth the price and experience. Recommended!

One of the highlights of our trip. We were fortunate to visit Alaska just at the fall colors were popping and the rain had stopped! The McKinley Explorer allowed us a bird's eye view of this spectacular sight.

Loved the day trip in the glass top train through Alaska countryside. Beautiful scenery, delicious food. All very nice.

A party with spectacular views from Talkeetna to Denali! Our bartender and tour guide made this enjoyable trip even more fun, and educational as well. We were fortunate enough to have multiple CLOUDLESS views of Denali. We also spotted a cow moose with a calf standing in a marsh. The train runs slow enough to get great photos. We passed on lunch in the dining car, opting for nachos and mudslides in the viewing car. The food and drinks were great! There are notes in the literature stating no snacks or drinks brought on the train by passengers are allowed. We had our own bottled water and trail mix and nothing was said to us. The Conductor photo bombed a picture we asked the tour guide of us...what a hoot. We highly recommend the train ride.

The McKinley Explorer was very comfortable. We did not choose to eat but noted others enjoyed their meals. The coach was immaculate when we arrive. We were kept informed of arrival time (due to an emergency)

We booked this train as a part of a Holland America package and traveled from Denali to Anchorage. It was absolutely wonderful. The train is so beautiful and the facilities are great. Equipped with good bathrooms and a dining car for meals. The seats were roomy with lots of leg room. The glass ceilings allowed for an incredible view along on the ride. The bartender got us drinks right away. There was a snack menu upstairs and a full menu for the dining car (we did have to wait awhile to eat though). There was a small shop that you could purchase souvenirs while you were onboard. Make sure to bring a credit card since they do not accept cash on the train. So much beautiful scenery and the tour guides were so knowledgeable and funny! Tami and Doug are awesome!

First rate food, first rate travel, first rate discussion by tour leaders. So what else can I day First Class!!

Loved this little train. Comfy, clean, and spacious seating atop the dining car with excellent viewing windows. Both breakfast and lunch were 5-star dining! Well stocked and tended bar, snacks, and even a few souvenirs. Professional and friendly staff provided interesting facts and stories along the scenic ride from Anchorage to Denali. Highly recommended!

The views were beautiful. The staff on the train were very helpful and friendly. This was by far the best transportation of the trip.

we travelled from Fairbanks to Denali National Park on this great train. The seats were very roomy with plenty of leg room. The view from any seat was amazing and the trip itself was awesome.

We traveled on the McKinley Explorer for the 8 hour trip from Fairbanks to Anchorage. It was part of our tour with Holland America. The train was gorgeous! We had individual seats with lots of leg room. The cars were almost all glass for maximum viewing. There was limited seating in the downstairs dining area and service was not fast, so plan ahead if you want to eat lunch there. The food was okay, but not anything outstanding. Each car had a rail guide and a bartender. They were both pleasant and informative. We bought the "Gulcher" bottomless soda bottle. It was a bargain at $12 because we could use it the next day. Some of our family spent much of the trip on the outside platform. Everyone really enjoyed the day.

We took the train from Anchorage to Seward the next day. Although the cars were not as opulent as the day before, we loved the experience. This train had bench seating around tables. Each grouping seated 4 people in both front and back facing seats. There was lots of glass for viewing, but the seats were not as comfortable as the other train. Our rail guide, bartender and server were the same person, so he was very busy. If you didn't want to wait for the server, you could go to the club car for snacks and drinks. However, the club car ran out of sandwiches within minutes of our departure. The star of the show was the scenery. It was a stunning 5 hour trip.

Enjoyable, relaxing ride to and from Denali with my 6 year old granddaughter. The food was good for the price. The scenery was beautiful. Would only go one way next time. Saw moose, sheep and ground squirrels.

We had a great time riding the McKinley Explorer from Anchorage to Denali. The dome cars are comfortable with a great view on all sides. The only downside is that it is not a great trip for photography.

We boarded the McKinley Explorer in Denali and road to Talkeetna. WOW, WOW. The ride on the domed train was just an amazing experience. The sites are just spectacular. The seats are very comfortable. Your pictures thru the windows if taken carefully turn out fantastic. We had lunch in the dining area below on the first level and it was very good...we had the chili. It is also fun to stand in the open area between train cars to grab some pictures. And....we saw Denali in the distance. It is a beautiful site.

We took the train from Fairbanks to Denali, and it was terrific. Double decker cars, with the top floor being covered with a plexiglas dome for fantastic viewing of the passing scenery. The lower half is a dining car, which offers picture windows so that you don't miss anything while eating. This is a great way to enjoy all the wilderness beauty Alaska has to offer.

We travelled from Denali to Anchorage and we're pleased with both the service and the food. Lunch menu has a nice selection of items and the food was very good, better than we expected for a train. Our car tour guide was very good, knowledgable and funny. The views were great and we even saw some wildlife: a moose and a bear. We would recommend this trip.

What a wonderful way to see the Alaskan countryside. We took this luxury dome train from Denali to Anchorage, and we had so much fun (even when it rained!). We saw spectacular mountain ranges, forests, marshes, wildlife and military aircraft. Plus, there is a very civilized dining car and a bar. The trip is supposed to be 7-3/4 hours, and ours took a bit longer, but it did not feel that way at all. We loved the experience!

This domed railcar was part of our land-sea cruise. Our first stretch was between Seward and Anchorage. Unfortunately we were seated at a table with 2 other over talkative people. The second stretch was the following day to Denali in a domed railcar. This was so much Better! We had very comfortable seats and had the opportunity to go downstairs to the dining car for breakfast. We chose to remain in our seats for lunch. Food wasn't anything special. The crew seemed to be overwhelmed during lunch. Some people waited an hour to be served lunch. The views and beverage service was great. You had the opportunity to purchase souvenirs on board. Good commentary from our guide. Plenty of opportunities to take pictures outside.

While we didn't see a lot of animals, the train does pass through a lot of Alaska's beautiful mountain scenery. We had good seats with the other members of our tour group. The narration was pretty corny but quite entertaining.

To while away the time, we decided to eat lunch on the train and, even though the whole carriage cannot all eat at the same time, we were in the second or third group. We were seated at the same table as another couple from our tour so we had plenty to talk about. I was surprised at the quality and tastiness of the food - I had chowder and the seafood sandwich while my wife had soup of the day and the fish tacos.

The only negative - while we ordered one tea in the carriage, the final billing at the end of the journey didn't include it. We had to remind the server. It appeared that some other folks on the train were either over or under billed.

We enjoyed our train trip on the McKinley Explorer. The seats were comfortable, the tour guides were fantastic and of course the scenery was beautiful. Disappointed we didn't see any wildlife but that can never be guaranteed. We ate lunch in the dining car. it was quite expensive but good. I had a cup of soup and half a sandwich for $14.95...pricey for what you got but we didn't expect it to be cheap. You could buy a coffee mug for $9.00 and get as many cups of coffee as you wanted along with the mug. You could also buy beer, wine and mixed drinks if you wanted. We enjoyed the day and learning so much about the area. Took some great pictures
and we were glad we did it. It was part of our Holland America Land/Cruise and I'm glad it was included.

We took the trip from Fairbanks to Anchorage and return. Very relaxing, beautiful scenery and nice to see things from a different point of view and not behind the wheel.
Reasuraunt was very good. Highly recommend.

With the glass top of the train the views were unrestricted and awesome. The information relayed to us during the journey was very informative and the staff very friendly.

This was part of my Holland America Cruise Tour, and it was wonderful. The car was not full so I could switch side while riding. Our train attendant was very knowledgeable and told great stories. Not a boring moment the whole ride. I did not see any wildlife, but the fall colors were beautiful. I would do it again instead of sitting on a bus for 6 hour. We ate lunch onboard and it was good. Had the bison Cuban sandwich.