Alaska Railroad -- GoldStar or Adventure?

[Adri204]

Is the ANC airport train station is used for anything anymore? I've never seen a train in it....

 

Anchorage has a train depot. It s right next to the Anchorage Downtown

Comfort Inn. You can find that on Google and see how far it is to the Airport.

 

 

The ANC airport train station is only used for cruise guests arriving and departing and not for others. It kind of burns me thats the case. That means Alaskans have to use the regular RR and go all the way down town. I know it shouldent bother me but it does cant help it. No offence to those who use it at all. Im glad you do :).

 

Adri

[melehundele]

I had the same problem; I e-mailed them and they very quickly sent over the 'official' confirmation document.

 

I don't think it would have been a problem without it, but it is comforting to be able to see the reservation is correctly recorded.

 

Thanks!

[corbeck]

We just did the Adventue Class Anchorage-Seward last week. We are quite cheap (and proud of it). We had assigned seats and access to food, though we really didn't need it since we ate before we left. Also, consider that you will have access to virtually unlimited food when you get to the ship. It is only a 4+ hour trip. I can't comment on the Gold Star service since there is a sign on that car forbidding the "rabble" from entering. I'm sure it is very nice within, but I couldn't tell you a thing about it.

 

As to our experience in "the back", the seats were comfortable enough and reclined if I recall correctly. If you need to take photos, the outer doors between the train cars give you lots of access for photo opportunities since they leave the upper half open. True, they're not elevated like the Gold, but there are plenty of them. We had a dome car that we had access to, and there was an expectation that you should limit your stay there to 20 minutes. There was no competition for it though, and I suspect one could have stayed there for the whole trip since there were always empty seats.

 

I can't tell you about the food at the snack bar in Adventure. We brought some fruit to placate the kids, which they munched happily whenever they wished. I spent my working life driving and riding in tubes, going from one place in the world to another. Adventure class is just fine for us, and saving a bit of money leaves the proper impression on our kids as well. Profligacy is no more acceptable amongst us geezers, than it is in our juniors. This family was quite happy in Adventure class.

 

The ARR folks working the trip were very nice hosts. They were faultless in their attention to the passengers, and were always eager to answer any questions we might have. Our experience left us with a very good impression re. Adventure Class. I suspect we will travel in that category again.

 

Gold class cars are certainly pretty though.....from the outside. ;-)

[corbeck]

".... did not receive an email or anything from the RR folks"

 

I wondered about that as well, till I checked my junkmail folder. My webmail application had intercepted the confirmation email, and put it in my trashcan. I received it, but I didn't know it.

[melehundele]

I got my confirmation, it just took a few days. All clear! :)

[Adri204]

We just did the Adventue Class Anchorage-Seward last week. We are quite cheap (and proud of it). We had assigned seats and access to food, though we really didn't need it since we ate before we left. Also, consider that you will have access to virtually unlimited food when you get to the ship. It is only a 4+ hour trip. I can't comment on the Gold Star service since there is a sign on that car forbidding the "rabble" from entering. I'm sure it is very nice within, but I couldn't tell you a thing about it.

 

As to our experience in "the back", the seats were comfortable enough and reclined if I recall correctly. If you need to take photos, the outer doors between the train cars give you lots of access for photo opportunities since they leave the upper half open. True, they're not elevated like the Gold, but there are plenty of them. We had a dome car that we had access to, and there was an expectation that you should limit your stay there to 20 minutes. There was no competition for it though, and I suspect one could have stayed there for the whole trip since there were always empty seats.

 

I can't tell you about the food at the snack bar in Adventure. We brought some fruit to placate the kids, which they munched happily whenever they wished. I spent my working life driving and riding in tubes, going from one place in the world to another. Adventure class is just fine for us, and saving a bit of money leaves the proper impression on our kids as well. Profligacy is no more acceptable amongst us geezers, than it is in our juniors. This family was quite happy in Adventure class.

 

The ARR folks working the trip were very nice hosts. They were faultless in their attention to the passengers, and were always eager to answer any questions we might have. Our experience left us with a very good impression re. Adventure Class. I suspect we will travel in that category again.

 

Gold class cars are certainly pretty though.....from the outside. ;-)

 

 

The rabble includes Alaskan folks most of the time lol. Its a great way to talk to others who are not tourists but use it to travel back and forth. Also I agree and when I travel I am a budget backpacker who stays in hostels and such. So taking the local cheaper transpo works for me as I also like to save heaps of money and not spend so much. Besides you get the same view and go to the same places,

 

Adri :)