McKinley Explorer Talkeetna stop

[cruizinfools]

Per our itinerary, the Mckinley Explorer from Anchorage to Denali stops in Talkeetna for 20 minutes (arrive 12:15, depart 12:35). Can anyone tell me what this stop is for? I am thinking it is possibly only for those whose destination is Talkeetna and/or to pick up additional passengers? Doesn't seem like that is enough time to get off the train to look around a bit and then re-board. Is that even allowed? :confused:

[sammiedawg]

I have not done a HAL cruise tour but we've done Princess several times. The trains pull multiple cars and only a couple will be associated with a cruise. Non cruise passengers get off in Talkeetna, there are substantial motels there.

You may also have a Princess car on your train. Their cruise tours transfer from the train to a bus to go to the Mt McKinley lodge. Princess runs shuttles back and forth from Talkeetna to the lodge.

Doubt you have enough time to look around but you can probably get out to stretch.

[Crew News]

It was a regular stop on my McKinley Explorer ride in June. If not passengers it still stops because other trains need to pass.

[cruizinfools]

It was a regular stop on my McKinley Explorer ride in June. If not passengers it still stops because other trains need to pass.

 

Do you remember if you were allowed to get off the train? If it is truly just a 20 minute stop for HAL folks, it doesn't seem like they would encourage you to get off the train in the interest of departing for Denali on time.

 

Thanks to both you and sammiedawg for your responses!

Marilyn

[Crew News]

Do you remember if you were allowed to get off the train? If it is truly just a 20 minute stop for HAL folks, it doesn't seem like they would encourage you to get off the train in the interest of departing for Denali on time.

 

Thanks to both you and sammiedawg for your responses!

Marilyn

 

I don't remember being discouraged from getting off the train but I don't remember seeing anything nearby worth visiting.

[davidpw97]

Did the Mckinley Explorer from Denali to Anchorage back in May. I believe we were told we couldn't get off. We picked up new passengers and left again. I think even if I had been allowed to get off, there didn't seem enough time to go into town or see anything noteworthy before having to get back on the train again.

[alwaysfrantic]

Our train stopped for boarding and disembarking but we were not told we could get off. I don't have the feeling they would have let me if I had tried, but I did not.

[sammiedawg]

The train stop is on the outskirts of Talkeetna and it is a tiny little town. The fictional town in Northern Exposure is modeled after Talkeetna so you know up front it is a tiny but very charming town. Denali flightseeing is very popular from their airport.

The best way to see Talkeetna is to rent a car from Anchorage before the cruise tour. It's a nice two or three hour drive and you can stop various places like Wasila and the Princess Mt McKinley lodge. If the mountain is out spend time on the back deck at the lodge for great viewing.

Or go on a Princess cruise tour that includes the Mt McKinley lodge, 45 minutes away by bus. They run shuttles back and forth to Talkeetna.

We love all things Alaska.

[Sacto Rick]

When we were on the train last month, it stopped in Talkeetna but us HAL passengers on cruise tour were told not to get off the train.

[cruizinfools]

Thanks everyone for your responses! Exactly what I was looking for and will be helpful for those on my roll call (Noordam, 9/17/17! Woohoo!!).

[Swice]

I have not done a HAL cruise tour but we've done Princess several times. The trains pull multiple cars and only a couple will be associated with a cruise. Non cruise passengers get off in Talkeetna, there are substantial motels there.

You may also have a Princess car on your train. Their cruise tours transfer from the train to a bus to go to the Mt McKinley lodge. Princess runs shuttles back and forth from Talkeetna to the lodge.

Doubt you have enough time to look around but you can probably get out to stretch.

 

 

 

Exactly-- For Princess Lodge people to get on/off. It was very organized. They have all the lodge passengers already divided into groups for the proper car.

The town is a short walk from the train stop... even if they let you off, there's no way you could walk and be back in 20-minutes. A side note: A VERY high recommendation for Talkeetna Air. One reason we took Princess last year was to vary our tour from our previous HAL trip. We rode the Princess shuttle (early) to Talkeetna and took a flight tour to see the peak of Denali (Mt. McKinley). It was a sunny day, but you couldn't see the peak from the ground. Our flight took us above the clouds--- and it was a life highlight. I'm not a "nature" person (my wife is) and even I would put it on my short list of life highlights.