Where in Talkeetna does the Princess McKinley lodge shuttle pick-up and drop-off?

[Torfamm]

My title says it all.  I am curious about exactly where we go to get the shuttle back to the McKinley Lodge. I am planning to stay in Talkeetna for the afternoon after we arrive there by train rather than going directly to the lodge. Thanks for your help!

[GTJ]

4 hours ago, Torfamm said:

I am planning to stay in Talkeetna for the afternoon after we arrive there by train rather than going directly to the lodge.

Keep in mind that there are three railroad stations in Talkeetna, so make certain that your plan considers this logistical detail. The traditional station at Talkeetna, in the commercial center at milepost 226.7, is used in the winter for the “Aurora.” A newer Talkeetna station, opened in late 1997, is used in the summer for the “Denali Star,” including the “Wilderness Express” (private cars) with which it is combined. The summer station is on the south side of Talkeetna, at milepost 226.1. Finally, the McKinley station, used in the summer by the “McKinley Explorer” and “McKinley Express” (both exclusively using private cars owned by Holland America Line-Princess Cruises), is much further south of Talkeetna, milepost 223.3 where Woodpecker Avenue meets the railroad tracks. So do be certain that you are familiar enough with getting from the appropriate train station in Talkeetna to the places you intend to visit, and have arranged (or will arrange) for local transportation if required.

[Torfamm]

2 hours ago, GTJ said:

Keep in mind that there are three railroad stations in Talkeetna, so make certain that your plan considers this logistical detail. The traditional station at Talkeetna, in the commercial center at milepost 226.7, is used in the winter for the “Aurora.” A newer Talkeetna station, opened in late 1997, is used in the summer for the “Denali Star,” including the “Wilderness Express” (private cars) with which it is combined. The summer station is on the south side of Talkeetna, at milepost 226.1. Finally, the McKinley station, used in the summer by the “McKinley Explorer” and “McKinley Express” (both exclusively using private cars owned by Holland America Line-Princess Cruises), is much further south of Talkeetna, milepost 223.3 where Woodpecker Avenue meets the railroad tracks. So do be certain that you are familiar enough with getting from the appropriate train station in Talkeetna to the places you intend to visit, and have arranged (or will arrange) for local transportation if required.

Thanks for the info on the train stations! Hopefully someone has recent experience with the shuttle that goes from town to the Princess McKinley  Lodge. Still wondering where it picks people up. Is it at one of the train stations?

[GTJ]

Ideally someone with recent first-hand experience can respond directly. In the absence thereof let me offer a few additional observations and speculations.

 

Hotel shuttle services generally fall into one of two categories: (1) bringing arriving guests to the hotel from transportation terminals before having checked-in, and from the hotel to transportation terminals after check-out, and (2) transporting checked-in guests from the hotel to and from local places of interest. There’s little problem with the first type, but you’re looking to travel on the second type. Many times the latter type requires users to show evidence that they are a guest—such as showing a room key—or to have made advance arrangements in both directions with the hotel’s concierge. Sometimes these services operate only on demand, without a fixed schedule or fixed termini. It is quite likely (though not definitively the case) that even were you to present yourself to the shuttle operator in Talkeetna you would be denied service if the shuttle operator were not expecting you. Again, it is a guest transportation shuttle, not a transportation terminal shuttle. The hotel’s local telephone number is (907) 426-0500; at some point you will likely have to call to make the specific arrangements so that you will be expected.

 

It seems unlikely that this shuttle service will utilize any of the railroad stations. The in-town Talkeetna station is used only in winter, and while very close is not directly upon the main commercial street. The summer Talkeetna railroad station, a bit less than one mile away, does have motorcoach parking spaces, but is functionally designed only to meet train arrivals and departures. It is not well-located to serve persons looking to walk around central Talkeetna, and there are few commercial establishment targeting persons on foot along the roadway connecting the train station with central Talkeetna. In short, this station would fail to meet the expectations of hotel guests seeking a shuttle into central Talkeetna. The summer McKinley railroad station is simply too distant from central Talkeetna to be a shuttle destination terminal.

 

Holland American Line and Princess Cruises (collectively, “HAP Alaska”) controls substantial parts of the tour circuit industry, including the Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge. HAP Alaska also owns and operates all the cars typically used on the “McKinley Explorer” (the train that the Alaska Railroad operates exclusively for HAP Alaska between downtown Anchorage and Denali National Park). Both the “McKinley Explorer” and “McKinley Express” (the train that the Alaska Railroad operates exclusively for HAP Alaska between Whittier and McKinley, using chartered Alaska Railroad cars) trains, and only these two trains, stop at the McKinley station in Talkeetna. In other words, the McKinley station is the exclusive station in Talkeetna for HAP Alaska. The two other stations within Talkeetna are not used by either of the two HAP Alaska trains, but are used instead by the Alaska Railroad’s own trains (and the Wilderness Express private cars), used by independent travelers, passengers from cruise lines other than Holland America Line and Princess Cruises, and other tour companies. In other words, there is no reason for HAP Alaska to routinely use either of the two stations within Talkeetna. HAP Alaska would only need to serve the two stations within Talkeetna for those guests using non-HAP Alaska trains, such as passengers destined to or from Fairbanks.

 

HAP Alaska is, itself, a substantial motor carrier of passengers through its subsidiary Royal Hyway Tours, Inc. According to the most recent statistics from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Royal Hyway Tours has 431 vehicles, most of which are believed to be full size motorcoaches. That subsidiary has an extensive shuttle service that ferries HAP Alaska train passengers between the McKinley station, central Talkeetna, and the various hotels surrounding Talkeetna. These transfers are included with the land tour packages sold by HAP Alaska, but are excluded from rail-only tickets sold by HAP Alaska (whether bus drivers actually check tickets is unclear, as there is little reason for anyone to be at McKinley station unless alighting from a train, and few passengers purchase rail-only tickets). Other than at midday train arrival times (12:00–12:15 p.m. daily, 12:40–1:30 p.m. Saturdays and alternate Wednesdays, and 1:40–1:55 p.m. daily), there is no shuttle activity at McKinley station. A regularly scheduled (non-HAP Alaska) motorcoach service, Park Connection, uses Mahay’s Jet Boat Adventures as its in-town Talkeetna bus stop. This location is one block south of the main commercial street in Talkeetna (Main Street). Non-HAP Alaska tour and charter companies will stop at the summer Talkeetna railroad station, to transfer their clients to and from trains at the station.

 

Given all the foregoing, my speculation is that the hotel shuttle service is provided by HAP Alaska, probably through its subsidiary Royal Hyway Tours, to and from one or more locations in or around Main Street, Talkeetna. It seems unlikely that that the hotel service would routinely be providing service to or from any of the railroad stations. It is not clear if this shuttle service operates on demand for individual guests (in which case it would likely use a small cutaway or minibus vehicle) or if regularly scheduled for large groups of guests (in which case it would likely use a full size motorcoach).

 

Again, first hand observations from others would be most useful here. But hopefully these observations and speculations of mine might provide helpful insights. In any case, however, giving a call to the hotel would likely provide the most authoritative information.