ANCHORAGE, Alaska — November 30, 2025 — The Alaska Railroad closes its 2025 summer season after another strong year of welcoming nearly 500,000 passengers and is now fully underway for its winter service. The Aurora Winter Train departs north from Anchorage on Saturdays and south from Fairbanks on Sundays, with select midweek trips beginning in February.

Service runs through May 10, 2026, and visitors can choose from a wide range of add-on winter experiences. From Anchorage, passengers can book flightseeing over Denali, Knik Glacier or Colony Glacier, join special Iditarod flights in March 2026, walk on Matanuska Glacier or tour Turnagain Arm with a stop at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. In Talkeetna, travelers can dog mush with Iditarod champion Dallas Seavey, snowshoe with a naturalist or take flightseeing trips around Denali. In Fairbanks, options include Arctic Circle tours by air or road, plus northern lights viewing at local lodges or Chena Hot Springs. Coldfoot offers visitors the chance to meet mushers, ride with sled dogs and watch the aurora in Wiseman or on a guided snowshoe outing.

The Aurora Winter Train offers Adventure Class service with wide picture windows, comfortable seating and full-service dining. The 12-hour journey showcases Alaska's best winter scenery, including Denali on clear days, and passengers can either disembark along the way or stay on for the full route. Along the way, passengers may spot moose or other wildlife, turning the ride itself into part of the adventure.

Even though the winter season has just begun, passengers can also get a jump on their 2026 travel plans with a lineup of new and returning travel packages. The Alaska Railroad can also customize any traveler's ticket by bundling accommodations and tours.

“These 2026 packages raise the bar with new activities that show Alaska at its best, said Alaska Railroad Marketing Communications Manager Robin Moore. "We heard our passengers say they want more active excursions so we took their guidance and created engaging experiences that bundle time on our rails with getting out into Alaska's mountains, glaciers and rivers.

New packages for 2026 include:

• Grande Alaska Tour - A 12-day journey connecting Anchorage, Seward, Talkeetna, Denali and Fairbanks. Guests can board the Glacier Discovery Train to raft at Spencer Glacier, ride the Coastal Classic to cruise Kenai Fjords National Park, continue on the Denali Star to meet sled dogs and flightsee over the Alaska Range, and finish with a sternwheeler cruise along the Chena River in Fairbanks.
• Active Alaska Adventure - Built for travelers who like to move. This seven-day trip features ziplining in Talkeetna, rafting and hiking in Denali National Park and Preserve, a glacier trek near Anchorage and heli-hiking or kayaking in Kenai Fjords National Park. Rail connections keep the itinerary smooth while the activities deliver adventure.
• Glaciers, Rails and Trails - An 11-day blend of rail, wilderness lodges and guided tours. Travelers raft past icebergs, hike Exit Glacier, stay at a remote coastal lodge, zipline near Denali National Park and Preserve and take a jetboat ride through Devil's Gorge in Talkeetna

The Alaska Railroad reservations team is available at reservations@akrr.com to book rail tickets, accommodations and other add-ons to create a passenger's customized experience. For more information about the Alaska Railroad, summer packages, service classes, schedules and more, visit www.alaskarailroad.com.