# Florida to Alaska by Rail?



## pennyk (Aug 31, 2015)

I am thinking about planning a trip for 2016 spring/summer or summer/fall to Alaska from Orlando. I want to get to Washington State or Vancouver by Amtrak and then take a ferry to Alaska where I can connect to rail.

Has anyone taken a ferry from either Bellingham, WA or Vancouver to Alaska to a city where there is a rail connection? If so, what city/cities, what time of year? Do you have any suggestions or warnings?

Thanks.


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## MrFSS (Aug 31, 2015)

Try These

*LINK ONE*



*LINK TWO*



*CRUISE LINES*


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## jis (Aug 31, 2015)

There is basically only weekend service Saturday out Sunday back between Anchorage and Fairbanks on Alaska Railroad from Sept 19th onwards when their winter timetable starts. So you have to get to Anchorage to get onto any Alaska Railroad train in October. Also I don't believe the winter Aurora service makes it to the Anchorage Airport station. It operates out of the downtown station. Train service to/from Whittier, where many ferries from Bellingham call, ends on Sep 13th for the year, starting again in Spring 2016.

If your really wish to do the ferry and train thing you might be better off doing it before the summer timetables come to an end on the 13th of September.


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## Bob Dylan (Aug 31, 2015)

What about riding the Canadian to Vancouver ( I know you've done it already)if you can get a decent Fare?

jis gave good advice and Tom's links are good too!

I always enjoyed riding the Ferries on the Inland Passage, ( get a Private cabin since you don't share bathrooms)

I'm not a Cruise ship type person, and enjoyed flying back on Alaska Airlines! They have some good fares and run a good airline compared to some of the "Wings of Man" competirion.

Don't forget any Senior Discounts!


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## pennyk (Aug 31, 2015)

jis said:


> There is basically only weekend service Saturday out Sunday back between Anchorage and Fairbanks on Alaska Railroad from Sept 19th onwards when their winter timetable starts. So you have to get to Anchorage to get onto any Alaska Railroad train in October. Also I don't believe the winter Aurora service makes it to the Anchorage Airport station. It operates out of the downtown station. Train service to/from Whittier, where many ferries from Bellingham call, ends on Sep 13th for the year, starting again in Spring 2016.
> 
> If your really wish to do the ferry and train thing you might be better off doing it before the summer timetables come to an end on the 13th of September.


I am too much of a Floridian to try Alaska in the winter. I was thinking next spring at the earliest. Thanks.


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## jis (Aug 31, 2015)

My advice would be do it after May 13th or so when the Alaska Railroad Summer Timetable goes into effect, so that you can potentially take a ferry to Whittier and get ARR (Glacier Discovery) from there. Before that there is no service to/from Whittier at all, and only weekly service (in some weeks twice weekly) between Anchorage and Fairbanks.

I have also been told by my ARR acquaintances that it is best to go in the shoulder season before the crowds descend upon Alska in the summer. So, do it as close to May 13th as possible or as close to Sept 13th as possible.


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## pennyk (Aug 31, 2015)

jis said:


> My advice would be do it after May 13th or so when the Alaska Railroad Summer Timetable goes into effect, so that you can potentially take a ferry to Whittier and get ARR (Glacier Discovery) from there. Before that there is no service to/from Whittier at all, and only weekly service (in some weeks twice weekly) between Anchorage and Fairbanks.
> 
> I have also been told by my ARR acquaintances that it is best to go in the shoulder season before the crowds descend upon Alska in the summer. So, do it as close to May 13th as possible or as close to Sept 13th as possible.


Thanks. Which shoulder season do you think would be better?


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## Alice (Aug 31, 2015)

I took a road trip there May and June. We drove to Bellingham, took the marine highway to Whittier, drove all over the place ending in Skagway, then took the marine highway back to Bellingham. The Amtrak station is across the road from the ferry depot in Bellingham. It is not really pedestrian friendly, but not unfriendly either, you won't have any trouble walking it with luggage but some people would.

We saw cruise ship people in some ports and I emphatically suggest avoiding that.

People fares on the marine highway ferries are downright cheap, rooms are comfortable and reasonably priced. Taking my car was the most expensive part but I'll probably keep taking it on future trips just because it is easy.

We took food on the ferry but ate one hot meal in the dining room each day. The food was good and priced under Amtrak. The special sells out early. As in Alaska, chicken is expensive but fresh fish is cheap. Tips are banned! With signs that any tips found would be considered a gift to the state general fund.

On the ferry, I'd suggest getting off in several ports for a day or so. Also, everybody talks about the Inland Passage and it is definitely special, but the trip across the Gulf of Alaska was truly awesome. There are several inland passage routes and if you work out the stops and ships right, you can take different ones northbound and southbound. There are plenty of transit options on the islands. If it were me and I didn't have a wheelchair, I'd figure things out in each port at the last minute, but you kind of like things just so, so I'd recommend at least getting phone numbers and schedules in advance.

The Alaska Railroad runs trains hubbed in Anchorage. So the timing is great if you are in Anchorage but want to go fishing for the day in (for example) Whittier, it is rotten if you are landing in Whittier in the morning and don't want to spend the day in Whittier (although there are some great hikes there)! However, the people on the ferries are friendly and you are very likely to meet someone who has a car in Whittier (or anywhere else) and will be happy to give you a lift.

Hang out in public areas and meet people, including the backpackers with tents on the deck, they know how to get around without scheduled service and will happily add you to their carpool. You'll also find families returning from shopping or medical appointments in Juneau who will be happy to fit you in. I always do that kind of travel with a pocket full of small items that say "California" on them.

I did the trip this year with my brother and S-I-L because he had some use-or-lose vacation and it was getting hot where I live. It was fun sending photos of thermometers up there of 72, to people back home baking at 105. I made all reservations about 2 weeks before we left. The ferry stretch from Juneau to Whittier didn't have car space available so I got a ticket for me and my car to Haines (brother and wife to Whittier) and got in the standby lane, with success.

I've done two other Alaska trips. One was another road trip, ferry to Skagway then drive back through Canada. One was at Thanksgiving, flew to Anchorage and rented a car for a couple of weeks, then ferry to Juneau and flew home. After your summer trip, you might change your mind, get the right kind of clothes, and go see the Northern lights. This is another trip you take on short notice so you time it right.

What everybody says about limited winter schedules is all well and good but not enough to abort the trip if that is the only time you can take it. I'm saying this even knowing you like everything planned right. The locals are incredible. Maybe they have a tradition of stories about the stupid tourists. You will be able to find your way around even if it means hitching a ride with some kid whose mother you met in a cafe and she knows the kid is driving to town tomorrow, and btw, would you like to come to dinner tonight at her house, she has always wanted to go to Florida. I am not kidding or exaggerating here.

And Penny, I have 5000 photos from this trip still unsorted, planning on working on them on the train to the Gathering, be happy to bore you if you want to take a look!


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## jis (Aug 31, 2015)

Hey, I did one of my Alaska trips specifically to ride the winter schedule. There is something to be said for chugging into Fairbanks in -35F with Aurora Boreolis lighting up the sky riding on a train named Aurora.


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## JayPea (Aug 31, 2015)

I enjoyed my ride from Anchorage to Fairbanks on the Alaska Railroad in June. I don't know anything about the ferries, though, as I chose to fly from Seattle to Alaska and back.


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## Bob Dylan (Aug 31, 2015)

Bet those pics are great Alice! Look forward to seeing them @ the Gathering!

And Penny, I'm not a fan of Cold either, but my trip on the Canadian in Feb. when it was as low as -40 wasn't a problem!

The people in the Great White North know how to make it comfortable inside in the Winter, and the u can layer up as needed and be Nanuck of the North easily!

All things considered, the Summer/Fall Shoulder is probably your best bet since sometimes the Summer Thaw is late!( and Climate Change is now a factor!)

Disclaimer: its been 10 years since I made this trip!


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## me_little_me (Aug 31, 2015)

Some suggestions. We went 3 years ago, flying into Anchorage for 2 nights, train to Denali 2 nights, train to Anchorage 2 nights with day trip via train to Spencer Glacier, flew to Juneau 3 nights with day trip to Tracy Arm via small tour boat, ferry to Skagway 4 nights and day trip on White Pass RR, ferry to Bellingham with stops along the way.

Put a big sign on your luggage that says

CRUISE SHIPS

with a big red slash though it as in "NO CRUISE SHIPS". we flew in, took the ferry out and when we told people we wouldn't even think of taking a cruise ship, their attitude towards us distinctly change to the positive. The cruisers' money goes mostly to the cruise companies (they own their own railcars and hotel) and they direct the suckers to the shops that deal with the cruise ships in Alaska then the Bahamas so the locals don't do well from the cruisers but do suffer the crowds.

There is not a lot of time between the scheduled arrival in Bellingham on the ferry and the Amtrak train's departure (it was full) so let the purser know you are catching the train. They escorted those of us taking the train to allow us to exit earlier than other walkers and as the vehicles were just starting so we had plenty of time but if the ferry is late ...

June was a great time to go.


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## jis (Aug 31, 2015)

pennyk said:


> Thanks. Which shoulder season do you think would be better?


I missed that question. I am told that overall the fall shoulder is better because things have already been up and running and just less crowded. The problem in spring apparently is that sometimes things don't quite startup when they were supposed to and there are usual teething troubles, specially if the thaw is late For example the Whittier service startup maybe delayed if there are too many avalanche risks still uncleared along the tracks etc.

But I don;t have any personal experience. This is all hearsay.


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## pennyk (Aug 31, 2015)

jis said:


> pennyk said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks. Which shoulder season do you think would be better?
> ...


Thanks. The hearsay you hear is better than the hearsay that I hear.


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