Trip Ideas Adventure Travel You Can See the Northern Lights From This Alaska Train — and It's Adding More Rides Next Month Experience the magical winter scenery between Anchorage and Fairbanks, Alaska from the comfort of the rails. By Rachel Chang Rachel Chang Instagram Twitter Website Rachel Chang is a travel and pop culture journalist who grew up in the California Bay Area and now lives in New York City (well, Hoboken, New Jersey). She's a solo travel advocate, dumpling addict, and reluctant runner — who managed to finish the NYC marathon three times. She's also volunteered with Habitat for Humanity in Romania and Poland. Rachel started her editorial career chasing celebrities as a magazine editor (Popstar associate editor, CosmoGirl entertainment editor, J-14 editor-in-chief, Us Weekly senior editor). Along the way, she also started chasing passport stamps and is now a freelance writer and editor contributing to Travel + Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler, Lonely Planet, and The Washington Post, among others. She also edits standalone entertainment and travel magazines. Prior to this, she worked in television publicity at The WB Television Network, and also interned at Nickelodeon and "Dawson's Creek." * 25+ years of media experience in television, magazines, and digital brands * 20+ years of editorial experience as a journalist, writer, and editor * TaiwaneseAmerican.org's 100 Passionate People Pioneer * Syracuse University's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications Professional Gallery Wall of Fame * Received a bachelor's degree in communication studies from the University of California, Los Angeles * Received a master's degree in magazine, newspaper, and online journalism from Syracuse University's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications * Completed writing courses through UCLA Extension, Media Bistro, Gotham Writers Workshop, Yale Writers' Workshop, and the Highlights Foundation * Founding executive board member of the alumni group Newhouse 44 and still serves as a member * 15+ years of experience as a judge for the Mirror Awards Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines Published on January 14, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Kerry Tasker/Courtesy of Alaska Railroad Combining the joy of slow travel and the unspoiled winter serenity of Alaska's backcountry, Alaska Railroad's Aurora Winter Train travels nearly 350 miles on a 12-hour journey between Anchorage and Fairbanks, passing through some of the most stunning landscapes in country. And there will soon be more opportunities to hop on board as the midweek service starts up on select days from Feb. 14 through Mar. 25. Currently, only the weekend route with northbound service on Saturdays and southbound on Sundays is running; this route started back up in September and runs through May 8, 2022. The winter months are prime time to experience the 49th state's snow-capped scenery, whether sitting back in the train's warm comfort to take in views through the large picture windows, or hopping off at one of the stops for adventures like dog-sledding, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, or even chasing the northern lights. The midweek service offers more opportunities to spot aurora borealis with northbound services on select Tuesdays and Thursdays and southbound on select Wednesdays and Fridays during the six-week period. This winter train trip — which holds the Tripadvisor top spot as Anchorage's favorite attraction — departs Anchorage with stops in Wasilia and Talkeetna before providing flag stop service on 50 miles of the backcountry, including Chase, Curry, Sherman, Gold Creek, Canyon, Twin Bridges, Hurricane, and Denali. Finally, it stops in Healy and Nenana before pulling into Fairbanks. Along the way, passengers can spot wildlife like moose, and on clear days, they might even catch a glimpse of Denali above the Susitna River. While the route is the same as the one Denali Star Train follows in the summer, the seasonality paints a whole new mesmerizing landscape — and the winter months are a much better time to catch the northern lights. "The Alaska Railroad gives passengers the chance to admire the beauty of Alaska and embark on authentic Alaska adventures around the state," Alaska Railroad's vice president of marketing and customer service Dale Wade said in a statement released to Travel + Leisure, calling it an "unforgettable Alaska winter experience." To further lean into the season, Alaska Railroad also offers winter packages, with both one- and multi-day options. The six-night The Aurora journey ($1,545 per person) starts in Anchorage with overnights in Talkeetna and Fairbanks, dog sled and aurora borealis tours, and a trip to Chena Hot Springs. Also available are packages like the one-night Talkeetna Getaway ($289 per person), daylong Denali in a Day ($315 per person), and overnight Winter Escape ($445 per person). Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit