The Coastal Classic winds its way through the "S Curves" as Bartlett Glacier towers in the distance. Click to enlarge.
(RickyCourtney, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)
COASTAL CLASSIC
The Coastal Classic is a passenger and semi-luxury train operated by the Alaska Railroad between the cities of Anchorage and Seward, Alaska. It is a seasonal train, only operating between the months of May and September. Despite its seasonality, the Coastal Classic was the Alaska Railroad's most popular route in 2019.
In 2020, summer services began in July in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Alaska Railroad route. Click to enlarge.
(Jkan997, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)
Station Stops
The Coastal Classic makes the following station stops:
Anchorage
Girdwood
Seward
Overview
Service type: Inter-city rail
Status: Operating
Current operator: Alaska Railroad
Route Termini: Anchorage / Seward
Stops: 1
Distance traveled: 114 miles (183 km)
Average journey time: 4 hours, 15 minutes
Service frequency: Daily each way (May through September)
On-board services
Classes: Adventure Class, GoldStar Service (luxury)
Catering facilities
Café car, dining car (GoldStar Service and select Adventure Class trips)
Observation facilities
Large windows in all cars, dome cars in Adventure Class, Ultra Dome cars with outdoor viewing deck for GoldStar Service
Baggage facilities
Overhead racksbaggage car
Technical
Track gauge: 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Operating speed: 26.8 mph (43.1 km/h) (average); 59 mph (95 km/h) (maximum)