Chase the Aurora With Some Help From Alaska Railroad

One of the biggest draws to Fairbanks, Alaska has to be the chance to view the northern lights. Due to the Interior Alaska city’s position under the Auroral Oval –the region of the most highly concentrated aurora borealis activity in the northern hemisphere – winter visitors have an excellent chance of seeing the light show in the sky.

But how to arrive in Fairbanks?

The Alaska Railroad operates the Aurora Winter Train from Anchorage to Fairbanks each Saturday from mid-September to mid-May. In the busiest travel weeks of Alaska’s winter – around the holidays, and late February through March – the standard weekend service is supplemented with additional midweek train departures.

Aboard the train, passengers enjoy sit-down dining, interesting commentary from the onboard staff and jaw-dropping views of winter Alaska.

Winter travelers eager to explore can take advantage of the Alaska Railroad’s selection of winter travel packages. These Alaska travel itineraries include train travel between destinations, as well as accommodations and activities to explore the Last Frontier.

“The Aurora” is a six-night travel package from the Alaska Railroad that offers the best of winter in Alaska. Travelers enjoy a day to explore Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city, before boarding the train north.

A two-night stay in the charming town of Talkeetna allows time for flightseeing over the Alaska Range and a guided dogsledding tour before continuing the rail journey north to Fairbanks.

Here, guests embark on a search for the northern lights on a guided aurora lodge tour and visit Chena Hot Springs, where a soak in the springs is an excellent way to keep warm during a night of looking up to the clear, dark sky for the northern lights.

Planning a winter trip to Alaska? Find 2019/2020 winter travel packages and train schedules at www.AlaskaRailroad.com.