Train from Denali to Whittier question

I recall reading in a random post somewhere that you needed to request one of the glass dome train cars, is that what you call them?

We leave in two weeks and will be taking the train from Denali to Whittier to board our ship on the 16th. Do we need to request through our travel agent or princess directly one of the glass dome train cars?

This is one of the highlights that my mother-in-law is looking forward to and we were assuming the whole train had the glass dome style cars. Just want to be sure we can get on one of these and verify that it is in fact something we need to and can request.

I have gone back and read through various threads and cannot find this topic/specific question. Thank you again to everyone who answers these questions and provide great information especially for those of us newbies!

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I don't recall the name but there is a premium to reserve a seat in the dome car. It was well worth it.

Is this part of a cruisetour, or are you booking a seat direct with the railroad?

On a cruisetour, I think the glass dome cars are automatically part of your package. At least, they were on mine a few years back. The locomotive pulls both types of cars - for cruisetour passengers and regular rail passengers.

Is this part of a cruisetour, or are you booking a seat direct with the railroad?

 

On a cruisetour, I think the glass dome cars are automatically part of your package. At least, they were on mine a few years back. The locomotive pulls both types of cars - for cruisetour passengers and regular rail passengers.

There is no Denali /Whittier train, outside the Princess contracts.

All Princess seats are "dome" seats. You will be assigned a table, that seats 4. You can not request seats, they are randomly assigned (at least have been in the past). First seaters, choose where they sit. ideal for parties of 4 traveling. The first 8 hours is a lot of repetitive trees and more trees and more trees. :) Makes a big difference is Denali is viewable, which it isn't likely. The last 2 hours are your prime scenery. It's a very roomy relaxing transit.

There is no Denali /Whittier train, outside the Princess contracts.

 

All Princess seats are "dome" seats. You will be assigned a table, that seats 4. You can not request seats, they are randomly assigned (at least have been in the past). First seaters, choose where they sit. ideal for parties of 4 traveling. The first 8 hours is a lot of repetitive trees and more trees and more trees. :) Makes a big difference is Denali is viewable, which it isn't likely. The last 2 hours are your prime scenery. It's a very roomy relaxing transit.

We just got back from a Princess land tour to/from Denali via the train. We were in a domed car, but we weren't seated at tables. The tables were downstairs in the dining part of the car and yes, they were tables for 4. While in Denali we spoke to some a couple who complained about having to sit at tables riding 'backwards' for the journey, but that wasn't the kind of car we were in. For us all the seats were like coach-bus seats, all facing forwards and with pull down tray-tables (like on airplanes). I did notice that even though this was a Princess tour, we were in Holland-America marked cars. Those were definitely the cars to be in.

Is this part of a cruisetour, or are you booking a seat direct with the railroad?

 

On a cruisetour, I think the glass dome cars are automatically part of your package. At least, they were on mine a few years back. The locomotive pulls both types of cars - for cruisetour passengers and regular rail passengers.

We are part of a cruisertour with Princess

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The Denali Express - DEX - Denali to Whittier train or the reverse Whittier to Denali

uses 1 Alaska Railroad Double Decker Dome coach & a mix of Holland or Princess coaches. Seating is assigned.

Rumor is the Princess coaches are going to be refurbished & they will install the same type of seats as the Holland Coaches

does anyone know if in fact Princess will be replacing their 4 Tops for regular domed coach seats? We have a 2018 cruise tour booked with a 9 hour train ride from Whittier to Denali but will cancel if the 4 seated tables are still in use.

does anyone know if in fact Princess will be replacing their 4 Tops for regular domed coach seats? We have a 2018 cruise tour booked with a 9 hour train ride from Whittier to Denali but will cancel if the 4 seated tables are still in use.

2016 they were still the 4 seats at the table. Who knows for 2017 and who would ever dream for 2018 :D

2016 they were still the 4 seats at the table. Who knows for 2017 and who would ever dream for 2018 :D

Were the seats at least padded and reclined? and how much storage space is there under those seats?(or is it a bench)

Were the seats at least padded and reclined? and how much storage space is there under those seats?(or is it a bench)

The seats are minimally padded, no recline and very little leg room/storage space under the table. All in all, my least favorite part of our Alaska experience. We did have the coach-type seats in a domed car between Denali and McKinley -- too bad they don't have that down to Whittier.

The seats are minimally padded, no recline and very little leg room/storage space under the table. All in all, my least favorite part of our Alaska experience. We did have the coach-type seats in a domed car between Denali and McKinley -- too bad they don't have that down to Whittier.

Well, I am not spending 9 hours in such an uncomfortable way...and paying good money for it as well. Sorry Princess!

There is LOTS of youtube video that shows the interior of the trains as well as the scenery. There's even video foryour specific 9 hr trip.

Just go to youtube.com and search on 'denali to whittier train'.

There is LOTS of youtube video that shows the interior of the trains as well as the scenery. There's even video foryour specific 9 hr trip.

 

Just go to youtube.com and search on 'denali to whittier train'.

thank you so much!! this would definitely not work for us..my husband is 6'3" and would never fit in that space for 9 hours...I will definitely cancel our cruise tour on Princess.

Being in a backward facing seat would be my fear. That would be miserable.

Consider renting a car .... it's such a straightforward drive to denali. Ive done it by rental car and rental RV. Easy peasy. And i sure wasnt the only woman driving a motorhome up there.

Drives are also on youtube. :)

Or you can replicate the cruisetour by booking the train yourself (breakup the journey by overnighting in talkeetna.) Or take the train one way and take Park Connection bus the other. Lots of options.:)

Do you have a puli?

Being in a backward facing seat would be my fear. That would be miserable.

Consider renting a car .... it's such a straightforward drive to denali. Ive done it by rental car and rental RV. Easy peasy. And i sure wasnt the only woman driving a motorhome up there.

Drives are also on youtube. :)

 

Or you can replicate the cruisetour by booking the train yourself (breakup the journey by overnighting in talkeetna.) Or take the train one way and take Park Connection bus the other. Lots of options.:)

 

Do you have a puli?

as to trip we are too old to drive and look at the same time .so will switch to NCL where you can up grade to Gold Service. Same journey almost.

Maybe look for a cruisetour that has 1 more day so you dont have that long trip from denali to whittier. Good luck!

This "fact" with the Princess trains, catches a lot of people by surprise. It's fortunate it's noted on this board frequently for trip planning. I also find with Princess lacking cruisetours, with time spent at McKinley Princess, and the question, "what should we do here"? Why take up short cruise tour time? Especially at the expense of time at Denali. Add to the mix, frequent inclusion of the worthless Natural History tour, again, very unclear to a lot of people.

But they do shine- ( in the past) with the option to get refunds for the tours, and get the "best" of being able to make informed choices, once you make the effort to find them out.

thank you so much!! this would definitely not work for us..my husband is 6'3" and would never fit in that space for 9 hours...I will definitely cancel our cruise tour on Princess.

You are not stuck in your seat for 9 hours. You can get up and walk around. You can go to the dining car and grab a bite to eat or walk back to the last car and stand on the outside viewing platform.

Being in a backward facing seat would be my fear. That would be miserable.

Mapleleaves - I am in awe of your Alaska knowledge and enjoy reading your posts, but please don't fear riding backward on the train. If I had a dollar for every time I heard that comment by newbies boarding the train and moving to a different car where the seats face front.;p Thousands of big city commuters ride backward every day twice a day. I've done it for years myself. There is no difference at all. You'd think there would be, but there's not. And even if there are a few people who claim that for them it is, even fewer would call it "miserable". (I had to put that out there because there are always exceptions to everything.:p)

That said, I don't care for the tables in the Princess train cars either. But it has nothing to do with riding backward.

Actually the people on our train who were in the backward facing seats had an advantage in seeing the mountain as we left Denali. Backward facing gives you longer views of scenery behind. For my trip this was the only day we had clear views.

Here's another way to think of it. If you've ever been to an amusement park, you've surely enjoyed the rides like the spinning teacups or whatever. And they go backwards for a time. And it's just as much fun as going forward, right?

You are not stuck in your seat for 9 hours. You can get up and walk around. You can go to the dining car and grab a bite to eat or walk back to the last car and stand on the outside viewing platform.

Almost forgot about the viewing platform. We were fortunate enough to be assigned to the last train car on the ride from Denali to Whittier. I rode a good part of the way, all of Turnagain Arm and through the tunnel, standing up and riding backward on that back platform. Going through the tunnel out there was really awesome, btw.:cool:

We were on the train from Denali to Whittier in 2007. My husband is also 6'3" . The 4 for tables were set and when they called our number, we hurried to get on to sit forward. The other couple was a lady that almost could not fit up the stairs to the top and she did not go down at all. Very large lady! But we were on the last (first) seat so we had room for my husband to stretch his legs and more room to put our totes. The worst thing was that we were on it June first and I got very motion sick. They told us that the ground under the tracks are not always thawed out that early. I was miserable. They interviewed me and thank goodness I had not lost my breakfast. I learned later that I would not have been able to get on the ship if I had as they could not guarantee I did not have an illness. They got me a dramamine and ginger ale and I got easier, but could not eat at all. AND our trip lasted 11 hours! Mt. McKinley was out in full force though! Beautiful!