Anchorage, Alaska

[stuartmoss]

Hi Folks,

I have been given one of those 'opportunities of a lifetime' next June to go to Alaska. This is to present at a conference in Anchorage, so naturally I'm having difficulty containing my enormous excitement at the prospect of this fabulous trip.

Despite being the Alaskan state capital, Anchorage doesn't seem too easy to get to in under a very large amount of hours, or without 2 changes.

The best trip I can find using this year's flight timetables is from Frankfurt, which is direct with Condor, and there is a connecting flight from Manchester to Frankfurt with Condor. This seems OK, although it's a little more expensive than I have pre-budgeted for going on this year's prices.

But I just wondered if any of you seasoned travellers might have any other suggestions for getting to Anchorage, that won't take too long or too many plane changes?

Has anyone reading this been to Anchorage? Naturally I want to film some rail movements while I'm there, any tips, advice? Is the station area safe for filming etc?

Cheers all...I still can't believe it...ALASKA!!! Happy Days

Many thanks!

 

[SS4]

Juneau is Alaska's capital

Sadly I do not know anything else although I am insanely jealous, they have a wonderful climate

 

[jb]

Via Seattle I would think. SeaTac is Alaska Airlines' main hub (in the lower 49).

 

[atillathehunn]

On current flight timetables you can do it with one change in Atlanta using Delta from Manchester. That takes 39 hours, however.

From Heathrow it's possible in one change in around 16 hours.

 

[89-763-733]

I beleive Anchorage station itself is now covered over in the style of Birmingham New Street but there is a road bridge at a higher level with a footpath where you can view trains and with a reasonable zoom get pictures of locos in the depot. At ground level at the north end of the station there is a public road with level crossing where you can take pictures. As long as you stay off the track you can stay there indefinitely without problems. But Alaska Railroad have their own very efficient Police. In 2008 I spent a couple of hours in public areas in and around the station and had no problems. At one point a Japanese (?) tourist appeared and took a picture with one foot on a rail and officers appeared out of nowhere and told him off.

I would recomend the Yahoo Alaska Railroad group for futher info and if you have time travel on the ARR. Great customer service, proper dining cars and 99 % GM haulage (They have one DMU vehicle)

 

[crispy1978]

Jealous!!! Have a great time!!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Stevens_Anchorage_International_Airport might be of some use?

 

[pablo]

Last time I went the best offering was Manchester - Dusseldorf overnight - Anchorage over northern Greenland via Prudoe Bay and returning over the Pole. Outbound, you land before you have taken-off!
You can try BA from LHR to SeaTac and then onwards domestically with Continental.
I found Delta with a midwest change rather expensive and lengthy.
Car hire was in the domestic terminal so a shuttle bus is used.
Good place in summer. Mossies are a problem in June. They do have four seasons, it's just they call them June, July, August and winter. 10 hour time difference. Very long days in summer; quite warm; better than our summer.
Not a lot to see in Anc. You need to get out and about.
http://akweathercams.faa.gov/viewsite.php http://www.alaska.net/anchorage.html
Their locos are huge. Wouldn't fit GC+.

Here is a pargraph from a travelogue I wrote:

The State spans latitudes 60 degrees to 70 degrees north, roughly the same as Norway, but from the tip of the Aleutians to the maritime panhandle in the southeast, is the equivalent of California to Florida! The far North gets 36 days of continuous daylight in summer and pays for it in winter. Even in Anchorage in early August, it hardly goes dark. The climate then is generally warm and dry, if sometimes overcast. Periodic frontal systems off the north Pacific produce rain, especially in the coastal mountainous areas. Fairbanks though, in the interior, is technically a desert with only 16" of rain a year. Valdez, nestling in Prince William Sound, a fjord, gets 30' of snow routinely in winter and 45' exceptionally. There, on one occasion, I've seen four different weather phenomena simultaneously but had wonderful weather another time. The glaciers produce their own microclimate and the calved bergs float out to sea. None of it bothers the sea lions, sea otters, bald eagles or the puffins. It's a land of great contrasts. Don't forget your bad weather gear but bring your shorts, tee shirts and swimming kit also.

 

[Royston Vasey]

You won't get less than two changes unless you want to make your own way to Heathrow.

BA have some partnering deals (not full codeshare) with Alaska Airlines so the OP can book through on one ticket LHR to ANC, or even MAN or LBA to ANC. Continental (now United) are fine but a separate booking may mean no joined-up thinking if the incoming flight is delayed. On one booking, you'll be rebooked automatically.

It's probably worth flying MAN-LHR or LBA-LHR, it gives a very easy stress-free same-terminal connection in T5 for virtually no extra fare. Then LHR-SEA, SEA-ANC from there. Looks like roughly £1050 on BA that far out. I fly transatlantic a lot and I think that's a decent price.

Allow a couple of hours layover in SEA as you'll have to immigrate and recheck your bags.

There is always Icelandair, a very low frills airline, Manchester-Reykjavik-Seattle and Alaska from there, which may well be cheaper. Expect it to be full of annoying American backpackers, that's all!

The difference in fares BA to FI that far out seems to be small or zero. I know which I'd choose!

 

[High Dyke]

Hope you get chance to explore, and not purely bogged down in work.

Railroad info: http://www.alaskarailroad.com/

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

There is always Icelandair, a very low frills airline, Manchester-Reykjavik-Seattle and Alaska from there, which may well be cheaper. Expect it to be full of annoying American backpackers, that's all!

New direct Icelandair Reykjavik-Anchorage recently announced:

http://www.icelandair.us/informatio..._and_New_Routes_to_Zurich_and_St__Petersburg/

 

[stut]

Alaska Airlines codeshares with American, so you should be able to connect via Chicago easily enough.

 

[pablo]

Icelandair has always been the maverick. They used to be non-IATA. Is that still the case?
Reykjavik is almost on the great-circle route so that'll be the shortest flying time.

"The best way to see ALASKA is from the Railroad".
I disagree. Very limited and dead slow. You'll miss a lot that way. Similar with cruise ships.

 

[Royston Vasey]

New direct Icelandair Reykjavik-Anchorage recently announced:

http://www.icelandair.us/informatio..._and_New_Routes_to_Zurich_and_St__Petersburg/

That's pretty convenient for the OP then. I'd expect that to be the cheapest option then, though he'll need to pay for food and drink etc. Only twice a week also.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Alaska Airlines codeshares with American, so you should be able to connect via Chicago easily enough.

True but ORD is an awful airport to connect through! Immigration is the least efficient I've come across. Almost missed a flight despite a 3 hour connection there once.

 

[stut]

Yeah, pretty much all the bad US immigration experiences I've had have been in ORD...

One option, though, is to travel via Dublin. You save the APD, and get to go through US immigration on departure, meaning you do a simple domestic transfer on arrival. Plus, there's the craic.

 

[stuartmoss]

Thanks for the continual stream of good information.

I have in fact found return flights with Iceland Air with a two hour break in Rekyavik in each direction for the bargain price of £686.

I'm also going to do the Alaska - Seeward day trip in the 'bubble' train carriage with panoramic views.

I'll remember to take my mossie spray, because the little buggers love my pasty fleshy skin!

Thanks all, keep em coming.

 

[pablo]

Very slow and scenic on the way although lin parts areas of conifers obstruct. Not a lot to see in Seward but if you have the layover, there are boat trips from the 'dock' to see the Orcas in Ressolution Bay. That's worth doin'.

 

[stuartmoss]

Very slow and scenic on the way although lin parts areas of conifers obstruct. Not a lot to see in Seward but if you have the layover, there are boat trips from the 'dock' to see the Orcas in Ressolution Bay. That's worth doin'.

Ooh that sounds good, I think the day return to Seeward gives me around 5-6 hours there. Do you think this would be sufficient to do the boat trip?

 

[pablo]

That must be an early start; 5-6 hours. What will you do there?
Can't remember if the trip was 2 or 4 hours. Most likely the latter. Umerikans don't do things by halves. Hasn't the AK RR got a trip sorted? Seems an obvious extension. If not you will probably find a skipper willing to fit in with you, so long as you have sufficient numbers. This is Alaska after all. It's Seward BTW. Not quite the end-of-the-world but, if you go much further, you do fall in the Pacific.