Seward Depot (Alaska Railroad), Alaska

Written By Kelsey Cecil

Seward, Alaska · Updated October 19, 2026 · 10 min read

Historic rail siteHistoric 1917 depot; Alaska Railroad trains reach Seward on the summer southern route

The Seward Depot was built in 1917 at the ocean end of the Alaska Railroad, when Seward was the Gateway to Alaska; it survived the 1964 earthquake and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.

  • Built in 1917
  • Once called the Gateway to Alaska
  • Survived the 1964 earthquake
  • National Register listing, 1987
  • Southern end of the Alaska Railroad

Seward Depot (Alaska Railroad) at a glance

Hours
Depot interior hours not posted; Alaska Railroad summer service to Seward
Admission
Free to view the exterior; city tours $45 to $171 in 2026
Train rides
Alaska Railroad trains between Anchorage and Seward in summer; tour packages with round-trip rail from $271
Plan for
About 30 minutes for the depot; 1 to 5 hours with a tour
Best for
Families riding the Alaska Railroad to Seward
Accessibility
Hearing impaired TDD line for Alaska Railroad passenger services: (907) 265-2620

Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.

Look inside the book

Taking the kids to Seward Depot (Alaska Railroad)? Bring Rally along.

In Rally Takes the Train, a corgi's little legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. It takes about five minutes to read, a good fit for the drive to Seward.

Page 1 of 8

Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

Like it so far? See the full book

25 hand-painted pages, paperback, $13.99 with fast shipping from Amazon.

Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.

The depot at the ocean end of the line

The Seward Depot, also known as the Seward Station, was built in 1917 at what is now Adams Street and Ballaine Boulevard to serve the railroad line north from Seward. In those years the depot was known as the Gateway to Alaska, standing where the rails began at Seward's deepwater port. When the railroad was completed in 1923, its tracks linked Seward with the interior town of Fairbanks.

The building's toughest test came in the 1964 earthquake. The depot survived, but the track beside it did not. It is now a former depot, and in 1987 it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

The Alaska Railroad still serves Seward, at the southern end of a line that stretches north to Fairbanks. Seward sits at the head of Resurrection Bay on the Kenai Peninsula and is one of Alaska's oldest communities. Exhibit hours inside the historic depot are not posted online, so ask locally about access.

Around the depot and downtown Seward

Look for the 1917 depot at Adams Street and Ballaine Boulevard and picture the ships and trains that met here. The Alaska Railroad's one-hour Historical City Tour picks up at the cruise terminal or train depot for a guided look at Seward's colorful past, and the town's historic downtown is filled with shops, restaurants and galleries.

Don’t miss

  1. The 1917 depot buildingSeward's original railroad station, which survived the 1964 earthquake.
  2. Historical City TourA one-hour guided tour of Seward's past offered with the Alaska Railroad in summer.

Arriving by train with kids

The best way to make the depot exciting for kids is to arrive by train on the Alaska Railroad's summer southern route from Anchorage, then walk to the historic building. The Seward Deluxe Tour adds the Exit Glacier visitor center and the Alaska SeaLife Center, both easy wins for families.

Plan your visit: tips for Seward Depot (Alaska Railroad)

  • Book Seward tours and rail packages by calling (800) 544-0552.
  • The Seward Deluxe Tour does not run Mondays or Tuesdays.
  • Use Alaska Railroad's Passenger Train Finder to track your train.
  • Ask locally whether the historic depot's interior is open on your visit.

The Alaska Railroad runs annual event trains, including holiday trains, alongside its regular routes. Dates and routes vary each year, so check the railroad's Event Trains page, and see our roundup of Christmas train rides in Alaska for more holiday ideas.

The railroad that still serves Seward

The Alaska Railroad carries more than 500,000 passengers a year across almost 500 miles of track and keeps Seward on its map. Riding the train to Seward, booking a local city tour or shopping the railroad's gift shop are simple ways to support the line that made this depot matter.

Rail history up the line

About 78 miles north, the Anchorage Museum hosted the Alaska Railroad's centennial exhibition in 2023 and 2024. For more rail stops statewide, see all Alaska train museums, and for train trips farther afield, read about Amtrak routes with kids.

Every train museum in Alaska

Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive

Watercolor of Rally the corgi looking out an arched train window at the ocean and a white bird
From Rally Takes the Train, watercolor by Leslie Dunn.

Seward is where the Alaska Railroad meets the sea at Resurrection Bay, and that's the moment I love most in our book. Rally looks out an arched window, sees the ocean and greets a white bird. Our train in the story is the Pacific Surfliner out of San Diego, a long way from here, but water outside a train window feels the same wherever you are.

Free for train families

Print the Rally coloring pages before you go

Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. Tuck a few in a folder with crayons for the drive or the wait for the next train.

Get the free coloring pages
Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

A train story for the ride homeRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi's first train trip to see his grand-paw-rents. Hand-painted in real watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, for ages 0 to 8.

Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

More for train families

Work or volunteer at Seward Depot (Alaska Railroad)?

We want this page to be the best introduction to your museum on the web. Send new hours, event dates, corrections or photos to kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com and we will update it. You are welcome to share this page with your members.

Sources

Everything on this page comes from the museum’s own website and social pages and, for history, Wikipedia, checked October 19, 2026.

Seward's historic railroad depot: 20 questions answered

What is the historic Alaska Railroad depot in Seward?

The Seward Depot, also called the Seward Station, is a former railroad depot built in 1917 at what is now Adams Street and Ballaine Boulevard. It was known as the Gateway to Alaska, survived the 1964 earthquake and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.

When was the Seward railroad depot built?

The depot was built in 1917 to serve the railroad line out of Seward. The railroad was completed in 1923, connecting the deepwater port of Seward with the interior town of Fairbanks. The depot is now a former depot listed on the National Register.

Why was Seward called the Gateway to Alaska?

In 1917 the Seward depot was known as the Gateway to Alaska. It stood where the railroad began at Seward's deepwater port, and once the line was finished in 1923, its tracks connected that port with the interior town of Fairbanks, about 500 miles away.

Did the Seward depot survive the 1964 earthquake?

Yes. During the 1964 earthquake the depot survived, but the track beside it did not. That survival is part of why the 1917 building is still standing for visitors to see today, and it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.

Is the Seward depot on the National Register of Historic Places?

Yes. The Seward Depot was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. The listing recognizes the 1917 building's role at the southern end of the Alaska Railroad, where the port and the rails met.

Where is the historic Seward depot?

The 1917 depot stands at what is now Adams Street and Ballaine Boulevard in Seward, Alaska. Seward sits at the head of Resurrection Bay on the Kenai Peninsula. The historic downtown nearby has shops, restaurants and art galleries.

Can you go inside the historic Seward depot?

Interior hours and exhibits for the historic depot are not posted online. Plan to see the building from outside, and ask locally or call the Alaska Railroad at (800) 544-0552 whether any part of it is open to visitors during your trip.

How do you take the Alaska Railroad to Seward?

In summer, the Alaska Railroad runs a southern route between Anchorage and Seward. Buy tickets online at alaskarailroad.com or call reservations at (800) 544-0552. As of October 2026, the reservation office is open 7 am to 4 pm daily from mid-May to mid-September.

How long is the Alaska Railroad from Seward to Fairbanks?

Published figures vary: one Alaska travel guide puts the line at about 470 miles, while another describes about 500 miles of track connecting Seward with Fairbanks. In summer the railroad runs a southern route from Seward to Anchorage and a northern route from Anchorage to Talkeetna, Denali and Fairbanks.

What is the Seward Historical City Tour?

It is a one-hour guided tour of Seward's colorful past offered with the Alaska Railroad. Guests are picked up at the cruise terminal or train depot. As of October 2026, the 2026 season runs May 15 to September 13 at $45, or $271 to $515 with round-trip rail from Anchorage or Girdwood.

What is the Seward Deluxe Tour?

The Seward Deluxe Tour is a five-hour trip departing the train depot at 11:30 am, with the Historical City Tour, lunch, the Exit Glacier visitor center and the Alaska SeaLife Center. As of October 2026, it runs May 26 to September 13, not Mondays or Tuesdays, for $171.

Is the Seward depot good to visit with kids?

It is a quick stop on its own, but arriving by train makes it memorable for kids. Pair the depot with the Seward Deluxe Tour, which includes the Alaska SeaLife Center and the Exit Glacier visitor center, for a full family day.

How much does it cost to see the Seward depot?

Viewing the historic depot from outside is free. Guided options cost extra: as of October 2026, the Historical City Tour is $45 and the Seward Deluxe Tour is $171, with higher prices for packages that include round-trip rail from Anchorage or Girdwood.

Does the Alaska Railroad run holiday trains?

Yes. The Alaska Railroad lists annual event trains, including holiday trains and beer trains. Schedules vary each year, so check the Event Trains page on alaskarailroad.com and sign up for its email newsletter for reminders when tickets go on sale.

Does the Alaska Railroad run year-round?

The Alaska Railroad provides year-round rail transportation across Southcentral and Interior Alaska, though the main summer routes, including the southern route to Seward, are seasonal. Check alaskarailroad.com for current schedules, fares and which trains are running in the month you plan to travel.

How can I track an Alaska Railroad train to Seward?

The Alaska Railroad offers a Passenger Train Finder on its website that shows a train's current location. For arrival and departure questions, call (907) 265-2688. It is especially handy when you are meeting family at the Seward depot or timing a city tour around a train.

Is there accessibility help for Alaska Railroad travel to Seward?

The Alaska Railroad lists a TDD line for hearing impaired passengers at (907) 265-2620 and customer service at (907) 265-2494. Ask about wheelchair, seating or other accessibility needs when you book through reservations at (800) 544-0552, so staff can plan ahead for your trip.

Is there an Alaska Railroad gift shop?

Yes. The Alaska Railroad gift shop can be reached at (907) 265-2326 or giftshop@akrr.com, and it also sells online through alaskarailroadgiftshop.com. It is a good place to find a train souvenir for a young rail fan.

What else is there to do in Seward?

Seward's historic downtown has shops, restaurants and art galleries, and the harbor is a starting point for trips into Kenai Fjords National Park. The Alaska SeaLife Center and the Exit Glacier visitor center are both included on the Seward Deluxe Tour.

What train museums are near Seward?

The Anchorage Museum, about 78 miles north, hosted the Alaska Railroad's centennial exhibition from May 2023 to February 2024. That exhibition has closed, but the museum is open year-round, and the Alaska Railroad lists it as an Anchorage day trip.

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Kelsey Cecil
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