Girdwood
Girdwood is the south suburbs Anchorage stop since it is technically a town at the southernmost end of the municipality of Anchorage. Girdwood is a resort town, most famous for its ski resort (that includes plenty of lodging), although the stop only receives train service during summer months. The station is down at the base of the valley containing the town of Girdwood but Glacier Valley Transit operates bus service to and from the station.
The station is the only intermediate stop on the Coastal Classic Train and is also a stop on the Glacier Discovery Train. Travel between Anchorage and Girdwood is allowed but is priced quite high (it’s slightly cheaper on the Glacier Discovery Train than the Coastal Classic Train), and fares to points south of Girdwood are the same as those to/from Anchorage.
The station is extremely simple and is located along Girdwood siding. Passengers board trains by going over one of four pedestrian crossings over the siding track (simple wooden boards) to wooden boards along the siding tracks. Trains generally open up the doors to just one car. The most northern crossing leads directly into a small brown with a blue roof that looks quite modern shelter. This shelter contains a couple benches inside and is “walkthrough” leading directly out to the little pedestrian drop of loop at the end of Brudie Road, that includes a parking lot along the dead end of this street just south of the station.
The bridge across the railroad of Alyseska Highway is visible from the station and is just south of the station. This highway includes the Bird to Gird Pathway, a multi-use pedestrian/bicycle trail along it that leads the just under 3 miles from the station into town.
Photos 1-14: May 27, 2024
