The stories are so fascinating that it is difficult to know where to start. From how a complete train (diesel to caboose) got to the side of the mountain, the decorating of the rooms, the hosts’ lives, life in the winter, to Fairbanks itself, the stories are endless!

Susan has decorated four of the cars. Note worthy were the painting of the ceiling in the Gold Rush room that blended perfectly with the wall paper and the painting of the eagle in the dining car. The eagle was always looking straight at you no matter what angle you were looking at the painting.

Mike was the cook and each night he did the preparation work for the next morning’s breakfast. As he was preparing the breakfast, he told us stories about the train, the pipeline and life in Alaska. Every breakfast was different and special. Susan was one of the few females that actually worked on the construction of the pipeline. Her stories also included life in the 1964 earthquake, a polar bear attack, acquiring items to decorate the train cars and many more.

1st day – Tok Banana toast (French toast baked in syrup with strawberries and bananas), baked egg dish
2nd day – pancakes with construction workers plus croissants baked in a custard with peach jam, baked egg dish w/ cheese, home-fried potatoes, and baked stuffed mushrooms
3rd day – Apple Tundra toast (French toast baked with an apple mixture), eggs, bacon, potatoes, and grapes

We fell in love with the Aurora Express - the views, the train carriages, the comfort, breakfast and most especially with the hosts - Mike and Susan. Both of them are one of a kind - we could have spent hours talking to them - this is why we wanted to come to Alaska - to meet people like them.
The setting is stunning - up on a hill overlooking the river, the views are gorgeous. We stayed in the Golden Nellie Caboose and can totally recommend it. The bed is extremely comfy and the carriage such fun.
Thank you both for a memorable stay - we loved it :o)

I found this place by browsing and I am so pleased that I saw it. We spent 2 nights on the National Emblem and what an experience. 80 foot long pullman carriage. The four of us had a cosy sleeping compartment each and it was the best sleeps we had in all of Alaska. It was such fun. We were very impressed with the hosts Susan and Mike. Both were extremely friendly. We were their first guests from Scotland so we did some talking. We were so lucky in that we were able to see inside each accommodation and they are amazing. Susan and Mike certainly deserve credit when you learn of the trials and tribulations it took to get its present stage.
The breakfasts were so scrumptious especially the French Toast it was yummy.
All in all this was a Bed and Breakfast that we will talk about on many occasions and remember it with affection.

We seek out adventure and different experiences when we travel. This was our first visit to Fairbanks and we found the Aurora Express listed in a National Geographic Traveler Guide To Alaska. From the outset, our experience was top notch. Hosts Susan and Mike responded quickly to our email reservation and to our phone call to learn more about the Aurora Express. The history of the B&B (on the website and in old newspaper files) and what I might call "the impossible move" to relocate the train cars to the property high above Fairbanks whetted our appetite.

Our hosts provided a warm welcome and spent a lot of time with us to acquaint us with the unique train cars. They also helped us plan a small sightseeing trip for that same evening. We help toast the inauguration of a newly constructed waterfall. Breakfast in the dining car the next morning was tasty, plentiful and the coffee was on early.

We took a lot of photos and I plan to post a few later on. Meanwhile, if you seek a unique place to stay run by people with a "spirit of Alaska", then this B&B should meet your needs. For us, we saw no downside and will stay here again when we return to Fairbanks. We liked meeting Susan and Mike so much that we plan to keep in touch. Who knows when our paths will cross again?