White Pass & Yukon Railroad: Direct vs. Cruise Booking?

[h2dcruise]

Our cruise company is charging about $10 more p/p for the White Pass train ride. I am thinking about booking directly with the railroad, the only difference is that booking with the railroad we would have to walk for 10 minutes or so to the train depot instead of boarding at the docks.

 

Now, I am not concerned about the whole "the ship will leave without us if we don't book with the cruise company", but does anyone know if the rolling stock from the docks merge with the rolling stock of "independent" riders at the train depot? Or are their separate trains for the two times of bookings?

 

Because if they both types of passengers are on the same train, making the won't-leave-you-behind claim is even more moot.

[Kamloops50]

I would book with the cruise line. Booking direct is a couple of dollars cheaper than then advance with the cruise line. You have to walk downtown to the depot to buy tickets and walk back to the train stop which is almost at the ship.

[h2dcruise]

I would book with the cruise line. Booking direct is a couple of dollars cheaper than then advance with the cruise line. You have to walk downtown to the depot to buy tickets and walk back to the train stop which is almost at the ship.

 

Well we are gonna buy the tickets on their website... and it says there that tickets purchased directly with them are for trains that depart from the depot.

[2112]

You almost certainly don't have to worry about the ship leaving without you. If there is a delay, the ship passengers will be delayed too. You might want to consider one of the train up/bus down options. I say that because there is some AMAZING scenery between White Pass (where the round trip trains turn around) and Frazier (where the one ways end) that you would miss with a summit round trip. Plus, you get to see different scenery from the road on the way back. Please note you would need a passport for the train up/bus back option.

[Budget Queen]

These are separate trains. All you have to do, is book within your time, having at least an hour between the end of the train and embarkment.

[Budget Queen]

You almost certainly don't have to worry about the ship leaving without you. If there is a delay, the ship passengers will be delayed too. You might want to consider one of the train up/bus down options. I say that because there is some AMAZING scenery between White Pass (where the round trip trains turn around) and Frazier (where the one ways end) that you would miss with a summit round trip. Plus, you get to see different scenery from the road on the way back. Please note you would need a passport for the train up/bus back option.

 

Ship contracted trains are separate. It is Fraser, and you can easily book round trip, if you don't want a combo tour. I personally did it this year.

[h2dcruise]

These are separate trains. All you have to do, is book within your time, having at least an hour between the end of the train and embarkment.

 

Thanks... the ship's train leaves at 8:30pm and the depot train at 8:15pm. They really run trains with just a 15 minute interval?

[Budget Queen]

Thanks... the ship's train leaves at 8:30pm and the depot train at 8:15pm. They really run trains with just a 15 minute interval?

 

 

sure do.

[Kentchikan]

We got off the ship and bought the ticket. Easy and cheaper.

BTW the ride is a spectacularly beautiful one and well worth taking. It is also a "local" train and would sometimes stop for people who seemed to come out of the woods and were waiting by the track.

[Host Jazzbeau]

The ship train will be packed. The independent train will probably be less than half full -- which means you can have your pick of windows, ride between the cars, roam around, etc.

 

But I would advise booking with a third-party company that does train up, van down because the ride down is much quicker and you see different stuff. Look at Chilkoot's Bennett itinerary -- we had a great time.

[trackies]

We booked this one independently and had a terrific excursion. We did the Bennett Lake Scenic Tour. You will have no problems with timing and getting to the ship. Your train cabin will be less crowded. Remember to bring a warm jacket or fleece with windproof shell because then you can stand outside between the cars and be amazed at the drop offs rather than being stuck inside. You'll love it!!

[Kentchikan]

We booked this one independently and had a terrific excursion. We did the Bennett Lake Scenic Tour. You will have no problems with timing and getting to the ship. Your train cabin will be less crowded. Remember to bring a warm jacket or fleece with windproof shell because then you can stand outside between the cars and be amazed at the drop offs rather than being stuck inside. You'll love it!!

 

Good suggestion the views are spectacular. I like being able to see the ends of the train on the curves.

[olemissreb]

We booked this through Chilkoot Charters - train up/bus back. We did have to meet up with the tour operator outside of the security gate which can be a long walk, but they also have carts that will take you to the security gate if you need them.

 

There was a little mixup when we met up with the Chilkoot bus. Seems they had our driver scheduled to pick up the Celebrity passengers (us) and the HAL passengers at the same time! So the sub driver had to drop us off over by the HAL pickup so that we'd all be together with the right driver. Our driver then took us to the train station and we found out we'd be in the next to last car. That car was only for those passengers who booked with Chilkoot. We did have to wait a few minutes while they hooked all the train cars together although I'm not sure how many cars there were or who all was in them. The scenery was fabulous even with the overcast skies and rainy weather we had on the way up. Coming down, it was foggy in many places, but the fog always seemed to break at some of the more spectacular sites (like Bridal Veil Falls). It was really a fantastic excursion and the lunch that was served was very good.

[Poipu04]

How much is the excursion to Bennett Lake through Chilkoot? I am at work, shhhh....and am having trouble seeing all the information on their website.

[sherryf]

How much is the excursion to Bennett Lake through Chilkoot? I am at work, shhhh....and am having trouble seeing all the information on their website.

 

$229 per person, which includes lunch. Very good lunch!

 

One word about standing out on the platforms... try to not be a "platform hog". When we went, there were several people who spent the entire time on the platform, not even taking photos, just standing out there chatting. I'm afraid of heights, so didn't want to be out there much, but the few times I wanted to go out there to try to get a photo, I couldn't. Even if I tried to get them to move, by the time I did, I had missed the shot. Enjoy the platform, but be aware that others may want a turn too!

 

Those shots of the train going around a curve ahead of you are great if you can get them from the platform, but if you have to take them through your window, they end up with lots of glare and reflection from the window, like this:

[Kentchikan]

The scenery was fabulous even with the overcast skies and rainy weather we had on the way up.

 

On our last trip to Glacier Bay it seemed ever so much more beautiful than on previous cruises. A ranger told me the the overcast skies really bring out the colors and the details. Who knew?

[Kentchikan]

$229 per person, which includes lunch. Very good lunch!

 

One word about standing out on the platforms... try to not be a "platform hog". When we went, there were several people who spent the entire time on the platform, not even taking photos, just standing out there chatting. I'm afraid of heights, so didn't want to be out there much, but the few times I wanted to go out there to try to get a photo, I couldn't. Even if I tried to get them to move, by the time I did, I had missed the shot. Enjoy the platform, but be aware that others may want a turn too!

 

 

Some people can be totally clueless. I see it also in supermarkets where they block an entire aisle without any awareness of people trying to get by, look for items, etc.

[TomAmes]

We booked this one independently and had a terrific excursion. We did the Bennett Lake Scenic Tour. You will have no problems with timing and getting to the ship. Your train cabin will be less crowded. Remember to bring a warm jacket or fleece with windproof shell because then you can stand outside between the cars and be amazed at the drop offs rather than being stuck inside. You'll love it!!

 

+1. We did this recently through Chilkoot. Bus up, train down. On the trip down, we had drizzling rain much of the way. I thought our teenage son was being silly standing out on the platform anyway. After the train car began getting a little stuffy, I dug my raincoat out, put my "Elmer Fudd" cap on and went out and joined him. We stayed on the platform the rest of the trip and kept being amazed at how much the people inside (including DW) must be missing.

 

That "Elmer Fudd" cap and the long raincoat that blocked the wind were the two most "valuable" items I took on the cruise even though the only rain we ran into were on the train ride and in Tracy Arm.

[Kentchikan]

+1. We did this recently through Chilkoot. Bus up, train down. On the trip down, we had drizzling rain much of the way. I thought our teenage son was being silly standing out on the platform anyway. After the train car began getting a little stuffy, I dug my raincoat out, put my "Elmer Fudd" cap on and went out and joined him. We stayed on the platform the rest of the trip and kept being amazed at how much the people inside (including DW) must be missing.

 

That "Elmer Fudd" cap and the long raincoat that blocked the wind were the two most "valuable" items I took on the cruise even though the only rain we ran into were on the train ride and in Tracy Arm.

 

Wascally Wabbit. You're right about the hat and covering up. That wind is bone chilling and goes right through you.

[Poipu04]

Thanks for the info., Sherry!