csr10236 Posted April 22, 2014 #1 Share Posted April 22, 2014 Looking at booking chilkoot for our rail excursion. Should we do the rail up and bus back or bus up and train back? Sent from my GT-P5113 using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budget Queen Posted April 22, 2014 #2 Share Posted April 22, 2014 The "Yukon rail" is the Lake Bennett train. You do NOT have a choice of direction. It sounds like you are talking about the White Pass RR to Fraser? (which is not the Yukon). You are considering the van/shuttle to Emerald Lake? Either direction works well. I believe one is an hour later? There is no way to predict any weather. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
utahtea Posted April 22, 2014 #3 Share Posted April 22, 2014 (edited) Looking at booking chilkoot for our rail excursion. Should we do the rail up and bus back or bus up and train back? Sent from my GT-P5113 using Forums mobile app We did a bus tour up to Emerald Lake in the Yukon and back down to Frasier to ride the train back to Skagway. We booked though Holland America so I don't know if it would be the same tour but it sounds similar. We did the bus ride up and I'm glad we did. You get on and off the bus several times for pictures so it was nice to be able to relax on the train and just enjoy the scenery going back to Skagway. Don't forget to take your passport with you. You will need it! Utahtea Edited April 22, 2014 by utahtea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csr10236 Posted April 23, 2014 Author #4 Share Posted April 23, 2014 The excursion is called "yukon rail and bus excursion" You have the option of taking the train up and bus back or bus first then train back. Sent from my SCH-I545 using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonvoyagie Posted April 23, 2014 #5 Share Posted April 23, 2014 Chilkoot does call the trips by different names - the Bennett Lake trip is titled that way, the Yukon trips are also titled that way - one has the dog sled ride included at Caribou Crossing. BQ is correct in the Bennett trip as direction does depend on the day of the week. The Yukon tours can be done either bus first to Carcross, Emerald Lake and Caribou Crossing and the train from Fraser BC back to Skagway or the train from Skagway to Fraser and bus for the rest of the same journey. The train ride really doesn't matter which way you go - I prefer the uphill ie train first as the ride is less jerky. You will enjoy the small bus and fewer people in the rail car that only comes with tour companies like Chilkoot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budget Queen Posted April 23, 2014 #6 Share Posted April 23, 2014 (edited) The excursion is called "yukon rail and bus excursion" You have the option of taking the train up and bus back or bus first then train back. Sent from my SCH-I545 using Forums mobile app If there are specific questions about tours, then they need to be copied and presented in the question. "Yukon train". I answered based on that, I'm not going to guess what "tour" it may or may not be. And I certainly don't have time to start looking tours up. The ONLY train that goes to the Yukon is the Lake Bennett train, which is on a fixed schedule. Edited April 23, 2014 by Budget Queen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare mskaufman Posted April 23, 2014 #7 Share Posted April 23, 2014 I would vote to take the train in the afternoon and the van in the morning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgiaPeach Posted April 23, 2014 #8 Share Posted April 23, 2014 (edited) Have booked the Yukon rail and bus tour with Chilkoot for later in May. We reserved the train up and the bus back after speaking with the Chilkoot rep about the pros and cons of which way to go. Since the train is on a fixed schedule and the bus isn't, she recommended that the majority of the tour wouldn't be so rushed if we took the train up and then our guide won't worry so much about the time at each stop to make the return train if we decided to take the bus first. Also, if memory is correct, the train first tour returns an hour sooner to Skagway so we have a bit more time for independent exploring of the town before the ship leaves. Truthfully, it's all subjective but this seems to sound like a better option for my husband and me. Edited April 23, 2014 by GeorgiaPeach Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csr10236 Posted April 23, 2014 Author #9 Share Posted April 23, 2014 Have booked the Yukon rail and bus tour with Chilkoot for later in May. We reserved the train up and the bus back after speaking with the Chilkoot rep about the pros and cons of which way to go. Since the train is on a fixed schedule and the bus isn't, she recommended that the majority of the tour wouldn't be so rushed if we took the train up and then our guide won't worry so much about the time at each stop to make the return train if we decided to take the bus first. Also, if memory is correct, the train first tour returns an hour sooner to Skagway so we have a bit more time for independent exploring of the town before the ship leaves. Truthfully, it's all subjective but this seems to sound like a better option for my husband and me. Thank you for the information! I'm gonna take your advice and do the train up and bus back. Makes sense! I am disliking the 7:30 am meet time tho :( lol Sent from my GT-P5113 using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgiaPeach Posted April 23, 2014 #10 Share Posted April 23, 2014 Thank you for the information! I'm gonna take your advice and do the train up and bus back. Makes sense! I am disliking the 7:30 am meet time tho :( lol Ha! Totally agree!!! I'm not much of a morning person but since I'm really looking forward to this particular tour, I think it'll be worth it:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nancyquilts Posted April 23, 2014 #11 Share Posted April 23, 2014 If you're going up, sit on the left side of the train. When coming down, the right side is more scenic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgiaPeach Posted April 23, 2014 #12 Share Posted April 23, 2014 If you're going up, sit on the left side of the train. When coming down, the right side is more scenic. Thanks for the reminder! It's tips like this that add to the enjoyment of the tour:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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