Skagway White Pass Rail and Bus

[Newbcruiser1]

Hello all,

 

I am excitedly planning my first cruise to Alaska (after having been on many to the Caribbean/Bermuda).

 

I had hoped to take the train and bus tour through Chilkoot Tours into the Yukon, however after e-mailing the company, they will not offer it to us due to the short time that the Millennium is in port (7am-4pm) and the risk of line-ups at Customs causing delays in the return.

 

They did offer the 3.5 hour tour consisting of the White Pass Train to Fraser, BC one-way, and a bus ride the other way with photo stops along the way. The details are found here: https://chilkootcharters.com/package/white-pass-summit-the-rail-and-bus/ and the tour is $128USD. Celebrity has a similar excursion (presumably without photo-ops) for $188 Canadian, so even with the exchange, X's tour is more costly and doesn't include the stops along the way.

 

So... Any thoughts on the Chilkoot 3.5 hour tour? Is it worth it for a relatively short tour? If so, is it best to take the train up and the bus back, or vice versa? I'd love to hear from anyone that's done this, or similar tours!

 

Or if you have anything completely different to suggest, I'm listening! :)

 

Thanks in advance!!!

[Cornishpastyman1]

Hello all,

 

So... Any thoughts on the Chilkoot 3.5 hour tour? Is it worth it for a relatively short tour? If so, is it best to take the train up and the bus back, or vice versa? I'd love to hear from anyone that's done this, or similar tours!

 

Or if you have anything completely different to suggest, I'm listening! :)

 

Thanks in advance!!!

It's a real shame you can't do the one that goes into the Yukon but that 3.5 hour tour will still be good. You'll see the famous rail route and get a different perspective by road. This is the train part :

 

[YOUTUBE]3WSaRzt5N0Q[/YOUTUBE]

 

Chillkout seem to always have the end carriage which is the best one as you get 270 degrees views from the outside platform. If you get the choice I'd do the train first as this obviously operates to a timetable whereas the bus trip home doesn't, so you can stop longer or more often as it doesn't really matter when you get back. All the best, Tony

[Budget Queen]

It depends on your interests? You are interested in taking the train? Then the round trip BC/Skagway trip is your only option. You are interested in getting into the Yukon? Then a car rental or round trip road tour would be the option.

 

Those seem to be the only choices available to you. If you want time in Skagway along a train trip- then the shorter tour would be the selection. With a car rental, a 5 hour time investment, does a great tour for most people. So could have Skagway time with that option as well.

[sherryf]

All tours make photo stops, but the smaller Chilkoot buses can make more stops than the big buses that the cruise line tours use. Having so many fewer passengers with Chilkoot makes a big difference in unloading/loading time at each stop.

[Newbcruiser1]

Thanks all!

 

I'm not a train enthusiast by any stretch, but the pictures and videos I've seen from the train are breathtaking so that's what's pushing me towards taking it - it would also be something "different" for us. I'm disappointed that due to timing, we won't get to see Emerald Lake on this tour though (I realize we could rent a car and see it that way, but I'd rather have someone else worry about the driving while on vacation).

 

Some time in Skagway would be nice as well to explore the area, etc.

 

I am leaning towards the train up and bus back for the reasons cited above (more time for stops on the way back!), but should I be concerned about morning fog/limited visibility doing it that way? I guess if nothing else, it would add to the ambiance! ;)

[Budget Queen]

Thanks all!

 

I'm not a train enthusiast by any stretch, but the pictures and videos I've seen from the train are breathtaking so that's what's pushing me towards taking it - it would also be something "different" for us. I'm disappointed that due to timing, we won't get to see Emerald Lake on this tour though (I realize we could rent a car and see it that way, but I'd rather have someone else worry about the driving while on vacation).

 

Some time in Skagway would be nice as well to explore the area, etc.

 

I am leaning towards the train up and bus back for the reasons cited above (more time for stops on the way back!), but should I be concerned about morning fog/limited visibility doing it that way? I guess if nothing else, it would add to the ambiance! ;)

 

Fog can and does happen ANYTIME. I rode up and back to Emerald Lake 6 times last year. Fog was totally varied, with it worse in the afternoon on one trip.

 

Another point is going to be, your "stops" are going to be pretty close to identical with the ship buses. There are a lot fewer stops between Fraser and Skagway, with tours stopping at the same pull offs. The difference with the stops is far greater past Fraser.

 

Just for general information- this is darn simple, easy driving. Well maintained 2 lane road. No twists, turns etc. Pretty straight roads, and plenty of safe pull offs. Murray's guide is a "must", but set your trip mileage to zero when you start. The random mileposts are sometimes missing and can be hard to see. Taking out THE MILEPOST from you library gives an idea of what you pass.

[varoo]

I'm not a train enthusiast by any stretch, but the pictures and videos I've seen from the train are breathtaking so that's what's pushing me towards taking it - it would also be something "different" for us. I'm disappointed that due to timing, we won't get to see Emerald Lake on this tour though (I realize we could rent a car and see it that way, but I'd rather have someone else worry about the driving while on vacation).

There is no "worry" at all about the driving if you take this trip.

 

It is a very easy, extremely scenic drive with light traffic, impossible to get lost as there is only the one road.

 

If you want to do it, just follow Budget Queen's usual excellent advice and bring along a copy of Murray's Guide, which tells you everything you need to know:

 

....Just for general information- this is darn simple, easy driving. Well maintained 2 lane road. No twists, turns etc. Pretty straight roads, and plenty of safe pull offs. Murray's guide is a "must", but set your trip mileage to zero when you start.....