Yukon & White Pass Railroad

[canadiangirl77]

Hi there, which is better?

 

Train up and bus down? or ...

Bus up and train down?

 

The cruise line offers .. bus up train down

but I've read you can book thru an independent train up and bus down?

 

Any suggestions?? Are there advantages of one over the other?

Thanks

[Budget Queen]

The train from Skagway, may have more commentary. But the scenery is different depending on your direction. :) Both ways excellent!!!

 

The cruise tour will pick up at the ship, independent may meet at the depot?? SMART bus available if you don't want to walk.

 

Myself, I'd go with the independent and cheaper tour. :)

[Stacym]

The train from Skagway, may have more commentary. But the scenery is different depending on your direction. :) Both ways excellent!!!

 

The cruise tour will pick up at the ship, independent may meet at the depot?? SMART bus available if you don't want to walk.

 

Myself, I'd go with the independent and cheaper tour. :)

 

We are booked with Chilkoot Charters and tours There letter of confirmation meeting instructions says that they will pick us up at the ship?

 

Stacym

[Toyz711]

if you book the train, independently, through the train's website...they would meet at the depot. excursions through vendors would get picked up at the ship? cruisiers that book through the cruiseline get on their special train right at the dock.

[NancyIL]

Chilkoot Charters picks up at the end of the pier, just past the security gates, for people on their rail/bus excursions.

[nextelcup]

Copied from an e-mail I received in response to a question I sent to Chilkoot Tours:

 

"I have been reading some of the posts on Cruise Critic also and some of these people seem to be very confused. The concensus is that there is little or no narration on the south bound train trip. This is only the case on the round trip train excursion that's sold off the cruise ships. They don't pick up new passengers at the top so they don't repeat the narration on the return tour.

 

On the one way trips the complete tour is given each way so the narration is the same coming or going. Budget Queen is right for most part about the view! The train has a completely different perspective each way."

 

Hope this helps!

[Roxilla]

I have taken the round trip rail tour that was sold from the ship and was highly impressed with it both ways. If I were to do it again, I would still take the round trip.

[Budget Queen]

Chilkoot Charters picks up at the end of the pier, just past the security gates, for people on their rail/bus excursions.

 

 

However, if you are the third ship back on the RR dock, it is quite a hike to where they pick up. Some cruiselines will run golf carts if needed.

[Stacym]

However, if you are the third ship back on the RR dock, it is quite a hike to where they pick up. Some cruiselines will run golf carts if needed.

 

Most land tours meet at the end of the rr dock, only the ship buses (Carcross/Fraser/Whitehorse) and the ships round trip train go down on the dock, hiking, dog sled (wheels) Haines transfer, 4x4 jeep tours, horseback Carcross, fishing, and more meet at the end of the dock and there is no third ship on the rr dock and the electic carts are owned by the WP&R and they run for every ship. I called WP&R and got this information.

[D4]

We're doing the round trip on the train again, because DH loves it so much.

 

Once time we did the bus/train combo and he'd said we'll always take just the train in the future. Personally, doing the round trip on the train once was enough for me, but he loves it.

[junebugbill]

I'm up for about any of the trips to or from the summit, but am uncertain about the seating. Is there just one row of seats going thru the car, or the typical seats with rows and an isle between? If the latter, then is it assigned seating, or a "mad rush" for the window seats? I hate the fighting for seats thing, but when something costs this much and is a one time thing, I want to be certain to have the view.

Does anyone know?

[Budget Queen]

and there is no third ship on the rr dock and the electic carts are owned by the WP&R and they run for every ship. I called WP&R and got this information.

 

 

Sorry you are wrong, there most certainly can be 3 ships docked at the Railroad dock. And it is a long way back.

[Budget Queen]

I'm up for about any of the trips to or from the summit, but am uncertain about the seating. Is there just one row of seats going thru the car, or the typical seats with rows and an isle between? If the latter, then is it assigned seating, or a "mad rush" for the window seats? I hate the fighting for seats thing, but when something costs this much and is a one time thing, I want to be certain to have the view.

Does anyone know?

 

There are seats on each side with an aisle down the middle. Frankly, most people don't have a clue about seating. You should have no problem getting the side you want. No assigned seats. From Skagway, sit on the left- facing the engine. :) Have a great time.

[NancyIL]

Our ship is the only one docking in Skagway the day we're there, so we're at Railroad Dock Forward.

[junebugbill]

Continuing on this train of thought, do different tour groups have their own rail cars, such that some may be less crowded or have a different setup as far as seating or amenities? I have read references that seem to indicate this.

[junebugbill]

Also, do you think the 4:30 time would be less crowded than the 8:15 and 12:45? Thanks.

[Toyz711]

the trains that are next to the ship are for the round-trip tours through the ship. if you do a type of combo tour, you will be told where to meet your group. people were standing out in the parking area with colored signs.

i don't think anyone knows, at this point, which train ride will be less crowded. we had early morning fog on our trip, afternoon had better views once the fog lifted.

fog:

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2647484570096824660alceNb

seating on normal round trip:

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2497486010096824660xuyFsd

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2574867760096824660ipQzAF

 

the combo trips and speciality trips are getting more and more popular.

as full/busy as all the cruises are to alaska, i am getting the idea that "no crowds" are a thing of the past.

[jspirit]

Your photos helped me with a question in my mind... I was wondering about the actual seating on the round trip train and there is the answer, in full colour: 2 per seat, bench style.

Thanks !

[Toyz711]

restroom in each train car, stove-type heating when needed. i think air conditioning is the old-fashion kind..you open the window. when the train goes the other direction, you flip the seats over to face the other way. the train doesn't turn. then they ask the passenagers to change sides to allow those that saw mountain side on the way up, get to see the view on the way down. that's when my hubby took a nap while i stood up to take more photos. it was just too cold, damp to stand out on the platform, plus that is where the crowds are, everyone trying to get the perfect pictures.

[quiller7]

hi

what happens to those people with criminal records (not me) who are riding the train or bus into canada. does everyone have to show a passport to cross the border

[Toyz711]

on roundtrips, no one is allowed off....the train just waits for the other trains to pass then goes downhill. since no one get off, you don't have to show a passport or BC.

 

for the combo tours that get off in canada, BC or passports are needed.

for car rentals that go all the way up, passport or BC is needed when crossing the border.

[Stacym]

Sorry you are wrong, there most certainly can be 3 ships docked at the Railroad dock. And it is a long way back.

 

Is WP&R wrong? Are we talking about Skagway, this information came from a reservation desk, the # is a 907 983 prefix, thats alaska right?

 

Stacym

[Toyz711]

i won't worry about it too much, there are people pointing you to the right direction..there on the docks. ship personnel are out to take questions and handle problems ( i lost our tickets, right there on the dock..5 feet from the train, they went checked my reservations..wrote me new tickets).

tour people are out, with signs and stuff, to gather their flock. on some days there are more ships in port, some days only 1 or 3 ships in port. my biggest suggestion for anyone going on a alaska..don't worry, go with the flow, all questions get answered as you go.

no one, on the cruisie or the exursions, will leave you hanging..they are there to take care of you. answers you get now, may be subject to change by the time you get up there.

saw some golf carts on the NCL side, but they didn't have signs on the. since it was a secure area...i got the idea they were port officials..not tour people. the busses/shuttles/tour operators were lines up outside of the secure area.

between the ship and the tracks there were posts blocking vehicles..it was kept secure. i did see many people trying to ask the girls, dressed as newsboys, questions. the girls just smiled and pointed them to the right people. they did have one cart for people with disablilities..a 4 or 6 passenager golf cart...have no idea who was running it.

[Nghthawke]

You have to show a passport to the border guard. The border guard comes on board and looks at everyone's passports. The border guard does this visually not electronically via a computer. So, no computer database was being checked. That was two years ago. Someone here could verify whether it is still done that way. I'm talking about Skagway/Yukon, I think it is done differently for Victoria.

[njandboys]

We are booked with Chilkoot Charters and tours There letter of confirmation meeting instructions says that they will pick us up at the ship?

 

Stacym

 

Hi. Was this trip cheaper than the one through the ship? If so, how much...if you do not mind me asking...was it?

Thanks, Julie