Best train excursion in Alaska??

[cmlmich]

My son and I would like to take a train excursion while we are there but not sure which one is the best. We will be on a cruise on June 4th. We are not interested in train excursions that do side stops like gold panning and ect. Just a train ride that is scenic. We will be on a limited budget, so the most bang for the buck would be great. We will be stopping in Ketchikan, Skagway and Juneau.

 

Any ideas?

 

Thanks

[Chenega]

My son and I would like to take a train excursion while we are there but not sure which one is the best. We will be on a cruise on June 4th. We are not interested in train excursions that do side stops like gold panning and ect. Just a train ride that is scenic. We will be on a limited budget, so the most bang for the buck would be great. We will be stopping in Ketchikan, Skagway and Juneau.

 

Any ideas?

 

Thanks

You really only have one choice and that's the White Pass and Yukon railroad in Skagway.

Website is http://www.wpyr.com or you can book through the cruiseline.

[Yukon]

What Chenega said :) - the WP&YR is on almost every list of the best rail trips on earth, the Alaska Railroad never is (although the Anchorage-Seward section sometimes makes it onto "Best in North America" railroad lists).

[Chenega]

I've always enjoyed the WPYR in Skagway. It's like a trip back in time. One of the top attractions in Alaska.

[vbmom87]

We thought both the White Pass Railroad Trip in Skagway and the ARR from Seward to Anchorage were both amazing. Two real highlights of your trip to Alaska. In Skagway we did the trip to Carcross which stopped at Bennett Lake. This was just an amazingly scenic tour. We went with Chilkoot. It is an expensive tour, but well worth it if you enjoy train rides and beautiful scenery in the wilderness you will not be disappointed.

 

Here is the tour we did:

 

http://www.chilkootcharters.com/carcross.htm

[Ron AKA]

You really only have one choice and that's the White Pass and Yukon railroad in Skagway.

Website is www.wpyr.com or you can book through the cruiseline.

 

Which do you suggest is better, through the cruiseline, or direct? The website says the White Pass excursion departs from the cruiseline. How close is the station to where the cruise ship docks?

[dreamalaska]

You really only have one choice and that's the White Pass and Yukon railroad in Skagway.

Website is www.wpyr.com or you can book through the cruiseline.

 

we had a good time on our Yukon railroad trip. highly recommend it

[NMLady]

Which do you suggest is better, through the cruiseline, or direct? The website says the White Pass excursion departs from the cruiseline. How close is the station to where the cruise ship docks?

 

I think the tracks for the train the cruise ship uses are literally right next to where the cruise ships dock.

If you book through Chilkoot they drive you to the station a few blocks away. You can also just walk to the station a few blocks away and buy a ticket that day IF they still have seats remaining. I think you can do the same for the ship's train tours.

 

Here are the prices and different excursions offered by Chilkoot. You can compare their excursions and prices with those offered through the ship and those offered by the train company, then make your decision.

 

1) White Pass Summit Rail & Bus Excursion

Duration: 3.5 Hours

Departure: 7:30AM & 12:00PM (Train first)

Departure: 8:30AM & 1:00PM (Bus first)

Cost: $122.00 Adult $78.00 Child (12 & Under)

Itinerary: Skagway/White Pass Summit/Fraser & return to Skagway by bus

 

2) Yukon Rail & Bus Excursion

Duration: 7.5 Hours

Departure: 7:30AM

Cost: $175.00 Adult $120.00 Child (12 & Under)

Lunch: Caribou Crossing Trading Post/Yukon Wildlife Museum/Husky Puppy Camp/Lunch Included

Itinerary: Skagway/White Pass Summit/Fraser by train - 1 3/4 hours on train to Fraser, Fraser to Carcross & Emerald Lake and return to Skagway by bus

 

3) Yukon Rail & Bus Excursion With 15-Minute Dogsled Ride

Same as #2 above plus dogsled ride included in this package

Cost: $206.00 Adults $153.00 Child (12 & Under)

 

4) Skagway/Carcross Rail & Bus Excursion (May 20 – September 1, 2010)

Duration: 9 Hours

Departure: 7:30AM

Cost: $228 Adult $152 Child (12 & Under) (Plus 5% sales tax)

Lunch: Lake Bennett Train Depot dining hall/Parks Canada Interpretive Displays/Lunch Included

Itinerary: 2 1/2 hours on train to White Pass Summit, Fraser & Lake Bennett – 1 1/2 hours for lunch and layover at Lake Bennett – 1.5 hours by train to Carcross – Carcross to Emerald Lake and return to Skagway by bus

 

Courtesy transportation is provided to and from all cruise ship docks in Skagway.

[axio99]

Hey NMlady,

 

The tours look interesting but I have a concern, my cruise docks only at 7 am and I understand those who book tours from the cruiseline gets to disembark first so if that's the case, I wonder if I could still make it for the 730 tour departures listed here?

[Texas Tillie]

Hey NMlady,

 

The tours look interesting but I have a concern, my cruise docks only at 7 am and I understand those who book tours from the cruiseline gets to disembark first so if that's the case, I wonder if I could still make it for the 730 tour departures listed here?

 

Almost every ship docks at Skagway way before the scheduled time - often the ones scheduled for 7 AM are there by 4 AM. You shouldn't have any problem getting off the ship and meeting them by 7:30 - the year I did the excursion with Chilkoot I was on the Island Princess, we docked at the Railroad Dock (a little further from town - think blocks only) than the Broadway Dock that Holland America uses, and the Chilkoot person met us about 50 yards from the ship's gangway.

[Budget Queen]

Hey NMlady,

 

The tours look interesting but I have a concern, my cruise docks only at 7 am and I understand those who book tours from the cruiseline gets to disembark first so if that's the case, I wonder if I could still make it for the 730 tour departures listed here?

 

Yes you would make it, IF you get yourself going. :)

[Budget Queen]

http://skagway.com/citymap.html

 

IF you book the ship excursion, the train pulls right up near the ship and this is where you load.

 

IF you book independent, you have to go to the depot and load there. It's a walk from the last Railroad dock space and the Ore Dock, but certainly doable with no mobility limitations. There is also a SMART bus that runs from those dock areas, for a couple bucks that will take you to/from the depot.

[cmlmich]

I think the tracks for the train the cruise ship uses are literally right next to where the cruise ships dock.

If you book through Chilkoot they drive you to the station a few blocks away. You can also just walk to the station a few blocks away and buy a ticket that day IF they still have seats remaining. I think you can do the same for the ship's train tours.

 

Here are the prices and different excursions offered by Chilkoot. You can compare their excursions and prices with those offered through the ship and those offered by the train company, then make your decision.

 

1) White Pass Summit Rail & Bus Excursion

Duration: 3.5 Hours

Departure: 7:30AM & 12:00PM (Train first)

Departure: 8:30AM & 1:00PM (Bus first)

Cost: $122.00 Adult $78.00 Child (12 & Under)

Itinerary: Skagway/White Pass Summit/Fraser & return to Skagway by bus

 

2) Yukon Rail & Bus Excursion

Duration: 7.5 Hours

Departure: 7:30AM

Cost: $175.00 Adult $120.00 Child (12 & Under)

Lunch: Caribou Crossing Trading Post/Yukon Wildlife Museum/Husky Puppy Camp/Lunch Included

Itinerary: Skagway/White Pass Summit/Fraser by train - 1 3/4 hours on train to Fraser, Fraser to Carcross & Emerald Lake and return to Skagway by bus

 

3) Yukon Rail & Bus Excursion With 15-Minute Dogsled Ride

Same as #2 above plus dogsled ride included in this package

Cost: $206.00 Adults $153.00 Child (12 & Under)

 

4) Skagway/Carcross Rail & Bus Excursion (May 20 – September 1, 2010)

Duration: 9 Hours

Departure: 7:30AM

Cost: $228 Adult $152 Child (12 & Under) (Plus 5% sales tax)

Lunch: Lake Bennett Train Depot dining hall/Parks Canada Interpretive Displays/Lunch Included

Itinerary: 2 1/2 hours on train to White Pass Summit, Fraser & Lake Bennett – 1 1/2 hours for lunch and layover at Lake Bennett – 1.5 hours by train to Carcross – Carcross to Emerald Lake and return to Skagway by bus

 

Courtesy transportation is provided to and from all cruise ship docks in Skagway.

 

Hi NM Lady, thanks for the info, but what is the web site that I can find this info on? I think I am looking at the wrong site.

[Yukon]

Hi NM Lady, thanks for the info, but what is the web site that I can find this info on? I think I am looking at the wrong site.

 

It's not on the Chilkoot web site ( http://chilkootcharters.com/ ) - you have to ask for prices, and that's the email they send.

[Dbld777]

http://skagway.com/citymap.html

 

IF you book the ship excursion, the train pulls right up near the ship and this is where you load.

 

IF you book independent, you have to go to the depot and load there. It's a walk from the last Railroad dock space and the Ore Dock, but certainly doable with no mobility limitations. There is also a SMART bus that runs from those dock areas, for a couple bucks that will take you to/from the depot.

 

I'm thinking that one advantage to booking thru the ship and getting on the train right at the dock would be getting the best selection of seating vs. getting on at the depot where all the ship booked excursionites are already on the train???

[Yukon]

I'm thinking that one advantage to booking thru the ship and getting on the train right at the dock would be getting the best selection of seating vs. getting on at the depot where all the ship booked excursionites are already on the train???

 

Not so - independents such as Chilkoot have their own car.

[Chenega]

Which do you suggest is better, through the cruiseline, or direct? The website says the White Pass excursion departs from the cruiseline. How close is the station to where the cruise ship docks?

The station is no more than 3/4 of a mile from the furthest cruiseshop docking area; for some ships, it's even closer.

 

I've always booked independently since the cruiseship-sponsored departures have a $15-20 surcharge; you basically pay for the convenience of departing directly from the dock vs. walking into town.