Skagway- train or drive?

[mulliganmonkey]

Hi, My first trip to Alaska is coming up. I was totally sold on renting a car in Skagway and driving up to Emerald Lake with Murry's Guide. After reading more on CC, I am now torn between the rail/bus or the car. I will be doing a land tour for a week prior to our cruise, so we will be spending lots of time on trains. I realize the views will be different on the different trains. However, I figured it would be great to get out and about in our own car and the freedom to stop and see the sights when we wanted to. I am a very independent traveller and consider myself well travelled. I am traveling with my sister and BIL who enjoy the "formalized" part of the cruisetour. I expect to back in Alaska during my lifetime but not sure about my sister and BIL. I was looking for some feeback/suggestions on the two options.

[Budget Queen]

Well you already know, that the Alaska RR, is pretty dull :) on the Anchorage/Denali segment, and is no comparism to the White Pass RR. :) Major difference in scenery, history, also narrow gage.

 

Both options are excellent out of Skagway- only you can choose. I never suggest one over the other, and have done both, many times.

[5waldos]

Came down to money for me- $100 for a car (plus gas) vs $420 for the 3 of us to take the train. Plus we can noodle around at our own pace- we are in Skagway for a long time- 7am-9pm.

[mkringen]

Came down to money for me- $100 for a car (plus gas) vs $420 for the 3 of us to take the train. Plus we can noodle around at our own pace- we are in Skagway for a long time- 7am-9pm.

 

Well that answers it for me. Thanks.

[mkringen]

Well you already know, that the Alaska RR, is pretty dull :) on the Anchorage/Denali segment, and is no comparism to the White Pass RR. :) Major difference in scenery, history, also narrow gage.

 

Both options are excellent out of Skagway- only you can choose. I never suggest one over the other, and have done both, many times.

 

Which is the best budget place to rent a car?

[Budget Queen]

Which is the best budget place to rent a car?

 

You are talking about Skagway? My only recommendation is Avis.

[treasure4two]

You are talking about Skagway? My only recommendation is Avis.

I got a small car from them, for the two of us, and it is $99 plus taxes and insurance.

[Mich3]

This is our first Alaska trip and we opted for the rental car from Avis too.

[Janet Foster]

This is our first Alaska trip and we opted for the rental car from Avis too.

Same here. We have 10 people. Got two full sized cars $130 each car. $26pp plus the gas kitty.. MEOW....

[hexdragon]

Same for us, 5 train fares vs. one car rental...

[Jen1000]

The view is pretty similar from the train or in the car.

 

Jen in SoCal

 

Hi, My first trip to Alaska is coming up. I was totally sold on renting a car in Skagway and driving up to Emerald Lake with Murry's Guide. After reading more on CC, I am now torn between the rail/bus or the car. I will be doing a land tour for a week prior to our cruise, so we will be spending lots of time on trains. I realize the views will be different on the different trains. However, I figured it would be great to get out and about in our own car and the freedom to stop and see the sights when we wanted to. I am a very independent traveller and consider myself well travelled. I am traveling with my sister and BIL who enjoy the "formalized" part of the cruisetour. I expect to back in Alaska during my lifetime but not sure about my sister and BIL. I was looking for some feeback/suggestions on the two options.

[Trailblazer99]

The view is pretty similar from the train or in the car.

 

I suggest that you weren't paying much attention or that you've only been on one. The train has several historically and/or scenically very significant sights not available from the highway - Black Cross Rock, Slippery Rock, Tunnel Mountain, The Trail of 98, the cantilever bridge.

[vie lee]

I have done both and even though the train was interesting - I like renting and driving better because of being able to stop and take pictures when and where I want and for as long as I want. We last drove it, in the fall a couple of years ago and I got a couple hundred breath taking pictures. We are going to do it again this May and I am hoping to get spring pictures.

[jody]

We are choosing to rent a car from Avis also, for the savings and the convenience of stopping for photos and stretching when we want. We know we'll miss the train narrative and the train experience, but we figure the pros with driving outweigh the cons for us.

[martinsfo]

Our travel consortiium paid for our tour in Skagway and we took a bus up to Carcross and the train back. It was unforgetable, and I doubly enjoyed it as I did not have to drive. The roads are interesting, and it was enjoyable to concentrate on some of the most exquisate scenery you will ever see anywhere. We will not be going to Skagway this summer, instead our trip goes to Haines.

[Budget Queen]

The view is pretty similar from the train or in the car.

 

Jen in SoCal

 

This is a persistant comment that is not true. The White Pass and Klondike Highway do parallel each other, but only have common views of a few miles. The scenery from the White Pass is superior, and definately the scenery to Lake Bennett is grossly superior compared to the Klondike Highway.

 

Have you done both routes?????