Chilkoot Rail & Bus Tour - Yukon Rail & Bus OR Bennett Scenic Journey

[ams cruiser]

We will be sailing on the Ruby Princess next summer on our first trip to Alaska. My husband and I would like to book a Chilkoot Rail & Bus Tour in Skagway and are trying to decide between the Yukon Rail & Bus vs. Bennett Scenic Journey.

 

From the tour description:

 

Yukon Rail & Bus: (or Bus, then rail) (7.5 hours) ($186)

 

1) 28 mile train journey between Skagway, Alaska and Fraser, BC, then by

2) Bus to Emerald Lake, Caribou Crossing, Carcross, and Lake Bennett for a BBQ chicken lunch, admission to Yukon Wildlife Museum, and to a dog musher camp to pet Husky puppies.

3) Bus back to Skagway with stops along the way.

 

According to a very helpful Chilkoot representative: this tour includes a 1.75 hour train ride and 4 hours with the bus (including stops)

 

 

Bennett Scenic Journey: (8 hours) ($229)

 

1) 67.5 mile train journey between Skagway and Carcross, Yukon Territory, Canada.

2) Includes 45 minute visit to Lake Bennett, BC with self-guided walking tour

3) Turkey sandwich box lunch on train to Carcross – transfer to bus

4) Bus to Emerald Lake and then back to Skagway with stops along the way.

 

This tour includes a 4 hour train ride with 2.5 hours on the bus including stops.

 

Some considerations:

 

1) Comfort: Would the bus be more comfortable than the train?

(One advantage is presence of restrooms on the train!)

2) Scenery: Does the Bennett trip offer more variety in scenery?

3) Dogs: Definitely not a deal breaker, but it would be fun to pet the puppies. (We’re hoping to do the sled dog/helicopter trip in Juneau, weather permitting.)

 

 

I’d be interested in hearing perspectives on the pros/cons of either tour. I’m sure they are both wonderful options, but I would really appreciate some advice.

Edited November 2, 2016 by ams cruiser
spelling

[mamasylvia]

I had fun looking up options for our Skagway port day next May. ;)

 

We had to rule out the Bennett Scenic Journey because it isn't wheelchair accessible and 2 of our party are in wheelchairs. It sure does sound gorgeous, though.

 

I was planning to do the White Pass Railway round trip, since if you book it through the cruise line you load right by the ship and can arrange for a railcar with a wheelchair lift. But my SIL found a "White Pass Railway and Yukon Expedition" that sounds very much like your Yukon Rail & Bus, right down to the BBQ chicken dinner. ;) (Except that our chicken dinner includes all-you-can-eat homemade donuts, which won the husbands over instantly.)

 

I don't think you can make a bad choice here. From what I've read on the boards, if you want to focus on sitting down and watching gorgeous scenery, Bennett can't be beat. If you want to vary the gorgeous scenery with more active exploration, choose the Rail & Bus. One caution: I have read that the seats on the train are hard, so you might want to bring a cushion.

 

Let us know what you decide and how you enjoy it!

[ams cruiser]

I had fun looking up options for our Skagway port day next May. ;)

 

We had to rule out the Bennett Scenic Journey because it isn't wheelchair accessible and 2 of our party are in wheelchairs. It sure does sound gorgeous, though.

 

I was planning to do the White Pass Railway round trip, since if you book it through the cruise line you load right by the ship and can arrange for a railcar with a wheelchair lift. But my SIL found a "White Pass Railway and Yukon Expedition" that sounds very much like your Yukon Rail & Bus, right down to the BBQ chicken dinner. ;) (Except that our chicken dinner includes all-you-can-eat homemade donuts, which won the husbands over instantly.)

 

I don't think you can make a bad choice here. From what I've read on the boards, if you want to focus on sitting down and watching gorgeous scenery, Bennett can't be beat. If you want to vary the gorgeous scenery with more active exploration, choose the Rail & Bus. One caution: I have read that the seats on the train are hard, so you might want to bring a cushion.

 

Let us know what you decide and how you enjoy it!

 

Thanks for your quick response! I hadn't thought about this aspect until I read your post, but it makes sense that the Rail & Bus would be more active, since there are more stops and less train time.

 

I had read that the train seats might not be very comfortable. A cushion sounds like a good idea, if it will fit in my suitcase!

 

The other consideration I forgot to mention is that I do have a fear of heights - when hiking in Yosemite I can't go near the edge of the falls, even with a railing - but some people on the board have suggested just not sitting right next to the window. Maybe a shorter time spent on the train might be better?

 

I'm glad that your trip is wheelchair accessible. That was always a consideration when I was traveling with my mother.

 

No donut options with Chilkoot, unfortunately, but I have to say I am very impressed with their customer service. I filled out a question form on their website last night, and a representative replied with a detailed response in a couple of hours!

Edited November 2, 2016 by ams cruiser

[Beachiekeen]

We had the same dilemma and we went with the Yukon Rail and Bus. I hope it was the right choice! We wanted a longer bus v. train ride, it has a hot lunch instead of a boxed one and we get to see the husky puppies. As long as I get to see Emerald Lake I am happy either way.

[Eaglecw]

We had the same dilemma and we went with the Yukon Rail and Bus. I hope it was the right choice! We wanted a longer bus v. train ride, it has a hot lunch instead of a boxed one and we get to see the husky puppies. As long as I get to see Emerald Lake I am happy either way.

 

Beachiekeen, you’ve made a good choice. We’ve done that excursion a few times and have always enjoyed it. The lunch at Caribou crossing is pretty decent, BBQ’d chicken. Be sure to go into the museum at Caribou crossing, it’s really interesting and see the Husky puppies. When you catch the train at Fraser be sure to sit on the right side of the train up towards the door, this way you can easily get out on the platform to take in the sights or take pictures, I like to ride out on the platform.

[Beachiekeen]

Beachiekeen, you’ve made a good choice. We’ve done that excursion a few times and have always enjoyed it. The lunch at Caribou crossing is pretty decent, BBQ’d chicken. Be sure to go into the museum at Caribou crossing, it’s really interesting and see the Husky puppies. When you catch the train at Fraser be sure to sit on the right side of the train up towards the door, this way you can easily get out on the platform to take in the sights or take pictures, I like to ride out on the platform.

 

Thanks for the tips! :)

 

I feel like I am overanalyzing every decision: which tour is best, which time is best, train first or bus first, aaaagh! Now that our trip is mostly all booked, I need to quit thinking about it and just get excited!

[sherryf]

All of the rail/bus tours that go to Caribou Crossing eat the same BBQ lunch there, and they all include the donuts.. though I wasn't impressed with them.

 

The Yukon rail/bus tour is no more active, in my opinion, than the Lake Bennett trip. You spend more time on the train on the Bennett tour and more time on a bus on the Yukon rail/bus tour. You get time of the train for "activity" on both trips, either in the town of Bennett or at Caribou Crossing. The extra time on the train for the Bennett tour does not include heights, it's mostly around Bennett Lake.

 

I didn't find the seats on the train to be uncomfortable. They are padded. Not thick, cushy padding, but not hard.

 

I'm not sure why one of the tours would be wheelchair accessible and the other not, unless the number of of accessible rail cars is very limited.

 

I've done both tours and enjoyed them very much.

[ams cruiser]

I really appreciate all of the responses. I'm just starting to plan our excursions, but hope to make some decisions soon. I, too, have been known to suffer from analysis paralysis. (BBQ chicken and Husky puppies vs. box lunch and Lake Bennett!):)

 

It sounds like both excursions are excellent, and that we'll be thrilled with our decision no matter what.

 

I'm sure I'll think of more questions, but keep getting distracted by the World Series. Tying run at the plate. Have to go root for the Cubbies!

Edited November 3, 2016 by ams cruiser

[mamasylvia]

> I do have a fear of heights

 

The Rail & Bus sounds better and better for you. My SIL also has a fear of heights, and I planned to suggest she sit on the left side of the train going down so she doesn't wind up looking down a precipice. You might want to think about doing that also. I'll be sitting on the right side, which has the view down the steep mountainsides.

 

> I feel like I am overanalyzing every decision

 

We are doing a lot of that too. This will probably be my only Alaska cruise, so I want to make sure I get the most out of it. I am also culling suggestions from various threads into a Word document, broken down by day and port! lol

 

> they all include the donuts.. though I wasn't impressed with them

 

Ssshhh. Our husbands are guys. As long as the donuts are full of fat and sugar, they will be happy. lol

[onespots]

You may find more responses to your questions & from many seasoned Alaska travelers to answer them. We have done several Alaska adventures both on our own & cruises. We find their responses extremely helpful & make for better planning for us. There are so many choices, so plan carefully.

[Cornishpastyman1]

We will be sailing on the Ruby Princess next summer on our first trip to Alaska. My husband and I would like to book a Chilkoot Rail & Bus Tour in Skagway and are trying to decide between the Yukon Rail & Bus vs. Bennett Scenic Journey.

 

From the tour description:

 

Yukon Rail & Bus: (or Bus, then rail) (7.5 hours) ($186)

 

1) 28 mile train journey between Skagway, Alaska and Fraser, BC, then by

2) Bus to Emerald Lake, Caribou Crossing, Carcross, and Lake Bennett for a BBQ chicken lunch, admission to Yukon Wildlife Museum, and to a dog musher camp to pet Husky puppies.

3) Bus back to Skagway with stops along the way.

 

According to a very helpful Chilkoot representative: this tour includes a 1.75 hour train ride and 4 hours with the bus (including stops)

 

Some considerations:

 

1) Comfort: Would the bus be more comfortable than the train?

(One advantage is presence of restrooms on the train!)

2) Scenery: Does the Bennett trip offer more variety in scenery?

3) Dogs: Definitely not a deal breaker, but it would be fun to pet the puppies. (We’re hoping to do the sled dog/helicopter trip in Juneau, weather permitting.)

 

 

I’d be interested in hearing perspectives on the pros/cons of either tour. I’m sure they are both wonderful options, but I would really appreciate some advice.

This was our rail/bus day with Chlikoot (we didn't do the dog sled thing)

 

[YOUTUBE]3WSaRzt5N0Q[/YOUTUBE] [YOUTUBE]aFpz4AHOcUs[/YOUTUBE]

 

Comfort issues on the bus never arose because it was a perfectly comfortable bus but also because we were only in it for short periods as there were so many photo stops, as well the extended lunch and Museum break and time at Carcross.

 

I suppose had I been on my own I would have chosen the BSJ, not for the scenery as it's fabulous whichever one you do, but for the slightly more Gold Rush history. But for a party of 6 the overall cost would have been quite a bit more and we did have a really excellent day doing the one shown above. Whichever one you choose I hope you are lucky enough to have the last carriage on the train, as we did. All the best, Tony.

[NancyIL]

This was our rail/bus day with Chlikoot (we didn't do the dog sled thing)

 

[YOUTUBE]3WSaRzt5N0Q[/YOUTUBE] [YOUTUBE]aFpz4AHOcUs[/YOUTUBE]

 

Comfort issues on the bus never arose because it was a perfectly comfortable bus but also because we were only in it for short periods as there were so many photo stops, as well the extended lunch and Museum break and time at Carcross.

 

I suppose had I been on my own I would have chosen the BSJ, not for the scenery as it's fabulous whichever one you do, but for the slightly more Gold Rush history. But for a party of 6 the overall cost would have been quite a bit more and we did have a really excellent day doing the one shown above. Whichever one you choose I hope you are lucky enough to have the last carriage on the train, as we did. All the best, Tony.

 

Wonderful videos - thank you!

 

I have done Chilkoot's Yukon Rail/Bus excursion twice, with the train first to Fraser. For one of my Skagway stops next May (on b2b cruises) - I'm debating between the roundtrip steam train to Fraser, or the shorter Chilkoot rail/bus tour with the train down.

[mamasylvia]

Onespots, this thread is already in the Ports/Alaska section, and has been for as long as I have been following it.

[ams cruiser]

This was our rail/bus day with Chlikoot (we didn't do the dog sled thing)

 

[YOUTUBE]3WSaRzt5N0Q[/YOUTUBE] [YOUTUBE]aFpz4AHOcUs[/YOUTUBE]

 

Comfort issues on the bus never arose because it was a perfectly comfortable bus but also because we were only in it for short periods as there were so many photo stops, as well the extended lunch and Museum break and time at Carcross.

 

I suppose had I been on my own I would have chosen the BSJ, not for the scenery as it's fabulous whichever one you do, but for the slightly more Gold Rush history. But for a party of 6 the overall cost would have been quite a bit more and we did have a really excellent day doing the one shown above. Whichever one you choose I hope you are lucky enough to have the last carriage on the train, as we did. All the best, Tony.

 

 

Fantastic videos! Thank you so much for sharing them!

[ams cruiser]

Onespots, this thread is already in the Ports/Alaska section, and has been for as long as I have been following it.

 

Thanks for clarifying that. I was trying to figure out if there was another thread that I had missed!

[ams cruiser]

All of the rail/bus tours that go to Caribou Crossing eat the same BBQ lunch there, and they all include the donuts.. though I wasn't impressed with them.

 

The Yukon rail/bus tour is no more active, in my opinion, than the Lake Bennett trip. You spend more time on the train on the Bennett tour and more time on a bus on the Yukon rail/bus tour. You get time of the train for "activity" on both trips, either in the town of Bennett or at Caribou Crossing. The extra time on the train for the Bennett tour does not include heights, it's mostly around Bennett Lake.

 

I didn't find the seats on the train to be uncomfortable. They are padded. Not thick, cushy padding, but not hard.

 

I'm not sure why one of the tours would be wheelchair accessible and the other not, unless the number of of accessible rail cars is very limited.

 

I've done both tours and enjoyed them very much.

 

Good to know, thank you!

[MommyCPA]

I'm also curious about these same questions. My family of 6 (my mom and dad in their upper 70's, me, and 3 adult children) are going on the Ruby Princess next June. We are looking at Yukon Rail & Bus and I'm trying to decide between the larger Chilcoot Tours or the smaller and more personal Dyea Dave tours. Unless people have real issues with Dyea Dave, I'd usually lean towards that.

 

Is Yukon Rail & Bus a big touring bus? Is there another company not associated with Princess that does small rail and bus tours? We will definitely want to see the puppies as we are all huge dog lovers!

 

Thanks for the help!

Edited December 5, 2016 by MommyCPA

[Beachiekeen]

I'm also curious about these same questions. My family of 6 (my mom and dad in their upper 70's, me, and 3 adult children) are going on the Ruby Princess next June. We are looking at Yukon Rail & Bus, but I wonder if there are even smaller group tours available, say with only 12 instead of 25 on the bus? If not, this sounds perfectly wonderful!

 

Is Yukon Rail & Bus a big touring bus? Is there another company not associated with Princess that does small rail and bus tours? We will definitely want to see the puppies as we are all huge dog lovers!

 

Thanks for the help!

 

Dyea Dave also comes recommended and it looks like he has a 16 and 11 passenger bus-only option. Or you can book the train back yourself. You can go to his website and look at the FAQ's.

 

Chilkoot's bus holds 25 according to their website.

Edited December 5, 2016 by Beachiekeen

[sherryf]

I'm also curious about these same questions. My family of 6 (my mom and dad in their upper 70's, me, and 3 adult children) are going on the Ruby Princess next June. We are looking at Yukon Rail & Bus and I'm trying to decide between the larger Chilcoot Tours or the smaller and more personal Dyea Dave tours. Unless people have real issues with Dyea Dave, I'd usually lean towards that.

 

Is Yukon Rail & Bus a big touring bus? Is there another company not associated with Princess that does small rail and bus tours? We will definitely want to see the puppies as we are all huge dog lovers!

 

Thanks for the help!

 

The Yukon Rail & Bus tour through Princess is on a large tour bus. Chilkoot is a private company that offers a similar tour on much smaller shuttle-type bus. Dyea Dave is another independent option. I've done the tour through Chilkoot and we were very pleased with the size and quality of the tour.

[QShip]

If you think donuts are important be sure to check out the cinnamon rolls at the little bakery in Carcross. Excellent and the size of a dinner plate!

[sininho]

My DH cares about the rail part, he loves trains. Myself care about scenery, lake Emerald, Bennett and of course change of lots of pictures etc etc... can you guys help me to identify which tour will fit better our requirements? Also it's better train first or bus first? We will be going on Ruby Princess on end on May.

 

 

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[Beachiekeen]

My DH cares about the rail part, he loves trains. Myself care about scenery, lake Emerald, Bennett and of course change of lots of pictures etc etc... can you guys help me to identify which tour will fit better our requirements? Also it's better train first or bus first? We will be going on Ruby Princess on end on May.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

You get a longer train ride on the Bennett Scenic Journey. I think the general consensus is both tours are great. :)

[TheCalicoCat]

We chose to do a guided drive with Becky of Beyond Skagway. (no train) I don't see her mentioned very much here, but I believe that she is still in business & I would recommend her. She was great with our young son - stopped so we could play in the snow, snap a photo of a lone beautiful flower, etc.

 

I'm commenting because of the comment/question about the scenery.

 

While some of it is very similar, it was all very spectacular & there is enough variety - not just trees...

 

The road views are different that the train views - in case you were wondering. (& by different I mean beyond the difference of left side of the gorge vs right side. (There were times when we saw the tracks & times when we did not while on the road.)

[DougH]

Both are nice tours, I like the longer train ride to Lake Bennett. I've gone with Chilkoot several time sand have always been in a bus about 12-16 people. Both choices are prety good and you should still have time to wander around Skagway a bit