How long is the actual train ride on the White Pass Railroad in Skagway??

[lindseesmom]

We are going on Royal Caribbean and see their basic train ride is $120. How long is the actual train ride and what does the rest of the excursion include?

Is the Chilkoot tours excursion the same as the Royal excursion??

Thanks!

[Clarea]

We are going on Royal Caribbean and see their basic train ride is $120. How long is the actual train ride and what does the rest of the excursion include?

Is the Chilkoot tours excursion the same as the Royal excursion??

Thanks!

We did this last year from Rhapsody. We did the round trip from Skagway to the White Pass Summit, and I believe it was a little over 3 hours in duration.

 

Here's the description from our excursion brochure:

 

Not just another train ride! Take the unforgettable journey aboard the "Scenic Railway of the World" and travel 20 miles from

tidewater to the summit of the White Pass. Against all odds, this iron trail was built through some of the North's most ruggedly

beautiful terrain and more than 110 years later, is still in operation. Ride in a comfortable vintage rail car to the White Pass Summit

through two tunnels, over sky high trestles, and remote valleys. Pass Bridal Veil Falls, Inspiration point and Dead Horse Gulch as

your guide announces points of interest and tells the tale of the Klondike Gold Rush and building of the railway. Reaching the

White Pass Summit at 2,865 feet, a seat exchange will occur, allowing everyone to experience the excellent views during this

round trip rail journey. This narrow gauge railroad is an International historic Civil Engineering Landmark, sharing the honor with the

Eiffel Tower, Statue of Liberty and Panama Canal. Experience this unique railroad that symbolizes accomplishment in the

adventure of pioneering - triumph over challenge.

[SwimnwFishes]

I can't speak to the Chillkoot Tour, but I did take the White Pass Rail to the rail head and the Bike Tour back to Skagway one year. All I can say is Wow!

 

The train trip is nothing less than spectacular, the tour guides on the train well informed and entertaining. There is plenty of time for you to take pictures and observe the scenery as you travel the route.

 

I've got a AK cruise scheduled for '14...and this tour is number one on my list of tours to do again!

[kee]

We are going on Royal Caribbean and see their basic train ride is $120. How long is the actual train ride and what does the rest of the excursion include?

Is the Chilkoot tours excursion the same as the Royal excursion??

Thanks!

 

You can walk right over to the train office in skagway and purchase your tickets. Think that is what we did. Totally worth it. Stand outside a couple of times on the train, exciting.

[linkerbink]

I agree with the last assessment of the White Pass Railroad trip....it was fantastic! We were there in late June and the forest was beautiful and there were many waterfalls along the way. At the end of the trip up the mountain, we flipped our seats around and went back the same way we went up. It was a neat ride.

[Onessa]

You can walk right over to the train office in skagway and purchase your tickets. Think that is what we did. Totally worth it. Stand outside a couple of times on the train, exciting.

We also bought our tickets directly at the train office the day we got in port. Big price difference. Same train, same coaches, same ride -- no "complimentary" bottle of water and we did have to board at the train station rather than on the docks.

 

Unlike the previous posters we were less than "wow'ed" by the trip. While the views are great, the ride is very long and very passive and we are more of the active not sitting around kind of people.

[lindseesmom]

Thanks for all the info and this will be a must do for our cruise!!

[powelweb]

We did the Chilkoot tour last summer, and took the train up then did a van trip back, which allowed us to stop at a few different stops, like the "welcome to Alaska" state sign for a picture and bridal veils falls.

 

It was one a gorgeous day and a wonderful 3 hour tour that morning, but I think you can schedule it for later in the day, or in reverse order (van up and train back) if you'd prefer.

[kingsgirl]

Something you MUST do is stand outside when you go through the tunnels. Wowzers!

 

When you come back down, it feels like the train is going way too fast (especially when you're outside)....it's quite a rush.

 

When we went, the snow was higher than the train in some places.

[Clarea]

Another option you may want to consider is to take the train up and another way down. I believe there was a bus option for us. I felt like I was seeing the same thing taking the train on the way down and would have liked to be on the other side of the valley to see things from a different perspective.

[Aquahound]

I can't speak to the Chillkoot Tour, but I did take the White Pass Rail to the rail head and the Bike Tour back to Skagway one year. All I can say is Wow!

 

I am doing that same tour in June. I have a question....I know they want round-trip passengers to switch seats so all have equal opportunity to sit on the left side, but did they give you priority for the left side since you were only going one way? I just want to know if we need to rush to get the better seats. Thanks.

[reney313]

We went with Dyea Dave to Emerald Lake. On the way back, he dropped us off in Frazer, BC for the train ride back down.

 

To me, this was the best of both worlds. We got to see many things on the small bus (shuttle with maybe 12 people) that we did not see on the train. Plus we were able to spend some time in Carcross and a great lunch at a local diner. It was really great.

 

I thought the train ride down was phenomenal. Truly a wonderful experience and one of the many highlights on our trip.

[kingsgirl]

We went with Dyea Dave to Emerald Lake. On the way back, he dropped us off in Frazer, BC for the train ride back down.

 

To me, this was the best of both worlds. We got to see many things on the small bus (shuttle with maybe 12 people) that we did not see on the train. Plus we were able to spend some time in Carcross and a great lunch at a local diner. It was really great.

 

I thought the train ride down was phenomenal. Truly a wonderful experience and one of the many highlights on our trip.

 

We did this tour with a different guide. We enjoyed it but found that it was too long. Wasn't the tour like 8 hours or something?

[reney313]

We did this tour with a different guide. We enjoyed it but found that it was too long. Wasn't the tour like 8 hours or something?

 

I'm trying to remember. It doesn't seem like it was that long and I am one to get bored if I'm not entertained. I could be wrong, it might have been 8 hours and it was just that exciting to me the whole time.

 

We left right after docking. We stopped at several scenic look outs on the way up--but we had a small group so it was quick. If there was a large bus, he would go by it and say "we'll stop on our way back when there aren't so many people". I want to say maybe 2 hours up. Then 30-45 minutes in Carcross. Then about a hour eating. Then back down to the train station. So, yeah, maybe 8 hours in all.

 

I know when we got back to town, we still had time to go through some shops and have a couple drinks. We were in port for a long time though. I'll have to double check my records and report back!

[kingsgirl]

I'm trying to remember. It doesn't seem like it was that long and I am one to get bored if I'm not entertained. I could be wrong, it might have been 8 hours and it was just that exciting to me the whole time.

 

We left right after docking. We stopped at several scenic look outs on the way up--but we had a small group so it was quick. If there was a large bus, he would go by it and say "we'll stop on our way back when there aren't so many people". I want to say maybe 2 hours up. Then 30-45 minutes in Carcross. Then about a hour eating. Then back down to the train station. So, yeah, maybe 8 hours in all.

 

I know when we got back to town, we still had time to go through some shops and have a couple drinks. We were in port for a long time though. I'll have to double check my records and report back!

 

We did the same thing. It was either 8 or 10 hours long. Some ridiculous amount. We literally ran through some shops before RUNNING to the ship. I'm glad we did the excursion, but definitely wouldn't do it again. Might just to the White Pass run again. We did the tour because we are Canadian and wanted to see some of the Yukon.

 

Did you get to see the world smallest desert, too? Kinda funny.

[kingsgirl]

in Carcross and a great lunch at a local diner. It was really great.

 

 

Sorry, I misread your comment. You actually ate IN Carcross? We didn't eat in Carcross so we must have different excursions. We ate at this building in the middle of nowhere where people had hiked through for the gold rush.

 

We had homemade stew and apple pie with cheese and were able to walk around the area before getting back on the train.

 

I misread what you wrote. We actually took the train all the back from Carcross -hence why my trip was so long.

[reney313]

Sorry, I misread your comment. You actually ate IN Carcross? We didn't eat in Carcross so we must have different excursions. We ate at this building in the middle of nowhere where people had hiked through for the gold rush.

 

We had homemade stew and apple pie with cheese and were able to walk around the area before getting back on the train.

 

I misread what you wrote. We actually took the train all the back from Carcross -hence why my trip was so long.

 

Well, maybe you didn't misread :cool: We ate a diner near Carcross, not "in" Carcross. But it was not in the middle of nowhere. It was attached a little "resort" (primitive). And it was right off the main road.

 

I went back and looked at our times. We arrived in Skagway at 7:00am. I believe we got off the ship as soon as we could so it started around 7:30 or 8:00am. We did not leave the port until 8:30pm, which is why we had quite a bit of time in town after we got back. So, even if it were 8 hours, we still had roughly 3 hours+ when we got back. That makes sense now. I know we went through 4 or 5 shops. Went to the Red Onion Saloon, then down to a more local bar for a few more drinks. We got back to the ship when the last train was returning so we had plenty of time without rushing. Although I almost did run back to the ship as the town was shut down when we were walking back. I didn't see anyone on the sidewalks! Then we saw the train and I stopped second guessing the time. I thought maybe our iphones had the wrong time or something!

[dagored]

DON'T DO IT. I did this a few years ago. Wife talked me into it. Two hours up, two hours back down. You see the same trees twice. Whoopee!!

[labeachcomber]

We did the Chilkoot tour last summer, and took the train up then did a van trip back, which allowed us to stop at a few different stops, like the "welcome to Alaska" state sign for a picture and bridal veils falls.

 

It was one a gorgeous day and a wonderful 3 hour tour that morning, but I think you can schedule it for later in the day, or in reverse order (van up and train back) if you'd prefer.

We did the same. Glad we did the van back as what's the point of taking the train both ways?

I am doing that same tour in June. I have a question....I know they want round-trip passengers to switch seats so all have equal opportunity to sit on the left side, but did they give you priority for the left side since you were only going one way? I just want to know if we need to rush to get the better seats. Thanks.

If I recall correctly, with Chilkoot tours, there were very few of us and the tour operator took us on to our own car separate from the main tour from Royal Caribbean. We had our choice of seats. I think others later boarded from another tour and had to sit on the right side. I'm not sure what would have happened on the way back since we took the van back. I'd try to make sure to get the left side on the way up just in case people don't move.

[Ashland]

Another option you may want to consider is to take the train up and another way down. I believe there was a bus option for us. I felt like I was seeing the same thing taking the train on the way down and would have liked to be on the other side of the valley to see things from a different perspective.

The very reason we chose to go with Chilkoot bus up and train back. Plus doing the bus up it doesn't depart until 8:30am.

[edjny]

I am doing that same tour in June. I have a question....I know they want round-trip passengers to switch seats so all have equal opportunity to sit on the left side, but did they give you priority for the left side since you were only going one way? I just want to know if we need to rush to get the better seats. Thanks.

 

We are going on the train one-way when we take the trip in August. Is the left side going up preferred? Why?

[Thecat123]

We are going on the train one-way when we take the trip in August. Is the left side going up preferred? Why?

 

From what I remember the left side has the view. The right hand side the hill

Buy the DVD on the train its really good

[Clarea]

We are going on the train one-way when we take the trip in August. Is the left side going up preferred? Why?

Most of the sights are on the left side going up. As I recall there is a cemetary on the right side, and maybe one or two other points of interest on the right side, but the bulk of the sights will be on the left.

[edjny]

Thanks for the info. We will try to be in the front of the line to get a seat on the left side of the train.... :cool: