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Denali Rail and White Pass Rail

hmtsai

By hmtsai,
in Alaska

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hmtsai

hmtsai

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I've booked a Princess Cruisetour to Alaska this summer. It will be my first time to Alaska. The tour includes a Direct to the Wilderness Rail from Whittier to Denali National Park.

 

One of the excursions I am interested is White Pass Scenic Railway in Skagway. But my friend advised me that since I'm going to be on the Denali Rail already, there's no need to ride the White Pass Rail. I guess I am so convinced by "The Scenic Railway of the World" about this tour.

 

Anyone experienced can give me some suggestion? Does the White Pass and Yukon Route worth a ride?

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huskyguy

huskyguy

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It's good to be convinced by "The Scenic Railway of the World" - the White Pass blows away anything the Alaska Railroad has to offer. The Seward-Portage section of the AKRR is spectacular, but Princess passengers don't get to see that (and it's still not as good as the WP&YR).

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Chenega

Chenega

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They are two very different train rides but both worth your time. Lots of videos on both trips posted on YouTube. Only downside to the White Pass trip is if the weather is cloudy. You will spend a lot of time looking at the inside of clouds :)

Edited by Chenega
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hmtsai

hmtsai

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It's good to be convinced by "The Scenic Railway of the World" - the White Pass blows away anything the Alaska Railroad has to offer. The Seward-Portage section of the AKRR is spectacular, but Princess passengers don't get to see that (and it's still not as good as the WP&YR).

 

They are two very different train rides but both worth your time. Lots of videos on both trips posted on YouTube. Only downside to the White Pass trip is if the weather is cloudy. You will spend a lot of time looking at the inside of clouds :)

 

Thank you so much for your assurance. I definitely will not miss White Pass. However, now I have to figure out which excursion is better. Princess offer several different tours along with White Pass Rail, and I found these two interest me most:

 

1. Yukon Expedition & White Pass Scenic Railway

Tour up the Klondike Highway to the Yukon with picture stops

Visit Caribou Crossing Trading Post & enjoy lunch

Drive to Carcross, with free time to explore

Tour to Fraser, BC train depot

Ride White Pass Scenic Railway back to Skagway

Tour back to cruise ship pier

 

2. Rail, Summit, Suspension Bridge & Garden Lunch

Tour to train depot

White Pass Scenic Railway to Fraser, BC

Tour to suspension bridge

Visit Yukon Suspension Bridge

Tour down Klondike Highway to Jewell Gardens with photo stops

Lunch & garden tour at Jewell Gardens

Tour back to cruise ship pier

 

The main difference is Caribou Crossing vs Yukon Suspension Bridge. And the first one is bus up and railway back, while the second option is railway up and bus back. Which one do you prefer and why? Or if you've been to any one of those, what's your experience?

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Budget Queen

Budget Queen

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Thank you so much for your assurance. I definitely will not miss White Pass. However, now I have to figure out which excursion is better. Princess offer several different tours along with White Pass Rail, and I found these two interest me most:

 

1. Yukon Expedition & White Pass Scenic Railway

Tour up the Klondike Highway to the Yukon with picture stops

Visit Caribou Crossing Trading Post & enjoy lunch

Drive to Carcross, with free time to explore

Tour to Fraser, BC train depot

Ride White Pass Scenic Railway back to Skagway

Tour back to cruise ship pier

 

2. Rail, Summit, Suspension Bridge & Garden Lunch

Tour to train depot

White Pass Scenic Railway to Fraser, BC

Tour to suspension bridge

Visit Yukon Suspension Bridge

Tour down Klondike Highway to Jewell Gardens with photo stops

Lunch & garden tour at Jewell Gardens

Tour back to cruise ship pier

 

The main difference is Caribou Crossing vs Yukon Suspension Bridge. And the first one is bus up and railway back, while the second option is railway up and bus back. Which one do you prefer and why? Or if you've been to any one of those, what's your experience?

 

 

I recommend you NOT book the White Pass RR with Princess. There is a big difference with going independent which is superior. Princess uses full size tour buses, with fixed stops. Going independent has smaller numbers, and not as fixed a schedule. Plus, the independents aren't usually new seasonal workers that the cruise tours have large numbers of.

 

Do you want to get into the Yukon? First decision you need to make. The susupension bridge is so so at best, in my opinion. Vancouver is superior.

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TinCan782

TinCan782

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Where would you go to book the White Rail through?

 

Based on the good words here on CC, I booked the Bennett Scenic Journey through Chilkoot Tours. Looking forward to riding the White Pass and Yukon Route!

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paylady

paylady

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We used Chilkoot. I give them high marks. We were in a small touring van. [about 15-20 people] then when we boarded the train we were in our own compartment. We had more room than in the other cars.

 

 

I concur, this is the way to go. Since we've been so many times, we just rent a car from Avis and drive up the Klondike Hwy. this year we have others traveling with us and I suggested Chilkoot for them so they can experience both the White Pass train and the Klondike Hwy. Both have nice scenery.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

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granny6

granny6

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We used Chilkoot, the small bus up, Emerald lake, the train back through Bennett for lunch at the depot. Our driver stopped anytime we saw something, but still kept watch on the time to have us at the train on time. We went about the middle of June and that was our coldest excursion yet, it was very windy that day. Except for the glacier cruising. White Pass was well worth the time.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

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Out to sea!

Out to sea!

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BTW...Chilkoot does not post their prices. They will send them to you if you email a request to them. The prices are revealed, of course, when you go through the reservation process.

 

That's what I noticed and therefore emailed them but haven't heard back from them yet. Then again, my Alaska trip is still a year away and they may not have pricing yet to email but at least now I have a ballpark figure to budget for.

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TinCan782

TinCan782

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Apparently they do not release pricing until after the current season is over. When I emailed them last fall for this year, they acknowledged my email and they would respond when pricing was available. A few weeks later they did and I was able to book our tour for this summer.

 

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk

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Out to sea!

Out to sea!

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Apparently they do not release pricing until after the current season is over. When I emailed them last fall for this year, they acknowledged my email and they would respond when pricing was available. A few weeks later they did and I was able to book our tour for this summer.

 

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk

 

Correct. I just received an email from them stating they would not release prices or take bookings for 2015 until Oct 2014. Guess I'll have to wait.

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