10 Tips For Riding the White Pass & Yukon Railroad
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- Опубликовано: 22 ноя 2024
- Riding the White Pass & Yukon Scenic Railroad in Skagway, Alaska is THE thing to do. Here are ten tips and pieced of information you need to know to make your ride the best it can be.
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The only video I have seen that talks about the history of the gold rush here. For me, it made the trip all I could hope...history, beautiful scenery & a train. Life doesn't get a whole lot better than this. Thank you.
We took this ride in 2015, it was amazing scenery and a warm clear day! Our train was not full, so I had the liberty to get photos from both sides, both up and back. Our train did go into Canada, but just circled back, non stop. I did catch a long distance photo of a mountain goat on the slope. Great trip!
I watched the video just for the last tip. I thought one side would be better but didn’t know which, until now. Going in two weeks. Thanks for the video
I'm glad it helped! Enjoy your trip!
Great video! My wife and I will be taking this in Mid-may of this year (2023) so this was perfect.
Fantastic! This video was shot in mid-May, so it's probably a pretty good representation of what you'll see. Have a wonderful time!
We are scheduled to take this train ride tomorrow during our cruise stop aboard Norwegian Bliss. Looking forward to it.
Excellent video with great tips. We are going in August 2024. Was torn between taking the bus or the train. Didn't realize there was a combo but I think your video convinced my to stay with the train the entire way. My hubby was happy because that's what he wanted all along! Thanks again!
Glad it was helpful! Thank you so much for watching and enjoy your cruise (and train ride).
We found the bus part of the tour better than the train. We had a marvelous guide in a minivan that stopped and showed us the hidden areas and back roads that full size buses could not get to. Even providing games and prizes to who could skip a stone the most times in Lake Emerald, etc. Yes, the minibus part was definitely, for us, the most entertaining and scenic part of the trip. The guides description and historical knowledge were outstanding. Our friends from Florida thought the train ride was the worst part of the whole cruise (but my wife and I enjoyed the train also). I guess it depends on what you anticipate and who your guide is.
Thanks for mentioning the tips that everyone else hasn’t brought to our attention. Like the bathroom brake, the noisy tracks, and the snacks. Great narration and soothing voice.
Liked & subscribed !!
Thank you so much for the kind comments...I really appreciate it. I spent about 18 years in radio, so it's nice to see that I've retained some of those skills. Also, THANK YOU for suscribing! I hava a lot of fun stuff coming up in the weeks and months ahead and it's nice to have you along.
I was going to mention this same exact comment! Thank you! And I also was going to say that he does have a great voice for radio! After seeing your comment @backroadtourist, it makes perfect sense 😂. Can’t wait for our tour in a few days!
Thanks for sharing this video. I took this trip last August when I sailed on one of the first cruises to return to Alaska post-pandemic. There was lots of heavy rain and the windows kept fogging up obstructing the views at times. I have to say that I still thoroughly enjoyed this excursion. The scenery was breathtaking and the overall experience was great. The depot is a fun place to shop for souvenirs. Definitely worth the trip!
Thank you for the tips. My husband and I will be taking this tour in May 2023
My wife and I have been on this trip twice and both times were in May. The weather was pretty good both times. I hope it's great for you, too! Enjoy your trip, Alaska is amazing!
Me too
Me too
Us as well:)
I'm going on the Ruby Princess 5/17 out of SF. This is one of the excursions I have booked.
We did the ride on "White Pass & Yukon Railroad". I brought a great camera and excellent binoculars. We did a 9-day cruise to Alaska and Victoria BC from Seattle in July of 2022. This is by far my favorite excursion. Thank you for sharing BT 😁
You're so welcome. I'm glad you enjoyed both the excursion and my video!
I would say take the earliest (first) trip of the day. We did it late June and were on the first trip of the day. Freedom of seating and cooler in the car (less people). When we were coming down the hill, the cars were PACKED full of people. We were able to stand outside the cart as much as we wanted, which also got better pics.
Thanks for the tips I'll be doing this in September 25
Taking the train in Sept 2024 with our daughter and husband. Our first train trip was in 2000 with HAL. So it’s been 24 years since our last ride. Hope the recent rock slide does not affect our journey. Thanks for sharing.
I haven't heard about any disruptions due to the rockslide, so you're probably good to go. I'm sure your ride will be just as wonderful as it was 24 years ago. Have a wonderful time and thanks for watching and commenting. I appreciate it.
We have done the White Pass trip many times and will be on it again in May.
Tip 12. You can stand and use the area between cars to take photos. Many think you must sit. But watch for the tunnel and soot if you take the steam loco
Did you see Sasquatch in your ride?? We saw a little sasquatch at the entrance of one of the tunnels. It was not very big but I immediately noticed it since I was standing outside the train enjoying the view! My husband missed it but went and lookednon his go pro and realized he had caught it on video.😅 I suppose someone placed it there as a joke.
Thanks for the tips and information. We're going on our first Alaskan cruise in late Sep/early Oct of this year. I love NG railroads and this is my main excursion for our cruise. Hoping to enjoy the train ride. I imagine the fall colors should be beautiful when we go.
It's a wonderful trip. You'll have a blast!
Thank you for the tips! I will be cruising to Alaska in June 2025 and I already booked this train.
You're so welcome. Thanks for watching and enjoy the beauty overload on the ride!
We did this ride we did see bears🐻. The ride is great 😊
Tip 7.2 is important. Did this trip in 1978.
Great tips. Plan on researching about the Gold Rush era. Taking this train mid-June. Can’t wait!
Knowing what the gold seekers went through really adds another level of appreciation to the ride. The story of the building of the railroad is fascinating, too! Have a great time!
Thank you! So helpful! Especially #4, #7.2, & #10.
So glad you liked it, Jennifer. Thanks for watching!
Great tips. You forgot to mention the Luxury Car. Best ride ever. 13 comfortable seats, wide windows, personal guide and all the food you can eat. Also, large open rear platform for great views and photos. But, maybe they have not included the Luxury Car since COVID.
Thanks r g! I never knew about the Luxury Car. I guess you learn something new every day. I might have to put that on my "to do" list if I ever get that way again.
Although the luxury coach was being sold for 2022, it was cancelled without explanation by either the railway or the cruise line. A friend who was travelling with us had booked that coach and enquired at the ticket office in Skagway. There was an issue with catering so that service was cancelled for the season. It is expected back in 2023. I am considering booking it for our Cunard cruise next June. The cost is US$340 and is already almost sold out.
@@davidthomas2761 Thanks for the update. Strange that "catering" was the cause. Honestly, or me, they could have served McDonald's McMuffin or burgers and coffee, because for me the real benefit was to have the comfortable seats for my back, large viewing windows, the guide, and of course the big unobstructed platform at the rear of the coach. Interesting that it is almost booked up for 2023, I must not be the only one who wants to have that experience. Good Luck on your trip. The $340 is a little costly, but I guess the gourmet food will be back. For me it was a once in a lifetime experience so money was not an issue....you can't take it with you!
We rode the luxury car in May 2022. Was fantastic and worth the extra money.
What was the cost of the luxury car?
Does the train accommodate mobility challenged people? I use a rollator walker. Do they have a place to store it? How about getting to the bathroom. Do they have grab bars. (Some of us need to use the bathroom more often than 2 1/2 hours.)
What about people using wheelchairs?
Hi Jacquelyn. Those are VERY good questions and I'm afraid I don't know the answers. I'd recommend contacting the railway and getting the answers directly from them. Their website is wpyr.com and their email is info@wypr.com. Thanks for watching.
Phenomenal ride
01:20 We did the Bus to Carcross and train back. However I really enjoyed taking the bus to Carcross as it allows for a different view of things, our driver was great at pointing things out and giving some history of things, we stopped and got out to look around at several lakes / Yukon sign, Bove Lookout and many others.
But as mentioned in the video his experience was rushed and unorganized. My bus section was far from that so perhaps he just had a bad / new driver.
This railroad ride was one of the best excursions for me. Your tip #10 is spot on. I believe the caboose near the tracks in the video at 10:03 is used by White Pass for their daily hiker service. But there's at least one more caboose nearby that can be rented by the night through the Tongass National Forest service.
Just got back, wonderful excursion. Snacks are a great tip, don't forget to bring cash in small bills if you want to buy the hats and history DVD.
Riding the right side worked just fine for us, sitting in the back or near the front gets the easiest access to standing on the platform.
Good video. Quick question. Did you notice the Bigfoot (Yeti) statue? 5 miles up on the left side in one of the cuts, a mx worker placed a Bigfoot (Yeti) statue there. I think it's about 18" high. You won't notice it until you pass it, then you question yourself if that's what you saw.
I noticed it as I was standing outside the train taking pictures! I was very surprised. When I told my husband he didn't believe it. Later, he looked on his go pro and realized he had caught it on video.😄
Darn it...now I'm going to have to ride the train AGAIN the next time I go! No, I've never noticed the Bigfoot statue. Thanks for the heads up and thanks for watching Backroads Tourist.
This was a great excursion. We got on right from Princess Grand. I would take the morning excursion if i get a chance to return. The afternoon was very crowded and noisy. Passengers weren't interested in commentary.
I've never sailed on the Grand Princess. We were there in May on the Crown Princess and had a wonderful time. The casino was VERY nice to us that trip. (I have a video on that, too). In May, the crowds weren't too bad for us. I'm glad you had a wonderful time!
The Dry Gulch Bridge was last used in 1969. It should be fully restored to allow for passenger trains.
No thanks. Even restored it isnt prime structural engineering for a train, passengers and carriages. If they wanted a money maker it would be scarier than a bungee jump if you walked it
I really would have loved to get a picture of the money shack that was at the top but the white railroad decided they had to have a piece of equipment locked in front of it so you got to see it from an angle and that was it and you were by it so quick cuz they didn't tell you it was coming that I never got a good picture so I tried on the way back and same thing by the time we cleared enough where I could shoot It was a second and it was gone
Thanks! My husband and I are going July 2023. So glad we booked this excursion. We are booked on the 9 am train. Is there anything else to see in Skagway since we are there until 8pm? Looking for a salmon lunch or dinner with the fresh caught salmon.
Your cruise is coming up fast! I bet you're excited. You're going to love the train ride. My wife and I enjoyed wandering down Broadway Street and checking out the shops. There's everything from tacky touristy stuff to fine art. A few blocks up on your left will be a gift shop that has a really neat museum in the back. The last time we were there, my wife got a big surprise. Over a hundred years ago, one of her distant relatives won the Great Alaska Sweepstakes, which was a dog sled race that preceded the Iditerod. She found a portrait of her relative carved onto a walrus tusk! How's THAT for a cool story??? Right across the street is the Bonanza Bar & Grill. We didn't have the salmon, so I can't vouch for it. If you're into history, Skagway is where legendary con artist Soapy Smith was shot and killed at the pier. There's also a tour of the Red Onion, which used to be a house of ill repute back in the day, if you're into that sorta thing. I'm sure you and your husband will have a great time in Skagway after your cruise. Enjoy!
IMO the train & bike excursion is a much better option than either the 2-way train or the train & bus (presumably only available once they start stopping in Canada again - I did it in 2018). The bike hire guys drive up and meet the train at the top, allowing you to cycle back down. No need to worry about fitness levels - it's almost entirely downhill, so you barely need to pedal. If you can stay upright on a saddle for 40 minutes, it should be well within your abilities. Usually small groups (I think there were 12 in mine, with 2 guides), and an absolutely exhilirating ride - the road is on the opposite side of the valley from the train, so you get a different set of stunning views. (Of course, since you're only going one way, it's all the more important to sit on the left for the train.)
We will be doing the combination train/bus. Any preference for which to do first, train/bus? Thanks for the video.
You're so welcome. I'm glad you enjoyed it. We've only ever taken the train ride up and the bus ride down, so I can't really give an honest comparison. Whichever one you do, I'm sure you'll have a great time. The scenery is magnificent. Thanks for watching, I appreciate it.
Thanks for a great video. There is a 8 hr trip into Canada. Is it worthwhile to take just the 2.5 hour or the 8 hr trip is better?
That's a good question. I've never taken the 8 hour trip, so I can't speak specifically about it. However, I know that for me, 8 hours on a train might be a little long. But, if someone is really into trains, I bet it would be a wonderful excursion. For us, the shorter trip was perfect. Whichever you decide to do, I hope you have a wonderful time! Thanks for watching.
Skagway is absolutely a tourist dive. The few people who live there run the tourist "attractions." IMO you can watch a couple y/T's and stay on board. This is more entertaining and will save you $200 a person. If you can't resist, deboard and walk around town for an hour. Perhaps tour the Arctic Brotherhood. You'll soon get the idea "that wasn't $h!+". You'd be right!
Got any recommendations for the "research on the gold rush" you suggested?
There are two books that I read and really enjoyed. "Klondike...The Last Great Gold Rush 1896-1899" by Pierre Berton not only tells the stories of the gold rush, but also highlights some of the wild characters in that area. It's a fun read. I also liked "The Klondike Stampede" by Tappan Adney. He was actually there and wrote his book in 1900, so it's a genuine firsthand account. I also read Jack London's "White Fang" and "Call of the Wild". Although these are fictional stories, they really capture the flavor of that time frame because Jack London was a part of the gold rush. Thanks for watching and thanks for the question.
Thank you
So I’m confused. Does the train come back the same way? If you get a seat on the left when you come back then you’re on the right?
I think it depends on the trip you book. Some go one-way into Canada and then you take a bus back (or take a bus to Canada and take the train back) and others are round trip when you come back the same way you went up. If that's the case, you stay on the same side, but just get a different view on the way back. Although I haven't experienced it myself, I'VE HEARD, there are some trips where the engine moves from the front to the back at the end of the trip up to bring you back and that the seats in the train car somehow convert to facing the opposite way so that you're not riding down backwards. I'm sorry if that part confuses you even more. If you're doing a round trip ride, my advice is to get a seat on the left as you're facing toward the front. I hope that helps and thanks for watching.
Is this railway also used for freight to supply logistics to Whitehorse?
Should I book ahead of time at their website, or just go to the ticket office and buy it on site? I will be traveling in May.
Good question! I can only speak to what I've done in the past and that is to get the ticket through the cruise line. I just haven't checked into any other option, so I'm afraid I can't give any firsthand advice here. We booked through our cruise line because it was convenient and just one less thing for us to worry about.
The train rides appear to be offered online/in person based on their website, but they have a note stating that the cruise line offered rides will depart/arrive dockside instead of the main station.
Also, remember, cruise booked excursions come with "guarantees" (like making it back to the ship) that aren't available with your own bookings.
Does the train pause at any point so photographers can get off that photo the train with some scenic background? Also, I have seen several sites that list several price ranges for this train, $!00 up to $300 dollars. Do you know anything about this?
Good questions! We've ridden the train twice and they didn't stop anywhere to give us a chance to take pictures. However, the first time we rode it, we got off in Carcross and could take a few pictures of the train there. The second time we rode it, Canada was still shut down due to Covid and it was strictly a round trip without getting off anywhere. As far as the difference in prices, the railway has different routes that cover different distances, so that may account for this. My advice is to check their website, wpyr.com and check the prices there against the cruise ship excursion prices. Just make sure you're comparing prices on the same route. Thanks for watching.
If the train bus option is offered, take the train up and the bus down. The break noise on the way down is bad. It is too loud to hear the guides talk. On the bus you see a different side of the pass. You even get a chance to see the train on the other side.
Are they going to donate any of the retired diesel locomotives for preservation Cinemark I know they're going to retain two of each class I was just curious
A couple of the old Alco retired locomotives from the WP&Y were sold off and shipped to the Durango & Silverton Railroad in Colorado, where they can still be seen in operation today.
Do they really turn the entire train around, so the sides switch views? (White Pass corporate video only shows the engine running from front to back on a siding)
Although I've been on this trip twice, I'm not an expert. But I'll tell you what I experienced. The first time we went, we took the train to Carcross and then got on a tour bus to bring us back, so I don't know what the train did as far as turning around goes. On our last trip about a year ago, Canada was still shut down, so the train went into sort of a roundabout to turn around and come back. Maybe someone else on here who's had different experiences can help answer this question.
Videos I’ve seen said they move the driver’s engine car to the back and it becomes the front. Seats are adjusted so you are facing the other direction. When you get to the top, you must switch to the other side for the way back.
We just returned in Sept 2 -2023. The train we were on the seats were facing one way. We sat on the side that faced the scenery, and we stayed in the same seat and came back facing the mountainside. So the train does a loop, so whichever side you are sitting on, you will get both views.
This train goes into Canada??
The first time we did the trip, it went into the Yukon Territory and we took a bus back. The last time we did it, the train turned around at the Canadian border and came back to Skagway. If I remember correctly, that was still a restriction due to COVID at the time. Thanks for watching.
Hang out the back of whatever car you're in. Be outside.
Tha k you!!!
You're so welcome. Thanks for watching! I hope you enjoyed the video.
How much it costs ??
Thanks for the question. It varies a bit depending on which trip you choose. I just checked the Prices on Princess and they range anywhere from about $155 to $500. Thanks for watching.
Where are the Steam locomotives???
Did you need a passport for this one?
That's a good question, and the answer is "Yes and No." Here's what I found on skagwayalaskatours.com "While there are some Skagway train tours that don’t require passports, all of the tours that extend past the White Pass Summit require it. Some of Skagway’s most popular train tours are excursions to Fraser and Bennett, British Columbia, and with good reason. These Skagway tours feature some of the most breathtaking scenery in the region, but bringing a passport is a must."
Hope that helps answer your question. Thanks for watching!
Ok, thanks, now I do have a passport card would that work? Or do you have to have the book.
@@geroldwilliams265 Hmmm...I'm really not sure. I don't want to tell you one thing and then get blamed when the Mounties politely arrest you. lol. I'd recommend you ask the experts at the railway. Their email is info@wpyr.com.
People are not explaining how high this train goes if you are afraid of heights do not go
We are going white pass scenic railway in may. Do you need a passport?
The last time we rode it was last May and it wasn't going into Canada yet...or it may have just barely gone into Canada to turn around, but nobody could get off, so there was no passport needed. However, if my memory serves me right, we did need one when we did the train/bus tour into the Yukon Territory. That was back in 2015. Just to play it safe, you may want to visit their website and see what it says there. Have fun!
I believe you do.
We just returned from there and I do not recall them asking for passports. We took the ride that barely crossed into Canada, then loops around and comes right back. We were told we would only need it if we took the other tour that goes into canada more, and you can get off to walk across a suspension bridge and walk around.
Too drawn out.
Thought tip #10 was to like and sub...was about to slam that dislike button.