White Pass & Yukon Route Railway
4.7(6.6K)google
4.2(298)yelp
TrainTransit HeritageScenic LookoutHistoryRoad Trip
Overview
The White Pass & Yukon Route Railway is a legendary narrow-gauge railroad built in 1898 during the chaotic height of the Klondike Gold Rush, proudly recognized as an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. Departing from the coastal docks of Skagway, the vintage diesel locomotives pull historic wooden passenger coaches up steep, breathtaking mountain cliffs, climbing nearly 3,000 feet in just twenty miles. Passengers look through wide windows at sheer canyon drops, historic wooden trestles, and cascading waterfalls, retracing the exact grueling path taken by pioneer fortune seekers.
Practical Info
Every day7:15 AM – 5:00 PM
Suggested Duration3-3.5 hours
Best TimeOperates seasonally from May to September. Booking a clear morning departure is highly recommended. To get the absolute best scenic vistas of deep canyons, wooden trestles, and cascading waterfalls as the vintage train climbs up to the Yukon summit, try to secure a seat on the left side of the car.
Getting ThereThe historic narrow-gauge train depot is perfectly positioned right on the primary cruise ship docks in Skagway. Passengers can walk directly from their ship's gangway onto the vintage train platforms within 2 minutes, eliminating any need for local driving or complex transfers.
Travel Tips
- Certain itineraries cross international lines into Canada; boarding requires definitive presentation of physical passports and visas at the Skagway gate checkpoint.
- The route tracks narrow ledges over vertical canyons; acrophobic passengers should avoid window seating, and leaning out of open platforms on historic wooden trestles is barred.
- Cruise conglomerates dominate passenger seat inventory; individual travelers must reserve weeks early online, and long RV rigs are banned within two blocks of the depot.
Reviews
Positive
- The vintage train climbs steadily along sheer cliff edges, flanked by deep gorges, glaciers, and waterfalls; its fun factor lives up to its name.
- The vintage train car interior is kept clean and elegant; each car pairs with a safe outdoor open deck and features flat hydraulic wheelchair lifts.
- The conductors and crew wear classic period uniforms with warm, professional service; the multilingual PA narration is clear and orderly.
- The train station stands right opposite the Skagway cruise docks; stepping off the ship nets you a seamless boarding, perfect for transit convenience.
Heads up
- The train tickets are exorbitantly expensive, acting as a high-spend item; failing to grab a good window seat hurts the overall value heavily.
- As Skagway's top attraction, cars get packed to the gills whenever ships dock, leaving narrow aisles crowded and drowning out tranquility.
- You cannot step off the train mid-way to take photos, forced to look through glass all route, offering poor flexibility for hikers.
- Being an old narrow-gauge train, car swaying and metal grinding noise are intense on sharp mountain bends, and vintage toilets carry odors.