The White Pass and Yukon Route is a railroad in Alaska, an isolated railway line connecting Skagway with Whitehorse, the capital of Yukon. The railroad was built in 1889 during the Klondike Gold Rush and used by workers seeking their fortune out in the goldfields. Today it’s a heritage rail route taking passengers on three scenic railway excursions, the most popular being a journey from tidewater at Skagway to the summit of the White Pass.
The 40-mile round-trip takes 2 hours, 30 minutes and passes through mountains, gorges and tunnels, over glaciers and cascading waterfalls, a true feat of engineering. Docking at Skagway on a cruise? The train’s timetable works around the cruise schedule, and most cruise lines offer the railway and an excursion.
Prices from: $130
Departing from: Skagway, Alaska, USA
Journey length: 2 hours, 30 minutes to 8 hours
White Pass and Yukon Route journey
The White Pass & Yukon Route runs three roundtrips from Skagway, the most popular being to the summit of the White Pass. Covering 40 miles in 2 hours, 30 minutes, the train passes through two tunnels and towering trestles, offering stunning views of snow-capped peaks and lush pine forests.
A second journey, Bennett Scenic Journey, travels 67.5 miles between Skagway and Carcoss, along the same route the original Klondike workers travelled in 1898. The trip includes a 45-minute layover at Bennett Station for the White Pass Museum and takes eight hours (round-trip). Passengers can also opt for the Fraser Meadows Steam Excursion, a 54-mile round-trip from tidewater at Skagway to the Fraser Meadows Loop, pulled by one of our historic steam locomotives. Timetables run from May to October and correlate with cruise ship season and schedule.
White Pass and Yukon Route train
Taking passengers back in time to the peak of the Gold Rush, the White Pass & Yukon Route train is made up of vintage passenger coaches, the oldest four built in 1881. Four new cars were built in 2007 in the same 19th century design and three carriages have wheelchair lifts. All coaches come with restrooms, complimentary water, an on-board guide, ‘All Aboard Magazine’ and most have lift access.
What we love
The chance to relive history in historic carriages on the very route that transported the workers of the Klondike Gold Rush. The scenery is epic (think snow-capped peaks, glaciers and waterfalls) and there’s great opportunities for spotting wildlife.