✦ SKAGWAY, ALASKA ✦
Hey Strangers, we’re Jake & Georgia. Skagway was the port day of our Alaska cruise that came with instructions. Everyone we spoke to, crew, other passengers, people who had done this sailing before us, said the same thing: in Skagway, you do the train. So we did the train. The White Pass Railway is a 3 hour round trip that climbs out of Skagway, up through the mountains and over the border into British Columbia, and it is the excursion this town is famous for. This post is our honest account of it: what the journey is like, which side of the train to sit on, what it cost us booked through the cruise line, and what else is worth your time in Skagway before you get back on the ship.
Quick verdict
Worth it? Yes. It is the one excursion in Skagway we would tell anyone to book, and we do not say that about many.
Best for: Cruise passengers with a full port day in Skagway, train people, and anyone who wants the big Alaska scenery without a hike.
Skip it if: Your port stop is very short, or US$155 per person direct with the railway is more than this trip can stretch to.
What we paid: We booked the train through the cruise line, whose price varies by sailing; booked direct with the railway, the White Pass Summit Excursion currently costs US$155 per adult.
How long you need: The 3 hour round trip, plus getting there 40 minutes early. The queue is real.
Watch: White Pass Railway and Exploring Skagway
Our full port day, the rainy start, the train, the saloon and the sunset at the end.
- The climb out of Skagway, which is basically one long view, from 07:04
- Crossing the border into Canada at 09:55, no getting off, the train just rolls into British Columbia
- The sunset back on board at 18:05, the “this is why you come to Alaska” moment
At a glance
| The excursion | White Pass Railway (White Pass and Yukon Route), from Skagway, Alaska |
| The journey | 3 hour round trip, Skagway into the mountains and over the border into British Columbia, Canada |
| How we booked | Through the cruise line, as a shore excursion from Quantum of the Seas |
| What it cost | US$155 per adult booked direct with the railway (we booked through the cruise line, whose price varies; see the cost section) |
| Best seats | Left side of the train on the way up |
| Our port day | Skagway town in the morning, the afternoon train, back on board for sunset |
| Also in this post | Sittin Sasquatch coffee, the Red Onion Saloon, and the $8 Klondike Doughboy |
Plan your next adventures
The White Pass Railway and Skagway’s other excursions can be booked through GetYourGuide as well as through your ship, and the booking section below explains why we chose the cruise line this time and when we would not:
✦ Or download the GetYourGuide app: https://www.gyg.me/jakeandgeorgia-app
✦ Use our promo code: JAKEANDGEORGIA5 for 5% off your first booking (new users only).
Booking through our links supports the channel at no extra cost to you, thank you.
Is the White Pass Railway worth it?
Yes, and it earned it the hard way, because our day did not start well. We came off the ship into heavy rain, hid in a souvenir shop buying stickers and postcards, and watched the morning disappear. By the time we boarded the train the sky had cleared, and the 3 hours that followed were the best of our whole port day: huge views, a proper climb into the mountains, and that slightly unreal moment of rolling over the border into Canada without leaving your seat.
On board, coming back down, we landed on the line that sums it up: we would definitely recommend it, and if you can, take the afternoon train. Our morning was rain and grey; the afternoon sailing got the sunshine. The weather in Skagway changes by the hour, and the later train gave it time to turn.
We spent most of the climb just taking in the views — some scenery does not need commentary.
What is the journey actually like?
The railway climbs out of Skagway and just keeps climbing, through gorges and along the mountainside, until you cross into British Columbia. The train turns around for the trip back down, which means the two sides of the carriage get different journeys: sit on the left on the way up for the big scenic side, because on the way down you will be on the rocky side looking at the cliff face the train is hugging. It is an odd detail but it genuinely changes the ride, so pick your seat like it matters, because it does.
Practically: it is chilly out on the open decks between carriages even on a sunny day, so take a layer even if Skagway feels warm. And the excursion is popular enough that the boarding queue is part of the experience. We got there around 40 minutes early, passengers were asked to be there by 11:30 for our 12:00 departure, and we were glad we were not at the back of that line.
How much does it cost, and should you book through the cruise line?
We booked the train as a shore excursion through Royal Caribbean, whose price varies by sailing; booked direct with the railway, the White Pass Summit Excursion currently costs US$155 per adult. That is not the cheap way to do it, and we chose it deliberately. Our reasoning was simple: if an independently booked excursion runs late, the ship can leave without you. If you booked through the cruise line, the ship waits. On a 3 hour train that goes into another country, we wanted the ship waiting.
The trade off is real, though. Booking independently, through GetYourGuide above or the railway direct, is usually cheaper, and plenty of people do exactly that and make it back with hours to spare. If your ship is in port all day and the train you want is a morning departure, independent is a sensible saving. If your timing is tight, or you are on the afternoon train like us, we would pay the cruise line premium again for the guarantee. Either way, book ahead: this is the excursion everyone on your ship has also been told to do.
What else is there to do in Skagway?
Skagway itself is small, honest and very cruise shaped. Broadway, the main street, is mostly jewellers and T-shirt shops, and it does not pretend otherwise. But there are three stops we would repeat.
Sittin Sasquatch for coffee, which got us out of the rain and turned out to be genuinely excellent. Georgia’s Tropical Yeti (white chocolate mocha) and the Petty Yeti (white chocolate, hazelnut and lavender) were both, and this is a quote, absolutely delicious. The coffee is from Skagway Social House Roasting.
The Red Onion Saloon, the famous former brothel on Broadway, now a bar and restaurant with a lot of character and very friendly staff. We split nachos that were incredible for 10 in the morning, had blueberry mojitos, and tried the house shot, the Reindeer Fart (Kahlua, Baileys and peppermint schnapps, tastes like mint chocolate, better than it sounds). They run brothel tours upstairs at $20 each, pitched by a costumed madam, and running out of time for that tour is our one Skagway regret. It is also where we picked up the best tip of the day: left side of the train.
Klondike Doughboy for the Doughboy, a big flat fried dough with cinnamon sugar, freshly made, $8, and recommended to us by Georgia’s parents, who were right. Get one warm on your way back to the ship. There is also a train shop that is basically a small museum, good for souvenirs, and if you are lucky, a seal in the harbour right in front of your ship, which we were.
What it actually cost
| White Pass Railway Summit Excursion, booked direct with the railway | US$155 per person (US$310 for two) |
| Klondike Doughboy | $8 |
| Red Onion Saloon brothel tour | $20 each (we ran out of time, so this stayed unspent) |
| Coffee at Sittin Sasquatch | Worth every cent, and no, we did not keep the receipt |
We paid US$155 per person (US$310 for two); for full details visit their website.
One thing worth knowing from our day: on board that morning we worked out that a comparable Disney cruise for the same week was about $5,000, roughly double what our Royal Caribbean sailing cost. Alaska is not a cheap trip however you slice it, which is all the more reason the one big excursion should be the right one. In Skagway, it is.
What we would do differently
- Book the afternoon train on purpose, not by luck. The morning weather in Skagway was awful and the afternoon was glorious.
- Still arrive early, and go straight for the left side seats on the way up.
- Leave time for the Red Onion brothel tour. Twenty dollars, twenty minutes, and we are still annoyed we missed it.
- Eat the Doughboy first and shop after. Broadway’s shops are not going anywhere, the warm Doughboy window is short.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the White Pass Railway trip?
The round trip from Skagway takes about 3 hours, including the turnaround at the top. Add time before for boarding: we were asked to be there 30 minutes ahead and arrived 40 minutes early, which we would recommend.
Which side of the train is best on the White Pass Railway?
The left side on the way up. The train turns around at the top, so the left side gets the big open views on the climb, and the cliff side on the way back down.
Does the White Pass Railway go into Canada?
Yes. The line climbs from Skagway, Alaska, over the border into British Columbia before turning around. You stay on the train for the round trip.
Can you book the White Pass Railway independently?
Yes, and it is usually cheaper than the cruise line excursion. The trade off is the guarantee: book through your ship and it waits for you if the excursion runs late; book independently and getting back on time is on you.
What is there to do in Skagway besides the train?
Broadway’s shops, coffee at Sittin Sasquatch, the historic Red Onion Saloon (bar, restaurant and $20 tours), and a Klondike Doughboy on the way back to the ship. It is a small town; the train is the headline, the rest is a pleasant couple of hours around it.
Watch next
We go places, try experiences, and tell you what’s actually worth doing. If this helped you plan a Skagway day, the best way to follow along is on YouTube, where the full trips behind everything we write about live.
Done the White Pass, or is it on your list? Tell us in the comments, we read every one.
We’re Jake & Georgia, a British couple living in Kelowna, BC, filming the trips we take so you can decide what’s actually worth doing. More about us: https://jakeandgeorgia.com/about-us/
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