White Pass and Yukon Route

A half day rail trip from sea level to alpine country, usually run as a seasonal excursion.

Journey Time: About 3 hours for the Skagway to Carcross run, not including time for border formalities and any return transport arranged by your tour.

Best Time to Go: Typically a summer season journey, with the best weather and longest daylight from roughly May to September. Early and late season rides can be cooler with lingering snow at higher elevations.

Tickets & Costs: Tickets are usually sold as set departures (often tied to cruise schedules) and can sell out on busy port days in Skagway. Expect this to be a premium heritage railway ticket rather than a regular public transport fare.

Classes: Most services are standard excursion seating in heritage style cars, with some departures offering upgraded service levels depending on the operator’s current offerings.

Boarding: Board at the historic depot in Skagway, with check in times set by your departure. Bring photo ID for the USA - Canada border crossing on runs that continue into Yukon.

The White Pass and Yukon Route was built at breakneck speed in 1898 during the Klondike Gold Rush, linking tidewater at Skagway with the interior routes toward Whitehorse. It is a narrow gauge mountain railway designed to conquer extreme terrain quickly, not to take the easiest gradients.

From the outset it was an engineering showcase: tight curves, trestle bridges, rock cuts and tunnels stacked along a valley wall as the line gains height. The climb to White Pass reaches about 873 metres, high enough for sudden weather changes even when it is mild by the coast.

On the Skagway to Carcross journey you move from coastal rainforest into stark, rocky alpine slopes, then down into the lake country of Yukon, with wide views of glaciers, cascades and historic trackside remnants from the gold rush era.

• Skagway: Depart from the waterfront town built on the gold rush boom; sit on the left soon after leaving town for early views back toward the harbour and steep valley walls.
• White Pass: The railway’s namesake summit section delivers the most dramatic cliffs and drops, with classic photo moments as the track clings to ledges above deep gorges.
• Tormented Valley: A harsh, rocky landscape shaped by ice and weather; watch for waterfalls and snow patches that can linger well into summer.
• Fraser, British Columbia: A historic border area and operating point; you may pause here depending on the day’s schedule and operational needs.
• British Columbia - Yukon border country: The scenery begins to open into broader valleys and lakes, with fewer trees and more big sky views.
• Lake Bennett area: The landscape transitions toward the chain of lakes that guided stampeders north; look for changes from steep canyon walls to gentler shorelines.
• Carcross: Arrive in a small lakeside community in Yukon known as a staging point for excursions; check whether your ticket includes time off the train and how your return to Skagway is arranged.

The main operating season is typically summer, with the most reliable conditions from May through September. Mid summer gives the longest daylight for the high pass sections and the clearest chance of seeing distant ice and rock detail from the windows.

Timetables can change through the season and are often shaped by cruise ship days in Skagway. If you have flexibility, consider a day when multiple departures run so you can pick your preferred time and reduce the risk of selling out.

Skagway is reached by ferry via the Alaska Marine Highway System and by seasonal flights, but many travellers arrive on cruise ships. The depot is in town and walkable from most central locations.

At Carcross you are in Yukon road country, and many rail itineraries use a coach transfer for the return to Skagway or onward travel to Whitehorse. Stopovers are not always possible because most tickets are sold as fixed excursion products, so confirm in advance if you want time in Carcross or to continue independently.

Buy direct from the White Pass and Yukon Route or through approved sellers, and book as early as you can for peak summer dates in Skagway. Seats are typically assigned or managed as part of the excursion booking rather than as an open hop on service.

If you are comparing options, check carefully whether your ticket is to Carcross or only to Fraser, British Columbia, and whether your return is by train or by coach. Rail passes generally do not apply to this heritage excursion, so assume it is ticketed separately.