Skagway - Bennett Lake Scenic Journey

Question

I am researching the trips to Bennett Lake. I see a combo train / bus trip through both Chilkoot Tours and the White Pass Scenic Railway. We would prefer to book directly rather than through the cruise ship to benefit the Skagway businesses. Does anyone know if there are any differences in booking Chilkoot vs White Pass? Thanks!

Answer

Great that you’re looking to book directly and support local Skagway businesses for the Bennett Lake / White Pass & Yukon Route Railway (WP&YR) “train + bus” excursion—there are indeed a few important differences between booking through Chilkoot Charters & Tours vs booking directly via WP&YR. Here’s a detailed breakdown to help you choose.

Key differences between Chilkoot Charters vs WP&YR direct

Operator/Branding & Local Business Support – Chilkoot Charters is a local Skagway-based tour operator that packages the train + motorcoach/bus portion through the WP&YR rails. So by booking with Chilkoot you’re supporting a local business that manages the logistics, often including dock pickup/drop-off and smaller group handling. (Chilkoot calls the tour their “Bennett Scenic Journey”.)
Scheduling Options (Train First vs Bus First) – For the Bennett Scenic Journey you’ll see two departure patterns: with train going up and bus returning, or bus up and train back. For example, the WP&YR listing shows 7:45 AM departure with Train to Carcross then Bus back, and a 9:30 AM departure with Bus up and Train back.
Duration & Included Stops – Both include travel to the Bennett Lake / Carcross area via train + bus, but some tours (via Chilkoot) emphasise that the train portion is longer (train from Skagway to Bennett then onward to Carcross) than some shorter excursions. Reviews suggest this tour goes further than standard summit options, and includes the historic Bennett Station stop.
Meal Included & Tour Inclusions – The Bennett Scenic Journey via Chilkoot (and via WP&YR direct) includes a boxed lunch onboard train between Bennett and Carcross (sandwich, chips, side, dessert) and bottled water. Some other shorter train tours may not include a meal.
Price & Booking Terms – The WP&YR direct site lists price (e.g., ~$289 adult for 2026 for Bennett Scenic Journey) and terms. Chilkoot may have similar or sometimes slightly higher/lower pricing depending on the inclusions and local pickup, but the key differentiator tends to be the local tour operator service.
Group Size / Bus vs Van / Experience Feel – Some feedback suggests that Chilkoot tours may use smaller coach/van segments for the bus portion (giving more flexibility, fewer large bus-loads) whereas larger operators may use bigger coaches. For example, one comment: “Chilkoot uses smaller buses/vans, may be cheaper, and offers full service packages.”

Which to book, and what to pick?

Here are some practical considerations to help decide:

If you want the longest train ride (and perhaps a signature “only-accessible-by-train” section to Bennett Lake) then the Bennett Scenic Journey is the top choice. It’s described as going further into the Yukon area than the standard summit rail tours.
If your priority is supporting local business, Chilkoot Charters is a strong pick, as your booking goes through them locally rather than a large cruise-line funnel or generic booking.
Summary recommendation

In short: Both Chilkoot Charters and WP&YR direct offer essentially the same physical route (train + bus), using the same track/railway system (White Pass & Yukon Route). The key difference is the operator (local vs direct rail company), departure timing, and possibly bus size/group size/inclusiveness. If you want to help Skagway-based operators and prefer maybe slightly better local service (smaller group feel), then booking via Chilkoot is a good choice. If you prefer booking directly via the railway for perhaps the lowest “pure rail” cost/standardised terms, then WP&YR direct is fine. Just check the schedule and departure option that suits you best.

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