Skagway, Alaska Shore Excursions: 6 Independent Operators Compared

Quick picks

Lowest price Klondike Tours $70 per adult for White Pass Deluxe Tour
Smallest groups Sockeye Cycle 4 to 12 guests, 1 guide per 6
Easiest to cancel Klondike Tours Full refund if cancelled 24 hours prior; full refund if your ship misses the port.
Back to the ship Frontier Excursions Guarantees return to the ship before departure for ships docked in Skagway; not for in-town drop-offs or Haines-docked ships

Will it fit your day in Skagway?

Put in your ship's arrival and all-aboard times from your cruise planner. Each tour is checked against the time you have, minus the buffer you choose for getting off the ship and back to the pier.

Klondike Tours: White Pass Deluxe Tour3 hours
Frontier Excursions: White Pass Summit & City TourAbout 2.75 hours, about 36 miles
Klondike Tours: Yukon Suspension Bridge AdventureLength not listedCheck the length
Sockeye Cycle: Klondike Summit to Sea Bicycle Tour2.5 hours, about 15 miles riding
Frontier Excursions: Yukoner Beyond the White Pass4 hours
White Pass & Yukon Route: White Pass Summit Excursion2.5 to 2.75 hours, 40 miles round trip
Frontier Excursions: Yukon Discovery TourAbout 6.5 hours, 140 miles round trip
Klondike Tours: Sled Dog Adventure and Gold Panning4.5 hours
Chilkoot Charters & Tours: Yukon Adventure & Suspension Bridge Excursion7.25 hours; season May 12 to September 16, 2026
Chilkoot Charters & Tours: White Pass Summit Rail & Bus ExcursionAbout 3.5 hours; season May 8 to September 25, 2026
Chilkoot Charters & Tours: Bennett Scenic Journey8 hours (about 4.5 hours by train); season May 26 to September 12, 2026
TEMSCO Helicopters: Glacier Discovery by Helicopter2 hours including transfers; about 40 minutes flying and about 40 minutes on the glacier
TEMSCO Helicopters: Glacier Dogsledding Demonstration by HelicopterAbout 2 hours; about 30 minutes flying and about 1 hour at the Denver Glacier dog camp

Example times are filled in. Your cruise line's daily planner has the real ones, and a tender port needs more buffer.

Every option side by side

Operator	What you get	From	Length	Group	Min age	Back-to-ship	Cancellation	Book
Klondike Tours	White Pass Deluxe TourIncludes Gold Rush Cemetery stop, White Pass summit and Welcome to Alaska sign, Waterfalls and Skagway Overlook	$70 per adult	3 hours	up to 24 (mini-bus)		Driver will get you back to town or your dock before your ship leaves	Full refund if cancelled 24 hours prior; full refund if your ship misses the port.	Check dates
Frontier Excursions	White Pass Summit & City TourIncludes Narrated small-group bus tour, Photo stops, Guide group photos, Sales tax	$75.60 per adult	About 2.75 hours, about 36 miles	up to 28		Guarantees return to the ship before departure for ships docked in Skagway; not for in-town drop-offs or Haines-docked ships	24 hours' notice required; otherwise card charged for reserved seats; refund if cancelled earlier.	Check dates
Klondike Tours	Yukon Suspension Bridge AdventureIncludes Short town tour, Photo stops, up to 1 hour at the Yukon Suspension Bridge	$115 per adult		14-24 (minibus)		Driver will get you back to town or your dock before your ship leaves	Full refund if cancelled 24 hours prior; full refund if your ship misses the port.	Check dates
Sockeye Cycle	Klondike Summit to Sea Bicycle TourIncludes Mountain bike, Helmet, Water bottle, Rain gear and gloves if needed, Van shuttle to White Pass summit, Support van	$125 per person	2.5 hours, about 15 miles riding	4 to 12 guests, 1 guide per 6	13+ and 4'6" tall	No guarantee stated; complimentary ride back to your ship's dock offered	Full refund minus 5% 7+ days out; 50% at 2-7 days; none within 48 hours; transport weather cancellations rebooked or refunded.	Check dates
Frontier Excursions	Yukoner Beyond the White PassIncludes Narrated bus tour, Photo stops	$135.45 per person	4 hours	13 to 28 per bus		Guarantees return to the ship before departure for ships docked in Skagway; not for in-town drop-offs or Haines-docked ships	24 hours' notice required; otherwise card charged for reserved seats; refund if cancelled earlier.	Check dates
White Pass & Yukon Route	White Pass Summit ExcursionIncludes Vintage passenger coaches, Bottled water, Wheelchair lift cars on request	$155 per adult	2.5 to 2.75 hours, 40 miles round trip			Not stated	$10 per person penalty on any cancellation; refund minus penalty 24+ hours out; no refund within 24 hours.	Check dates
Frontier Excursions	Yukon Discovery TourIncludes Lunch (BBQ chicken or vegetarian option), Stop at Wild Adventure Yukon (formerly Caribou Crossing), Guide group photos	$169.05 per person	About 6.5 hours, 140 miles round trip	No more than 28		Guarantees return to the ship before departure for ships docked in Skagway; not for in-town drop-offs or Haines-docked ships	24 hours' notice required; otherwise card charged for reserved seats; refund if cancelled earlier.	Check dates
Klondike Tours	Sled Dog Adventure and Gold PanningIncludes Drive into the Yukon, Puppy visit, Dog sled ride of about 20 minutes, Gold panning demonstration and practice	$175 per adult	4.5 hours	15-25 (mini-bus)		Driver will get you back to town or your dock before your ship leaves	Full refund if cancelled 24 hours prior; full refund if your ship misses the port.	Check dates
Chilkoot Charters & Tours	Yukon Adventure & Suspension Bridge ExcursionIncludes Narrated bus tour into the Yukon, BBQ chicken lunch, Yukon Wildlife Museum, RCMP Museum and Puppy Camp admission, Yukon Suspension Bridge stop	$180 per adult	7.25 hours; season May 12 to September 16, 2026	25-passenger bus		Not stated	5% fee on cancellations; full price forfeited within 48 hours; full refund only if the ship does not arrive or arrives too late.	Check dates
Chilkoot Charters & Tours	White Pass Summit Rail & Bus ExcursionIncludes One-way narrated train Skagway to Fraser, BC, Guided bus back to Skagway	$200 per adult	About 3.5 hours; season May 8 to September 25, 2026			Not stated	5% fee on cancellations; full price forfeited within 48 hours; full refund only if the ship does not arrive or arrives too late.	Check dates
Chilkoot Charters & Tours	Bennett Scenic JourneyIncludes Train between Skagway and Carcross, Yukon	$289 per adult	8 hours (about 4.5 hours by train); season May 26 to September 12, 2026			Not stated		Check dates
TEMSCO Helicopters	Glacier Discovery by HelicopterIncludes Helicopter flight, Guided glacier walk, Safety briefing	$479 per person	2 hours including transfers; about 40 minutes flying and about 40 minutes on the glacier		All ages	Not stated		Check dates
TEMSCO Helicopters	Glacier Dogsledding Demonstration by HelicopterIncludes Scenic flight over Taiya Inlet, Musher talk and dogsled demonstration, Puppy time and photos	$649 per person	About 2 hours; about 30 minutes flying and about 1 hour at the Denver Glacier dog camp		All ages	Not stated		Check dates

From each operator's own website, checked October 22, 2026. How we compare.

Railroad, Broadway and Ore docks and SMART buses

Skagway's cruise berths are the Railroad Dock (aft and forward), the Broadway Dock, the Ore Dock and the Alaska Marine Highway ferry dock, each with its own municipal code. Assignments can change during the season. In the early weeks of the 2026 schedule from Cruise Line Agencies of Alaska, calls split fairly evenly between Railroad Dock aft, the Ore Dock and the Broadway Dock, with fewer at Railroad Dock forward. Fast ferries to Haines and Juneau leave from the small boat harbor between the Railroad Dock and the ferry terminal.

In 2023 the Railroad Dock belonged to White Pass, whose Skagway rail and port business Carnival Corp. bought in 2018, Seatrade Cruise News reported. The same report said the municipality was taking over the Ore Dock from White Pass that March and adding a 550-foot floating pier for 2024. It had also spent $4 million against the rockslide threat that closed a Railroad Dock berth in 2022. In 2026 big ships used both, including Norwegian Encore and Anthem of the Seas at the Ore Dock.

The municipal SMART bus runs from the docks to downtown from 7 am to 9 pm daily when ships are in, at $3 each way or $5 for an all-day pass paid to the driver. Several operators meet at the ship. Klondike Tours' drivers pick up at your dock, Frontier Excursions waits where the pier meets land outside the security gates, and Chilkoot Charters picks up at the pier for its Yukon bus tour. Sockeye Cycle meets direct bookings at its shop, 307 5th Avenue, about 10 minutes' walk from the docks.

A cruise ship at the Skagway dock — Photo: GeneMJ530, CC BY-SA 4.0

Early arrivals, 5 pm sailings and Yukon time

Skagway calls run long. In the first weeks of the 2026 schedule from Cruise Line Agencies of Alaska, nearly every ship sailed at 5 pm or later, and arrivals came as early as 5:30 am. Grand Princess was listed at the Broadway Dock from 5:30 am to 8:30 pm on May 10, and Nieuw Amsterdam at Railroad Dock forward from 5:30 am to 9:00 pm on May 21. The shorter calls included Ovation of the Seas, 7:00 am to 4:00 pm on May 20. The season ran from late April to October 7.

Skagway is on Alaska time, one hour behind Pacific time. Yukon has kept UTC minus 7 all year since 2020, while Alaska's summer time is UTC minus 8, so from spring to fall the Yukon runs an hour ahead of Skagway. Chilkoot Charters sells its 7.25-hour Yukon Adventure and Suspension Bridge tour only to ships sailing at 5:00 pm or later.

Klondike Tours says its driver will have you back in town or at your dock before the ship sails. Frontier Excursions guarantees the return for ships docked in Skagway, but not for guests dropped in town or for ships docked in Haines. Sockeye Cycle states no guarantee and offers a free ride back to your ship's dock. The White Pass and Yukon Route's cruise-line passengers board on the pier beside their ship.

White Pass summit, Fraser rail and Yukon days

Most trips here climb the White Pass, by road, by rail or both. Klondike Tours' 3-hour van trip to the summit costs $70, and Frontier Excursions' 2.75-hour bus tour of about 36 miles costs $75.60 with tax. The White Pass and Yukon Route's Summit Excursion is $155 for 2.5 to 2.75 hours and 40 miles round trip. Chilkoot Charters pairs a one-way train to Fraser, British Columbia, with a bus back for $200, about 3.5 hours.

Yukon trips take 4 to 8 hours. Frontier's 4-hour Yukoner Beyond the White Pass is $135.45, and its 6.5-hour Yukon Discovery Tour, 140 miles round trip with lunch, is $169.05. Chilkoot Charters charges $180 for a 7.25-hour Yukon tour with lunch and museum admissions, and $289 for its 8-hour Bennett trip, about 4.5 hours of it by train to Carcross. Klondike Tours' Yukon Suspension Bridge trip is $115, and its 4.5-hour sled dog and gold panning day is $175.

Sockeye Cycle drives riders to the White Pass summit and lets them ride about 15 miles back down for $125. The 2.5-hour trip takes ages 13 and up who stand at least 4 feet 6 inches, and because the route passes US Customs, riders need a passport or original documents. TEMSCO's helicopter tours start at $479, with about 40 minutes in the air and 40 on a glacier. Its $649 Denver Glacier dog camp visit includes a sledding demonstration, but guests do not ride.

Dock pickups, Haines exceptions and 48-hour cutoffs

Klondike Tours refunds in full if the ship misses Skagway or you cancel 24 hours ahead, and its drivers wait at a set spot for each dock. Frontier Excursions needs 24 hours' notice to cancel and quotes fares with sales tax included and no added fees. Both ask for a passport on summit tours: Klondike requires one on its White Pass, sled dog and suspension bridge trips, and Frontier accepts a passport or passport card on every tour. The train's Summit Excursion needs neither.

Chilkoot Charters is stricter. It charges a 5% fee on any cancellation, keeps the full price inside 48 hours, and refunds in full only if the ship does not arrive or arrives too late. The White Pass and Yukon Route takes $10 per person on any cancellation and refunds nothing inside 24 hours, and its page does not say where direct bookers board. Sockeye Cycle refunds 95% at 7 days or more, 50% at 2 to 7 days and nothing inside 48 hours.

Klondike Tours runs mini-buses of up to 24, Frontier Excursions caps its buses at 28, and Chilkoot's Yukon bus seats 25. Sockeye Cycle rides with 4 to 12 guests and one guide for every six. TEMSCO collects guests from the dock or a hotel and flies from its waterfront base at 101 Terminal Way, where lockers hold anything not allowed on board.

Watching from shore

Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. The park charges no entrance fee, and its ranger programs and museums are free to the public.
Mascot Saloon. One of more than 20 boomtown buildings in the Skagway Historic District that belong to the national park. It opened during the gold rush and closed with local prohibition in 1916.

Before you book

Carry a passport on road trips to the summit. Klondike Tours requires one on its White Pass Deluxe, sled dog and suspension bridge tours, though not on its historic city tour.
The SMART bus from the docks to downtown costs $3 each way or $5 for a day pass, paid to the driver, and runs 7 am to 9 pm when ships are in.
TEMSCO keeps lockers at its Skagway base for anything you cannot take on the helicopter.

The operators

Klondike Tours

from $70 per adult

White Pass Deluxe Tour and 2 more options

Length: 3 hours
Group: up to 24 (mini-bus)

Back to ship: Driver will get you back to town or your dock before your ship leaves

Passport required on White Pass and Yukon tours

Check dates All details

Frontier Excursions

from $75.60 per adult

White Pass Summit & City Tour and 2 more options

Length: About 2.75 hours, about 36 miles
Group: up to 28

Back to ship: Guarantees return to the ship before departure for ships docked in Skagway; not for in-town drop-offs or Haines-docked ships

Passport or passport card required on all tours, including the White Pass Summit tour

Check dates All details

Sockeye Cycle

from $125 per person

Klondike Summit to Sea Bicycle Tour

Length: 2.5 hours, about 15 miles riding
Group: 4 to 12 guests, 1 guide per 6
Age: 13+ and 4'6" tall

Back to ship: No guarantee stated; complimentary ride back to your ship's dock offered

Passport or original documents required: route crosses US Customs

Check dates All details

White Pass & Yukon Route

from $155 per adult

White Pass Summit Excursion

Length: 2.5 to 2.75 hours, 40 miles round trip

No back-to-ship policy stated

No passport required for the Summit Excursion

Check dates All details

Chilkoot Charters & Tours

from $180 per adult

Yukon Adventure & Suspension Bridge Excursion and 2 more options

Length: 7.25 hours; season May 12 to September 16, 2026
Group: 25-passenger bus

No back-to-ship policy stated

Passport required on tours that enter Canada

Check dates All details

TEMSCO Helicopters

from $479 per person

Glacier Discovery by Helicopter and 1 more option

Length: 2 hours including transfers; about 40 minutes flying and about 40 minutes on the glacier
Age: All ages

No back-to-ship policy stated

Lockers at the base for items not allowed on board

Check dates All details

Head to head

Klondike Tours vs Frontier Excursions

More shore excursions in Alaska

Juneau, Alaska from $65
Ketchikan, Alaska from $79
Sitka, Alaska from $125
Icy Strait Point (Hoonah), Alaska from $120
Seward, Alaska (embarkation port) from $129
Haines, Alaska from $111
Whittier, Alaska (embarkation port) from $110

Sources

Prices and policies come from each operator's own pages, read on October 22, 2026. Seasons, rules and local details come from the pages below.