white pass train tour

White Pass Train & Klondike Highway Combo 3.5 HOUR

• Duration: 210 Minutes (approx.)
• Product code: PHYDMO

Not available on Tuesdays or Sundays.

This tour is NOT available for the following ships: Celebrity Millennium/Royal Caribbean Radiance of the Seas on Wednesdays, Emerald Princess on Thursdays or Norwegian Jewel on Fridays when it departs at 5pm.

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White Pass Summit Rail and Yukon Suspension Bridge

• Embark on the renowned White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad from Skagway, Alaska to Fraser, British Columbia
• Visit the magnificent Yukon Suspension Bridge, boasting 360-degree views of the stunning Canadian landscape
• Explore an outdoor museum and view real mammoth bones, tusk, and tooth
• Enjoy a convenient return to your ship with a scenic drive that presents new vistas and exciting photo stops along the way

White Pass Summit Rail & Yukon Suspension Bridge Tour

Board a train that traverses the famous White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad and begin your journey into Canada from beautiful Skagway, Alaska. This excursion will lead you all the way to Fraser, British Columbia while you relax and enjoy the narrated commentary and take in awe-inspiring views around every bend.

Once you've arrived at the train depot in Fraser, you will board a waiting coach and continue to the spectacular Yukon Suspension Bridge. Enjoy stunning 360-degree views of the beautiful Canadian landscape and experience the swaying bridge that spans 65 feet over the rapids below. Take some additional time to explore the outdoor museum or visit the cafe and gift shop, before boarding your coach for the return to your ship. Your drive back will feature new views and photo stops along the way.

PLEASE NOTE: This tour is operated in reverse order with a bus first departure on certain days of the week. All guests, regardless of age, must purchase a seat and be able to be belted in. Lap children are NOT allowed, each passenger must purchase a full-fare ticket.

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Shore Excursion Details

White pass scenic railway, skagway, alaska.

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• 2 3/4 hrs Estimate Duration

No trip to Alaska is complete without a ride on the White Pass & Yukon Route narrow gauge railroad. Take the unforgettable journey aboard the "Scenic Railway of the World" and travel from tidewater to the summit of White Pass, a 2,865 foot elevation. Ride 40 miles round-trip in vintage rail cars as you retrace the original route to White Pass Summit passing Bridal Veil Falls, Inspiration Point and Dead Horse Gulch. This fully narrated tour features panoramic views of mountains, gorges, waterfalls, tunnels, trestles and historic sites. See the original Klondike Trail of '98 worn into the rocks, a tribute to the thousands that took this route to seek their fortune. The narrow gauge railroad is a designated International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark, shared with the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty.

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• 3 Challenging

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Skagway White Pass Summit and Beyond Tour

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• Reviews (70)

Excursion Overview

100 miles roundtrip through the beautiful wilderness to the yukon border.

You'll travel up the Klondike Highway, viewing impressive scenery as you go, from the breathtaking coastal mountain ranges to stunning waterfalls. Local landmarks include the White Pass & Yukon Railroad route, Pitchfork Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, Moore Creek Bridge, and the 3292-foot White Pass Summit with the Welcome to Alaska sign. At the Summit, we enter into British Columbia, Canada, and the "Tormented" Valley, a wilderness of subarctic alpine tundra and beautiful lakes. Beyond the Tormented Valley is the wilderness of the northern Boreal forest with large Tutshi and Tagish lakes with panoramic views at many stops. As we travel through the habitat of the Boreal forest, we watch for potential native wildlife roaming the spectacular scenery, including bears. The turnaround point is the Yukon border and the Welcome to the Yukon sign for a great photo. As a bonus, we include a stop at the Yukon Suspension Bridge! View the Tutshi River canyon from above while crossing the bridge and learn more about the area with the educational displays. A snack bar is available to purchase food and then we visit the Yukon gift shop for mementos. This stop makes the tour unique among tour options that do have a similar itinerary.

Things You Need to Know

Inclusions:.

• Roundtrip narrated scenic tour
• Admission to Yukon Suspension Bridge site and crossing of the bridge

Requirements:

• Passport or Passport ID card (and Visas - USA and Canada if necessary - single entry Visa is OK) are required for all passengers 16 and over. No photocopies of any identification are allowed.
• Children 15 and under are required to have a Passport OR an original raised seal birth certificate (USA citizens only). No photocopies of any identification are allowed.
• Please note: Children traveling with only one parent or without both parents must have a permission letter from the absent parent/parents, giving permission to the person bringing the child on tour to allow them to go to Canada with that person. Documentation should be signed with parent name, address, cell phone contact number, and give the child's legal name and person's legal name they are traveling with. If the single parent or guardian has sole custody, they should travel with a letter to that effect.

Duration: 4 hours (Roundtrip from cruise ship terminal.)

• 3.25 hours - narrated bus tour with multiple scenic stops
• 45 minutes - at the Yukon Suspension Bridge site

Meeting Instructions:

• This tour meets near the cruise ship pier. Fully detailed instructions are included on your finalized ticket vouchers.

ADA Accessibility of Tour:

• This tour is limited mobility accessible. Guests must be able to climb 4 steps into and out of the bus. There is limited space for collapsible wheelchairs and walkers. We cannot accommodate larger wheelchairs or scooters of any kind. Please leave a comment during checkout if accommodations for collapsible equipment will be required on tour.

Refund Policy:

• You may cancel for any reason up to seven (7) days prior to the date of the tour for a full refund.
• Please see our Refund Policy Page for complete details.

Tours can be canceled for any reason up until seven (7) days prior to the date of the tour for a full refund unless otherwise noted on the individual tour product page in the Things to Know section. To cancel a tour, please use the cancelation request link within your e-ticket that was emailed to you OR send an email to  [email protected] with the following information:

- Order number

- Tour you are canceling

- Number of passengers you wish to cancel

Within 0-7 days before the tour date, cancelations are eligible for a full refund only in the following scenarios:

- The tour is canceled by the tour operator for any reason (for example: bad weather or mechanical issue)

- You experience a medical emergency during this window and can provide documentation (documentation must be submitted within 30 days to receive a refund)

- Your ship changes port itineraries causing you to miss an excursion

All refunds are processed through Alaska Shore Excursions, and will not be processed through any cruise line or local tour provider. Refunds will appear under Alaska Shore Excursions on your bank/credit card statement. Credit card refunds are processed within 10 business days of the request. Exceptions to the refund policy include multi-day packages and some day tours. Please refer to the specific refund policy listed on the individual tour product page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, each guest needs a valid passport. Children under 16 who are U.S. citizens may travel with their original, raised seal birth certificate instead. All other guests including children are required to have a passport.

The maximum capacity for this tour is 28 passengers (usually not filled with more than 25 or 26 passengers). If your party is larger than 28, arrangements can be made to accommodate your group. Please contact us with your group requirements.

There is open seating on the tour bus, however, if you require a certain seat due to physical impairment then please contact us with your requirements.

Wildlife is abundant in Southeast Alaska and sightings are possible on any tour. We sometimes see bears (more frequently in May/June), but this is not a designated wildlife tour, and wildlife is not guaranteed.

There are no age restrictions for this tour.

Yes, there are clean flush restrooms on-site at the Yukon Suspension Bridge.

Backpacks, small bags, and purses are allowed on this tour. There is less room for strollers and large bags so please let us know in advance if accommodations are needed for those items.

Non-alcoholic beverages in closable containers and snacks are allowed on tour.

No, however snacks and beverages can be purchased at the Yukon Suspension Bridge stop.

Check out other frequently asked questions  here !

Guest Reviews

On sep 2023.

Beverly was wonderful!!! She was very knowledgeable about the area and was very willing to take pictures. Great time.

Our driver Mike, was great. He was very informative and knowledgeable of all areas visited. Always willing and offered to take photo so our whole party could be in them together. Overall a great excursion.

We had Connor as our guide and he was fabulous! This excursion was our favorite that we did. He was very knowledgeable and focused on making us have the best time possible. If you are in Skagway this excursion is a must! Skip the railroad and choose this instead!

I really enjoyed my tour. Our driver was informative, funny and helped everyone get photos of themselves at all of the stops. Would highly recommend this tour. The countryside was prettier than what we'd been seeing on our cruise ship.

On Aug 2023

Highly informative and enjoyable

• Reviews Showing: 70

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Adult: $ 115.50

Child (2-12): $ 94.50

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Skagway Train Tour To The White Pass Summit

Our recent cruise to Alaska aboard Cunard Queen Elizabeth included a day in the fantastic port of Skagway. If you’re planning an Alaskan cruise and stopping in Skagway, the train tour is considered one of the  best port tours in Skagway.

Thousands of Alaskan cruisers enjoy the White Pass & Yukon Route railway every year. During the White Pass Summit excursion, you’ll enjoy a one-of-a-kind train journey in a vintage carriage and learn the history of the railroad.

The White Pass railroad is considered an engineering wonder, and when you learn its history, you’ll understand why.

White Pass & Yukon Route History

In 1896, explorers discovered gold in the Klondike region of Yukon in British Columbia, Canada. Gold fever quickly spread and brought thousands of prospectors!

However, the gold was in a very inaccessible place. The Chilkoot trail provided the only route through the Chilkoot Pass. But, the passage was rough and rugged.

Skagway founder Captain William Moore and First Nations Skookum Jim proposed an alternate route. Their suggested path was easier over uncharted land.

The new pass rose from Skagway and crossed Canada’s Yukon territory. They named it White Pass after the Canadian Minister of the Interior, Sir Thomas White.

The White Pass & Yukon Railroad Company was formed in April 1898. The route was so treacherous that they built the track with a narrow gauge.

Instead of the standard 4 feet 8.5 inches built in the rest of North America, the track used was just three feet apart.

The route rises from sea level in downtown Skagway to almost 3,000 feet in just 20 miles. There are 110 miles of track, two tunnels, and numerous bridges.

Work at Mile 16 took place in the dead of winter during extreme conditions. Some days there was heavy snow and temperatures as cold as -60 degrees Fahrenheit (-51 Celsius)!

In July 1900, after 28 months of work, the USD 10 million railroad was completed. Thirty-five thousand men constructed the icon Yukon railroad.

There were many deaths during the construction of the railroad; many of them pack horses. At Inspiration Point, a memorial dedicated to the horses who perished, overlooks Dead Horse Gulch.

The White Pass railroad was designated an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark in 1994. If you love history,  Sitka and Skagway  are filled with historical sites, so pick a cruise that goes to either of these ports.

Reasons To Book A Tour On The Skagway Train

The Skagway train tour is a ‘Must-Do’ activity for cruisers and travelers. It is also no surprise that it is the most popular shore excursion for anyone visiting Skagway. If you’re traveling with little ones, this family-friendly Skagway tour requires little walking.

Each year, hundreds of thousands of travelers take the journey on the White Pass railway. Will you be one of them? Here are reasons to take this incredible train journey.

Convenience  – Since the train runs only during cruise season, each ship has its own train. The operator assembles the cars according to the number of reservations. 

The track runs to each dock so passengers can disembark from their ship and quickly board the train. The train boarding was about 200 yards from the ship ramp for our Cunard cruise.

Accessibility  – You can book a wheelchair-accessible car if needed. When booking your ticket, indicate that you require wheelchair access. Wheelchair users will be placed in a car with a built-in lift for easy access. An accessible train ticket costs the same as a regular ticket.

Scenery  – The incredible views are rated as one of the most scenic train rides worldwide. As you meander up the White Pass, you’ll enjoy mountain, river, glacier, and forest views. The clear skies and bright sun made the journey more breathtaking.

Cost  – I found the 40-mile (64 km) round-trip train tour to be a reasonable cost at about USD 150 per person. Children are about half the adult price. The total journey is about 2.75 to 3 hours. 

History  – When you ride in the vintage passenger coaches, you relive a piece of Gold Rush history. The result is a feat of engineering built during the harshest of conditions.

Where To Book The Skagway Train Tour

I suggest you book through your cruise line because if you need to change or cancel once onboard, you can do it through Guest Services. 

You’ll generally have an option of a morning or afternoon time. Booking through your line allows you to board the train next to the vessel.

Also, your ship will never leave port until all passengers have returned to the ship. However, this is true only if you have booked through your cruise line. 

Booking in advance is preferable because most lines assign train cars. So, if you have a family, you can guarantee you’ll be in the same carriage.

Alternatively, you can go  directly to their website . However, the days that your cruise ship is in Skagway may not be available. Trains may be reserved exclusively for cruise ship passengers. 

If you buy a ticket directly, you must board at the train station in downtown Skagway. If you haven’t been assigned a train car, you’ll have the last choice since you board later.

The operator owns fifteen engines (locomotives), although some are old and not in service. A few of the engines are almost new and built in 2020. They were received at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The new engines replaced old engines because they burn a lot of diesel and are very stinky. There are over 80 passenger cars, and each carriage can carry 40 guests.

Each cruise line gets its own train and usually does two runs a day. At peak times, they can do three runs. There is a maximum of 16 cars per train. Any more, and it would be challenging to pull the train up the 3,000′ incline.

The front two cars are very noisy because of the engines. You’ll have difficulty hearing the tour operators and announcements sitting there. If the train isn’t full, they leave the front car empty to give passengers a better experience.

After our train ride, we rented  e-bikes through Klondike Bicycles . We rode their bikes to Gold Rush cemetery and passed the train yard where the engines and cars are serviced.

The Journey

For the Alaska cruise season, the first train runs in April with the arrival of the first cruise ship. The White Pass train schedules its tours with the arrival of cruise ships.

Employees spend the first two months clearing the tracks of snow before each season. Rockslides are rare, but the tracks are inspected each day before the first train run.

In previous years, the trains ran year-round, carrying freight outside the tourist season. However, freight shipments stopped in the 1970s with the opening of the South Klondike Highway.

If you decide to ride the train, you have the option of doing a roundtrip route or a combination of train and bus tour. If you opt to return by bus, you’ll need a valid passport for the border crossing.

Should you take the White Pass train ride in May, you’ll see several feet of snow in the famous White Pass.

About Our Excursion

We booked the 9 am departure through the Cunard website. By completing the train ride first, we booked another tour in the afternoon and still had time to explore the town.

With 83 F temperatures in Skagway, we’re glad we took the early departure as the train became hot. The carriages do not have air conditioning.

We disembarked from Queen Elizabeth and saw our train a short distance down the pier. The host had us queue up while we waited to board. The weather was perfect with bright sun, comfortable temperatures, and almost no mosquitoes!

Cunard did not assign us a train car, although most lines do. Instead, we decided to board the last car because it had a larger outdoor platform, where we could get the best views.

Right on time, the host permitted us to board, and we quickly grabbed our seats. Once you’ve chosen a carriage, you cannot move to another one during the ride.

During our trip, we did a brief interview with our host, who was willing to share about the company, the trains, and the journey.

The White Pass & Yukon Route company has about 500 employees. It is privately owned and not owned by the cruise company, as I had thought.

Interestingly, most employees move to Skagway just for the cruising season. Our tour guide that day came from Idaho. The company provides housing for employees that move to Skagway during cruise season.

The White Pass Train Route

The train begins slowly as it makes its way through the town of Skagway. After passing some shops and homes, the announcer points out the train depot near the Gold Rush Cemetery.

The train yard operates year-round to repair the locomotives and cars during the off-season.

Once out of town, you climb gently to make the 20-mile (32 km) journey up to almost 3,000 feet (914 meters). The ever-changing scenery presents you with waterfalls and breathtaking panoramas.

A couple of trestle bridges made of wood and steel add to the classic history of the route. When crossing, you can look at the valley 100s of feet below!

At one point, we passed an old trestle that was crumbling badly. The bridges provide another photo opportunity along the picturesque journey.

Several times the train will travel a sharp curve where you can see the entire train in front of you. Everyone would have their cameras ready for the classic shot.

Due to the ruggedness of the terrain, the only path possible was to blast tunnels through the mountains. You get to travel through two tunnels on your way to the White Pass summit.

Occasionally, we had to pull over and come to a complete stop while another train passed in the opposite direction. Even the passing of trains was a fun highlight of the trip as we got to wave to other travelers.

The climate change was noticeable as we neared the summit. At almost 3,000 feet, there was less vegetation, and the temperature was cooler. Even though it was July, there were patches of snow on the ground.

What We Liked Best

As a young man, I’ve always had a fascination with trains. My dad worked on the Canadian Pacific Railway for over 30 years.

As a teenager, I worked briefly as a junior laborer during the summer. I can still remember cleaning cabooses that have long since retired in the 1990s.

Railways and trains are an essential part of our past, and the White Pass train tour is an easy way to relive history. As Karen and I “rode the rails,” you could not help but feel you were part of the history.

The scenery was by far the highlight for me. Compared to Karen’s seven trips, I am still a “newbie” when it comes to Alaska.

The train was a perfect way to appreciate the mountains and the forests. All of this was from the comfort of a classic vintage passenger coach.

Frequent announcements from the host kept the passage exciting and informative. You always knew what was ahead so you could get your camera ready.

I would often move to the front or back of our car if I thought it would provide a better shot! The outdoor decks were ideal for unobstructed views.

Every car has a heater, ideal when riding the train during the “fringe” Alaska season. The temperatures can be much cooler in late April or September/October compared to our July trip.

In addition, each car has a washroom, a convenience over the almost 3-hour trip. They provided each car with a case of bottled water. Small things like this, and great customer service, made the ride so enjoyable.

They offered a souvenir pack (cap, guide, DVD) for sale at a very modest price which several passengers purchased.

Skagway Train Touring Tips

Here’s a brief list of tips to consider if you ride the White Pass scenic railway:

• Book through your cruise line. This protects you in the case of reschedules, port cancellations, and returning late.
• Left side or right side? We chose the left because much of the journey up to the summit has the mountains on the right. However, the train currently loops at the summit and returns on the same route. As a result, the right side has the best views on the journey back to Skagway.
• If you aren’t assigned a car, the caboose or last car is best and often has a larger outdoor platform. Avoid the front carriage.
• Feel free to move about the car. We had a large viewing deck at the back of the car which was perfect for taking photos. Sometimes I moved to the smaller viewing deck at the front of the carriage. It was less crowded and let me get a better shot.

• It’s okay to book last-minute. While some Alaska excursions (e.g., dogsledding) sell out in advance, this one does not. Each car can hold up to 40 passengers, and a train can accommodate up to 16 carriages. Also, the train is assembled daily according to the number of bookings.
• No power or Wi-fi – this should not be a surprise! Be sure you fully charge your camera or smartphone before you board. Also, cell coverage can be spotty throughout the route.
• You may need a passport – We did not need our passports because we did not disembark the train in Canada. However, depending on your journey into Canada, you will need a passport if you choose the train and road route.

Final Thoughts

Having never traveled on a train in the Yukon before, I found the excursion unforgettable. The journey was convenient, reasonably priced, and a photographer’s paradise. 

The scenery and just being able to enjoy a classic train ride through the mountains made it memorable. And crossing trestles added to the nostalgia of the train travel.

We also had fantastic weather, which made the journey even more spectacular. It may not be quite as enjoyable if you have a foggy or drizzly day impeding visibility.

I would recommend it as one of Alaska’s best family-friendly excursions for all ages. However, one of the families sitting near us in our car was a dad, his three girls, and their grandparents. 

For them, it was not a cheap excursion at USD 600-700. If you are traveling with kids and your budget is very tight, it may not be within your price range.

If you’re traveling to Alaska on a budget , consider taking a  bus excursion that travels a similar route by road. This 3-hour ride from Skagway picks you up from your cruise port. 

The first part of the drive follows the train tracks but at a lower level. You’ll enjoy spectacular views of Pitchfork Falls. This excursion crosses into Canada, so you’ll need a passport to show at the border.

Alternatively, if you prefer a self-guided tour or you’ve done the train route, consider renting a vehicle and  driving to the Yukon from Skagway.

I look forward to taking the train journey in a couple of years when we cruise again to Alaska. Next time, we’ll take the longer trip that combines the train journey with a road trip.

This would include traveling through the towns of Fraser and Bennett in British Columbia. 

As a Canadian, it would be an adventure to cruise from Vancouver to Skagway. Then board a train back to Canada, visiting Carcross and Whitehorse in the Yukon Territory. 

I hope my experience has encouraged you to consider this historic train ride on your next Alaska cruise. I promise you will not regret it and be sure to bring your camera!

Saturday 10th of September 2022

I recently got to experience thus in June 2022 and it's a great excursion. Such breathtaking views and the history was eye opening to what those individuals went through for the gold dream. Question: in the picture what is the brand if purse you are carrying?

Forever Karen

The White Pass train excursion is pretty spectacular if you have good weather. It's amazing that part of the construction was done in the winter. As for the purse, it's a one-of-a-kind, made by me.

Wednesday 17th of August 2022

What is a “ caboose”

Brian Hosier

A caboose is a special car at the end of a train. It would contain train inspection staff who would ride in the car and look for fire or other problems in other cars on the train. They were made obsolete about 30 years ago by improved technology that was installed on the train.

You state the White Pass and Yukon railway company was formed in 1998, however you wrote about the railway being completed in 1900. Was there two railways?

Thanks for catching that. The company was actually started in 1898, two years prior to the completion of the railway in 1900. The post has been corrected.

Privacy Overview

White Pass Scenic Railway - Luxury Class

White Pass Train: Experience the dramatic beauty of Southeast Alaska while traveling aboard the White Pass & Yukon Route's premier luxury parlor car. As you ascend from sea to summit, revel in a superior level of comfort in custom-made leather seating and enjoy a premium experience unique to VIPs, enjoy the breathtaking panorama of mountains, glaciers, gorges, waterfalls, tunnels, trestles, and historic sites from your large, picture windows and comfortable custom seating. The White Pass & Yukon Route Railway was built during the Klondike Gold Rush and was completed in 26 months by blasting through the mountains with 450 tons of explosives. The exclusive luxury car, pulled by vintage diesel locomotives, climbs nearly 3,000 ft. over 20 miles of steep grades and around cliff hanging turns. You will retrace the original route to the White Pass summit, passing Bridal Veil Falls, Inspiration Point and Dead Horse Gulch. What’s Included:

• Assorted regionally sourced appetizers.
• Bottled water and coffee.
• All-Inclusive Beverages (beers, wine, specialty drinks).

Requirements & Restrictions: Guests must negotiate steps to get on/off the rail cars. What to Bring: Warm layers of clothing, hat, gloves, rain jacket, camera for photo opportunities, and credit/debit card or cash for additional purchases. Good to Know: Weather in this region of mountains and fjords can vary quickly and dramatically. Restrooms are available on board the rail cars.

• Yukon Discovery Tour
• Yukoner Beyond White Pass
• White Pass Summit & City
• White Pass & Rafting Combo Day

Frontier Excursions & Adventures 3rd and Broadway at The Golden North Hotel Skagway, Alaska 99840

1 877.983.2512 – toll free, 1 907.983.2512 – local, email: [email protected].

• Yukoner – Beyond the White Pass

White Pass Summit & City Tour

Welcome to Alaska sign photo stop

Frontier bus at White Pass Summit

Train view from the Brackett wagon road overlook

Pitchfork Falls and train viewpoint

Bridal Veil Falls

Moore Creek Bridge overlook

Moore Creek Bridge-unique cantilever design

Sawtooth peaks

Black bear sighting

Mountain goat above the highway

Glacier of Mt. Carmacks in view

Adventurous bikers heading down from the Summit

International Falls near border

Rainbow at the Summit

Summit Lake with Sawtooth peak backdrop

Mid-summer sub alpine tundra and hanging glacier

Skagway Scenic Overlook-town and ships in one panorama

Plane taking off from our small airport

View from Overlook of our surrounding high peaks

Historic Gold Rush Cemetery

Town Hero Frank Reid's grave

Budget friendly tour showcases local highlights with white pass summit and city tour.

The narrated drive up the gorgeous Klondike Highway parallels much of the White Pass Gold Rush Trail of 1898 where stampeeders struggled to climb carrying their ton of goods during winter snows. Along the route to the White Pass are spectacular vistas of steep mountains of coastal rainforest and historical stops. Stops can include Brackett Wagon Road, Pitchfork Falls, Moore Creek Bridge, and views of the WP&YR railroad. Breathe in the fresh, crisp mountain air and watch for possible wildlife along the route.

Upon cresting the White Pass Summit (3292 feet, 1003 meters), take in views of the sub-arctic alpine tundra of the “Tormented” Valley, with its crystal blue Summit Lake and snowcapped mountain panorama. At the US/Canadian border, have a photo opportunity with the Welcome to Alaska sign!

Our return trip takes us to the Skagway Scenic Overlook, which offers a bird’s-eye view of the entire town, harbor, Lynn Canal, and cruise ships. During the tour we also drive through the historic downtown (part of the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park). We visit the Gold Rush Cemetery to visit our infamous outlaw, Soapy Smith, and hear tales of the early pioneers. Above the Gold Rush Cemetery is a short uphill hike to Lower Reid Falls which many choose to do during the time at the Cemetery. Your guide will bring the Gold Rush to life throughout the tour with many stories of the history of the era. Your guide will also take photos of your group for you along the route.

If you would like to read more about the Gold Rush History, check out this page from the National Park Service and then book our tour to see the area in person!

We make plenty of stops for photos along the way! Our most economical tour and shortest option.

BOOK WHITE PASS TOUR

Tour quick facts.

$70.35 adult (13 and older) $49.35 children ages-2-12 Under age 2 is free (Includes sales tax)

Round Trip Time:

2.75 hours Approx.

Round Trip Distance:

36 miles Approx.

Departures: Monday-Friday only

• 8:45 am and 12:30 pm

Lunch Provided:

Passport required:.

1 877.983.2512  – Toll Free 1 907.983.2512  – Local

[email protected]

Yukon Expedition & White Pass Scenic Railway

Exceptional value.

Book shore excursions with confidence! We offer competitive pricing, friendly service and unmatched destination expertise.

• EXCURSION DETAIL
• CUSTOMER REVIEWS

Description

Points of Interest

• White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad
• Klondike Summit
• Yukon (Canada)

Be sure to read the Special Notes further down this page for important requirements and restriction.

Experience the beauty of the legendary White Pass Trail of '98 from different perspectives on this exhilarating tour. Travel the Klondike Highway by motorcoach, over the White Pass Summit, into Canada's Yukon culminating with a thrilling ride aboard the historic White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad. A scenic drive parallels the route used by prospectors during the 1898 Klondike Gold Rush as you ascend the 3,290-foot White Pass Summit. The lush growth of the coast gives way to Canada's rugged wilderness as you travel through the glaciated area known as Tormented Valley. Enjoy a barbecue lunch at Wild Adventure Yukon, followed by a stroll through the Wildlife Gallery, PCMP Heritage Museum, petting zoo and dog musher's village. Stop at the Native village of Carcross, home to exceptional handi-crafts. Then, board the White Pass & Yukon Railroad vintage train cars for an epic, 27-mile journey past breathtaking waterfalls, mountains and glaciers.

Special Notes:

Passport requirements:.

Tour timeline may vary to avoid overcrowding, etc.

Tour up the Klondike Highway to the Yukon with picture stops

Vicit wild adventure yukon & enjoy lunch, drive to carcross, with free time to explore, tour to fraser, bc train depot, ride white pass scenic railway back to skagway, tour back to cruise ship pier.

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White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad: A Luxury Travel Experience

Skagway, Alaska, US

Activity Level

Excursion Type

Wheelchair Accessible

Starting At

Minimum Age

Information Not Currently Available

Approximately 2¾ Hours

Meals Included

Meals included

Experience the dramatic beauty of Southeast Alaska while traveling aboard the White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad 's premier luxury parlor car .

The White Pass Legacy Club is the ideal way to relish this historic narrow-gauge rail adventure. As you ascend from sea to summit, revel in a superior level of comfort in custom-made leather seating. Enjoy all-inclusive beverages and regionally sourced appetizers while sharing the unforgettable and exclusive experience with your travel companions. Round out this first-class excursion with a private guide who will highlight all the scenic viewpoints while sharing the incredible story of the construction of the railroad.

The White Pass & Yukon Route itself is unlike any other railroad. Against all odds, the iron trail was carved through some of the North's most rugged terrain in 1898. Built during the Klondike Gold Rush, this engineering wonder is an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark -- an honor shared with the Eiffel Tower, the Panama Canal and the Statue of Liberty. Considered an impossible feat, the railway was completed in 26 months by blasting through the mountains with 450 tons of explosives. The 110-mile railroad was officially completed when a final golden spike was hammered into place on July 29, 1900, in Carcross, Yukon.

Your exclusive luxury car, pulled by a vintage diesel locomotive, climbs nearly 3,000 feet over 20 miles of steep grades and around cliff-hanging turns. You will retrace the original route to the White Pass summit , passing Bridal Veil Falls, Inspiration Point and Dead Horse Gulch. Take in the breathtaking panorama of mountains, glaciers, gorges, waterfalls, tunnels, trestles and historical sites from your large picture window and comfortable custom seating. As you travel, your private guide will serve refreshments and recount the fascinating tales of Gold Rush history. You'll even see the original Klondike Trail of '98 worn into the rocks -- a permanent tribute to the thousands of souls who passed this way in search of fortune.

After your excursion, a convenient dockside service returns you directly to the ship.

Not advisable for guests using a wheelchair. Minimum age is 21 years.

Moscow Metro Tour

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Description

Moscow metro private tours.

• 2-hour tour $87:  10 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with hotel pick-up and drop-off
• 3-hour tour $137:  20 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with Russian lunch in beautifully-decorated Metro Diner + hotel pick-up and drop off. 
• Metro pass is included in the price of both tours.

Highlight of Metro Tour

• Visit 10 must-see stations of Moscow metro on 2-hr tour and 20 Metro stations on 3-hr tour, including grand Komsomolskaya station with its distinctive Baroque décor, aristocratic Mayakovskaya station with Soviet mosaics, legendary Revolution Square station with 72 bronze sculptures and more!
• Explore Museum of Moscow Metro and learn a ton of technical and historical facts;
• Listen to the secrets about the Metro-2, a secret line supposedly used by the government and KGB;
• Experience a selection of most striking features of Moscow Metro hidden from most tourists and even locals;
• Discover the underground treasure of Russian Soviet past – from mosaics to bronzes, paintings, marble arches, stained glass and even paleontological elements;
• Learn fun stories and myths about Coffee Ring, Zodiac signs of Moscow Metro and more;
• Admire Soviet-era architecture of pre- and post- World War II perious;
• Enjoy panoramic views of Sparrow Hills from Luzhniki Metro Bridge – MetroMost, the only station of Moscow Metro located over water and the highest station above ground level;
• If lucky, catch a unique «Aquarelle Train» – a wheeled picture gallery, brightly painted with images of peony, chrysanthemums, daisies, sunflowers and each car unit is unique;
• Become an expert at navigating the legendary Moscow Metro system;
• Have fun time with a very friendly local;
• + Atmospheric Metro lunch in Moscow’s the only Metro Diner (included in a 3-hr tour)

Hotel Pick-up

Metro stations:.

Komsomolskaya

Novoslobodskaya

Prospekt Mira

Belorusskaya

Mayakovskaya

Novokuznetskaya

Revolution Square

Sparrow Hills

+ for 3-hour tour

Victory Park

Slavic Boulevard

Vystavochnaya

Dostoevskaya

Elektrozavodskaya

Partizanskaya

Museum of Moscow Metro

• Drop-off  at your hotel, Novodevichy Convent, Sparrow Hills or any place you wish
• + Russian lunch  in Metro Diner with artistic metro-style interior for 3-hour tour

Fun facts from our Moscow Metro Tours:

From the very first days of its existence, the Moscow Metro was the object of civil defense, used as a bomb shelter, and designed as a defense for a possible attack on the Soviet Union.

At a depth of 50 to 120 meters lies the second, the coded system of Metro-2 of Moscow subway, which is equipped with everything you need, from food storage to the nuclear button.

According to some sources, the total length of Metro-2 reaches over 150 kilometers.

The Museum was opened on Sportivnaya metro station on November 6, 1967. It features the most interesting models of trains and stations.

Coffee Ring

The first scheme of Moscow Metro looked like a bunch of separate lines. Listen to a myth about Joseph Stalin and the main brown line of Moscow Metro.

Zodiac Metro

According to some astrologers, each of the 12 stops of the Moscow Ring Line corresponds to a particular sign of the zodiac and divides the city into astrological sector.

Astrologers believe that being in a particular zadiac sector of Moscow for a long time, you attract certain energy and events into your life.

Paleontological finds 

Red marble walls of some of the Metro stations hide in themselves petrified inhabitants of ancient seas. Try and find some!

• Every day each car in  Moscow metro passes  more than 600 km, which is the distance from Moscow to St. Petersburg.
• Moscow subway system is the  5th in the intensity  of use (after the subways of Beijing, Tokyo, Seoul and Shanghai).
• The interval in the movement of trains in rush hour is  90 seconds .

What you get:

• + A friend in Moscow.
• + Private & customized Moscow tour.
• + An exciting pastime, not just boring history lessons.
• + An authentic experience of local life.
• + Flexibility during the walking tour: changes can be made at any time to suit individual preferences.
• + Amazing deals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the very best cafes & restaurants. Discounts on weekdays (Mon-Fri).
• + A photo session amongst spectacular Moscow scenery that can be treasured for a lifetime.
• + Good value for souvenirs, taxis, and hotels.
• + Expert advice on what to do, where to go, and how to make the most of your time in Moscow.

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Firebird Travel

RUSSIA TRAVEL HOME

Thank you for your enquiry.

RUSSIA TRAVEL PACKAGES A selection of Russian tours to take as they are or adjust to your needs.

THE GOLDEN RING Visit the heart of ancient Russia. What is the Golden Ring?

MOSCOW TOURS What you can see in Moscow.

MOSCOW DAY TRIPS Get out of Moscow and take a relaxing trip to some of these places

ST. PETERSBURG Some of the sights to see in Petersburg

LAKE BAIKAL TOURS Hiking and trekking around the world's deepest lake in the heart of Siberia

RUSSIAN DIGS Come and work in the field on a Russian Archaeological dig. Full training given on site.

TRAVEL TIPS & SERVICES Getting around in Russia

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• Themed tours
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Moscow Metro 2019

Will it be easy to find my way in the Moscow Metro? It is a question many visitors ask themselves before hitting the streets of the Russian capital. As metro is the main means of transport in Moscow – fast, reliable and safe – having some skills in using it will help make your visit more successful and smooth. On top of this, it is the most beautiful metro in the world !

. There are over 220 stations and 15 lines in the Moscow Metro. It is open from 6 am to 1 am. Trains come very frequently: during the rush hour you won't wait for more than 90 seconds! Distances between stations are quite long – 1,5 to 2 or even 3 kilometers. Metro runs inside the city borders only. To get to the airport you will need to take an onground train - Aeroexpress.

RATES AND TICKETS

Paper ticket A fee is fixed and does not depend on how far you go. There are tickets for a number of trips: 1, 2 or 60 trips; or for a number of days: 1, 3 days or a month. Your trips are recorded on a paper ticket. Ifyou buy a ticket for several trips you can share it with your traveling partner passing it from one to the other at the turnstile.

On every station there is cashier and machines (you can switch it to English). Cards and cash are accepted. 1 trip - 55 RUB 2 trips - 110 RUB

Tickets for 60 trips and day passes are available only at the cashier's.

60 rides - 1900 RUB

1 day - 230 RUB 3 days - 438 RUB 30 days - 2170 RUB.

The cheapest way to travel is buying Troyka card . It is a plastic card you can top up for any amount at the machine or at the ticket office. With it every trip costs 38 RUB in the metro and 21 RUB in a bus. You can get the card in any ticket office. Be prepared to leave a deposit of 50 RUB. You can get it back returning the card to the cashier.

SamsungPay, ApplePay and PayPass cards.

One turnstile at every station accept PayPass and payments with phones. It has a sticker with the logos and located next to the security's cabin.

GETTING ORIENTED

At the platfrom you will see one of these signs.

It indicates the line you are at now (line 6), shows the direction train run and the final stations. Numbers below there are of those lines you can change from this line.

In trains, stations are announced in Russian and English. In newer trains there are also visual indication of there you are on the line.

To change lines look for these signs. This one shows the way to line 2.

There are also signs on the platfrom. They will help you to havigate yourself. (To the lines 3 and 5 in this case). 

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The Supreme Court Takes Up Homelessness

Can cities make it illegal to live on the streets.

This transcript was created using speech recognition software. While it has been reviewed by human transcribers, it may contain errors. Please review the episode audio before quoting from this transcript and email [email protected] with any questions.

From “The New York Times,” I’m Katrin Bennhold. This is “The Daily.”

This morning, we’re taking a much closer look at homelessness in the United States as it reaches a level not seen in the modern era. California —

As the number of homeless people has surged in the US —

More than 653,000, a 12 percent population increase since last year.

The debate over homeless encampments across the country has intensified.

It is not humane to let people live on our streets in tents, use drugs. We are not standing for it anymore.

People have had it. They’re fed up. I’m fed up. People want to see these tents and encampments removed in a compassionate, thoughtful way. And we agree.

With public officials saying they need more tools to address the crisis.

We move from block to block. And every block they say, can’t be here, can’t be here, can’t be here. I don’t know where we’re supposed to go, you know?

And homeless people and their advocates saying those tools are intended to unfairly punish them.

They come and they sweep and they take everything from me, and I can’t get out of the hole I’m in because they keep putting me back in square one.

That debate is now reaching the Supreme Court, which is about to hear arguments in the most significant case on homelessness in decades, about whether cities can make it illegal to be homeless. My colleague Abbie VanSickle on the backstory of that case and its far-reaching implications for cities across the US.

[THEME MUSIC]

It’s Friday, April 19.

So Abbie, you’ve been reporting on this case that has been making waves, Grants Pass versus Johnson, which the Supreme Court is taking up next week. What’s this case about?

So this case is about a small town in Oregon where three homeless people sued the city after they received tickets for sleeping and camping outside. And this case is the latest case that shows this growing tension, especially in states in the West, between people who are homeless and cities who are trying to figure out what to do about this. These cities have seen a sharp increase in homeless encampments in public spaces, especially with people on sidewalks and in parks. And they’ve raised questions about public drug use and other safety issues in these spaces.

And so the question before the justices is really how far a city can go to police homelessness. Can city officials and police use local laws to ban people from laying down outside and sleeping in a public space? Can a city essentially make it illegal to be homeless?

So three homeless people sued the city of Grants Pass, saying it’s not illegal to be homeless, and therefore it’s not illegal to sleep in a public space.

Yes, that’s right. And they weren’t the first people to make this argument. The issue actually started years ago with a case about 500 miles to the East, in Boise, Idaho. And in that case, which is called Martin v. Boise, this man, Robert Martin, who is homeless in Boise, he was charged with a misdemeanor for sleeping in some bushes. And the city of Boise had laws on the books to prohibit public camping.

And Robert Martin and a group of other people who are homeless in the city, they sued the city. And they claimed that the city’s laws violated the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment.

And what makes it cruel and unusual?

So their argument was that the city did not have enough sufficient shelter beds for everyone who was homeless in the city. And so they were forced to sleep outside. They said, we have no place to go and that an essential human need is to sleep and we want to be able to lay down on the sidewalk or in an alley or someplace to rest and that their local laws were a violation of Robert Martin and the others’ constitutional rights, that the city is violating the Eighth Amendment by criminalizing the human need to sleep.

And the courts who heard the case agreed with that argument. The courts ruled that the city had violated the Constitution and that the city could not punish people for being involuntarily homeless. And what that meant, the court laid out, is that someone is involuntarily homeless if a city does not have enough adequate shelter beds for the number of people who are homeless in the city.

It does seem like a very important distinction. They’re saying, basically, if you have nowhere else to go, you can’t be punished for sleeping on the street.

Right. That’s what the court was saying in the Martin v. Boise case. And the city of Boise then appealed the case. They asked the Supreme Court to step in and take it on. But the Supreme Court declined to hear the case. So since then, the Martin v. Boise case controls all over the Western parts of the US in what’s called the Ninth Circuit, which includes Oregon where the Grants Pass case originated.

OK. So tell us about Grants Pass, this city at the center of the case and now in front of the Supreme Court. What’s the story there?

Grants Pass is a town in rural Southwestern Oregon. It’s a town of about 38,000 people. It’s a former timber town that now really relies a lot on tourists to go rafting through the river and go wine tasting in the countryside. And it’s a pretty conservative town.

When I did interviews, people talked about having a very strong libertarian streak. And when I talked with people in the town, people said when they were growing up there, it was very rare to see someone who was homeless. It just was not an issue that was talked a lot about in the community. But it did become a big issue about 10 years ago.

People in the community started to get worried about what they saw as an increase in the number of homeless people that they were noticing around town. And it’s unclear whether the problem was growing or whether local officials and residents were worried that it might, whether they were fearing that it might.

But in any case, in 2013, the city council decided to start stepping up enforcement of local ordinances that did things like outlaw camping in public parks or sleeping outside, this series of overlapping local laws that would make it impossible for people to sleep in public spaces in Grants Pass. And at one meeting, one of the former city council members, she said, “the point is to make it uncomfortable enough for them in our city so they will want to move on down the road.”

So it sounds like, at least in Grants Pass, that this is not really about reducing homelessness. It’s about reducing the number of visible homeless people in the town.

Well, I would say that city officials and many local residents would say that the homeless encampments are actually creating real concerns about public safety, that it’s actually creating all kinds of issues for everyone else who lives in Grants Pass. And there are drug issues and mental health issues, and that this is actually bringing a lot of chaos to the city.

OK. So in order to deal with these concerns, you said that they decided to start enforcing these local measures. What does that actually look like on the ground?

So police started handing out tickets in Grants Pass. These were civil tickets, where people would get fines. And if police noticed people doing this enough times, then they could issue them a trespass from a park. And then that would give — for a certain number of days, somebody would be banned from the park. And if police caught them in the park before that time period was up, then the person could face criminal time. They could go to jail.

And homeless people started racking up fines, hundreds of dollars of fines. I talked to a lot of people who were camping in the parks who had racked up these fines over the years. And each one would have multiple tickets they had no way to pay. I talked to people who tried to challenge the tickets, and they had to leave their belongings back in the park. And they would come back to find someone had taken their stuff or their things had been impounded.

So it just seemed to be this cycle that actually was entrenching people more into homelessness. And yet at the same time, none of these people had left Grants Pass.

So they did make it very uncomfortable for homeless people, but it doesn’t seem to be working. People are not leaving.

Right. People are not leaving. And these tickets and fines, it’s something that people have been dealing with for years in Grants Pass. But in 2018, the Martin v. Boise case happens. And not long after that, a group of people in Grants Pass challenged these ordinances, and they used the Boise case to make their argument that just like in Boise, Grants Pass was punishing people for being involuntarily homeless, that this overlapping group of local ordinances in Grants Pass had made it so there is nowhere to put a pillow and blanket on the ground and sleep without being in some kind of violation of a rule. And this group of local homeless people make the argument that everyone in Grants Pass who is homeless is involuntarily homeless.

And you told us earlier that it was basically the lack of available shelter that makes a homeless person involuntarily homeless. So is there a homeless shelter in Grants Pass?

Well, it sort of depends on the standard that you’re using. So there is no public low-barrier shelter that is easy for somebody to just walk in and stay for a night if they need someplace to go. Grants Pass does not have a shelter like that.

There is one shelter in Grants Pass, but it’s a religious shelter, and there are lots of restrictions. I spoke with the head of the shelter who explained the purpose is really to get people back into the workforce. And so they have a 30-day program that’s really designed for that purpose.

And as part of that, people can’t have pets. People are not allowed to smoke. They’re required to attend Christian religious services. And some of the people who I interviewed, who had chronic mental health and physical disabilities, said that they had been turned away or weren’t able to stay there because of the level of needs that they have. And so if you come in with any kind of issue like that, it can be a problem.

That’s a very long list of restrictions. And of course, people are homeless for a lot of very different reasons. It sounds like a lot of these reasons might actually disqualify them from this particular shelter. So when they say they have nowhere else to go, if they’re in Grants Pass, they kind of have a point.

So that’s what the court decided. In 2022, when the courts heard this case, they agreed with the homeless plaintiffs that there’s no low-barrier shelter in Grants Pass and that the religious shelter did not meet the court’s requirements. But the city, who are actually now represented by the same lawyers who argued for Boise, keeps appealing the case. And they appeal up to the Ninth Circuit just as in the Boise case, and the judges there find in favor of the homeless plaintiffs, and they find that Grants Pass’s ordinances are so restrictive that there is no place where someone can lay down and sleep in Grants Pass and that therefore the city has violated the Eighth Amendment and they cannot enforce these ordinances in the way that they have been for years.

So at that point, the court upholds the Boise precedent, and we’re where we were when it all started. But as we know, that’s not the end of the story. Because this case stays in the court system. What happened?

So by this point, the homelessness problem is really exploding throughout the Western part of the US with more visible encampments, and it really becomes a politically divisive issue. And leaders across the political spectrum point to Boise as a root cause of the problem. So when Grants Pass comes along, people saw that case as a way potentially to undo Boise if only they could get it before the Supreme Court.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

We’ll be right back.

Abbie, you just told us that as homeless numbers went up and these homeless encampments really started spreading, it’s no longer just conservatives who want the Supreme Court to revisit the Boise ruling. It’s liberals too.

That’s right. So there’s a really broad group of people who all started pushing for the Supreme Court to take up the Grants Pass case. And they did this by filing briefs to the Supreme Court, laying out their reasoning. And it’s everyone from the liberal governor of California and many progressive liberal cities to some of the most conservative legal groups. And they disagree about their reasoning, but they all are asking the court to clarify how to interpret the Boise decision.

They are saying, essentially, that the Boise decision has been understood in different ways in all different parts of the West and that that is causing confusion and creating all sorts of problems. And they’re blaming that on the Boise case.

It’s interesting, because after everything you told us about these very extreme measures, really, that the city of Grants Pass took against homeless people, it is surprising that these liberal bastions that you’re mentioning are siding with the town in this case.

Just to be clear, they are not saying that they support necessarily the way that Grants Pass or Boise had enforced their laws. But they are saying that the court rulings have tied their hands with this ambiguous decision on how to act.

And what exactly is so ambiguous about the Boise decision? Which if I remember correctly, simply said that if someone is involuntarily homeless, if they’re on the streets because there’s no adequate shelter space available, they can’t be punished for that.

Yeah. So there are a couple of things that are common threads in the cities and the groups that are asking for clarity from the court. And the first thing is that they’re saying, what is adequate shelter? That every homeless person situation is different, so what are cities or places required to provide for people who are homeless? What is the standard that they need to meet?

In order not to sleep on the street.

That’s right. So if the standard is that a city has to have enough beds for everyone who is homeless but certain kinds of shelters or beds wouldn’t qualify, then what are the rules around that? And the second thing is that they’re asking for clarity around what “involuntarily homeless” means. And so in the Boise decision, that meant that someone is involuntarily homeless if there is not enough bed space for them to go to.

But a lot of cities are saying, what about people who don’t want to go into a shelter even if there’s a shelter bed available? If they have a pet or if they are a smoker or if something might prohibit them from going to a shelter, how is the city supposed to weigh that and at what point would they cross a line for the court?

It’s almost a philosophical question. Like, if somebody doesn’t want to be in a shelter, are they still allowed to sleep in a public space?

Yeah. I mean, these are complicated questions that go beyond the Eighth Amendment argument but that a lot of the organizations that have reached out to the court through these friend of the court briefs are asking.

OK. I can see that the unifying element here is that in all these briefs various people from across the spectrum are saying, hello, Supreme Court. We basically need some clarity here. Give us some clarity.

The question that I have is why did the Supreme Court agree to weigh in on Grants Pass after declining to take up Boise?

Well, it’s not possible for us to say for certain because the Supreme Court does not give reasons why it has agreed to hear or to not hear a case. They get thousands of cases a year, and they take up just a few of those, and their deliberations are secret. But we can point to a few things.

One is that the makeup of the court has changed. The court has gained conservative justices in the last few years. This court has not been shy about taking up hot button issues across the spectrum of American society. In this case, the court hasn’t heard a major homelessness case like this.

But I would really point to the sheer number and the range of the people who are petitioning the court to take a look at this case. These are major players in the country who are asking the court for guidance, and the Supreme Court does weigh in on issues of national importance. And the people who are asking for help clearly believe that this is one of those issues.

So let’s start digging into the actual arguments. And maybe let’s start with the city of Grants Pass. What are the central arguments that they’re expected to make before the Supreme Court?

So the city’s arguments turn on this narrow legal issue of whether the Eighth Amendment applies or doesn’t. And they say that it doesn’t. But I actually think that in some ways, that’s not the most helpful way to understanding what Grants Pass is arguing.

What is really at the heart of their argument is that if the court upholds Grants Pass and Boise, that they are tying the hands of Grants Pass and hundreds of other towns and cities to actually act to solve and respond to homelessness. And by that, I mean to solve issues of people camping in the parks but also more broadly of public safety issues, of being able to address problems as they arise in a fluid and flexible way in the varied ways that they’re going to show up in all these different places.

And their argument is if the court accepts the Grants Pass and Boise holdings, that they will be constitutionalizing or freezing in place and limiting all of these governments from acting.

Right. This is essentially the argument being repeated again and again in those briefs that you mentioned earlier, that unless the Supreme Court overturns these decisions, it’s almost impossible for these cities to get the encampments under control.

Yes, that’s right. And they also argue they need to have flexibility in dealing actually with people who are homeless and being able to figure out using a local ordinance to try to convince someone to go to treatment, that they say they need carrots and sticks. They need to be able to use every tool that they can to be able to try to solve this problem.

And how do we make sense of that argument when Grants Pass is clearly not using that many tools to deal with homeless people? For example, it didn’t have shelters, as you mentioned.

So the city’s argument is that this just should not be an Eighth Amendment issue, that this is the wrong way to think about this case, that issues around homelessness and how a city handles it is a policy question. So things like shelter beds or the way that the city is handling their ordinances should really be left up to policymakers and city officials, not to this really broad constitutional argument. And so therefore, the city is likely to focus their argument entirely on this very narrow question.

And how does the other side counter this argument?

The homeless plaintiffs are going to argue that there’s nothing in the lower courts’ decisions that say that cities can’t enforce their laws that, they can’t stop people from littering, that they can’t stop drug use, that they can’t clear encampments if there becomes public safety problems. They’re just saying that a city cannot not provide shelter and then make it illegal for people to lay down and sleep.

So both sides are saying that a city should be able to take action when there’s public disorder as a result of these homeless encampments. But they’re pointing at each other and saying, the way you want to handle homelessness is wrong.

I think everyone in this case agrees that homelessness and the increase in homelessness is bad for everyone. It’s bad for people who are camping in the park. It is bad for the community, that nobody is saying that the current situation is tenable. Everyone is saying there need to be solutions. We need to be able to figure out what to do about homelessness and how to care for people who are homeless.

How do we wrestle with all these problems? It’s just that the way that they think about it couldn’t be further apart.

And what can you tell me about how the Supreme Court is actually expected to rule in this?

There are a number of ways that the justices could decide on this case. They could take a really narrow approach and just focus on Grants Pass and the arguments about those local ordinances. I think that’s somewhat unlikely because they’ve decided to take up this case of national importance.

A ruling in favor of the homeless plaintiffs would mean that they’ve accepted this Eighth Amendment argument, that you cannot criminalize being homeless. And a ruling for the city, every legal expert I’ve talked to has said that would mean an end to Boise and that it would break apart the current state that we’ve been living in for these last several years.

I’m struck by how much this case and our conversation has been about policing homelessness rather than actually addressing the root causes of homelessness. We’re not really talking about, say, the right to shelter or the right to treatment for people who are mentally ill and sleeping on the streets as a result, which is quite a big proportion. And at the end of the day, whatever way the ruling goes, it will be about the visibility of homelessness and not the root causes.

Yeah, I think that’s right. That’s really what’s looming in the background of this case is what impact is it going to have. Will it make things better or worse and for who? And these court cases have really become this talking point for cities and for their leaders, blaming the spike in encampments and the visibility of homelessness on these court decisions. But homelessness, everyone acknowledges, is such a complicated issue.

People have told me in interviews for the story, they’ve blamed increases in homelessness on everything from the pandemic to forest fires to skyrocketing housing costs in the West Coast, and that the role that Boise and now Grants Pass play in this has always been a little hard to pin down. And if the Supreme Court overturns those cases, then we’ll really see whether they were the obstacle that political leaders said that they were. And if these cases fall, it remains to be seen whether cities do try to find all these creative solutions with housing and services to try to help people who are homeless or whether they once again fall back on just sending people to jail.

Abbie, thank you very much.

Thank you so much.

Here’s what else you need to know today. Early on Friday, Israel attacked a military base in Central Iran. The explosion came less than a week after Iran’s attack on Israel last weekend and was part of a cycle of retaliation that has brought the shadow war between the two countries out in the open. The scale and method of Friday’s attack remained unclear, and the initial reaction in both Israel and Iran was to downplay its significance. World leaders have urged both sides to exercise restraint in order to avoid sparking a broader war in the region.

And 12 New Yorkers have been selected to decide Donald Trump’s criminal trial in Manhattan, clearing the way for opening statements to begin as early as Monday. Seven new jurors were added in short order on Thursday afternoon, hours after two others who had already been picked were abruptly excused.

Trump is accused of falsifying business records to cover up a hush money payment made to a porn star during his 2016 presidential campaign. If the jury convicts him, he faces up to four years in prison. Finally —

This is the New York Police Department.

The New York Police Department said it took at least 108 protesters into custody at Columbia University after University officials called the police to respond to a pro-Palestinian demonstration and dismantle a tent encampment.

We’re supporting Palestine. We’re supporting Palestine. 1, 2, 3, 4.

The crackdown prompted more students to vow that demonstrations would continue, expressing outrage at both the roundup of the student protesters and the plight of Palestinians in Gaza.

Free, free Palestine.

Today’s episode was produced by Olivia Natt, Stella Tan, and Eric Krupke with help from Rachelle Bonja. It was edited by Liz Baylen, fact checked by Susan Lee, contains original music by Will Reid Pat McCusker Dan Powell and Diane Wong and was engineered by Chris Wood. Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly.

That’s it for “The Daily.” I’m Katrin Bennhold. See you on Monday.

• April 22, 2024   •   24:30 The Evolving Danger of the New Bird Flu
• April 19, 2024   •   30:42 The Supreme Court Takes Up Homelessness
• April 18, 2024   •   30:07 The Opening Days of Trump’s First Criminal Trial
• April 17, 2024   •   24:52 Are ‘Forever Chemicals’ a Forever Problem?
• April 16, 2024   •   29:29 A.I.’s Original Sin
• April 15, 2024   •   24:07 Iran’s Unprecedented Attack on Israel
• April 14, 2024   •   46:17 The Sunday Read: ‘What I Saw Working at The National Enquirer During Donald Trump’s Rise’
• April 12, 2024   •   34:23 How One Family Lost $900,000 in a Timeshare Scam
• April 11, 2024   •   28:39 The Staggering Success of Trump’s Trial Delay Tactics
• April 10, 2024   •   22:49 Trump’s Abortion Dilemma
• April 9, 2024   •   30:48 How Tesla Planted the Seeds for Its Own Potential Downfall
• April 8, 2024   •   30:28 The Eclipse Chaser

Hosted by Katrin Bennhold

Featuring Abbie VanSickle

Produced by Olivia Natt ,  Stella Tan ,  Eric Krupke and Rachelle Bonja

Edited by Liz O. Baylen

Original music by Will Reid ,  Pat McCusker ,  Dan Powell and Diane Wong

Engineered by Chris Wood

Listen and follow The Daily Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music

Debates over homeless encampments in the United States have intensified as their number has surged. To tackle the problem, some cities have enforced bans on public camping.

As the Supreme Court prepares to hear arguments about whether such actions are legal, Abbie VanSickle, who covers the court for The Times, discusses the case and its far-reaching implications.

On today’s episode

Abbie VanSickle , a Supreme Court correspondent for The New York Times.

Background reading

A ruling in the case could help determine how states, particularly those in the West, grapple with a rising homelessness crisis .

In a rare alliance, Democrats and Republicans are seeking legal power to clear homeless camps .

There are a lot of ways to listen to The Daily. Here’s how.

We aim to make transcripts available the next workday after an episode’s publication. You can find them at the top of the page.

Fact-checking by Susan Lee .

The Daily is made by Rachel Quester, Lynsea Garrison, Clare Toeniskoetter, Paige Cowett, Michael Simon Johnson, Brad Fisher, Chris Wood, Jessica Cheung, Stella Tan, Alexandra Leigh Young, Lisa Chow, Eric Krupke, Marc Georges, Luke Vander Ploeg, M.J. Davis Lin, Dan Powell, Sydney Harper, Mike Benoist, Liz O. Baylen, Asthaa Chaturvedi, Rachelle Bonja, Diana Nguyen, Marion Lozano, Corey Schreppel, Rob Szypko, Elisheba Ittoop, Mooj Zadie, Patricia Willens, Rowan Niemisto, Jody Becker, Rikki Novetsky, John Ketchum, Nina Feldman, Will Reid, Carlos Prieto, Ben Calhoun, Susan Lee, Lexie Diao, Mary Wilson, Alex Stern, Dan Farrell, Sophia Lanman, Shannon Lin, Diane Wong, Devon Taylor, Alyssa Moxley, Summer Thomad, Olivia Natt, Daniel Ramirez and Brendan Klinkenberg.

Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly. Special thanks to Sam Dolnick, Paula Szuchman, Lisa Tobin, Larissa Anderson, Julia Simon, Sofia Milan, Mahima Chablani, Elizabeth Davis-Moorer, Jeffrey Miranda, Renan Borelli, Maddy Masiello, Isabella Anderson and Nina Lassam.

Katrin Bennhold is the Berlin bureau chief. A former Nieman fellow at Harvard University, she previously reported from London and Paris, covering a range of topics from the rise of populism to gender. More about Katrin Bennhold

Abbie VanSickle covers the United States Supreme Court for The Times. She is a lawyer and has an extensive background in investigative reporting. More about Abbie VanSickle

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