Klondike Line

The Klondike Line is a 139.9 mile railway line of the British Columbia Railway (BC Rail) running from Teslin on the Cassiar Central Line to Whitehorse, where it connects with the Alaska Railroad's Fairbanks–Whitehorse line opened in 1980. Between Carcross and Whitehorse (42.9 miles) the line is dual gauge (standard and 3' narrow) and is shared with the White Pass & Yukon Railway. This line is located entirely in the Yukon, inside Canadian territory, but is owned and operated by BC Rail.

The Klondike Line is Line 83 of BC Rail's Northern Region.

= History = In preparation for the construction of this line, the BCR opted to buy the Carcross–Whitehorse section of the White Pass & Yukon Railway's mainline in 1978. This section was made dual gauge to allow WP&Y trains to continue to operate all the way between Skagway, Alaska and Whitehorse, and incorporated into the Klondike Line when the Teslin–Carcross line was opened in 1979.

Preliminary agreements have been made between the Dominion government and the Yukon territorial government to have BC Rail expand its network in the Yukon with a new mainline north from Whitehorse, with two branches; this would be realised in three stages. The first stage would see the Whitehorse–Carmacks section of the main line and a branch from Carmacks to Faro, to serve the large mine there; this, as had been envisioned, would be opened around 2022. The second section, to be opened around 2025, would extended the main line to Stewart Crossing, with a branch line from there to Mayo and Keno City, to serve new silver mines. The third and final section would complete the mainline to Dawson, Yukon's second-largest city, in 2028. Per the preliminary agreement, BC Rail and the Yukon government would pay for the construction jointly, and then BC Rail would operate it for 25 years before transferring the network north of Whitehorse to the Yukon government.

Since the initial agreements were made in 2012, the plans have been modified; as of Spring 2016, the plan stands at opening a Whitehorse–Carmacks–Keno City line by 2023, with future branches to Faro and Dawson 'to be considered'. Survey work began in the spring of 2018, but construction is now not expected to begin until 2024.

= Services =

Freight
There are daily freight trains in each direction, along with extra trains as needed.

Passenger
The various categories of passenger service are defined by the Ministry of Labour, Industry & Railways in conjunction with the Ministry of Transport & Communications; these categories are applicable to and used by all railways providing passenger service in British Columbia. Like all other railways in BC, ticket prices for BC Rail passenger trains are based on the Ministry's Schedule of Railway Fares.

Limited Express
Limited Express trains are BC Rail's fastest and most prestigious trains, making very few or no intermediate stops. They feature free baggage handling for both first and second classes, along with a cafeteria car open to both classes. The Stikine Line sees three international Limited Express services.

All international Limited Express trains feature full-service dining cars open to first and second class passengers, sleeping cars (first class) and sleeperette cars (second class), as well as baggage handling, free of charge for first class passengers, or for a surcharge for second class passengers. International services may be used for domestic travel, but for travel between three or fewer domestic stops a surcharge is applied. These trains stop at Helen Lake, BC, and at Morley River, Yukon, for passport and customs inspections, but passengers may not board nor alight at these stops.


 * 121/122 Klondike Limited (BCR): Prince George, BC – Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
 * Three trains run weekly in each direction, with northbound trains departing Prince George on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and southbound trains departing Whitehorse on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. This train runs entirely over BC Rail trackage and is operated with BC Rail equipment and crews. Intermediate stops:
 * BC: Fort St James, Takla, Dease Lake, Porter Landing, Cassiar, Klinkit
 * Yukon: Teslin, Carcross


 * 123/124 Aurora Borealis (BCR/VIA Rail): Edmonton, Alberta, Canada – Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
 * Two trains run weekly in each direction using mixed consists of VIA rail coaches and BC Rail baggage, dining, sleeping, and sleeperette cars. Northbound trains depart Edmonton on Tuesday and Thursday, and southbound trains depart Whitehorse on Monday and Wednesday. This train runs over BC Rail trackage between Whitehorse and Dawson Creek, and over Canadian National trackage between Dawson Creek and Edmonton. One of the return trips are operated with BC Rail locomotives and crews, the other with VIA locomotives and crews. Intermediate stops:
 * Alberta: Slave Lake, McLennan, Winagami, Grand Prairie, Beaver Lodge
 * BC: Dawson Creek, Chetwynd, Fort St James, Takla, Dease Lake, Porter Landing, Cassiar, Klinkit
 * Yukon: Teslin, Carcross


 * 191/192 Alaska Limited (BCR/Alaska Railroad): Anchorage, Alaska, USA – Seattle, Washington, USA
 * This is a once-weekly service departing Seattle on Tuesdays and Anchorage on Fridays, consisting of two ARR and two BC Rail sleeping cars in the summer months and one ARR and one BC Rail sleeper in the winter. These consists operate as through cars attached to the Alaska Railroad's international semi-express service between Anchorage and Whitehorse, to the BC Rail "Klondike Limited" between Whitehorse and Prince George, to the BC Rail "Fraser-Skeena" domestic express between Prince George and Ashcroft, to the BC Rail "Inter-Dominion Limited" between Ashcroft and Vancouver, and to the W&BC/Amtrak "Cascades" international express between Vancouver and Seattle. Intermediate stops:
 * Alaska: Wasilla, Talkeetna, Denali, Fairbanks, Delta Junction, Dry Creek, Dot Lake, Tanacross, Tok, Tetlin, Northway, Alcan Border (US customs checks)
 * Yukon: Beaver Creek (Canadian customs checks), Snag Junction, Quill Creek, Burwash Landing, Destruction Bay, Kloo Lake, Haines Junction, Canyon, Champagne Landing, Ibex Valley, Whitehorse, Teslin, Carcross
 * BC: Klinkit, Cassiar, Porter Landing, Dease Lake, Takla, Fort St James, Prince George, Red Rock, Quesnel, Williams Lake, 100 Mile House, Clinton, Cache Creek, Ashcroft, Hope, Chilliwack, Vancouver (Pacific Central), White Rock (BC customs checks)
 * Washington: Blaine (US customs checks), Ferndale, Bellingham, Mount Vernon, Stanwood, Everett, Edmonds

Local
Local trains are passenger trains that make scheduled stops at all stations and halts along the route they serve. There are two Local trains on the Klondike Line.


 * 8301.1-2/8302.1-2: Cassiar, BC – Whitehorse, Yukon
 * Two daily return trips, first and second-class with seat-side drink and snack service. Baggage and parcel service is available for a surcharge.


 * 8303.1-2/8304.1-2: Whitehorse, Yukon – Carcross, Yukon
 * Two daily return trips, second class only, no drink/snack service.

= Route = A pink background indicates that that portion of the line is dual gauge, shared with the White Pass & Yukon Railway.

● - Scheduled Limited Express and Local stop • - Local stop | - No passenger service