By Railfan & Railroad Staff

SKAGWAY, Alaska — Following a year-long hiatus, the White Pass & Yukon Railroad will resume regular operations next month. The railroad did not run in 2020 because the COVID-19 pandemic decimated the cruise ship industry, which traditionally brought most of the tourists to the railroad. 

The railroad ran its first passenger train since October 2019 earlier this month when the first cruise ship of the year arrived. Regular daily service will begin July 27 and run daily until October. Trains will not cross the border into the Yukon due to the continued border restrictions with Canada. 

Earlier this year, the railroad had to let more than two dozen employees go amid uncertainties about the upcoming season. It’s unclear how many of those employees will be brought back.