点评:The White Pass & Yukon Route is all about the sweep of the mountains, the cliffs, and the valleys that spill open without warning. And once you’re on the train, the scenery truly does the talking although the historical tidbits are a welcome narration. It’s the getting on train that feels like a prelude in need of rehearsal.
Boarding from the Skagway ticket office was confusing at best. We were told simply to wait outside, with no clear direction on what came next. Eventually a group coordinator appeared and marched everyone about a hundred yards toward the loading area. He seemed to be offering instructions or maybe even bits of history, but without a megaphone, no one beyond a five-foot radius could hear a word. There were no queues, no signs, just a loose crowd gathering around the train tracks. When the moment came to board, people surged toward whichever train car they hoped to claim. It was more scramble than system.
Once aboard, the tone shifts. The cars themselves are comfortable, the massive windows framing a landscape that does most of the work. The open-air platforms in the front and back of each car are the prime spots for photography, though they’re tiny—only a handful of people can stand safely at the railing facing the views. Even if you work out a good system of taking turns with your fellow passengers, the train moves quickly, and if you’re not first out the door, the perfect shot often whisks past. There are also no speakers outside, so you miss whatever storytelling is being broadcast inside the train car. The route doesn’t slow for landmarks either, which keeps the ride feeling brisk and exciting but makes it tricky to fully absorb the historical points being mentioned.
Even with these quirks, the scenery is undeniably spectacular even on a cloudy/foggy day. It’s worth the trip for the views but keep in mind if you are looking for something more active or immersive, this is not the excursion for you.
翻译:白隘口和育空铁路的精髓在于连绵起伏的群山、巍峨的悬崖和开阔无垠的山谷。一旦踏上火车,沿途的风景便会诉说一切,而那些历史轶事也为旅程增添了不少趣味。然而,登车的过程却像是一场需要精心排练的序曲。
从斯卡圭售票处登车的过程可谓一团糟。我们被告知在外面等候,却没有任何明确的指示。最终,一位团队协调员出现,带领大家向大约一百码外的登车区行进。他似乎在提供一些指示,或许还讲解了一些历史,但由于没有扩音器,方圆五英尺以外的人根本听不清他在说什么。没有排队,没有指示牌,只有一群人随意地聚集在铁轨周围。到了登车的时候,人们蜂拥而至,争先恐后地涌向自己想要的车厢。与其说是秩序井然,不如说是一片混乱。
一旦上了车,气氛就截然不同了。车厢本身很舒适,巨大的车窗框住了沿途的风景,美景本身就足以令人心旷神怡。每节车厢前后都有露天平台,是绝佳的拍照地点,但空间非常狭小——只有少数人能安全地站在栏杆边欣赏风景。即使你和其他乘客约定好轮流拍照,列车行驶速度也很快,如果你不是第一个出门,完美的拍摄角度往往会稍纵即逝。此外,车外没有扬声器,所以你无法听到车厢内播放的任何故事。列车也不会在沿途地标减速,这使得旅程节奏明快、令人兴奋,但也使得你难以完全理解车上讲解的历史背景。
即便存在这些不足,沿途的风景依然令人叹为观止,即使是在阴天或雾天也是如此。为了欣赏美景,这趟旅程绝对值得。但请记住,如果你想寻找更具活力或更沉浸式的体验,那么这趟旅程可能并不适合你。