The Alaska Ferry runs 24 hours a day. It takes 36 hours from Bellingham, WA to reach the first stop at Ketchikan. Visitors often disembark in a variety of towns, stay a few nights on land, then continue on the ferry.
People Also Ask
While on the ferry, especially during a long trip, you would most probably like to move around freely without having to drag your baggage with you everywhere. Most ferries have designated luggage areas, where you can store your belongings.
The Alaska Marine Highway does allow vehicles to sail unaccompanied. However, depending on the port there is a unaccompanied fee attached. Many people ask about shipping their car on the ferry.
To learn more about fares, see our Alaska Marine Highway Fares page. When your ferry stops in a port, you can either get off and walk around for a few hours or drive off and spend a few days. You can get back on the ferry to head elsewhere or keep driving to your own destinations.
Drive the Alaska-Canada HighwayThe most direct route to Alaska is to get on the Alaska-Canada Highway (AlCan) in Dawson Creek, BC. If you're coming from the middle or Eastern half of the lower 48 and you want to get there as fast as possible, head west in the US before going north to hop on the AlCan.
The Bellingham Cruise Terminal, in Bellingham's Historic Fairhaven District, is the southern starting point for the Alaska Marine Highway System. Navigating the nation's first marine scenic highway, the ferry departs Bellingham regularly transporting passengers and vehicles between Alaska and the lower 48 states.
The ferry doesn't stop in Canada; the first stop is Ketchikan in Southeast Alaska. It then stops at other Alaska communities in that region, including Juneau. There are also connections (and some continuations) from Juneau to Whittier in Southcentral Alaska, which is connected to Anchorage by rail and road.
U.S. citizens flying between another state and Alaska do not need a passport. However, those driving through Canada or traveling on a ferry or cruise ship with stops in Canada are required to carry one.
There are several ways to get to Alaska, including flying, taking the ferry, or driving. Of these, by far the quickest and most popular is flying into Anchorage.
Passenger discounts will apply to full priced Adult, Senior and Child fares. The discount cannot be combined with any other discounts or promotional fares, such as youth group discounts, passes or specials. Travelers are advised to figure the relative advantage of one discount over another.
But flight-free travel isn't just greener – it's often cheaper, too. For mid-distance journeys, a trip by car (and, if needs be, ferry) tends to cost a lot less per passenger than even the budget-est of budget flights. EVs can be a bit more expensive to hire than petrol and diesel cars, but are far cheaper to run.