Arrival Information

Alaska is a long way from the rest of the United States, and whichever way you get there is going to be expensive . Once you accept that, however, there is no question as to which is the most enjoyable method - the memorable ferry trip on the Alaska Marine Highway.

Anchorage is no longer the major air crossroads it once was, but it's still easy to fly to Alaska. It is, however, very expensive. Most but not all flights from the Lower 48 are routed through Seattle. The most frequent service from the west coast is operated by Alaska Airlines/ERA Aviation (tel 1-800/252-7522, ), whose money-saving package enables you to fly to towns like Juneau, Sitka, Cordova and Fairbanks at little extra cost. Round-trip fares from Seattle to Anchorage are around $460 if bought three weeks in advance, but occasional short-notice deals turn up for under $200 - check the website. Better still, foreigners traveling from outside North America can make use of the "Best of the West" airpass.

The ferries of the state-run Alaska Marine Highway System (tel 1-800/642-0066, ) cover many areas unreachable by car, currently operating in two separate regions with an occasional "inter-tie" trip linking them. The popular southeast route runs a thousand miles from Bellingham, just north of Seattle, through a wonderland of pristine waters, narrow fjords and untouched forests to Skagway, at the northern end of the Inside Passage stopping at Ketchikan, Wrangell, Sitka, Juneau and Haines. The whole trip takes three days and costs $277 for walk-on passengers, $624 for a small car, $224 for a motorbike and $45 for bicycles and canoes. It is possible to sleep - and even to pitch a tent - on the "solarium," a covered, heated upper deck, while a two-berth cabin costs from $235. The southwest ferry system connects the Kenai Peninsula and Prince William Sound to the Aleutians, and the new Kennicott ferry now links the two systems by running between Juneau and Seward once a month in summer. Throughout the system, section passenger fares depend on distance traveled: $180 from Bellingham to Ketchikan; $59 from Ketchikan to Sitka; $29 from Sitka to Juneau; and $166 from Juneau to Seward. While the ferry is a bargain for foot passengers prepared to rough it, an extended voyage with vehicle and an overnight cabin (both of which should be booked in advance) becomes very expensive. If you're driving up from the Lower 48, consider boarding a ferry at Prince Rupert in British Columbia, a day's drive north of Seattle. This saves the cost of one day at sea from Bellingham without missing much of the natural spectacle.

For many people, the drive up to Alaska through Canada is one of the major highlights of a visit to the state. Originally built by the military in just eight months, and with a fearsome reputation, the 1500-mile Alaska Highway is now fully paved (though long sections are often under repair) and equipped with sufficient service stations, campgrounds and hotels along the way. It remains as beautiful as ever, and still demands a spirit of adventure from drivers who attempt it.

No direct buses run to Alaska, though for around $380 (sometimes considerably less) you can hop on a Greyhound in Seattle and, after a few transfers over two grueling days, reach Whitehorse in the Yukon, from where Alaskon Express continues to Haines or Skagway in the southeast, or on the longer haul to Fairbanks and Anchorage.