Transportation

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Alaska diversifies its transportation needs based on the special challenges of its landscape and climate. Most Alaskans do own vehicles, and have some highway options to connect distant locales. The Alaska Highway begins in Dawson Creek, British Columbia, and extends to Delta Junction, south of Fairbanks. From Delta Junction, travelers use the Richardson highway to reach Fairbanks. Travelers can drive north to Alaska via Seattle, Washington by taking Interstate 5 to the Canadian border, entering the province British Columbia, and continuing along Canadian highways to Prince George; from there, the Hart highway extends to Dawson Creek, the beginning of the Alaska Highway. Other access from the United States can be obtained by leaving Great Falls, Montana, and driving through Canadian province Alberta to reach Dawson Creek. These routes from the lower 48 states take several days to complete in entirety.

Alternative routes include using ferry systems and air travel. The Alaska Marine Highway System uses ferries to connect Alaska, Canada, and the lower 48 of the United States. The system provides service to 32 communities in the Last Frontier, as well as Prince Rupert, British Columbia, and Bellingham, Washington. The system’s fleet contains 11 vessels and transports approximately 400,000 passengers and 100,000 cars yearly.

In order to cross mountains and wilderness areas, air travel is used extensively in Alaska, yielding about six times the number of pilots and 14 times the aircraft per capita compared to other states in the nation. Air options include jets, turboprop aircraft, "bush planes" to remote communities, and also helicopters. Major airports include Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, Juneau International Airport, and Fairbanks International Airport.

Options for rail travel are varied within Alaska. Amtrak provides service from Seattle, Washington to Bellingham and ending in Vancouver, British Columbia. From there, Alaska state ferries or cruise ships can carry travelers to Alaska. Additionally, the charming Alaska Railroad provides a scenic route from Seward to Fairbanks. The Alaska Railroad also allows freight transportation and has moved over 8 million tons of freight in a year. The White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad connects Skagway and Whitehorse.

In more remote areas of Alaska, snowmobiles are used in the winter months to cover frozen tundra, and all terrain vehicles help connect the more rural environments.

While Alaska can be seen as a transportation challenge due to its terrain, the Last Frontier does provide many options to connect travelers across the state, and to the lower 48 United States.

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