Alaska Marine Highway, 6858 Glacier Highway, Juneau, AK 99801-7909,
1-800-642-0066, 907-465-3941, 250-627-1744 fax 907 456-8824.

The Alaska Marine Highway follows the same route travelled by thousands of sourdough gold seekers; the sheltered waters of the fabled "Inside Passage." It  is a beautiful string of bays, sounds and channels, almost completely sheltered from the open ocean. .
The Alaska Marine Highway services 3,500 miles of Alaska's coastline and provides year-round service to most of its ports. All vessels carry passengers and vehicles and have spacious lounges and observation areas. Food  may be purchased on board. Most vessels offer cabin accommodations for an additional fee.
Operated by the State of Alaska (Department of Transportation and Public Facilities), these vessels range from the 418-foot M/V Columbia to the 235-foot M/Vs LeConte and Aurora (serving Southeast Alaska).
Stops on the Alaska Marine Highway include Ketchikan, Wrangell, Petersburg, Sitka, Juneau, Haines and Skagway, with additional service to smaller communities along the way.
Sailings across the Gulf of Alaska, connecting Juneau, Valdez and Seward, are scheduled monthly during the summer and less often during the winter.
In addition the State operates M/V Tustumena on a Southcentral route, that connects Seward, Kodiak, Port Lions, Homer and Seldovia.. The M/V Tustumena also serves the Southwest ports along the Aleutian Chain once a month April through October. From mid-May through mid-September the M/V Bartlett sails between Valdez, Cordova and Whittier.
Whistle stop (vessel does not stop if there are no reservations) service is available at Tatitlek, Yakutat and Chenega Bay.

Forest Service Naturalists staff the ferries from about June 1 through Labor Day  as part of a cooperative agreement between the State of Alaska and the Forest Service.

Stopping en route: Alaska's coastal cities are colorful and historic. Ports of call on the Alaska Marine Highway have good accommodations, campgrounds and a long list of things to see and do.
Stopovers are permitted at any port of call at a small extra charge. Since the ferries ordinarily are in port only long enough to unload and load, visitors can layover and catch another ferry out. Plan stopovers in advance so that the vehicles can be loaded accordingly and tickets are accurate.

Operations and Administration: 3132 Channel Drive, Room 200, Juneau, AK 99801-7898

Reservations: Vehicle and cabin reservations are essential for confirmed space. Most important: plan your stopover ports when making your original request for space. Reservations should be made as far in advance as possible to allow confirmation.
Reservations, Alaska Marine Highway System, 6858 Glacier Highway, Juneau, Alaska 99801-7909 or phone toll free 1-800-642-0066 or 907 465-3941 fax 907 277-4829.

Average running times: Here are some average times en route on the Alaska Marine Highway:

Bellingham to Ketchikan          37 hours
Prince Rupert to Ketchikan     6 hours
Ketchikan to Wrangell            6 hours
Wrangell to Petersburg           3 hours
Petersburg to Juneau             8 hours
Petersburg to Sitka                10 hours
Juneau to Haines                   4.5 hours
Juneau to Sitka                      8 hours
Juneau to Valdez                     32 hours