Most cars go to Alaska by sea. The trip has three parts:
Book the ship first, then the truck: the truck has to deliver your car to the terminal before the sailing's cargo cutoff. Shipping from Alaska back to the lower 48 works the same way in reverse - pick a Tacoma or Seattle ZIP as the pickup on our quote.
| Line | From | To (Alaska) | Anchorage, Northbound* | Rates and quote |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tote Maritime | Tacoma, WA | Anchorage. Twice a week, year round, about 3 days at sea. | $2,576 (SUV or pickup $3,220) |
Vehicle rates Request a quote |
| Matson | Tacoma, WA | Anchorage and Kodiak twice a week, Dutch Harbor weekly. | $2,671 |
Ship your car to Alaska Rates and payment |
| Alaska Marine Lines (Lynden) | Seattle, WA | Anchorage, Fairbanks, Kodiak, Dutch Harbor, Cordova, Yakutat; Southeast Alaska: Juneau, Ketchikan, Sitka, Petersburg, Wrangell, Haines, Skagway and more; summer only: Bethel, Dillingham, Naknek, Nome, Kotzebue. | $2,450** |
Shipping a vehicle Get a quote Sailing schedules |
| Alaska Marine Highway (state ferry) | Bellingham, WA | Southeast Alaska: Ketchikan, Juneau, Haines, Skagway and more. Drive on and ride along, or send the car alone***. | online fare search |
Fares and booking Schedules Vehicle rules |
* Sedan, port to port, Tacoma to Anchorage, from each line's published rates as of November 2026. Rates change - check the line's page before you book.
** Seattle to Anchorage. Floats with fuel prices - see Alaska Marine Lines'
fuel surcharge.
*** The ferry doesn't load or unload a car sent alone - someone has to drive it on in Bellingham and off in Alaska
(a $50 surcharge from Bellingham).
Southeast Alaska towns like Juneau and Ketchikan aren't on Tote's or Matson's routes - use Alaska Marine Lines or the ferry.
Bethel, Dillingham, Naknek, Nome, Kotzebue and the villages around them get Alaska Marine Lines barges only while the water is free of ice - a few sailings a year, April to early September. Miss the last one and the car waits until next spring, so pick the sailing first and book the truck to reach Seattle before its cutoff.
| Port | 2026 Seattle departures |
|---|---|
| Bethel | Apr 24, May 22, Jun 5, Jun 19, Jul 31, Sep 4 |
| Dillingham | Apr 10, May 1, May 22, Jun 5, Jun 19, Jul 31, Sep 4 |
| Naknek | Apr 10, May 1, May 22, Jun 5, Jun 19, Jul 25, Sep 4 |
| Nome | May 8, Jun 5, Jun 26, Jul 25, Sep 4 |
| Kotzebue | Jun 5, Jul 25 |
The Seattle cargo cutoff is 4 days before departure. Cars for Western Alaska go to Terminal 115, 6110 W Marginal Way SW, Seattle, by appointment (book a drop-off time), Monday to Friday 7 am - 5 pm, and can be dropped off up to 30 days before the sailing. Villages and the 2027 dates: see Alaska Marine Lines' sailing schedules or call 1-800-426-3113. Anchorage, Fairbanks and Southeast Alaska have sailings year round; Kodiak and Dutch Harbor have Matson's year-round service.
| Line | Drop-off in Washington | Pickup in Anchorage |
|---|---|---|
| Tote Maritime | 500 E Alexander Ave, Tacoma, WA 98421 Vehicles: (253) 238-8450 Main: 1-800-426-0074 |
2511 Tidewater Rd, Anchorage, AK 99501 Vehicles: (907) 265-7252 |
| Matson | 1675 Lincoln Ave, Building 300, Tacoma, WA 98421 Drop-off Mon-Fri 8 am - 3 pm 1-800-4MATSON (1-800-462-8766) |
Shown on your Matson booking |
| Alaska Marine Lines | Service Center (vehicles, boats, trailers): 5600 W Marginal Way SW, Seattle, WA 98106,
(206) 763-4244 Terminal 115 (Central and Western Alaska): 6110 W Marginal Way SW, Seattle, WA 98106, 1-800-426-3113 Your booking says which gate to use. |
660 Western Dr, Anchorage, AK 99501 (907) 770-4053 |
| Alaska Marine Highway | Bellingham Cruise Terminal, 355 Harris Ave, Bellingham, WA 98225 Terminal: (360) 676-2500, ext. 6 Reservations: 1-800-642-0066 |
No Anchorage service from Bellingham. Juneau: (907) 465-8853 Ketchikan: (907) 228-6886 |
Terminal hours change around holidays and sailings - call the line before you drive there.
We ship cars by truck within the 48 states, so we can bring your car to the port from anywhere in the lower 48. Put the terminal ZIP as the delivery: 98421 for Tote or Matson in Tacoma, 98106 for Alaska Marine Lines in Seattle, 98225 for the ferry in Bellingham - the ferry has no one to receive the car, so meet the truck there yourself or send a friend to drive it on. Pick a pickup date early enough that delivery lands a few days before your sailing's cutoff - the quote shows the estimated delivery for each pickup window, and Price & Dates Lock guarantees the pickup window.