The honest cost, the real wait time, and when it actually makes sense, from someone who watched a neighbor do the math both ways.
Shipping a vehicle to Juneau means a multi-day Alaska Marine Highway sailing and a vehicle fare on top of your own ticket. For most movers, it's slower and pricier than simply buying a reliable vehicle already sitting on a lot in Juneau. There are real exceptions, and we'll walk through both.
Vehicle ferry service, Southeast Alaska
Auke Bay, the Juneau ferry terminal
Downtown Juneau
There's no truck, no trailer, and no interstate involved. Getting a vehicle to Juneau means the Alaska Marine Highway System, the state-run ferry network that's connected Southeast Alaska communities since 1963.
The main route runs from Bellingham, Washington, about 90 miles north of Seattle, through the Inside Passage to Juneau's Auke Bay terminal, with stops in Ketchikan, Wrangell, and Petersburg along the way. The full sailing takes up to three days. Passenger fares, vehicle fares, and any cabin you book are all charged separately, and the system uses dynamic pricing, so costs rise as a sailing fills up.
Good to know: Vehicle space and cabins sell out months ahead for the summer season. If you're planning a move for June through August, book as early as you possibly can.
Two real driving routes get you most of the way, plus the two terminals where vehicles actually load and unload.
Bellingham, WA to Haines, AK
About 33 hours and 1,915 miles by road via the Alaska Highway. A short Haines-to-Juneau ferry hop remains after this.
Bellingham, WA to Prince Rupert, BC
About 16.5 hours and 938 miles by road. Cuts the ferry portion down significantly versus sailing all the way from Bellingham.
Bellingham Cruise / Ferry Terminal
355 Harris Ave, Bellingham, WA. The southern end of the Alaska Marine Highway's mainline route.
Auke Bay Ferry Terminal, Juneau
13485 Glacier Hwy, Juneau, AK. Mile 13.5 out of downtown, the end of the line for most sailings.
Estimated 2026 fares for the Bellingham to Juneau route, one-way, per the Alaska Marine Highway System's published pricing. Actual cost depends on season, vehicle size, and how far ahead you book.
| Line item | Estimated cost |
|---|---|
| Adult passenger fare | $200 to $300 |
| Standard vehicle fare (up to 21 ft) | $300 to $450 |
| Optional cabin (3-day sailing) | $200 to $400+ |
| Larger vehicles, RVs, trailers | Priced by foot length, often $1,000+ |
| Estimated total, one person + one standard vehicle, no cabin | ~$500 to $750 |
Estimates only. Confirm current fares directly at dot.alaska.gov or 1-800-642-0066 before booking.
What that estimate doesn't include: three days of your own time each way, the drive up to Bellingham itself, meals aboard, and the risk of weather delays that are common on this route. It also doesn't include a return trip if you ever need one.
Neither option is wrong. It depends on what you're driving now and what you actually need.
A lot of movers don't ship a vehicle at all. They sell before they go and buy fresh once they land.
Selling a vehicle down south before relocating avoids the ferry fare entirely, and often nets more than the cost of shipping it would have saved you.
Juneau Auto Mall carries new and used inventory across five brands, so you can walk in, test drive, and drive away the same day, no ferry reservation required.
Curious what living here is actually like first? Read our honest guide to moving to Juneau for the full picture on weather, cost of living, and getting around town.
Whichever way you lean, these are the questions that actually settle it.
If your move date is inside the next few months, summer vehicle space on the ferry may already be booked. Buying locally sidesteps that timeline entirely.
If the shipping estimate above is close to, or more than, what your current vehicle is worth, selling it before you move usually comes out ahead.
A common daily driver is simple to replace from local inventory. A modified, specialty, or recently financed vehicle is a stronger case for shipping it as is.
Southeast Alaska means rain, hills, and studded tires part of the year. A vehicle that's never seen weather like this may need work either way.
No booking months out, no vehicle fare, no three-day sailing. Juneau Auto Mall is the only full-service, multi-brand dealership in town, with inventory ready today.
Selling before your move? Get an offer on your vehicle · Questions first? Contact us · Hours & directions · Can you drive here at all?
