Getting around · Anchorage · United States
Getting around Anchorage
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: James Brooks, CC BY 2.0
Quick answer
Downtown is walkable and connected to the Coastal Trail, but Anchorage is a spread-out, car-oriented city, and the main sights beyond downtown — trailheads, the Native Heritage Center, Turnagain Arm — are much easier with a car. The Alaska Railroad and tour buses cover the classic trips south and north. Recommended.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Walking
- Airports
- ANC
- Need a car?
- Sometimes
Ways to get around
Walking
Downtown's grid, the museum, the railroad depot and the start of the Coastal Trail are all within a 15-minute walk.
Bus
People Mover, the municipal bus system, links downtown with Midtown, Spenard, the university area and Eagle River; services are less frequent at weekends.
Car
Hiring a car opens up the Seward Highway, Chugach trailheads, Girdwood and the Matanuska Valley. Summer rental demand is high.
Book summer rentals early, and check whether the contract allows gravel roads.
Train
The Alaska Railroad runs from the downtown depot south to Girdwood, Whittier and Seward, and north to Talkeetna, Denali and Fairbanks, mostly in summer with a reduced winter service.
Book summer trains well ahead and sit on the side facing the water on the route south.
Cycling
Anchorage has an extensive paved trail network, including the Coastal, Chester Creek and Campbell Creek trails, and bike rentals downtown.
Ride-hailing
Taxis and ride-hailing operate across the city and to the airport, though waits can be longer late at night.
From the airport
Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) is about 8 km southwest of downtown, roughly 15 minutes by taxi or ride-hailing. Many hotels run shuttles, and People Mover buses serve the airport less frequently.
Do you need a car?
Recommended. You can manage downtown without one, but a car is the easiest way to reach trailheads, Turnagain Arm and day trips; the train and tours are the alternatives for Seward, Whittier and Talkeetna.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Girdwood and Alyeska | About 45 minutes by car | Car on the Seward Highway, or Alaska Railroad in summer |
| Portage Valley and Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center | About 1 hour by car | Car on the Seward Highway |
| Whittier and Prince William Sound | About 1 hour 15 minutes by car or 2.5 hours by train | Car through the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, or Alaska Railroad |
| Seward and Kenai Fjords National Park | About 2.5 hours by car or 4 hours by train | Car on the Seward Highway, or the Alaska Railroad's Coastal Classic |
| Matanuska Glacier | About 2 hours by car | Car on the Glenn Highway |
| Talkeetna | About 2.5 hours by car or 3 hours by train | Car on the Parks Highway, or Alaska Railroad |
| Hatcher Pass and Independence Mine | About 1 hour 30 minutes by car | Car via the Glenn Highway and Palmer |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Anchorage?
Recommended. You can manage downtown without one, but a car is the easiest way to reach trailheads, Turnagain Arm and day trips; the train and tours are the alternatives for Seward, Whittier and Talkeetna.
+How do you get from the airport to Anchorage?
Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) is about 8 km southwest of downtown, roughly 15 minutes by taxi or ride-hailing. Many hotels run shuttles, and People Mover buses serve the airport less frequently.
+What is the best way to get around Anchorage?
Walking: Downtown's grid, the museum, the railroad depot and the start of the Coastal Trail are all within a 15-minute walk.