Renting a car

[AnakeRose]

Hi everyone,

I'm researching our Alaska trip and I'm wondering if anyone here has rented a car in Skagway before? How did you do it if we're not there for 24 hours?

Thanks!

[mapleleaves]

When in doubt, look at the town's tourism web site. Google any town's name followed by 'visitor information'.

Keep in mind that Canadian residents can't take a US registered rental car into Canada.

http://www.skagway.com/gettingaround.html#b

[donaldsc]

I have not done it but just call the rental agencies in Skagway and ask. They should know.

 

DON

[pepsigirl64]

Renting a car in Skagway, wow, that is a question I havent heard before. I have been there 3 times and never even thought of renting a car. May I ask what you have planned that a car is needed??? Have you done the White Pass Railroad??

[g-didi]

I see Kelowna listed as your location. Canadians are not permitted to drive a US rental into Canada. There was a thread recently about it - Canadian law. SO that really limits what you can see and do. It changed our plans. We are now going on a tour with Dyea Dave into the Yukon and taking the train back. (Had to adjust the budget too after not being able to rent a car!) Instead now we will rent a car in Juneau and make that our DIY stop.

 

Car rental places will rent by the hour or day or half day as needed. Dont worry about that.....

[Northern Aurora]

Renting a car in Skagway, wow, that is a question I havent heard before. I have been there 3 times and never even thought of renting a car. May I ask what you have planned that a car is needed??? Have you done the White Pass Railroad??

 

Well, I live in Alaska and have been in Skagway more than three times. Several times we have driven into Skagway with our own vehicles from the Alcan Highway in Canada, and have also been in Skagway twice on cruises.

 

While we have been on the White Pass & Yukon Railroad and thoroughly enjoyed it, there is also merit in renting a car. The scenery on the South Klondike Highway is fantastic and varied, ranging from Emerald Lake to the boulder field (which appears like a lunar landscape). There are remnants of old mines, the town of Carcross, views of the White Pass trail, and across the valleys you can see the WPYRR. And a car also provides the flexibility to stop when you please. Last summer we took some great photos of a bear which would have not been possible from the RR.

 

We rented a car from Avis for a partial day last summer. As was correctly posted by g-didi due to Canadian import laws Canadians are not allowed to drive a rental car from Alaska into Canada without paying a rather large fee/fine.

[karatemom2]

Renting a car in Skagway, wow, that is a question I havent heard before. I have been there 3 times and never even thought of renting a car. May I ask what you have planned that a car is needed??? Have you done the White Pass Railroad??

 

Really? Because it is a common point of discussion here with many threads on the subject. Many people opt to rent a car and make the drive into the Yukon and to Emerald Lake. It is lovely from the train, but even more wonderful from a car where you can make frequent stops along the way to really take in the scenery. We have done both the White Pass Railroad and rented a car to take the drive and both have merit.

 

We rented our car from the Avis office in Skagway. There is no requirement that you rent a car for 24 hours. You just let them know your pick up and drop off time for the day you are renting. There is also a car rental agency called Sourdough Rentals. Many people love them but some have had a bad experience. The cars they rent are older with lots of mileage. We had good luck renting through Avis.

 

If you are planning to do the drive to Emerald Lake be sure to get Murray's Guide. It is an excellent resource for the drive.

[Frank12]

Really? Because it is a common point of discussion here with many threads on the subject. Many people opt to rent a car and make the drive into the Yukon and to Emerald Lake. It is lovely from the train, but even more wonderful from a car where you can make frequent stops along the way to really take in the scenery. We have done both the White Pass Railroad and rented a car to take the drive and both have merit.

 

We rented our car from the Avis office in Skagway. There is no requirement that you rent a car for 24 hours. You just let them know your pick up and drop off time for the day you are renting. There is also a car rental agency called Sourdough Rentals. Many people love them but some have had a bad experience. The cars they rent are older with lots of mileage. We had good luck renting through Avis.

 

 

If you are planning to do the drive to Emerald Lake be sure to get Murray's Guide. It is an excellent resource for the drive.

 

We are doing this very thing this coming June. OP, I have a car reserved already through Avis in Skagway.

[Budget Queen]

I have rented cars, many times out of Skagway. As noted, it is a popular touring option. I only rent from Avis, which is the only major rental company there. You can easily reserve online, based on a 1 day rental.

 

Necessary, in my opinion, is the purchase of "Murray's Guide", it is usually updated every year, so verify the "edition".

[bonvoyagie]

I believe that you see Lake Bennett from the train and Emerald Lake from the Kondike Hy.

[Budget Queen]

I believe that you see Lake Bennett from the train and Emerald Lake from the Kondike Hy.

 

Yes, correct.

[pepsigirl64]

In response to the "Really" comment, that is why these boards are here, for people to learn things. I am new here so I havent seen all of the posts regarding this item. So, YES....Really??? :confused:

 

I have been to Skagway three times, now I have something different to do next time we go there. I never thought that renting a car would be a possibility, of course until now it wasn't even a consideration. :)

 

I enjoy reading these posts as I have gotten a ton of new information about upcoming cruises. Thanks everyone. :D

[LeftcoastBC]

Hi everyone,

I'm researching our Alaska trip and I'm wondering if anyone here has rented a car in Skagway before? How did you do it if we're not there for 24 hours?

Thanks!

 

Hopefully you will return to this topic.

 

You are out of luck if Canadian. See other post also.

 

unless you can find a US friend to rent and share the cost.

[JJPacer]

If you rent a car, remember to take your passport. You will need it to cross the border into the Yucon.

 

We rented from Avis on our last visit to Skagway, and plan to do so again in Aug. It was sunny all day the last time we drove to Emerald Lake. Fantastic scenary! We're hoping it will be sunny this time, too.

[karatemom2]

In response to the "Really" comment, that is why these boards are here, for people to learn things. I am new here so I havent seen all of the posts regarding this item. So, YES....Really??? :confused:

 

I have been to Skagway three times, now I have something different to do next time we go there. I never thought that renting a car would be a possibility, of course until now it wasn't even a consideration. :)

 

I enjoy reading these posts as I have gotten a ton of new information about upcoming cruises. Thanks everyone. :D

 

 

Didn't mean to offend you as it wasn't meant that way at all. I was just truly surprised that after three times in Skagway you hadn't heard of driving to Emerald Lake. It's just a pretty common topic of conversation around here.

[pmjnh]

JJPacer...thanks for the tip about the passport. i had not thought of that.

We too are renting a car from Avis in Skagway and driving to Emerald Lake on hopefully a sunny day in July! You may also want to bring your proof of car insurance.

[Budget Queen]

If you rent a car, remember to take your passport. You will need it to cross the border into the Yucon.

 

We rented from Avis on our last visit to Skagway, and plan to do so again in Aug. It was sunny all day the last time we drove to Emerald Lake. Fantastic scenary! We're hoping it will be sunny this time, too.

 

You don't cross any "border into the Yucon (Yukon)", needing a passport. The US border is with British Columbia.

[AnakeRose]

Hmm yeah I found the restriction after I posted this. Too bad, it would have been fun to cross through northwest most corner of BC and then into the Yukon Territory. I had to correct our tour bus driver last time we were there. As soon as we crossed into Canada he kept telling everyone we were in the Yukon....nope look at a map, you're in British Columbia for a bit. And if you do go into Canada, make sure your medical insurance covers you! Some won't if you cross back into Canada (since we're starting from Vancouver). I had to ask that when we sailed from Seattle and had a stopover in Victoria, BC. Insurance company told us as soon as we got to Victoria our medical insurance ended. Good thing nothing happened on our way home to Kelowna from Seattle!

[poolwife]

So to those that have done both the train and driven the Klondike Hwy. by car - which did you prefer? I have only driven it and really enjoyed that, but we are thinking of taking the train trip this time that goes to Lake Bennett. Does anyone know if you get to see Emerald Lake on that train trip that goes to Lake Bennett?

 

Thanks.

[Budget Queen]

So to those that have done both the train and driven the Klondike Hwy. by car - which did you prefer? I have only driven it and really enjoyed that, but we are thinking of taking the train trip this time that goes to Lake Bennett. Does anyone know if you get to see Emerald Lake on that train trip that goes to Lake Bennett?

 

Thanks.

 

No you don't see Emerald Lake on the Lake Bennett train. That train ends in the middle of the road in Carcross. If you drove the Klondike Highway, remember Emerald Lake is past Carcross, and no train tracks anywhere in sight.

 

The only way you get to Emerald Lake, is with your cobooked transport in the other direction. All you have to do, is read the tour descriptions and ask questions of the vendor. If they go there, it likely will be mentioned.

[poolwife]

Budget Queen:

 

Thank you for your reply. My husband I drove the Klondike Hwy. in Sept. 2009 and now we are going again this June with some friends that have never been to Alaska. The husband really wants to take the train trip and he wife is tending to want to take the longer train ride to Lake Bennett but I hate that they will miss seeing Emerald Lake then. It was so beautiful.

 

I would like to take Chilkoot Tours so we could see Emerald Lake but then we would miss the Lake Bennett section of the train ride.

 

Since you have done both the Lake Bennett train ride and gone to Emerald Lake, what would you say to do for a first timer going on the trip?

[ihopfar]

Budget Queen:

 

Thank you for your reply. My husband I drove the Klondike Hwy. in Sept. 2009 and now we are going again this June with some friends that have never been to Alaska. The husband really wants to take the train trip and he wife is tending to want to take the longer train ride to Lake Bennett but I hate that they will miss seeing Emerald Lake then. It was so beautiful.

 

I would like to take Chilkoot Tours so we could see Emerald Lake but then we would miss the Lake Bennett section of the train ride.

 

Since you have done both the Lake Bennett train ride and gone to Emerald Lake, what would you say to do for a first timer going on the trip?

 

Actually, I think all BQ was saying was you do not see Emerald Lake on the train to Carcross. Depending on who you book the return to Skagway with, they may take you to Emerald Lake after you get off the train.

 

Based on this discription from Chilkoot, it sounds like you definately see both if you book this excursion:

 

http://www.chilkootcharters.com/carcross.htm

 

*Full disclosure -- we have booked this ourselves, but have not been to Alaska yet*

 

---Brad

[LeftcoastBC]

You don't cross any "border into the Yucon (Yukon)", needing a passport. The US border is with British Columbia.

 

and..... if you get to the base of the main glacier in Glacier Bay..You are damn near in Canada (BC) again also. So watch out :)

 

No rental cars or border folk there though.

[Budget Queen]

Budget Queen:

 

Thank you for your reply. My husband I drove the Klondike Hwy. in Sept. 2009 and now we are going again this June with some friends that have never been to Alaska. The husband really wants to take the train trip and he wife is tending to want to take the longer train ride to Lake Bennett but I hate that they will miss seeing Emerald Lake then. It was so beautiful.

 

I would like to take Chilkoot Tours so we could see Emerald Lake but then we would miss the Lake Bennett section of the train ride.

 

Since you have done both the Lake Bennett train ride and gone to Emerald Lake, what would you say to do for a first timer going on the trip?

 

The next reply after mine was more detailed. I took my Lake Bennet train trip with Chilkoot Charters and we DID have the drive to Emerald Lake included. My point was to have you verfity directly with vendors what is currently included with any tour you book. They can and do change.

 

I answered directly your comment, if you SEE Emerald Lake from the Lake Bennett TRAIN, of which you do not.

[ttnc4me]

Is Emerald Lake the most common drive? I tried renting from Green Jeep first (sold out) and they warned me that Avis prohibits their cars from driving on dirt roads and that cuts out many sites. Thoughts?