Skagway Car Rental- timing question

[hockeyucf]

Hi, first time cruiser here... Our itinerary says that we'll be in Skagway from 5:00 a.m., sailing at 8:45 p.m. To get maximum use out of a rental car (Avis), what time should I schedule pickup/dropoff?

If people have experienced significant waiting times from pickup/dropoff, we would like to avoid those times as well.

Last question: how far of a walk is it from the boat dock to Avis?

 

TIA!

 

Cara

[Coral]

Hi,

 

The Avis office opens up at 8:00. When we got there at 8:10, there were 3 groups in front of us but they were processed quickly. We were on the road at 8:30.

 

We told them we would have the car back by 5:00 and we returned it at 3:00.

 

As far as the walk - it depends on where you dock. I would probably allow around 10 minutes. It may be a few minutes more or less. Skagway is not that large and it is easy to find.

 

FYI - the Avis office recently moved. It is now on 3rd street (website says 2nd street). Ask anyone in Skagway and they will point you in the right direction. It now resides in what looks like an apartment building.

[MichTraveler]

We picked up our car at Avis at 8:00am. No line. We were done with our drive at noon. We returned the car (no line), walked back to the ship for lunch, and then toured the town some more on foot. Rental rates are for the full day, so turning it early isn't any cheaper, but it is such a nice town to walk around that we didn't see any reason to keep the car after our drive to Emerald Lake.

[tadjr]

We picked the car up and were on the road by about 830am. Stopped plenty of places along the way and made it out to Emerald Lake with lunch in Carcross. Got back to the ship about 330pm, changed, dumped extras in the cabin and drove back in to town to shop. Had car back by 430pm.

[John L.]

To TadJr: Where did you park your car when you went back to the ship? Was a gas station easy to find to fill up before returning it?

 

Thanks...John L.

[Budget Queen]

To TadJr: Where did you park your car when you went back to the ship? Was a gas station easy to find to fill up before returning it?

 

Thanks...John L.

 

 

 

Avis is in room 400 (or 600???) at the Westmark Hotel on 3rd. Across from the main building, sign out front. The only gas is also the laundry at State and Second. We docked at the ore Dock and I just parked in the TEMSCO lot, got my laundry and drove to do it. :) Worked perfectly. :) At the RR dock, there is a lot a the end of the dock for brief parking. Gas was $2.81/gal

[pappy3393]

If the weekend, Avis doesn't open until 9 AM

[Singinman]

By now the locals will know where Avis is. It is off Broadway (the Main Street) about two blocks. If you will be on Princess, take the local bus instead of walking. It is a long hike to town from the Princess docks. The local bus is $1.50 per person, pay as you leave. Our party of four boarded the bus at 7:30. The driver said Avis was not in town this year, but we found it. I waited at Avis while everone else scoped out the town. Avis opened about 10 minutes early. I was in the car by 8:02. I picked up the gang, stoped at the public restrooms, found the mis-placed camera, and hit the road by 8:15. We made every stop possible between Sk and Emerald Lake. We ate lunch at the Cinnamon Cache and dessert at the Spirit Lake Lodge. The pie is pretty good.

 

We got back to Sk about 3:00 and shopped til we did not want to anymore. I drove everyone back to the ship, got gas, turned in the car and rode the bus back to the ship. The only problem in the PM was that the train blocked the road on the way to get gas, again on the way to turn in the car, and twice on the bus. I got back to the ship just in time to change for dinner.

 

A very good day for all.

[hockeyucf]

So helpful! thanks everyone for your input, the car is booked and we're ready to rock :) Now the waiting for cruise date is gonna kill me....

[judynorth]

I posted this before, but be sure that you don't stop at the train station on your way into the Yukon. The customs agent will jump all over you! There is a $200 fine for getting out of your car until you go through customs. Of course, we had stopped at every overlook on the way and I am pretty sure that some of them were in Canada. No agents jumped on us there. Strange, no? There is a nice overlook right after the customs check point where you can stop.

 

Have a great time driving yourself into the Yukon. It is a beautiful drive. Of course, we had lots of ice and snow along the way (none on the road) which made it especially nice. I don't know how much of that will be gone as the summer progresses.

[suziqz007]

And don't take pictures of customs. A group on our ship had to delete the pics from their digital camera and the lady with the camera had to get out of the car for a frisk. (returning to US).

[sooner2]

leaving in 2 weeks on the Diamond- still trying to decide whether to book the Experience the Yukon train/bus or to drive it ourselves- have rented a car in Skagway in case we do it that way- anyone have suggestions?

[emmysmom]

Thanks for all the tips - we have our car reserved at Avis for the drive. It really helps knowing all of this stuff ahead of time! :)

These boards are great!!! :D

[SF]

We also just booked our Avis car for Skagway but I'd like to know where to pick up the bus from the Princess docks to get to Avis? Where can I get a time schedule and where does it drop you off?

[suziqz007]

I'd like to know where to pick up the bus from the Princess docks to get to Avis? Where can I get a time schedule and where does it drop you off?

 

The municipal bus was right there at the dock when we got off the ship...you don't really need a time schedule (if there even is one!) as there was always a bus to be found. DH and I walked to Avis before the first bus ever left the dock. There are bus stops marked all throughout the town. On the way back, we hopped on a bus and rode back to the ship. It's not a formal process...very laid back.

[SF]

What is the bus number?

How much is the fare and do you need the exact amnt.?

How long did it take you to walk to Avis?

[judynorth]

You must remember that Skagway is a VERY SMALL town. The busses are of the small variety and they have no numbers. It costs $1.50 each way. They are waiting at the dock and you just get on and they take you to town which is within sight. It is a fairly short walk going into town and a LONG walk coming back to the ship.:) (It is really the same both ways but it seems longer after a day in town or on excursions.)

[SF]

Thanks, and I know what you mean about the walk being longer on the way back. :)

[Lifelister]

Re: Avis

I walked last week from ship to Avis in about 6 blocks, easy, to get car. No sweat. No advance rez. Lotsa cars. Drive to Yukon is lovely, however ALSO DRIVE other end of highway 11 miles TO DYEA!!!! Gorgeous!! Take a picnic. We were on Infinity last week. From ship there is an open shuttle free for disabled or $1.50 for others. It drives you about one city block to end of pier. There you can pick up a town bus every 15 mins./ $1.50 into town. You just jump back on at whatever block you want to return from. Very small town so anyone reasonable fit can walk everywhere. We had superb weather.

Lifelister

[sooner2]

what 11 miles to DYEA?

[joramrose]

And do lunch at the Cinnamon Cache, on the right past Carcross going to Emerald Lake. The sandwiches are a square foot in size, I kid you not, on fresh baked bread and the cinnamon buns are delicious!

 

And the couple who run it are so neat.

 

Then stop at Carcross on the way back and go thru the little museum-visitors' center. They will load you up with brochures,maps, etc.

 

love

joan

[SF]

As soon as I get the answer to one question I have twenty more, sorry guys!! Hope you don't mind a few more!!! :D

 

 

1. How are the roads going to Emerald Lake? I read somewhere that one part of it is kind of high and doesn't have guard rails, is this true? Don't want to "freak out" driving right by the edge of a mountain! :eek:

 

2. How was it going thru customs and do you go thru Canadian going to the lake and the US on the return? What documentation did you need to show? How long did it take to get thru customs, were there a lot of cars waiting?

 

3. What's there to see in Dyea? Isn't this on the way to Emerald Lake?

 

4. Are there signs posting the look out spots on the way to the lake or do you just stop whenever?

 

5. How much time should we allow for our return thru customs and to get back to town? Is two hours enough? We're figuring the whole trip including the stops for photo's, lunch, and waiting at customs to be about five hours, is this a reasonable estimate?

 

Thanks again for helping.

[sooner2]

we have the same questions- thanks for asking them- waiting on the replies!

[Budget Queen]

As soon as I get the answer to one question I have twenty more, sorry guys!! Hope you don't mind a few more!!! :D

 

 

1. How are the roads going to Emerald Lake? I read somewhere that one part of it is kind of high and doesn't have guard rails, is this true? Don't want to "freak out" driving right by the edge of a mountain! :eek:

 

2. How was it going thru customs and do you go thru Canadian going to the lake and the US on the return? What documentation did you need to show? How long did it take to get thru customs, were there a lot of cars waiting?

 

3. What's there to see in Dyea? Isn't this on the way to Emerald Lake?

 

4. Are there signs posting the look out spots on the way to the lake or do you just stop whenever?

 

5. How much time should we allow for our return thru customs and to get back to town? Is two hours enough? We're figuring the whole trip including the stops for photo's, lunch, and waiting at customs to be about five hours, is this a reasonable estimate?

 

Thanks again for helping.

 

 

The road is a normal 2 lane paved road, yes plenty of areas without guard rails, but EXTREMELY easy driving. My car was searched going into BC, looked in trunk, opened backpacks. Passport or birth certificate and photo id required. There are no "lines" to speak of. Nothing to see in Dyea, except the nice scenery. At the end are boards with the history and a boardwalk path if you wish to go walking. Also consider a stop at the Slide Cemetery, interesting. There is construction, I had only about a 15 min. wait for the pilot truck. The Dyea Road is west of Skagway, the Klondike Highway to Canada is north. You have allowed sufficient time for a wonderful day.

[SF]

Thanks again for taking the time to reply.