Prepurchasing shuttle tickets in Juneau

[New2cruise1483]

Do we need to buy tickets in advance for the blue bus or the white bus to Mendenhall Glacier, or will we be ok just buying them the day we get there? I just want to make sure that we will be able to get tickets without worrying about them being sold out.

[Illyria]

You shouldn't have any problems buying tickets right off the pier, for either bus.

[Coral]

Buy them once you get to Juneau - won't be a problem!

[Budget Queen]

Walk up purchases work perfectly. No need to buy this in advance.

[New2cruise1483]

Thanks everybody for the quick replies. It helps put my mind at ease as far as my Juneau planning goes :D

[Eaglecw]

No you don’t need to pre-buy your tickets to go out to Mendenhall Glacier for the Blue bus or the White bus. They’ll a have kiosk at the parking lot at the Tram that’s goes up to Mt. Roberts. Be forewarned they sell more tickets than they have seats for on the bus so it can be a mob scene when a bus comes back into the parking lot. It kind of reminded me of when we left the US Embassy in Vietnam in 1975. I’ve never been asked to see my ticket on the way back.

[kicia]

Which is better - the white bus or blue bus? I've read good and bad things about both.

[Budget Queen]

Which is better - the white bus or blue bus? I've read good and bad things about both.

 

Makes NO difference. Both use former school buses. Both long standing well run vendors.

[fleckle]

Which is better - the white bus or blue bus? I've read good and bad things about both.

The one that is better is whichever one shows up first when you are ready to go. :D

[orca lover]

What is the latest time the buses go from Medenhall to the cruise dock? Is the only option later a cab? Didn't know there was a white bus.

[CruisingSince2012]

What is the latest time the buses go from Medenhall to the cruise dock? Is the only option later a cab? Didn't know there was a white bus.

 

The white bus (Juneau Tours) does not have a consistent stop time every day. I read you have to ask the driver. So if you need to know the time the last pickup is, get on the blue bus, which apparently always stops running at 6:00. A taxi is your only option after 6:00 if all you want to do is go to Mendenhall.

[Budget Queen]

An alternative is to just rent a car. Avis at the Goldbelt is easy to get to as a cruise passenger- with no mobility limitations. If taking a cab- costs will be in the same range.

 

Plus the ability to add a few stops, if of interest. Far more efficient use of time as well.

 

You can count on the shuttle buses ending at 6pm. There may be a later bus, but with planning better to be conservative with the estimates.

 

IF you want to walk the 1 1/2 mile walk, the city bus may be an option, running once/hour and taking an hour.

Edited June 13, 2015 by Budget Queen