Any tips for driving a rental car from Skagway to Yukon?

[kj_connections]

Does anyone have any tips or advice for the drive?  My parents tried in 2009 but the border wasn't allowing rental cars to go through at the time...hopefully someone has recently been able to do the drive with a rental and cross to Yukon.

[Coral]

Google Murray's Guide Yukon for route info.

 

Just saw that you are Canadian.

 

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I believe it is illegal for Canadians to rent a car in the US and drive to Canada. You may need to pair up with some Americans. 

 

I was in Skagway in May and rental cars are available and people did the drive. I actually went with Chilkoot tours (which Canadians are allowed to do as it is a tour).

 

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BTW - there were no issues doing this drive in 2009 unless you were a Canadian. There were issues the past few years for everyone due to COVID.

 

Edited July 6, 2023 by Coral

[Coral]

I know Hertz is not in Skagway but here is something from Hertz:

 

Canadian Customs and Excise Regulations prohibit Canadian residents from driving U.S. rental vehicles in Canada and/or returning to the U.S. When a Canadian resident rents a U.S. car in the U.S. and drives into Canada, he/she must obtain a Traveler's Vehicle Permit from Canadian Customs, Form E50B. Then the renter must go directly to a Canadian Hertz location and exchange the U.S. car for a Canadian car within 24 hours. No one way rental fees are applied.

Residency is based on the primary renter.

Renters may only drive in Canada for 30 days unless extension is requested from Customs at the time of entry.

Edited July 6, 2023 by Coral

[kj_connections]

Oh wow thank you for this information. Yes I am Canadian...shoot! That ruins my plans unless it's still worth the drive without doing a border crossing...

[Coral]

5 minutes ago, kj_connections said:

Oh wow thank you for this information. Yes I am Canadian...shoot! That ruins my plans unless it's still worth the drive without doing a border crossing...

Nope IMO.

 

I would encourage you to look at Chilkoot's tours. They use large vans. They stop at all the stops I would normally stop at in a car. I thought their guide/driver was good in our van.

[kj_connections]

Thanks. So much for driving to Caribou Crossing to see the pups...it would've been nice for the kids.

[Coral]

1 hour ago, kj_connections said:

Thanks. So much for driving to Caribou Crossing to see the pups...it would've been nice for the kids.

You can do this on Chilkoot tours van ride into the Yukon. There is time to do the sled ride on gravel.

 

I didn't play with the pups but we were given a certain amount of time in Caribou Crossing.

Edited July 6, 2023 by Coral

[tetleytea]

All is not lost.  If you are Canadian, make a friend on the ship who is not.  Have them rent and split the cost.  

 

My first word of advice to people visiting Skagway is, of course, to rent a car and drive to Yukon.  Next, try and get more than 2 people in the car, even if it means making some new friends on the cruise.  It's not primarily about the money:  it's that the passengers can appreciate the scenery and look for wildlife better than the driver can.

 

Next advice:  start the drive early, and stop only for wildlife on the way up to Carcross.  Stop to view the sites & scenery on the RETURN trip.  This way you're ahead of the buses and the crowds.  Caribou Crossing gets very crowded at lunch.  Second, fog lifts as the day progresses, and for the White Pass that matters.  Third, wildlife can tend to be better in the morning.  But the big reason is not to fight the buses on the road or at Caribou Crossing. 

 

Next, going all the way to Whitehorse is probably not worth it, even if you have plenty of time.  There is a little bit to see there, but not much.  And the drive once you pass Emerald Lake is not that exciting.   There are two road stops after Caribou Crossing:  the Carcross Desert, and Emerald Lake.  Murray's guide suggests you turn around at Emerald Lake, and I agree.  

 

Next, if your schedule is looking good, check out the rest of Carcross.  Carcross can be fun in the summer.  

 

Which leads to the next thing:  you should have a good handle on how much time you have left by the time you're going back.  If you don't have time, don't stop on the way back.  Yukon Suspension Bridge is not a very high-priority stop, anyway.   If you have time, though, then by all means pull to the side and take lots of pictures.

 

If you have good weather in the morning (and good timing), usually you can spot all the trains way off to your right.  If you do, I would make an exception to stop and take a picture of the train.  You're probably not going to get that shot again in the afternoon. 

 

 

[Luv2cruz1000]

We are canadian and rented a car ( Green Jeep at the time.)( I too thought we couldn't however I do believe there is an exception for that border crossing). It is a beautiful drive and we'll worth taking. We went as far as Emerald Lake, also stopping at Caribou crossing. This is our plan for next year as well. Found it more economical than the train.

[Luv2cruz1000]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/canadians-can-soon-bring-u-s-rental-cars-across-border-1.1129658

Just thought I would add to my above post. 2016 is when we crossed and had no problem.

[Coral]

1 hour ago, Luv2cruz1000 said:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/canadians-can-soon-bring-u-s-rental-cars-across-border-1.1129658

Just thought I would add to my above post. 2016 is when we crossed and had no problem.

Interesting. On my Yukon van - there were individuals who said they chose the van because they were Canadian and because of the law. I assumed the law was still in place (as they did also).

 

Sorry for posting outdating info!

Edited July 7, 2023 by Coral

[quack2]

Just did this drive 10 days ago.  Skagway to Carcross.    Even though I didn't see any this time, keep your camera ready for bears on the side of the highway munching on grass.   Either watch for the bears or for the cars pulled over to photograph them.

 

First time in four visits that I've been shut out on bears.

[kj_connections]

Thanks everyone!

I think I found the updated info that will allow Canadians to rent a car in the US and travel to Canada: https://tc.canada.ca/en/road-transportation/motor-vehicle-safety/rental-vehicles-united-statesv

[Coral]

49 minutes ago, kj_connections said:

Thanks everyone!

I think I found the updated info that will allow Canadians to rent a car in the US and travel to Canada: https://tc.canada.ca/en/road-transportation/motor-vehicle-safety/rental-vehicles-united-statesv

Awesome!

[blizzard44ca]

We did this in 2014, and had no issues. We rented a car in Skagway and drove to Whitehorse for the day to visit family.