The cheapest way to ship a car to Alaska is usually to drive it yourself to a carrier’s terminal in the Tacoma or Seattle area and book port-to-port ocean shipping, because you skip the truck leg and the broker in the middle. Driving the Alaska Highway through Canada can also work out cheaper if you have the time, while door-to-door service and enclosed transport cost the most.
Alaska is different from most auto transport routes because almost every vehicle that doesn’t drive up arrives by ship or barge. This guide explains each option, what drives the price up or down, and the electric-vehicle restrictions that changed the market in 2025.
What are the ways to get a car to Alaska?
There are four realistic routes, and each one trades money against time and effort. The table compares them without prices, since quotes depend on the vehicle, the season and the exact ports.
| Option | How it works | Typical time on the water or road | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Port-to-port ocean shipping | You drop the car at a Tacoma or Seattle terminal and collect it at an Alaska port | About 3 days Tacoma to Anchorage on TOTE, plus booking lead time | Lowest commercial option for most cars |
| Door-to-door shipping | A truck carries the car to the port, then it sails and may be trucked again | Ocean leg plus one to two weeks of trucking, depending on start point | Owners who can’t drive to the port |
| Driving the Alaska Highway | You drive north through British Columbia and Yukon | Several days of driving from the Pacific Northwest | People moving with the car who have time |
| Alaska Marine Highway ferry | State ferry from Bellingham, Washington, to Southeast Alaska ports | Multi-day sailing; space books up in summer | Southeast Alaska towns without road access |
Why is port-to-port shipping the cheapest way to ship a car to Alaska?
Most of the cost of a door-to-door Alaska shipment comes from the extra handling around the sailing: a truck to the port, a broker’s margin, and sometimes another truck from the Alaska port to your door. When you deliver the car to the terminal yourself, you pay for the ocean leg only.
TOTE Maritime and Matson both carry personal vehicles from the Tacoma area to Anchorage, and TOTE advertises twice-weekly sailings with about three days of transit between Tacoma and Anchorage. Alaska Marine Lines carries vehicles by barge from Seattle to Southeast Alaska and other ports. Booking directly with the ocean carrier rather than through a broker removes one layer of markup.
If you live far from Washington State, compare the cost of driving to Tacoma yourself with the cost of a truck. Our overview of vehicle shipping services explains how carriers and brokers price the truck leg, and our guide to coast to coast auto transport covers long cross-country hauls to the Pacific Northwest.
What makes shipping a car to Alaska cost more or less?
The quote you get depends on a handful of factors. Knowing which ones you control is the fastest way to bring the price down.
- Service level: port-to-port is the base option, and every added truck leg or door delivery increases the cost.
- Destination port: Anchorage has the most frequent service. Smaller ports and towns reached only by barge or ferry have fewer sailings.
- Vehicle size and weight: larger trucks, lifted vehicles and anything with a trailer take more deck space.
- Season: summer is the busiest moving season to and from Alaska, so space fills faster and booking early matters more.
- Open or enclosed transport: enclosed trucking for the land leg protects classics and luxury cars but costs more than open carriers.
- Running condition: carriers generally expect a vehicle that runs and steers. Inoperable cars need special handling or may be refused.
Can you ship an electric vehicle to Alaska?
Shipping a plug-in electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle to Alaska is very difficult right now. In mid-2025, Matson suspended new bookings for electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids on all of its routes, citing lithium-ion battery fire risk. Alaska Marine Lines announced in August 2025 that it would stop carrying electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, and Alaska public media reported that TOTE Maritime suspended EV shipments to the state as well.
Conventional hybrids that don’t plug in are still accepted by the carriers that issued these policies, according to their published notices. The Alaska Marine Highway ferry has continued to take a small number of EVs per sailing, and in early 2026 state officials described waits of around three months for EV space from Bellingham. Driving an EV up the Alaska Highway is the other route, though charging is sparse on long stretches in northern Canada.
These policies change, so confirm the current rule with the carrier before you buy or move an EV.
Is driving to Alaska cheaper than shipping?
Driving can be cheaper if you’re moving with the car anyway, because it doubles as your own transportation north. Your costs are fuel, lodging for several nights, food and wear on the vehicle, and the trip crosses British Columbia and Yukon.
Because the route passes through Canada, every traveler needs a passport or another document accepted at the border, and you should check that your auto insurance covers you in Canada. For a short or seasonal move, or when the car is a second vehicle, shipping port-to-port is often simpler once you add up the days on the road.
How do you prepare a car for shipping to Alaska?
- Book early, especially for summer sailings, and ask the carrier for its cutoff time at the terminal.
- Remove personal belongings. Most ocean carriers limit or prohibit household goods inside the vehicle, so check the rule before you pack it.
- Bring the right paperwork: registration or title, photo ID, and a lienholder letter if the car is financed.
- Leave a low fuel level if the carrier asks for it; many cap fuel at about a quarter tank.
- Photograph the car from every side at drop-off, and inspect it carefully at pickup before you sign.
- Ask about coverage. Find out what the carrier’s liability covers and whether your own auto policy applies while the car is at sea.
If you’re also mailing boxes or personal items ahead of the move, ParcelPath compares discounted USPS and UPS rates to Alaska addresses, though it doesn’t ship vehicles. For other routes and pricing guides, our auto transport hub covers how to ship a car within the lower 48 states and overseas, and our guide to the cost to ship a car to Hawaii explains the other noncontiguous ocean route.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest way to ship a car to Alaska?
For most people, the cheapest way to ship a car to Alaska is port-to-port ocean shipping: you drive the car to a carrier’s terminal in the Tacoma or Seattle area and pick it up at the Alaska port. Skipping door-to-door trucking and booking directly with the ocean carrier, rather than a broker, removes the biggest added costs.
How long does it take to ship a car to Alaska?
TOTE Maritime advertises about three days of transit between Tacoma and Anchorage, with sailings twice a week. Add time for booking, terminal drop-off and pickup. Door-to-door shipments from the lower 48 states take longer, often one to two extra weeks, because the car must first be trucked to the departure port.
Can I ship an electric car to Alaska in 2026?
It’s hard. Matson, TOTE Maritime and Alaska Marine Lines suspended shipments of plug-in electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles in 2025 over battery fire risk. The Alaska Marine Highway ferry accepts a limited number of EVs per sailing, with waits of around three months from Bellingham reported in early 2026. Conventional hybrids are still accepted.
When is the cheapest time to ship a car to Alaska?
Demand peaks in summer, when most people move to and from Alaska, so off-season sailings in fall, winter and early spring usually have more space and more flexible scheduling. Whatever the season, booking several weeks ahead and delivering the car to the port yourself are the most reliable ways to keep the quote down.
Can I pack belongings inside my car when shipping it to Alaska?
Usually only a little, if anything. Ocean carriers set their own rules on personal items inside vehicles, and many prohibit household goods or limit what can be left in the trunk. Ask the carrier before you pack, and ship boxes separately by mail or parcel carrier if the car must travel empty.
Sources
- TOTE Maritime: Vehicles, RVs, Boats to Alaska (totemaritime.com)
- Matson: Shipping a Car, Boat or RV (matson.com)
- Alaska Public Media: Alaska Marine Lines will no longer ship electric vehicles due to fire risk, August 20, 2025 (alaskapublic.org)
- Alaska Public Media: Car buyers and dealers in Alaska face limited options with new EV shipping restrictions, September 11, 2025 (alaskapublic.org)
- KMXT: Alaska Marine Lines, ferry officials discuss options for getting electric vehicles to Alaska, February 13, 2026 (kmxt.org)
- U.S. Department of State: Canada travel information
Part of our Coast to Coast Auto Transport guide. Related: Auto Transport hub.
