Pass Offers U.S., Canada Discounts

If Alaska and nearby points in Canada are in your 1991 plans, look into the land-and-sea AlaskaPass, which offers discounted travel on a combination of train, bus and ferry from gateways in Washington, Alaska and British Columbia.

The 1991 pass is good from May 31 through Sept. 14.

Savings can be substantial. On a consecutive-day basis, prices are $399 for 8 days, $559 for 15 days, $699 for 22 days and $799 for 30 days. At normal prices, the travel on an eight-day pass would cost about $511 (a savings of $112); the 15-day pass offers a savings of $331; the 22-day pass is a savings of $385, and the 30-day pass represents a savings of $389.

With the AlaskaPass it’s also possible to opt for more flexible non-consecutive-day travel that allows transport on any day within a specified time period. A 12-out-of-21-day pass costs $579, while a 21-out-of-45-day pass is priced at $839. Children from 3 to 11 travel at reduced rates on both consecutive and non-consecutive-day passes.

Two new bus lines have been added to the AlaskaPass in 1991: Norline Coaches, which offers bus service from Whitehorse, Alaska, to Dawson, in Canada’s Yukon Territory, and Alaska Intercity Line, which has buses from Anchorage to such points as Homer, Seward, Kenai, Soldotna and Valdez.

Other bus service open to AlaskaPass holders includes the Alaskon Express, with daytime service from Anchorage and Fairbanks to Haines, Skagway and Whitehorse. Another bus company, Island Coach Lines, offers daily one-day trips from Victoria to Port Hardy. Greyhound Lines of Canada gives AlaskaPass holders access to bus service between Vancouver-Prince George and Prince George-Prince Rupert.

The pass also includes the Alaska Marine Highway System, which has ferry routes extending from Bellingham, Wash., throughout Canada, Alaska and the Inside Passage. Ferries travel to such well-known points as Juneau and Sitka, and as far west as Dutch Harbor in the Aleutian Islands. BC Ferries travel from Port Hardy on Vancouver Island to Prince Rupert on the British Columbia mainland.

On the Alaska Railroad, AlaskaPass holders can take trains from Anchorage to Fairbanks, Seward and Whittier. Other points served include Denali National Park/Mt. McKinley, Wasila, Talkeetna, Nenana and Portage. AlaskaPass holders can also travel on BC Rail, which offers service from Vancouver Island to Port George on the Canadian mainland. The route features Cariboo Country and the Fraser River Gorge of British Columbia.

Reservations are up to the traveler. Lost or stolen passes are not refundable. No refunds are offered after travel begins. If the pass is unused, it’s possible to get a refund minus a 10% cancellation fee.

Contact travel agents or AlaskaPass at (800) 248-7598.