Ferry from Whittier to Valdez, Alaska: Schedule, Fares and Prince William Sound

Riding the Alaska Marine Highway is always a fun way to travel, both for the views and the ease of transportation. And yes! There is a ferry from the Anchorage area, from Whittier, to Valdez on Prince William Sound! The MV Aurora between Whittier and Valdez is a route that’s really fantastic, as it’s both a great way to skip the long drive from Anchorage to Valdez and because it’s a journey on Prince William Sound, so it’s full of wildlife and glacier ice.

We’ve got the whole scoop on what the ferry between Whittier and Valdez is like, how to prep for a long boat ride like this, and tips for making the crossing as enjoyable as possible. Whittier is the closest ferry port to Anchorage, but it doesn’t connect Southeast Alaske to everything through port of call. Remember, it’s the ferry, not a cruise. We have the information about the Alaska ferry from Whittier to Valdez and other connections. If you have any questions about riding the Alaska Marine Highway, either the Whittier/Valdez route or another, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more and help you plan a fun Alaska trip.

Highlights of the Ferry from Whittier to Valdez, Alaska

The best thing about taking the ferry from Whittier to Valdez, or the reverse route, is just how beautiful the scenery is from start to finish. I get it that the purpose of the Alaska Marine Highway is transportation, but really it is the best scenic boat trip in Alaska. Sailing across Prince William Sound on the ferry, whether it’s the Aurora or another boat that’s on the route, is fun and just a relaxed way to cover a lot of distance.

The highlights of the scenery on the Whittier to Valdez ferry route fall perfectly in the beginning, middle and end. If you’re starting in Whittier, you begin surrounded by rugged mountains, tons of waterfalls, and hanging glaciers as you leave Passage Canal (it’s not actually a canal, it’s a fjord). As you enter Prince William Sound you navigate past College Fjord (as seen on the Phillips 26 Glacier Cruise), countless small islands, and eventually past Columbia Bay where ice is flowing out on the tide from Columbia Glacier which is calving off in the distance. Rounding the corner you enter Valdez Arm which then turns into Port Valdez. These narrow passages are some of the most beautiful sights in coastal Alaska. I wish we would’ve counted the waterfalls along the way, because from start to finish there was at least a hundred.

The other big highlight of riding the ferry from Whittier to Valdez is the wildlife you get to see in Prince William Sound. There’s been such great recovery since the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989 and as you come into Valdez Arm to Port Valdez, and the wildlife is plentiful. From humpback whales and sea lions to sea otters and shore bird, there’s a lot of wildlife to see as you’re sailing from Whittier to Valdez. I love it.

How Much is the Ferry from Whittier to Valdez?

The cost of the ferry from Whittier to Valdez (or reverse) is most than the cost of driving between Anchorage and Valdez, but I think it’s worth it for the full experience. The cost of a regular sized car on the Alaska Marine Highway for this route on the MV Aurora ship is $135, and then passengers are additional. Adult passengers (12-64) are $65 and children (6-11) are $33. I think there’s great value for the length of the boat ride, the actual transportation of the ferry, and the sights along the way. The Valdez to Whittier ferry tickets do cost more than the drive, but I think you’ll enjoy the whole experience.

How Long Does the Ferry Take from Valdez to Whittier? (and reverse)

The ferry schedule from Whittier to Valdez look add when you’re trying to understand ferry times, but know that the crossing is just shy of six hours, but it’s six beautiful hours. You will need to arrive to the terminal (in Whittier or Valdez) an hour early if you’re driving onto the boat and at least a half hour early if you’re a walk-on passenger. When you plot how long is the ferry from Whittier to Valdez, consider that you need to build in check-in time before your passage.

Is the Ferry from Whiiter to Valdez a Car or Passenger Ferry?

The Alaska State ferries are all mostly auto ferries, so they do have cars. The MV Aurora, which is the primary ferry from Valdez to Whittier, is a car ferry with lots of seating areas all around the ship. There are quiet zones, a galley, indoor and outdoor seating and plenty of tables. Because you cannot stay in your car while the ferry is under way, there is ample space for both walk on and drive on passengers. When you use the car ferry in Alaska, you’ll be very impressed with the workers who are loading the cars, as they are master puzzle solvers with loading cars by size and getting everything to fit on the car ferry.

Can you Sleep in Your Car on the Ferry?

NO! You cannot sleep in your car when you’re on the ferry between Whittier and Valdez or ANY of the ports. Once you’re driven your car on and it’s parked, you must exit and head upstairs to the seating areas. You car will be completely secure while the ferry is going and you’ll be given plenty of notice to go back to your vehicle as you come into port.

Passenger Areas Onboard the MV Aurora

The MV Aurora, which is the primary ferry boat between Whittier and Valdez, isn’t as large at the MV Hubbard or MV Columbia. There still is plenty of space for passengers and you’ll still get the iconic Alaska Marina Highway experience of people taking naps on the sundeck and all of that. On the Aurora you have a solarium and open outdoor areas on the top and back decks, you have access to the bow of the ship, there is a designated quiet space, and a big areas with lots of seating at the front on the main level. The galley has plenty of tables with seating too. 

Speaking of the galley, it is not open for the duration of the sailing between Valdez and Whittier, but will post its open hours. They do a lot of prep work and then have a window of about 90 minutes where they’ll serve both snacks and full meals, including really good menu items made from scratch. We had a really delicious roast pork stew with vegetables on one sailing that I still think about and have tried to recreate in my own kitchen. Other menu items aren’t that exciting and are standard cafeteria fare, but they do the job when you’re hungry on the ferry.

Where can you get to on the Ferry from Whittier?

On the ferry from Whittier, you can only get to either Valdez, Cordova or Tatitlek (near Cordova). The Alaska Marine Highway schedule is unique in that it services all around the Gulf of Alaska, Prince William Sound and the Inside Passage, but the boats are not all on connecting routes. Ultimately you can get everywhere you need to go, but in some ports you may have to drive overland to get to then next stop.

Is There a Ferry from Homer to Valdez?

There is not a ferry from Homer to Valdez directly, but there is a ferry to Kodiak, Alaska from Homer. If you want to go from Homer to Valdez around the Kenai Peninsula, there’s not a ferry route that will do it. Starting in Homer, you can drive the 2+ hours to Whittier and then get the ferry to Valdez. The Alaska ferry schedule is very unique as it has some standard routes and then seemingly random routes when vessels need to do crossings to get to a maintenance facility or a planned outage of another vessel. 

Can you Ferry from Seattle to Anchorage?

Unfortunately the main line of the Alaska Marine Highway System does not connect Seattle to Anchorage as a regular route. In the spring and fall there is usually at least one sailing that will go from Whittier all the way to Bellingham and vice versa for ships that have scheduled maintenance, but it’s not a weekly sailing. The regular ferry from Washington State leaves from Bellingham, WA and continues to Ketchikan, Juneau, and as far north as Haines and Skagway. This departs weekly on Fridays usually and takes 3.5 days. If you drive on, you can get as far as Haines, exit and drive the rest of the way to Anchorage. Until 2028 there is not a standard cross-gulf Alaska ferry route.

Is there a ferry from Whittier to Juneau?

This is another route that there is not a regular ferry for. Kind of like how you can book a relocation cruise and you’ll get to be on a unique route, being on a boat leaves from Whittier and lands on the Juneau ferry schedule is unusual. The MV Kennicott has a few random sailings that do go between Homer / Kodiak and then Whittier continuing onto Juneau and even down to Bellingham, but it’s not a regular sailing you can just jump on. This does take planning.

Check out the ferry from Juneau to Haines!

Making Alaska Ferry Reservations: NEED TO KNOW

If you are traveling as simply a walk-on passenger, you can usually get an Alaska Marine Highway reservation same day or on very short notice, but if you are planning on driving onto the ferry, you need to book that out as far in advance as possible. Vehicle space is limited and if you drive an electric car, only two are allowed on board any given sailing. You’ll need to save your space far in advance.

While the ferry from Whittier to Valdez is only about six hours, there are other routes that are longer, meaning 10+ hours or even days. For those you may want to book a sleeping cabin. There are different options for sleeping berths, and the do sell out. If you need this, book it as far out as you can!

Where to Stay in Portage / Girdwood / Whittier

If you’re thinking you don’t want to stay in Anchorage to drive down to activities in the Portage Valley, Girdwood or over in Whittier, there are actually lots of places to choose from down here along the Turnagain Arm and up the valley. There are not a ton of hotels, but lots of private rentals. Stays in Whittier are few and far between, so planning to be on the west side of the tunnel is a good idea.