Hi everyone,
We (4 adults) wish to travel by bus (July 2009) from Edmonton to Fairbanks, stopping off on the way especially at Whitehorse to travel to Skagway and back. Can anyone advise on bus services? Can we get off and onto the next bus a day later? How often do they run? We would intend to travel during daylight and stop to sleep at hotel during nights. Any suggestions for particular towns to stop at? Early days in our planning with lots to find out. Suggestions would be welcome.

Pud.

Check www.greyhound.ca

There is no Greyhoud in Alaska. They don't operate there.

First off, I don't think there is scheduled bus service to Alaska from Canada. It's 30 hours by Greyhound from Edmonton to Whitehorse. I knew someone who took it and it is not a fun ride. It is as far as you can go by scheduled bus service.

If there are 4 of you, I wouldn't take the bus anyway. I will drive instead. Take a minivan as the trip is long (an RV is even better, stop at campgrounds and is cheaper than hotels)

Instead of driving down to Skagway, I would drive to Fraser, park and then take the White Pass & Yukon Railway. Last year, the cost was $99 one way. Skagway is small and you can walk everywhere. Population is less than 1000 but the streets are crowded when the crusie ships are docked. Groceries are very expensive, be prepared. example: Milk is about $4 a carton.

You can get to Fraser faster by not going to Whitehorse, turn at Carcross (used to be call Caribou Crossing) and you will save time.

Thanks Eschew, that's obviously why greyhound.ca wouldn't work for me. We are planning to rail from Vancouver to Jasper, spend a week driving through Banff, Calgary to Edmonton and were then planning on travelling the Alaska Highway (by bus?) to Whitehorse to bus/train to Skagway and back to Whitehorse and then continue on overland to Fairbanks. From there to Anchorage and then cruise back down to Vancouver. Can you take a hire vehicle from Edmonton to Fairbanks? We only have different states in Aussie, not different countries! Any other solutions or better ideas welcome. Pud

Rail from Vacnouver to Jasper - excellent choice. Driving fom Japser to Banff and on to Calgary, not bad. How much time you plan to spend on that drive? You can take up to 2 weeks and not seen everything. If you are rushed. 3 days. Overnight in Jasper, Lake Louise and Banff. I personally don't like Banff as it is too commercialized. Book bed and breakfasts and not hotels. You should be able to find info on web. If not, I will try to point to links.

Not much to see in Calgary. You can bypass it altogether. If you have time, stops in Kananaskis and Waterton. Waterton National Park is my favorite spot on the Rockies. Hiking is great. When I was younger, I travel to and hike Waterton every other year.

They had a G8 submit at the Kananaskis a few years back. It's a nice resort. Great trails for mountain biking.

If you are from Australia, you don't know much about the long distance bus service in North America. I can give you a simple answer if you plan to take the bus: don't. The long answer is the service is terrible, the bus not comfortable, you want me to continue?

You can look into car rental and see if they will let you rent a car in Edmonton and return it in Alaska.
Check out the various car rental web pages. Try Budegt, AVIS and Thrifty.

My other suggestion is by RV (motor homes) I don't know if you call it differently in Australia. You should investigate.

I have driven through to Skagway from Edmonton and it is a very long drive. Drive to Fraser, take train to Skagway and back. Train ride is wonderful. Check out Whitepass & Yukon Railway.

Have you consider taking ferry from Skagway and onto Anchorage? It is an available option.

I have not driven from Whitehorse and on to Alaska but I have heard it is wonderful.

July in Edmonton is very busy. The IRL racing is on and so are their annual fair and festivals. Hotels will be full. (The fringe festival is wonderful and well known.)

If you are crusing south bound from Alaska to Vancouver, why drive to Skagway? It is a crusie ship stop.

You got great suggestions from Eschew. Here are my 2 cents. Why won't you rent a car and drive the Alaska Highway to Whitehorse and return your rental car there? There is no way you can coordinate traveling by bus and to get off and onto the next bus a day later. There is no daily service and getting to Fairbanks from Whitehorse by bus almost impossible. Traveling Alaska Highway by bus, experiencing the highway and towns along this road do not go together. Traveling by bus is for transportation purpose not sightseeing.

Wait a minute, I just realized you posted this question in May. Are you still reading this post? If you are reading I'll continue with some suggestions, if you want. I'm traveling the Alaska Highway this summer.

Hi There! We are also planning to go to Whitehorse May or June 2009 and really don't know if we go driving our own car or better rent a car for that tour.

I've seen coach tours but it is so expensive.... please give more feedback on this tour...