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Ketchikan vs Skagway

Two cruise ports, side by side, from our port guides' data. Data last checked: Oct 2026

The short answer

Both are rated Easy for exploring on your own.
Walk to town or the main sights: Ketchikan right by the pier (from at least one pier); Skagway about 10 minutes on foot.
Getting ashore: ships dock at both.

Ketchikan

📍 Alaska, USA

Easy

Skagway

📍 Alaska, USA

Easy

Side by side

	Ketchikan	Skagway
Explore-on-your-own rating	Easy	Easy
Country	Alaska, USA	Alaska, USA
Dock or tender	Dock	Dock
Where ships dock	Berths I–IV along the downtown waterfront Ward Cove (about 7 miles north; mainly Norwegian ships; free shuttle about 20 minutes)	Broadway Dock Ore Dock Railroad Dock (forward and aft; farthest, sometimes a short shuttle)
Getting to town	The four downtown berths are right in town. Creek Street, the historic boardwalk, is at the north end, nearest Berth IV.	All docks are within about an 8–10 minute walk of downtown Broadway. The White Pass & Yukon Route depot is about 10 minutes from the docks.
Getting around	A free downtown shuttle runs about every 20 minutes. Borough buses cost $2 each way (exact cash): Silver Line North goes to Totem Bight State Park and Silver Line South to Saxman Totem Park.	The SMART bus runs dock-to-downtown 7 am–9 pm on ship days: $3 each way or $5 for an all-day pass. Rental cars and e-bikes are available.
Beaches	No swimming beaches. Rotary Beach is a scenic stop on the south bus route.	No swimming beaches.
Top sights	Creek Street boardwalk Totem Heritage Center Totem Bight State Park (bus) Saxman Native Village totems (bus) Misty Fjords (floatplane or boat tour)	Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park (downtown) White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad (book ahead) Gold Rush Cemetery and Lower Reid Falls Dyea ghost town
Currency	U.S. dollar.	U.S. dollar.
Back on time	Buses run hourly, so missing one costs an hour. Be back 30 minutes before all-aboard.	The town is small, but train and Yukon trips are long. Book cruise-line tours if crossing the border.

Fares and times are as reported by the sources on each port page and change often. Always confirm with your cruise line.

Why the ratings differ

Ketchikan: Walkable town at the pier, a free shuttle, and $2 buses to totem parks.

Skagway: A tiny, walkable gold-rush town right by the docks.

Quick answers

Is Ketchikan or Skagway easier to explore on your own?

Both are rated Easy for exploring on your own. Walkable town at the pier, a free shuttle, and $2 buses to totem parks. A tiny, walkable gold-rush town right by the docks.

Do you tender or dock in Ketchikan and Skagway?

Ketchikan: Dock. Skagway: Dock.

How far is town from the ship in Ketchikan and Skagway?

Ketchikan: The four downtown berths are right in town. Skagway: All docks are within about an 8–10 minute walk of downtown Broadway.

When should I head back to the ship?

Ketchikan: Buses run hourly, so missing one costs an hour. Skagway: The town is small, but train and Yukon trips are long.

Ketchikan port guide → Skagway port guide → More comparisons