Arrival Information

Alaska Airlines, Delta and United all offer daily services from Anchorage to Fairbanks Airport , four miles southwest of downtown; the MACS bus Yellow Line (Mon-Sat; $1.50) runs downtown but the long wait between services means you'll probably want to grab a taxi (around $12) or the Airlink Shuttle (tel 907/452-3337), which charges $7 (for two) to your accommodation. The airport is also a gateway for flights into the bush; Frontier Flying Service (tel 907/474-0011) operates a reliable service. Daily trains stop downtown at 280 N Cushman Rd, but are far more expensive than the minibus companies that run here from Anchorage and Valdez and drop you off at your accommodation.

The best way to get around is by car, but the five bus lines , run by MACS (tel 907/459-1011), provide a reasonable service; call for information or collect a schedule from the visitor center (see below). Airlink Shuttle offers transport to sights within the city for $5. Among the companies that can whisk you off into the surrounding bush and fly you to the Arctic Circle , the widest choice is with the Northern Alaska Tour Company (tel 907/474-8600, ).

The visitor center , at 550 First Ave (summer daily 8am-8pm; rest of year Mon-Fri 8am-5pm; tel 907/456-5774 or 1-800/327-5774, ), carries a vast amount of information on lodging and activities. For information on the area's parks, including Denali, stop by the useful Alaska Public Land Information Center (APLIC) at 250 N Cushman St (summer daily 9am-6pm; rest of year Tues-Sat 10am-6pm; tel 907/456-0527).