Although much of the state cannot be reached by car, there are bridges, tunnels, and highways that connect the highly populated areas. Alaska's road system is unique because it only covers a fraction of the land mass of the entire state. The road system in Alaska allows those who traveled there by car to see some of the scenes that the state offers, but most of Alaska's wonders must be accessed by other forms of transportation.
Some cities in Alaska cannot be reached by road or sea; they can only be reached by air transport. For this reason, Alaska has about 17 passenger airline carriers and five cargo airline carriers. The four major airports in Alaska are Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, Fairbanks International Airport, Juneau International Airport, and Ketchikan International Airport. The five most used airlines are Alaska Airlines, Era Aviation, Frontier Flying Service, Pacific Alaska Airways, and PenAir.
Another distinctive feature of Alaska is its advanced ferry system. The Alaska Marine Highway is the ferry system that provides transportation to the southeast region of Alaska and the Alaska Peninsula. Ferries travel from Alaska to Washington state and British Columbia, Canada, in a route that is known as "the Inside Passage." The Port of Anchorage is an active cargo hub that brings traffic in and out of Alaska.
Though most of the state's passenger transportation is done via road, air, or boat, Alaska also relies heavily on its railroad system. The Alaska Railroad carries both passengers and cargo. The railroad is a necessity for moving natural resources like coal. Some cities that cannot be accessed by road can be accessed by train. The larger cities in Alaska use a bus system, but most of the buses are operated by private companies.
