First off, for people who say this is "just a tunnel", y'all need to learn about Alaskan history, how INCREDIBLY complicated EVERYTHING is here, including basic survival and construction, much less something like a single lane train tunnel to a deep port that is the HEART of Alaskan economy. (Educate yourself, its quite interesting. There's a really excellent Alaskan room at the Loussac Library in Anchorage, have fun.) This tunnel is long, and frankly kinda scary. Its longer than the 1.4 mile Baltimore Harbor Tunnel that goes underwater and used to scare the shit out of me when I was a kid. I used to imagine the white tile walls springing a leak and millions of gallons of waters simultaneously drowning and crushing me like some apocalyptic movie scene. This tunnel is similar, except there are no tiles, just bare stone walls and billions of tons of mountain over your head as you drive through... fully aware you're in a state notorious for humongous earthquakes. Yep, nothing to worry about. Don't panic, its not like the tunnel only has ONE FUCKING LANE and if you or anyone in line has a panic attack or medical event, you're all fucked. So yeah, driving through the tunnel is interesting. But Whittier, if you are an Alaskan nature lover, hiker, fisherman or berry picker, is absolutely worth the drive. The town itself is... weird. But its worth the drive if you understand the things that make her unique. For tourists, I recommend you read about Whittier before going so you know what to expect. read more

We went through this tunnel during our long, but incredibly scenic bus tour back from Denali Wilderness Lodge to Whittier (to board a cruise ship)... I hope this is the right tunnel I'm referring to (?), but it was very long and very, very dark (as in total blackout). Quite scary in a way...but after the long passageway (possibly 2-3 miles?), it opened up beautifully to a scenic area, where our ship awaited us. I was really impressed with this cool segues from the bus to ship! I don't normally write about tunnels, but this made such an impression that I had to do a review. read more

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Remarkable history for this 2.5 mile tunnel that connects Whittier to Anchorage and Seward. This experience was a great introduction to what we were about to have out of Whittier. Even if you don't love the water, boating, fishing or kayak, it's worth visiting the town for walking, viewing and dining. The tunnel is part of the adventure. read more

Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel starts in the town of Portage, AK and is the passable entranceway towards the beautiful seaside town of Whittier, Alaska. And...Whittier, AK is the "Gateway to Prince William Sound". Here you can have access to many remote destinations such as Valdez and Wrangell St. Elias National Park. This is a fee based tunnel. I can't remember exactly how much it was. It could have been around $10 in total, roundtrip for the summer of 2021. It's interesting how the tunnel works. Not only do you have to pay a round trip fee ahead of time, but you have to line up in a row and wait for the one-way tunnel to allow for traffic to pass through each way. For instance, they allow passenger cars from Portage to Whittier every 30 minutes. Then they stop the Portage traffic and allow for cars in Whittier to access the tunnel for driving back to Portage. Although I've probably made this complicated, lol...basically cars are permitted to pass through the tunnel each hour on the hour. So...(like I was) visiting Whittier for half the day...I had to keep track of the schedule to depart to maximize my time usage while in town. Btw, don't forget before driving through the tunnel, I highly suggest taking the 1-hour Portage Glacier Cruise for $45. It's a worthwhile activity situated just outside the tunnel entrance and affords you up close shots of massive Portage Glacier. Lastly, I would also advise to be aware of the weather. I came during the middle of June and had high expectations for seeing the snowcapped mountains of Whittier, such a rustic and sleepy harbor town and even taking a touristy day cruise. Unfortunately, it poured rain and I never got the full experience I was hoping for. I will have to return again in the future. Overall, this Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel is quite useful for allowing visitors access to Whittier, AK leading to fun sightseeing adventures and general transportations on the waters of Prince William Sound. read more

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Come along for a ride in North America's longest highway tunnel! Our Collette motor coach was heading for a boat cruise on Prince William Sound to see the glaciers, some 60 miles from Anchorage. Passed by the airport, and then the Turnagain Arm and Portage Lake, on this cloudy morning in July. We streak by hidden streaks of sunlight over beautiful gray blue waters, under snowcapped mountains in the background. 2.5 mile tunnel built during World War II and completed in 1943 for railroad traffic through the mountains to the army base at what is now the town of Whittier, population 220. Tunnel designed for -40 degree temperatures and 150 mph winds! In 2000 it was converted into a dual purpose tunnel for both trains and highway traffic, giving public access to Whittier by motor vehicle. Multiple entrance lanes, with private cars paying $13 to enter. Higher fees for multi axle vehicles. Tunnel entrance housed in a structure that looks almost like a chalet with a garage as a tunnel entrance. Single lane, one way traffic, shared with a railroad train. $13 fee for vehicles leaving on the half hour to Whittier, from 5:30am to 10:30pm. No fee for vehicles leaving on the hour from Whittier, from 6am to 11pm. Our motor coach travels well under the 30 mph speed limit, enters the tunnel, with daylight turning to partial darkness, riding right over the embedded railroad tracks. Tunnel has dim overhead lights, and emergency pull outs every 1600 feet. Don't want to have a breakdown or rear end collision in this one lane tunnel! Up ahead, a small glimmer of light appears. Oncoming train? It's the tunnel openings at the Whittier side, 2.5 miles away. Big vaulted doors on each side of the tunnel. 10 minutes later, darkness turns to daylight, as we exit the tunnel, with nine lanes of traffic waiting to come in. They air out the tunnel between trips with jet turbine ventilation. Of course it is raining as Whittier Alaska on the far side of the tunnel is the rainiest city in the United States, with almost 200 inches of rain per year, and over 9 inches of rain in July, it's driest month! We join a line of tourist buses next to port for our boat cruise on Prince William Sound, the main reason anyone comes to Whittier. Five hours later we repeat the tunnel journey, going back to Anchorage. Oh by the way, the tunnel closes at 11pm leaving Whittier. Miss that closing, and you are SOL, with no means of getting out of town until 6am the next morning! Good way to meet face to face grizzly bears hunting at night! read more

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We passed through Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel on our way to Whittier to board a cruise ship. I've never seen anything like this tunnel -- it had been built during WWII to transport materials and since it would be too costly to built a separate passage for cars, they decided to build the tunnel highway directly over the railroad tracks. If you're planning to drive through the tunnel, make sure to check times as there are scheduled times -- traffic going out of Whittier and traffic going into Whittier alternate every half hour. There's a cutoff time in the evening for cars leaving Whittier so if you happen to miss that cutoff time then you'll be spending a night in Whittier. Prior to go time.. cars and other vehicles lined up in their respective queues since different toll fares apply based on type of vehicle. After the tunnel is clear of cars coming from the opposite direction and the traffic light signaled green.. our coach was the first to go through the tunnel. It was neat to go through the tunnel but I was sure glad I wasn't driving since it's a single lane tunnel the width of one vehicle without much clearing between your vehicle and the tunnel walls. Concentration is definitely a must as you drive along the 2.5 mile tunnel highway. Definitely a neat experience. read more

Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel - Going through the tunnel - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Whittier, Alaska

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With as much as I utilize the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel these days, I almost feel as I am a resident of Whittier. Or at least I should be buying a punch card . The Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel is a unique and interesting beast when it comes to Alaska travel and the fact is there are very few places like it throughout the US. The longest tunnel in North America at 2.5 miles passes under Maynard Mountain and is shared by trains and cars traveling in both directions and is funded by tolls for private vehicles. During the summer the cars leave on the half hour to Whittier between 5:30 a.m. and 10:30 p.m. But keep in mind that the trains have priority so you may find your departure time to Whittier sliding by about 10-15 minutes. Once you make your way to the tunnel operations and pay your toll, cars, trucks, tour busses, boats, you name it begin to line up in several different lanes to await their turn to go through the tunnel. Prices start at $13.00 per vehicle but there are also seasonal passes and punch cards that are available for discounted toll passage. The punch cards do not expire. If you are traveling to Whittier note there is no cell service in the Portage Valley so you won't be able to connect until after you pull through on the Whittier side, or until you reach the Seward Highway on the Bear Valley side. It is important to note that this tunnel is not open 24 hours a day. So unless you want to be stuck in Whittier for the night you will want to plan your journey accordingly. On the Whittier side is a nine lane staging area. You only need to pay on the Bear Valley side. With all the recreational opportunities that exist in Prince William Sound and the growth they are continuing to talk about by possibly expanding the road out to Shotgun Cove, the tunnel use may grow in the future. Currently it is estimated nearly 50,000 vehicles use the tunnel each month. All in all it is an interesting experience and one in which visitors think is a unique Alaskan experience. And on a crystal clear day when you come through the tunnel and see the waters of Prince William Sound and the accompanying mountains, it can be awe inspiring. I really do need to get that punch card. read more

This is Review #800 and for all of my _00 reviews I try and pick a place that's special to me. As a transportation activist and railroad fan the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, aka: Whittier Tunnel has been on my bucket list for over 30 years. And at the end of 2017 I finally got to ride through it twice. Let's do this. I got to ride along with two Alaskan locals who lived in Whittier for a few years and they gave me insights into the tunnel that outsiders may not know. First and foremost, KNOW THE TUNNEL SCHEDULE. As per the tunnel website at the time I wrote this review in Jan 2018: Winter Tunnel Schedule: Effective October 1 to April 30 - Open daily 7:00 am to 10:45 pm Summer Tunnel Schedule: Effective May 1 to September 30: Open daily 5:30 am to 11:15 pm Check the official tunnel website first for the latest schedule, alerts, or changes and don't rely on the above info as accurate. Traffic changes direction about every 15-20 min. While the operators try and stick to the schedule, train traffic always gets priority preference and delays do happen. On the Bear Valley or West side past the toll gate there are restrooms which you might want to stop at before lining up to wait your turn to enter the tunnel. Unless you are a first responder / law enforcement / etc when the gates close for the night if you are on the Whittier side for example and you are supposed to be in Anchorage you are STUCK until the tunnel reopens. No exceptions. This is North America's longest highway tunnel at 2.5 miles in length. It is also a rarity in that it's also an active train tunnel as well. The tunnel is actively managed by a traffic control system and the tunnel has extensive cameras and monitoring systems in place. You will not encounter a train while driving in the tunnel. The tunnel has a speed limit of 30 mph. Due to the embedded rails in the roadway surface driving through it can make some people a little anxious as your tires will slightly catch or ride the grooved rails from time to time. Also some drivers will go slow so patience is a must when driving through it. For those who are safety concious there are pull outs, safety phones and safe rooms every 1600 ft. Another item of note. When travelling through the tunnel the doors at one end of the tunnel will likely be closed to assist with ventilating the tunnel. This can be a little weird as you're approaching the end of the tunnel and the door seems to lift up at the very last minute. Don't worry, it will open. Also if you're waiting on the other side it can take 5 min or so from when the tunnel door opens before you get the green light to proceed into the tunnel. Again patience is a must here. Be prepared for the weather to be different when you come out of the tunnel. On our visit the sky was partly cloudy on the West side. We came out the other side looking at Whittier and it was starting to snow. Cost: $13 for passenger cars / light trucks. It goes up if you're pulling a trailer or in a commercial vehicle. So with all that, is it worth the time and $13 one way to drive it? Absolutely yes. The views of the Turnagain Arm and Portage Lake as you approach from the West are beautiful. And on the Whittier side as you leave the tunnel look up the mountain to your right. There is a glacier there, it's small, but if you've never seen a glacier before it's a view you will never forget. The blue ice in the glacier is a sight to behold....and the view of Prince William Sound in front of you will be unforgettable as well. One other caution: The road from the Seward Highway / Alaska 1 up to the West entrance of the tunnel can be very slippery and dangerous in inclement weather. Just because you can drive in ice and snow in the lower 48 doesn't mean you can blast through this road in the winter. The wind can be fierce, and if you mess up you could be waiting a very long time for help to arrive. So be careful. But by all means if you can make the trip through the tunnel, DO SO! 5 Stars: Knowing it's history, looking at the spectacular views on both sides, and the challenge of driving to it and through it, nothing less than 5 Stars is appropriate. read more

It's a tunnel, nothing more or less. It would have been nicer if they let the vehicles through before the train. As such, the people in 75+ vehicles had to wait 20 additional minutes for the tunnel to vent the train exhaust. read more

Great! Do it! We chose to do the Portage Pass Trail hike specifically so we could travel through this tunnel. I doubted whether it would be worth the effort, but it totally was. It was a unique experience that I'm really glad we added on to our trip. read more

It's a 2.6 mile tunnel that goes ONE WAY. It's the ONLY WAY to get into Whittier. The rocks drip water from the rocky crags above, inspiring...confidence? Once a year, you can WALK the tunnel. Pretty cool. Make sure you memorize the tunnel tables. Summer: TIME DIRECTION 5:30 - 5:45 am Bear Valley to Whittier 6:00 - 6:15 am Whittier to Bear Valley 6:30 - 6:45 am * Bear Valley to Whittier 7:00 - 7:15 am Whittier to Bear Valley 7:30 - 7:45 am Bear Valley to Whittier 8:00 - 8:15 am * Whittier to Bear Valley 8:30 - 8:45 am Bear Valley to Whittier 9:00 - 9:15 am Whittier to Bear Valley 9:30 - 9:45 am Bear Valley to Whittier 10:00 - 10:15 am Whittier to Bear Valley 10:30 - 10:45 am Bear Valley to Whittier 11:00 - 11:15 am Whittier to Bear Valley 11:30 - 11:45 am Bear Valley to Whittier 12:00 - 12:15 pm Whittier to Bear Valley 12:30 - 12:45 pm Bear Valley to Whittier 1:00 - 1:15 pm Whittier to Bear Valley 1:30- 1:45 pm Bear Valley to Whittier 2:00 - 2:15 pm Whittier to Bear Valley 2:30 - 2:45 pm * Bear Valley to Whittier 3:00 - 3:15 pm Whittier to Bear Valley 3:30 - 3:45 pm Bear Valley to Whittier 4:00 - 4:15 pm * Whittier to Bear Valley 4:30 - 4:45 pm Bear Valley to Whittier 5:00 - 5:15 pm Whittier to Bear Valley 5:30 - 5:45 pm Bear Valley to Whittier 6:00 - 6:15 pm Whittier to Bear Valley 6:30 - 6:45 pm Bear Valley to Whittier 7:00 - 7:15 pm Whittier to Bear Valley 7:30 - 7:45 pm Bear Valley to Whittier 8:00 - 8:15 pm Whittier to Bear Valley 8:30 - 8:45 pm Bear Valley to Whittier 9:00 - 9:15 pm Whittier to Bear Valley 9:30 - 9:45 pm Bear Valley to Whittier 10:00 - 10:15 pm Whittier to Bear Valley 10:30- 10:45 pm Bear Valley to Whittier 11:00 - 11:15 pm Whittier to Bear Valley The tunnel is not open 24/7, it shuts down and then you will be stuck in Whittier for the night, when the Whittier Werewolves roam the lands. Lotta history in that there town, be a shame to get caught there for the night...yep. read more

Alright, so driving around the Alaskan Countryside today, I kept running into a British bloke, with the same rental car as me. It became somewhat of a joke, neither of us had a clue where we were going, but were ending up in the same places. He mentioned Whittier to me. For some reason, he had been wanting to see the town since he was a child-. WHY? Well, it has quite a history, going back to WWII, and is pretty interesting. The one thing that made me want to go was the tunnel. It is the only access point to this town, other than the Prince Williams Sound. It has been carved into the middle of a mountain, and only has room for one lane of traffic. Trains use it too! So, each 1/2 hour, one side of the road is closed, crossing gates go down, and the cars and trucks wait for 30 minutes for the other side to go. Randomly, both sides are stopped so a train can get through. Imagine, driving underneath a mountain in a dim, dank, and dark tunnel. Falling rocks are a very common thing, and water seeps in through the ceiling. Emergency phones are accessible about every 200 feet. Pull off safety houses are available, with signs stating- if you see flashing lights, go to a safe house! The safe house is through a door in the side of the mountain... Totally BIZARRE!! AND--the narrow road, surrounded by mountain and completely enclosed has Railroad tracks in the middle of it! Your wheels continually get stuck in the track ruts. Kind of felt like I was in the twilight zone- it was worth the 12.50 to drive through! On my way back to the park, and out of Whittier itself, I saw a bright light at the end of the tunnel. I kept wondering what it was, and if they ever accidentally let cars in from both sides at once. It would mean a head on collision... as I let myself get freaked, I came out the other end. It was a train waiting- much worse than a car! GREAT DRIVE- if you are in the area- do it! read more

Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel - tunnel with train - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Whittier, Alaska

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The Whitter Tunnel is an interesting one to say the least! 2.6 miles long running thur a mountain! It took 306 days to build. Beware of falling rocks and melting snow that leaks into the tunnel. A one line tunnel that both cars (some with huge boats lached on to their rigs) and the Alaskan Railroad use to gain access to the town of Whitter. You're only allowed to drive through when directed, depending which side of the tunnel your on. The tunnel opens and closes at a certain time, think last exit from Whitter is midnight so make sure to check times. read more

The journey to Whittier begins with beautiful scenic glaciers...then you wait to enter a single-lane tunnel which opens on the half-hour every hour. It's the longest tunnel of its kind in North America and begins the quirky visit to Whittier which is a sight in and of itself. You have to drive carefully in the tunnel and it's metered so that vehicles are well spaced out. It's a great way to launch into the curiosity that is Whittier, AK. read more

It was the coolest and only way to get to Whittier driving. The tunnel is about 2.5 miles long and is narrow. It is a rotating one way route. Traffic leave Whittier on the hour mark and traffic go to Whittier on the half hour mark. The cost is $13 round trip and payment is due at the going to Whittier side of the tunnel. read more

Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel - $13 round trip per car. - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Whittier, Alaska

The longest tunnel in North America for 2.5miles. One way at a time to go in and out of Whittier (every 15mins). The cost is $13 roundtrip. Nothing to do in Whittier but this is worth the adventure. Not recommended for the claustrophobics since its a long dark tunnel! read more

Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Whittier, Alaska

Pretty neat part of the trip. It is amazing that a tunnel can be blasted through the mountain. The toll is reasonable and you only pay going in. Coming out is free. They are pretty efficient in getting everyone through. There are no services there where you wait to go IN so go to the bathroom and get coffee BEFORE you get there. There is a lodge just prior to the entrance but not very good signage so keep a lookout for it. The lodge doesn't open til 9AM so plan accordingly. read more

This is most certainly the longest stretch of road I've ever driven in a tunnel. Which is no surprise since it's the second longest highway tunnel. Cars have to line up on each side since the tunnel is one-way traffic only. And you may be help up longer if there's the AK railroad train coming through with cruise passengers. However, the wait isn't usually more than 15-30minutes, so it's not a big deal. Driving through was interesting; you don't go more than 30mph, so you have time to let it soak in just how much blasting they had to do to get this accomplished. Really cool! read more

Unique single lane tunnel with a traintrack going through it! The only road access point to Whittier which is quick (it takes about 5mins) and saves a ferry journey which is considerably more expensive! The cost is $12 but its worth it just to experience the tunnel! The tunnel is open every 1/2hr for 15mins so make sure you check the timetable. read more

It's worth the $12 just to go through the tunnel. The town is cute. There is a couple nice parks to go out and explore.

The tunnel is a very unique experience, as is the place it takes you. I have been many places and have seen many thing, but the tunnel and the city of Whittier are among the strangest. It may be worth the price of admission, but who knows!!! read more