Skagway is reachable by sea, road, or air — rail is for excursions only, not arrivals. The most popular approach for independent travellers is the Alaska Marine Highway ferry from Juneau or other southeast Alaska ports; the journey up the Lynn Canal is scenic and the ferry docks in the heart of town.
By road, the South Klondike Highway (Yukon Highway 2) connects Skagway to Whitehorse in the Yukon, a roughly 175 km drive that crosses the White Pass and the Canadian border. This is the overland option for those coming from the interior of Canada. The road is open year-round but conditions can be severe in winter.
A small airport handles charter flights and connections to Juneau. Cruise ships dock at Skagway's pier from spring to autumn, and on peak days several large vessels are in port simultaneously — the town's population effectively multiplies tenfold.