Capital Transit offers a Ride Free Zone (see the Capital Transit Ride Free Zone Map below) for locals and visitors who may experience mobility issues or are interested in getting to the Capitol, the Juneau-Douglas City Museum, the Dimond Courthouse, the hostel or other locations at the top of the hill.

There are four bus stops in the Ride Free Zone – the Marine Parking Garage, on Franklin Street near the old Gunakadeit Park (Pocket Park), on Fourth Street near Rainbow Foods and the Downtown Transit Center.

For more information, contact Capital Transit at (907) 789-6901 or Capital.Transit@juneau.org

Capital Transit Ride Free Zone Map (PDF)

Approximate Travel Time

The one-way trip with Capital Transit from downtown Juneau to the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center can take up to 1.5 hours, which includes a walk of about 30 minutes. The bus ride can take up to 1 hour, and the closest bus stop is 1.5 miles (2.4 km) away from the Visitor Center.

There are several Cruise Ship terminals in the downtown area. Some are quite close to the Downtown Transit Center, but some terminals are up to 1.5 miles (2.4 km) away, which could result in an additional 30 minute or more walk in each direction.

NOTE: Various private tour companies offer “Glacier Shuttle” bus service or other tours from the downtown Cruise Ship terminals directly to the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center. These private buses normally only take about 30 minutes of total travel time from downtown to the glacier. Tickets for these private shuttles and tours can be purchased from vendor booths near the Cruise Ship terminal or on board the cruise ships, or tours can be booked in advance. Trip Advisor is just one of many sites that offer a list of tours that include the Mendenhall Glacier.

Cost

For a single ride on a Capital Transit bus, the fares are:

• $2 for an adult (19 or older, including seniors)
• $1 for a youth (6 – 18 years old)
• FREE for children 5 or younger.

Fares must be paid in cash (coins or bills, US currency only). Drivers are not able to make change, so please have the correct fare ready when boarding the bus.

Larger bills may be used to pay for groups: for example, if you have a group of 2 adults plus 1 youth, the total fare for the group is $5, and you may pay the fare for the entire group with a five-dollar bill.

Click here for more information on fares, including tokens and passes.

Riding the Bus to the Dredge Lake Road bus stop

The following routes provide service to Dredge Lake Road, which is the closest bus stop to the Visitor Center:

• 3 MENDENHALL VALLEY
• 4 MENDENHALL VALLEY
• 8 VALLEY EXPRESS

You can use Google Maps transit directions from the Downtown Transit Center to Dredge Lake Road to plan your bus ride.

Depending on which route you take, the bus ride can take about 1 hour. Please let the bus driver know that you are going to the glacier when you board the bus, and listen for the announcement for “Dredge Lake Road” so that you do not miss your stop.

Walking between Dredge Lake Road & the Visitor Center

After getting off the bus, walk about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) to the Visitor Center, which takes approximately 30 minutes. You can follow the Google Maps walking directions from Dredge Lake Road to the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center. The walk is flat, and follows a paved bike path which is wheelchair accessible.

Riding the Bus back to Downtown

You can catch a bus back to the Downtown Transit Center from the Dredge Lake Road bus stops on either side of the road, after walking back from the Visitor Center:

• 3 DOWNTOWN TC buses depart from Stop ID 439.
• 4 DOWNTOWN TC buses depart from Stop ID 469.
• 8 VALLEY EXPRESS buses depart from Stop ID 439, but will require a free transfer at the Valley Transit Center to a 3 DOWNTOWN TC, a 4 DOWNTOWN TC, or a 8 DOWNTOWN EXPRESS bus to continue to downtown.

You can use Google Maps transit directions from Dredge Lake Road to the Downtown Transit Center to return to downtown.

NOTE: On Sunday, the last bus to downtown departs from Dredge Lake Road at approximately 5:25 PM. On Monday through Saturday, the last bus to downtown departs from Dredge Lake Road at approximately 10:25 PM.

Please be at the bus stop 5 minutes before the listed departure time so that you do not miss the bus.

If you have any additional questions, please call Capital Transit at 907-789-6901, or check out the links below.

Capital Transit is making additional temporary adjustments to its service due to a continuing shortage of available drivers.Capital Transit selected the following routes for temporary suspension because they have the least impact on riders and core routes of service. Beginning Friday July 15^th, the following changes will go into effect:

• The morning and afternoon Route 12-North Douglas is cancelled.
• The afternoon Route 8-Valley Express leaving the DTC at 3:35 is cancelled.  Please catch the Route 4 for service to the Valley. All other Route 8 service is operating as scheduled.
• The morning Route 16-Taku Express is cancelled. Please catch the Route 10-Mendenhall Valley Commuter for a comparable replacement commuter bus service.

The updated Express & Commuter Bus Schedule will be available on the bus soon.

The updated Core Service Bus Schedule is available here.

Capital Transit apologizes for the inconvenience.

Starting Monday, December 27^th Capital Transit will be implementing the following changes: 

·         Route 15 Valley/UAS Express will resume service, Monday-Friday.

·         Route 6 Riverside Express will depart the airport at 38 minutes after the hour, and then head directly to Downtown from the Nugget Mall at 42 minutes after the hour.

·         Route 12 North Douglas morning run will go directly to the Downtown Transit Center, and then continue as the Route 15 Valley/UAS Express at 7:45 AM.

Due to driver shortage, both the Route 10 Mendenhall Valley Commuter and the Route 11 Douglas to Valley Express remain suspended until further notice.

Printable PDF of revised express and commuter schedule available here.

Capital Transit is temporarily adjusting its service due to a shortage of available drivers. Similar to driver shortage trends happening around the country, the City and Borough of Juneau’s public transit agency is down six drivers and has actively been recruiting for about two months.

Capital Transit selected the following routes for temporary cancellation because they have the least impact on riders and core routes of service, while still maintaining service to all areas. Beginning Monday, November 8, the following changes will go into effect:

• The afternoon Route 8-Valley Express buses leaving the DTC at 2:35 and 4:05 p.m. are cancelled. Regular Valley service will leave the DTC at those times. 

• The morning Route 11-Douglas to Valley Express is cancelled. Please catch the Route 1-Douglas bus and transfer to the Route 3-Valley bus at the Federal Building.

• The morning Route 10-Mendenhall Valley Commuter is cancelled. Please use the Route 16-Taku Express, or the Route 4-Downtown Juneau as alternatives.

• The morning Route 15-Valley/UAS Express is cancelled. Please use the Route 3-Valley, or Route 6-Riverside Express with a transfer to the Route-4 Valley at the Mendenhall Mall bus as alternatives.

Capital Transit apologizes for the inconvenience and anticipates returning to normal service in early January.

In the meantime, Capital Transit is hiring. If you or someone you know is interested in employment opportunities in public transportation, learn more about becoming a Capital Transit Service Technician here, a Transit Operator here, or see all CBJ job openings here. You can also contact CBJ Human Resources Department at 907-586-5250, or talk to Capital Transit Operations Supervisor Hal Kulm at 907-789-6901.

The City and Borough of Juneau is working with a contractor to make repairs to a water main that broke yesterday on Cordova Street on Douglas. Due to this, Cordova Street has been closed to uphill traffic, but remains open for downhill traffic. Uphill traffic is being diverted onto Nowell Avenue and drivers can use Fairbanks Street to access Foster and Pioneer Avenues.

Also, due to the partial road closure, there is no Capital Transit service on Cordova Street. Riders are asked to please wait for the bus at the Breeze In stop.

CBJ anticipates the partial road closure for the remainder of the day with normal traffic patterns returning this evening.

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For more information on the water main break, contact Utility Operations Superintendent Brian McGuire at 907-586-0393 ext. 4255 or brian.mcguire@juneau.org. For more information on Capital Transit, call 907-789-6901.

The City and Borough of Juneau’s Crest Street Reconstruction Project will begin on Monday, September 13, and will run until the end of October. A portion of Crest Street located between Old Dairy Road and Mallard Street intersections will be rebuilt and completely closed during this time. A new roadway, sidewalk, street lighting, and drainage features will be constructed. The public is asked to use caution in the area and abide by traffic signage and flagging. For drivers, access to Mallard Street will be via Jordan Ave or Alpine Ave.

Capital Transit is also adjusting routes on all buses servicing the Nugget Mall and changes go into effect Monday, September 13. Service changes include no service to bus stops behind the Nugget Mall, all Valley transfers occurring at the Mendenhall Mall, and modified routing for Express Routes 5, 6, and 8 buses:

• No service to the bus stops behind the Nugget Mall:
  • Transfers will occur at the Mendenhall Mall.
  • New temporary stops on Glacier Hwy in front of Nugget Mall near Jordan Ave and across the street in front of Jordan Creek Center.    

• Modified routing for Valley Buses (Routes 3 & 4):
  • Buses will provide service to the Mendenhall Mall both before and after traveling around Back Loop. 
    • Outbound to Mendenhall Loop Rd and Auke Bay buses will leave at :18 and :48 after each hour.
    • Inbound to Downtown buses will leave at :10 and :40 after each hour.

• Modified routing for Routes 5 & 6 Express Buses:
  • Downtown routing will begin across from Centennial Hall and travel down Willoughby Ave toward the Federal Building. This map shows Capital Transit downtown service routing.
  • Route 6 Riverside Express will provide service to the Juneau International Airport at :27 after each hour. Transfers to other buses can be made at the Mendenhall Mall. Route 5 University Express will NOT provide service to the Airport stop. The airport may also be accessed from the stops on Glacier Hwy near Shell Simmons Dr about 0.3 miles away. 

• Modified routing for Route 8 Valley Express:
  • No service to Franklin or 4^th St. Please wait for the bus at the Downtown Transit Center.
  • Buses will continue all the way around Back Loop to the Mendenhall Mall.
  • Mendenhall Mall to Downtown inbound service will be provided from 3:21 pm until 4:21 pm.  See modified schedule here. 

Next year, from spring 2022 to August 2022, the rest of Crest Street between Yandukin Dr and Mallard St will be rebuilt.

Construction began this month on the City and Borough of Juneau’s Capital Transit Valley Transfer Station project, located along Mendenhall Mall Road between Asiana Garden and Glacier Auto Parts/NAPA. Throughout September, there will be intermittent traffic delays and construction flagging during low-traffic daytime hours while CBJ-contractor Admiralty Construction performs underground utility work across Riverside Drive. The public is asked to use caution in the area and abide by traffic signage and flagging.

The overall project includes a new transit station that will be utilized as a rider transfer site, driver breakroom, public restroom, bus shelters, and parking lot for transit users. Several electric vehicle chargers and bicycle lockers will also be included. Construction work will include new water and sewer services, a new storm drain system, earthwork, concrete flatwork, and asphalt paving. Work is expected to take place through June 2022.

For more information, contact Capital Transit at 789-6901.

The City and Borough of Juneau’s public bus system Capital Transit has resumed regular service to the Bartlett Regional Hospital bus stop. The stop had been temporarily moved due to construction for CBJ’s Hospital Drive Reconstruction Project. Thank you for your patience during this phase of the project.    

For more information, call Capital Transit at 789-6901.

Beginning the week of June 21, Capital Transit bus service along Glacier Highway in Lemon Creek may be intermittently disrupted due to construction from the Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities Lemon Creek Improvement Project. Please note the following changes:

• Bus stops along this route may be intermittently moved to accommodate construction; please look for temporary Capital Transit bus stop signs. 
• Bus shelters along Glacier Highway from the Dragon Inn to Switzer Village will be temporarily removed, including the Anka Street shelters. Buses will still stop there unless the stop has been temporarily moved.
• Routes may also be delayed.

Your continued patience is appreciated. 

For more information on the service changes, call Capital Transit at 789-6901.