Everything to know about living and working in the Yukon

There are three options for reaching the Yukon: road, air and sea.

Arriving in the Yukon by car

If arriving by car, there is only one possible route: the Alaska Highway, which starts in Dawson Creek, B.C. and ends in Fairbanks, Alaska. Make sure you equip your car accordingly, prepare for long distances between gas stations, flat tyres, etc.

If you are driving during the winter, be prepared for the roads to be covered in snow/ice. The Yukon has a lot of permafrost-affected roads, so you will need to learn how to drive on permafrost.

You will need to carry a survival kit (sleeping bag, something to make a fire, water, food, spare clothes, etc.) because in the event of an emergency, it can be a long time before a car passes by to help you.

Signal is very poor along this road (and in the Yukon in general), so you will likely only have phone reception when you’re close to the cities. Ideally, you should equip yourself with a satellite phone.

Also, be aware that you must have your headlights on at all times (day and night) when you are driving in the Yukon.

Note that there are currently no public buses that operate in the territory, so you will need your own car/van.

Arriving in the Yukon by plane

The international airport can be found in Whitehorse. Most flights will include a layover, often in Vancouver. The Yukon has a local company, Air North, which operates at a regional level, connecting smaller towns like Watson Lake, Mayo, Dawson City, Old Crow and Inuvik to other provinces of Canada.

Arriving in the Yukon by ferry

The more adventurous can choose to arrive via a ferry trip to Alaska. You can then reach the Yukon from Skagway (2-hour drive to Whitehorse) or Haines (4.5-hour drive to Whitehorse).

However, once you arrive at your end destination in Alaska, you will have to find your own means of transport to cross over into the Yukon. Hitchhiking may work, but locals can be hesitant to pick up strangers for border crossing. The Dyea-Chilkoot Trail Transport Company offers shuttles between Skagway and Whitehorse during the summer, but expect it to cost a lot.