Royal Alaskan Movers
Helpful Articles

Moving freight to and from isolated locations like Alaska can get complicated—and expensive—quickly. To help you budget for your next Alaska freight project, we’ll walk you through the factors we look at when we price out a shipment to or from the Last Frontier. Some of these factors may seem familiar. Others are particular to Alaska, a state in which only 18% of communities are accessible by road, and only about 31% of Alaska’s public roads are paved. Whether you’re moving machinery, medical equipment, construction equipment, materials, or supplies to or from Alaska, this article will offer you insights on your freight costs so you...

What, exactly, is life like in Alaska? In the Last Frontier, you’ll find an extraordinary mix of natural beauty, culture, food, lifestyle, and traditions that you won’t find anywhere else in the world. To give you an insider’s look at Alaska, we’ll focus in on the most fascinating traditions you’ll encounter in the state. Many of them come from the indigenous settlers of the area, the Alaska Natives. Other traditions have evolved through the practices and rituals of later arrivals to the state. All of them will give you a sense for what it’s really like to live in the Last Frontier. The Traditions of...

If you’re moving a significant number of items to or from Alaska, you’re likely looking at using a shipping container. (And you probably want to know how much it will cost!) Even though containers come in industry-standard sizes, quoting a price to move them requires a few special considerations. In this article, we’ll show you the three major factors that go into a quote for shipping a container to or from Alaska. With this knowledge, you’ll 1) understand your quote better and 2) know you’re getting the right price for your shipment. Whether you’re: A family moving from Alaska to the lower 48 with a...

When you’re moving freight that doesn’t require a 40-foot container, you might consider its smaller sibling, the 20-foot container. However, when you’re moving freight to or from Alaska, 20-foot containers present some surprising challenges. In fact, many carriers are phasing them out. Additionally, because 20-foot containers aren’t cost effective and tend to move more slowly, you might want to consider another option. In this article, we’ll explain more about why to reconsider using 20-foot containers for Alaska freight—and what alternatives are available. With this understanding, you’ll be able to maximize your efficiency, lower your costs, and keep your shipments moving with fewer delays. #1: 20-Foot...

In 2022, Alaska’s imports totaled $3.75 billion. Imagine that: nearly four billion dollars of goods, commodities, supplies, and materials that were all shipped to the Last Frontier. Getting freight to Alaska is only half the battle. Whereas in the lower 48, it’s pretty easy to throw freight on a truck and get it where it needs to go, that’s not the case in Alaska. Only 18% of Alaska’s communities are accessible by road, and only about 31% of Alaska’s public roads are paved. So how does all that freight get to—and around—Alaska? In this article, we’ll give you an overview of Alaska freight movement—and how...

Alaska is the sixth-most expensive state in the U.S. according to the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center (MERIC). If you’re considering a move to the Last Frontier—and looking for ways to do it on a budget—you’ve come to the right place. Living an affordable lifestyle in Alaska means considering a number of factors—utilities, groceries, housing, and more. We’ll take a look at some of these factors and offer several overall recommendations for living economically in Alaska. But first, let’s take a look at the factors driving the cost of living in Alaska. Understanding the Cost of Living in Alaska Data from MERIC offers us...