Planning a local vacation? Visiting family on the island? As prices continue to rise, Washington ferries could become even more expensive.
Round-trip fares increased by nearly $10 on Tuesday. Round-trip fare from Edmonds to Kingston is currently $54.35 for a couple in a regular car. Round-trip fares between Bremerton and Seattle are the same.
washington ferry inslee: “We're going as fast as humanly possible” as the ferry boat enters the water.
Washington State Ferries (WSF) blamed the increase on price increases in response to the influx of spring and summer travelers, according to the Everett Herald. Also, expect wait times to be about an hour or two longer as warm weather encourages people to travel.
However, the Everett Herald reported that the surcharge was not added to multi-trip or passenger fees. Adult walk-on tickets are $9.85 and senior tickets are $4.90. Children 18 and under are free.
For those heading from Mukilteo to Clinton who don't want to pay the $3 surcharge each way, the Everett Herald recommended taking the scenic route through Deception Pass.
To plan the cost of your trip, visit WSDOT's fare calculator. To pay for your trip, WSF recommends obtaining an ORCA card. ORCA cards can be purchased online at the ORCA website or in person at various transit agencies. However, VISA, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover cards are accepted, along with cash, traveler's checks, and business account charge cards.
According to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), most ferries are loaded on a first-come, first-served basis. However, we highly recommend reserving a spot for your car on the Port Townsend/Coupeville and Anacortes/San Juan Island routes. Small vehicles such as walk-ons and motorcycles cannot be booked.
Travelers can also see the number of parking spaces available at each terminal in real time via WSDOT's live tracker on the department's website. You can also figure out ferry wait times on WSDOT's website.
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According to the Washington State Transportation Commission (WSTC), fares will decrease after the summer, but an overall 4.25% fare increase will begin on October 1st.
This increases the price by 50 cents to $1. For a detailed list of how fares for each ferry will be affected, visit this PDF from WSTC.
Julia Dallas is the content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read her story here. Follow Julia on her X, formerly known as her Twitter. here Email her here.
