Plan ahead if your holiday travels involve driving onto a ferry

Docking in the San Juans
Photo courtesy WSDOT

Hundreds of thousands of people will be dashing through the sea in white and green ferry boats through the end of the year.

Travelers planning a ride aboard Washington State Ferries this holiday season should prepare for busy sailings and long waits if boarding in a vehicle. Riders are also encouraged to regularly check online sailing schedules, as some timetables are dependent on staffing or may be affected by winter weather.

Customers can sign up for rider alerts to receive an update each night and morning on what schedule is operating on each route. The alerts also provide updates if staff shortages lead to unexpected service reductions.

Ferries are popular every holiday weekend. 

The busiest sailings will likely be westbound (or onto an island) Saturday, December 24, then eastbound (or off island) Sunday, December 25, and in the days after Christmas. 

To reduce or eliminate waiting, riders may consider taking an early morning or late-night sailing or walking on. On Christmas, December 25, and New Year’s Day, January 1, all routes will operate as a typical Sunday.