Water Taxi trips expand

Foot passengers now have four new midday round-trip sailings to look forward to.

By Alex Bruell • July 2, 2024 4:30 pm
Wendy Aman photo Passengers step off the King County Water Taxi serving Vashon and Seattle on Thursday, during an inaugural sailing of the taxi’s expanded hours. The passenger-only vessel now runs in the middle of the day, not just mornings and evenings.
Wendy Aman photo Passengers step off the King County Water Taxi serving Vashon and Seattle on Thursday, during an inaugural sailing of the taxi’s expanded hours. The passenger-only vessel now runs in the middle of the day, not just mornings and evenings.

Doctor appointments on “Pill Hill;” grocery excursions at Pike Place Market or Uwajimaya; back-and-forth trips for downtown commuters — each of these will now be a little easier for foot ferry travelers.

Islanders and local civic leaders celebrated the expansion of King County Water Taxi hours on Thursday, June 27 with an inaugural ride of the four new roundtrip midday sailings. which plug a hole between the already-existing early morning and late afternoon / evening trips.

The new sailings are the result of the state Legislature this spring appropriating $3.17 million to fund the expanded service. The added trips are intended to provide some relief for the inconvenience and hardships islanders have endured as Washington State Ferries’ car ferry service between Vashon and Fauntleroy has become more infrequent and less reliable in recent years.

Increased water taxi service was a priority of Islanders for Ferry Action (IFA), an advocacy group convened last fall by the Vashon Island Chamber of Commerce to address ferry problems.

The push to appropriate money to expand water taxi service was spearheaded in the Legislature by first-term state Rep. Emily Alvarado of West Seattle, whose district includes Vashon, and supported on a local level by new King County Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda, whose council district includes Vashon.

The official sailing times now are:

Departing Pier 50 in Seattle: 5:30 a.m., 6:38 a.m., 7:40 a.m., 8:50 a.m., 11:25 a.m., 12:45 p.m., 3 p.m., 4:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

Departing Vashon’s north end: 6:10 a.m., 7:10 a.m., 8:15 a.m., 9:25 a.m., noon, 1:30 p.m., 3:45 p.m., 4:58 p.m., 5:58 p.m. and 6:58 p.m.

Fare is free for youth 18 and younger, and bicycles and pets are no extra charge. Seniors or disabled people pay $3 with a reduced fare permit, and adults pay $6.75, or a dollar less with an ORCA card. The water taxi holds 278 passengers.

The water taxi will sail on July 4.

Wendy Aman photo Passengers step off the King County Water Taxi serving Vashon and Seattle on June 27, during an inaugural sailing of the taxi’s expanded hours. The passenger-only vessel now runs in the middle of the day, not just mornings and evenings.

Wendy Aman photo Passengers step off the King County Water Taxi serving Vashon and Seattle on June 27, during an inaugural sailing of the taxi’s expanded hours. The passenger-only vessel now runs in the middle of the day, not just mornings and evenings.