This was my fist time on a ferry and I definitely enjoyed the experience. To some, the ferry is purely a means of transformation but for guests, it's an experience. We decided to take the ferry to Bainbridge island. We were able to take our car and our dog along with us. How sweet is that? I love how dog friendly Seattle is! This was a spur of the moment thing, we were driving by on our way to another destination and decided to stop and take a ride to whatever destination was next. Bainbridge island it is- we said, and we were in for a treat! The island itself was gorgeous but I'll save the details for the Bainbridge island review. As far as the Washington State Ferries go, we had an exceptional experience. We were not shy about the fact that we were riding the ferry for the first time, or by the fact that it was our first trip to Seattle. The employees here sent us off informed and they were so patient and polite. I think that anyone visiting Seattle should take a ride on the ferries. I mean, it's pretty good to be able to transport your family and car to an island to spend the day. read more

One of the simple pleasures in life... Grab a big cup of coffe, walk onto a Washington State Ferry, go up to the top deck and lean over the railing. Sooooooo cool. Morning or night, it's very primal experience. Wrigint this almost makes me want to move back to Seattle. Wait, it rains nine months out of the year up there. Oh yeah... nevermind. read more

If Rachel Ray has taught me anything at all, besides EVOO, it's to talk to the locals when in new territory. Well I did just that and the locals suggest you squeeze in time to take a ferry ride. I am so glad we did! Once in the building, there is a booth for Ferry 101. The nice guy manning down the station suggested we take the ferry to "Bainbridge Island" and walk about. I had heard that destination choice from the locals too so that was what we did! He also let us know the fare was good for a round trip. WTF? They don't nickle and dime you here? SCORE! Not like BART but kinda like the bridges in the Bay Area, you only have to pay for one direction. For two it was only 12 bux! As we boarded the ferry, we noticed below all the cars driving on board. Ohhhh, this was one of those real ferries, like you see on TV. I know, I'm such a dork but I thought this was 'neat' Once on board, it was very spacious and they had like a full on quicky mart. Not just like a counter with some snacks but a full on 7-11 type set up. The seating was abundant. They also had wi-fi and tables where lots of people were playing cards. On the way back, the kid convinced me to go outside. What a beautiful site! Bainbridge Island and Seattle both possess beautiful shorelines! This is a must see and do! read more

I always enjoy these rides when I travel over the pond. The commute is so relaxing. Watching the seagulls follow the boat from the third deck, feeling the wind blow through your hair, and just feeling like your free. I always look for any sea creatures in the water also. These are the routes I have done. Seattle to Bremerton..Go over to learn how to cook from a Chef drew Seattle to Bainbridge. Summer day ..just exploring West seattle to vashon. Spend a day with friend who runs a taxi co West seattle to port orchard.. Golfing Trip Edmonds to kingston. Drove over to La Push to go camping Mulkilteo to Whidbey Island. Friend owns a estate with a private lake San Juan Islands..Friends got married on at FRIDAY HARBOR resort Anacortes to Sydney BC. Weekend trip to Victoria Sydney to Port Townsend ..$8...One Way..what a deal !! If you have not indulged in a ferry ride to the other side of the water. You are missing out. Discover the quaint towns, little diners, and small town atmosphere of wa state. Relax and enjoy the ride !! read more

A coastal area with affordable ferries: the whole concept boggles my Canadian mind! We took a ferry from Coupeville to Port Townsend, and two people in a car cost less than $20! Just across the border in B.C. the fare for a car alone is $30-50 on most runs, not including the driver - a concept I've never understood. (How do they think the car gets on the ferry?) The boat itself was clean and free of mercifully clear of commercialism and gift shops. I even saw a guy with a dog up on the decks. How perfectly reasonable it all seems. I think I'll be exploring more of Washington's beautiful coast in the near future. read more

Ever since I moved to Washington back in August '12, I find myself on the ferry going back and forth between Bremerton and Seattle a lot. I work in Seattle now, so the ferry has been my favorite transportation. I love that it is always on time so it is easier to schedule in advance. I've only had one bad experience: I had a night shift that starts at 10 pm and I planned on catching the 9:05 pm ferry but it was cancelled, so I had to wait until the 11:40 pm, which brought me to work at midnight and losing 3 hours of which was not my fault. Luckily my co-worker was understandable. That was 3 hours that I could not get back and now I am weary about catching the ferry that takes me to Seattle TOO close to my hours at work. I would have to catch one that was about an hour or two BEFORE I am scheduled, which can be very inconvenient. I refuse to drive because I only have one car to share with my husband and he needs to go to work too. I work right off the Marion walkway so I do not have far to go. I only gave it four stars because of the story I just wrote out and the fact that every route has their own monthly pass. I thought that the Wave2Go would work for all ferry routes but I was wrong. I purchased the Seattle-Bremerton route for $103.00. If I wanted to get the Seattle-Bainbridge, I have to purchase a separate one. Back in Philly, where I am from--if you purchase a pass for public transpo, it goes for all modes of transportation using the same name. A Septa pass will get you on ANY routes running in the city including trains going INTO DELAWARE, which is not even part of Philly. Either or... I am satisfied with the commute. Im not complaining. Just stating my likes and dislikes. read more

Living on Bainbridge Island, the ferry is more of a necessity than an attraction, but every time I take the ferry I am reminded why I chose to live in the beautiful place that is the Pacific Northwest. Each ferry trip is uplifting, watching the sailboats pass by, the seaplanes fly above, listening to the adventures of mountaineers, hikers, and backpackers, watching people dance while others play guitars and violins, and simply enjoying the the magnificent scenery. I wish I could commute to work via ferry. I imagine those that do have some of the best commutes ever. Sitting at a table and chatting with all your other commuter friends or reading the newspaper while sipping your coffee sure beats sitting in your car in rush hour traffic for an hour wondering where you left your coffee cup. I only regularly take the Bainbridge Island to Seattle and occasionally take the Kingston to Edmonds, but I think that all the other routes are equally impressive. read more

I learned this lesson the hard way: avoid the ferry to Bainbridge Island from 3-7pm on any weekday. Yeah, it took awhile. But once on it was a pretty neat little voyage. read more

This was my first time taking the ferry across to Bainbridge Island, and it was such a pleasant ride for just $8 roundtrip. It was so much fun and the views were gorgeous. It did get pretty cold on the ride over, but they have the covered areas up on top so we just sat under there and enjoyed the views. The ride took around 30 minutes. Would I come back? Yes! It was a nice, cheap ride over to Bainbridge. read more

Love the ferry system. I have to go to Kingston a couple of times per week for work purposes. Those are the days I really look forward to. They load all the cars on pretty fast if that's the way you're going. Walking on is far more affordable so do that if it's an option or if you feel like being touristy and don't have any plans for the day. read more

Washington State Ferries - Ferries Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Such a cool experience. Visiting Seattle and took the ferry to Bainbridge for the day. Cool island, cool ferry, great experience. read more

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I love riding the ferries. I've never had a problem other than sometimes being stuck having to wait for the next one for an hour or more. It's a great trip for out-of-towners, but it's for sure not cheap! read more

Washington State Ferries - Early morning ferry ride - Ferries Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Taking the ferry to Bainbridge Island was one of the highlights of our trip to Seattle. You can walk on to the ferry but we drove our rental car, and it was really neat to see how they load and unload so many vehicles so quickly. Great views of Seattle. Neat quirks like the different seating areas indoors and out, the restaurant, people watching. A fun experience not to be missed. read more

Washington State Ferries - From the Bainbridge Island ferry - Ferries Near Me - Seattle, Washington

8:45 a.m. from Bremerton to Seattle.. The toll attendant just as rude as could be. Why? Idk seems he hates his job!!! 4:20 Seattle to Bremerton trip back. Delt with 3 RUDE parking attendants! I understand working with the public can be frustrating but come on YOU CHOSE this job! We the frustrating public keep you employed. So stop being such ASS HOLES!! read more

The first thing you should do if you are riding this ferry continuously - Sign up for ferry alerts. Bainbridge to Seattle - this route is the nicer of the two into downtown Seattle. Bainbridge side- early morning runs will be full of cars. Be sure to arrive early to make it on your boat. Seattle side - Same with the backup but it's later in the day. If you can make the choice to take Bremerton do it. Really weigh your ride options if you have a boat wait. In the summer Bainbridge route is almost always late especially on the later day runs. The 5:30 out of Seattle will leave on time maybe once a week. The ferry is full and there is no way to unload it with a short offload area in Seattle causing backups. It would help a lot if the ferry people would direct people to the two exits to help with offloading but they don't. Bremerton to Seattle -this route is the "red headed step - child of the two routes. Unfortunately, if a ferry goes down it is usual pulled from this route. In the winter the seats are pulled from this boat and put on others and you get hard seats. It is a longer route but usually on time. There is less of a back up then Bainbridge. Yes the cost of food is expensive onboard but it's there if you need it and it has some good options. Hot dogs, burgers, beer, wine, pretzels and small side snacks. You have to drink the alcohol in the galley. I cannot stress this enough. Share a table or get in line and save a table early. You cannot walk around with your beverages. It is posted everywhere and they make the announcement. They do not take AMEX which I really wish they did for points but it's a small thing. I really really wish for the amount I pay monthly that they would remain more on time. I understand that the cost will continue to go up over the years but the service remains the same :-( When loading your car even though the ferry worker is directing you to park close to somewhere or get to a spot. Make sure you can get out of your car. They will not check this for you and many many times I have been stuck in my car for the ride. The Bainbridge staff is a lot nicer than Bremerton they allow personal announcements and will even make an all post announcement for shared rides to airport. All in all this is a great transportation option to and from Seattle but you are stuck and at their mercy should something go wrong. I have learned to keep a change of clothes at work since they have been known to cancel boats and you can be stuck for hours. read more

Going places from Seattle on the ferries is so easy! Whether from Seattle to Bremerton or Bainbridge Island, or from Mukilteo to Whidbey Island, taking the ferry is so much easier than driving completely around the sound. And, the price is incredibly reasonable. Toll booths take cash and credit cards. Boarding in your car or on foot is a breeze. Anyone from out of town should take the ferry rides just for fun, if nothing else. In a hurry and didn't get breakfast - there's even good food in the café. All aboard!! read more

It is NOT due to covid, the staff are unbelievably apathetic and rude. Why do they have a schedule, that would suggest there is a system when there is not. Reservations are an absolute joke, same line as everyone else, getting there an hour early in the winter is sometimes ok, but the summer get there 2 hours early then still miss the ferry and wait 3 to 6 hours. I have been taking this ferry since 1992, I should move off island and let them win. read more

Four stars - it is public transportation... The ferries are a great way to get around. Some times, it takes a little longer than driving the long way, but they are cool. I've done both drive on and walk on and the experience has been fine. Loading and unloading are impressively efficient - more so than loading an passengers on an airplane. Some routes have free wi-fi on board which is nice. The ferries seem quick and have snack bars on them. Surprisingly, with three kids, I haven't purchased anything from them yet. It is always surprising when you are in a bathroom with a trough urinal instead of individual stalls, but I keep reminding myself that we are on a boat. Car rates are steep, I couldn't imagine commuting this way, but eastbound rides are free for passengers. I've gotten lots of great photos on the ferries (my profile photo is one that my wife took). On top of being great transportation, they are a nice way to do some sight seeing. read more

One of the best ways to catch a "Seattle Postcard Photo" moment of the city, especially a shot of the Space Needle amongst the high-rise buildings of downtown. A friend and I drove onto the ferry boat headed towards Bainbridge Island, the closest neighboring island to Seattle. Once on board, you can head upstairs to their cafeteria area for some Ivar's clam chowder, bottled drinks, or other snacks. It's a relaxing 30 minute ride with awesome views of Seattle. Although in March, it was freezing to stand outside for very long given the wind-chill. It was a nice way to get a snapshot of a commuter ferry experience, which is definitely more relaxing than a bustling traffic-clogged freeway. For about $11 each way, I'd take this boat ride to see the city over the overpriced $16 elevator ride on the Space Needle any day! read more

Fastest ferries on the west coast! Or at least it seems like it. I finally had a good enough reason to use the ferry system here and was totally blown away by the speed, organization and service. Getting to any ferry location in Seattle and elsewhere is simple, though rush hour is a pain no matter where you are. Loading our car is a breeze and it seems like the only drawback were a few tourists who thought it was a race. (Shame on you Arizona!) The views are spectacular inside and out. Incredible day or night. The only problem was the ferry was so fast. Before you know it, the ride is over. Which honestly is great but makes you wish you had more time to just drool over the beauty of Washington. read more

I like the ferry. it's a signature part of Washington to me. Granted, it's not cheap or sometimes it can be late... but the ride has had the ability to be amazing on many counts. They run particularly efficient in terms of their system, it runs well... getting your car on and off... or even walking on (or running on drunk because you are slow, like myself sometimes). There are nice chairs on board, a cafeteria that serves slightly better food (and some beer and wine) to rival their vending machines. The ferry ride is a good time to tuck away your phone, push away your laptop and maybe plug into a book by the window or listen to your iPod. It really is a nice to get in touch with the landscapes of Washington. If it's not too cold, the upper deck can be a nice place to hang out. However, the most perfect ride recently involved my Snuggie... a nap, some music in a Jaguar with the man... So nice. read more

This is a lot of fun. And its way cheaper compared to the "cruise lines". (paid 7$ round trip for seattle to bainbridge island). I was not sure if I wanted to do an evening ride. However, i went to the ticket counter to ask about the schedules for the mornings. The ticket dude was so nice...he said, get on the ferry leaving just now...and when you come back you can see Seattle lights by the night. Boy, was he right!! Got some great views of Seattle by night. BAinbridge island is so quaint. Worth walking around for a while. I think this is a very good way to get entertained for a couple of hours and not spend a lot. read more

This is really one of the gems of Seattle that many people don't know about. The ferry to Bainbridge is super-cheap (like seven bucks round-trip), and it is an absolutely gorgeous 35-minute ride. Take your special someone on a trip and stand on the bow and do the Titanic thing. Take a constitutional and go by yourself and listen to relaxing music. There are few better ways in Seattle to clear your mind and reflect on the Emerald City's natural and man-made beauty. Bainbridge Island has a nice little downtown, but nothing in the way of nightlife. So the ferry is great for a Sunday morning/afternoon. The following is pretty important for those of you who aren't too fond of the cold: It is significantly colder on the Puget Sound than it is on land. Therefore, it would be wise to dress a little warmly (or bring a light jacket on a summer day that you can easily take off once you make port on the island of your choice). Personally, I love the feeling of a fresh and crisp breeze. It makes me feel so...alive. Hard to explain. Does anyone else share that sensation with me? So if you haven't taken the ferry during the summer, do yourself a favor and experience a great view for really cheap. read more

It's even better than how it looks on Grey's Anatomy or any other Seattle-based show/movie. Great views along the way and it's so much more convenient than driving around Puget Sound. Pretty cheap too. Very orderly how they line up the cars. And it seems like the same people usually ride the ferry at the same time, because everyone got out of their cars and chatted with each other. How friendly. Definitely worth getting out of the car to check out the views, even if it is super super windy. read more

Washington State Ferries - view going from seattle to bainbridge island - Ferries Near Me - Seattle, Washington

My absolute favorite form of public transit now, handsdown! I haven't stopped raving about how awesome this ferry is since the moment I rode it. I would literally consider moving to Seattle if it meant I could commute on this ferry every day (after 3+ years of commuting on the NYC subway system). Amazing views and so much open seating with various seating options including movie theater like seating, tables and chairs, and booths. You can also go outside on the viewing deck and take amazing pics of the views of Seattle. I rode the Seattle to Bainbridge Island Ferry and it was the most pleasant 25 minute or so commute of my life! read more

When i had my first full time job, as part of my job i use to take the ferries from Seattle to various communities of the sound. What a delight! To truly appreciate a ferry ride ... you need to understand that it's not where you're going but how you enjoy getting there. That's the ferry system. May be WADOT Ferry can steal that as tagline for their ads. I'm good with it. read more

I have to agree with the guy who asked if anyone who gave five stars actually commutes on the ferry everyday. Yes, I too heart the ferry as it reminds me of all things great about the pacific northwest - the puget sound, orca whales and dolphins, boating, view of the mountains and luscious landscapes. Anytime you don't actually have to be somewhere it is a wonderful experience and even more fun after a late night partying to stumble onto the ferry and not have to worry about driving. I also very much hate the ferry when it is late, you are paying an arm & leg to ride it and that increases every few months, they put up plasma screen tvs everywhere for safety announcements (which make you wonder about the recent rate increase), annoying announcements that come on multiple times a day from various public celebrities (celebrities meaning the traffic lady from kiro news radio), they decide that friday night is not a weekend night and so the last boat is at 1am instead of the normal 2:10 as well as food closes at 7pm. Overall I do enjoy commuting over a boat than a bus or sitting in a traffic jam but there is definitely much that could be done to improve the commuting experience. I'll stop complaining and be happy they brought back the beer and wine. read more

Im one of those people who rides the ferries not to get somewhere, but to be on the ocean. I'd been told by a few people that I could have taken one all the way into Victoria Island but since I didn't have a passport, that wasn't an option. Instead we settled for Bremerton. What's in Bremerton? As I said, it wasn't the destination I was interested in, just the trip. Being cold didnt stop us from sitting outside during the slow sunset and get the chill of the ocean water as we navigated through the lush green of the journey read more

We took the ferrie to Bainbridge Island, a 30 minute ride from downtown Seattle. It was great, the views the water it was gorgeous. I have to say though it was our luck to get stuck on bainbridge for an hour from the time we wanted to leave. One of the ferries broke down and so they only had one ferrie going back and forth so it was delayed. We were planning on leaving at 3:50 but didn't get on until a little after 5pm. The bright side of it all was that we were able to meet the Mayor of Bainbridge Island and his wife, they were on the way to see an Opera in Seattle. Not so luck for them they missed the first half =/ We had a great time though, great people, beautiful town, great food and icecream, we couldn't have asked for a better day! read more

I love the ferry. I love the idea that I can glide across beautiful and pristine (I like to pretend) Puget Sound on a huge boat. The views from the ferry are out of this world - particularly the city scape coming into/out of Seattle is fantastic. Sure, it is expensive. And it absolutely sucks when you miss a boat and have to wait *forever* for the next one. But the workers are nice. And you get to use the free wi-fi in the parking lot/terminal. You literally can't beat the views on the boats. I'm sure that if I had to commute on the ferry, I might not have a love affair with the ferry system - but to me the causal weekend user, I'm in love. read more

4 stars are only for those of you occasionally taking it as a leisurely trip to one of our fine little islands (or bremerton but why go there?). If on the other hand you are considering becoming a ferry boat commuter read below and find out why I hate the ferry system and give it a 1 star for commuters. booh booh ferry system. Too expensive, never on time, rude ferry workers and awefull EXPENSIVE food. It still baffles me that the prices are constantly going up, I blame it on the inefficiency of a government run 'business'. It is a regular occurence to wait 10 15 or even 20 minutes for a late boat. Ferry workers...actually I have gotten to know a number of them and they are an absolute delight but overall I've found them to be not so nice. I'm not even going to get into the food it just makes me too angry. In short 4 stars if it is an occasional occurence 1 if you commute regularly. read more

What a fun experience. I love taking the Seattle to Bainbridge Island ferry. It's a great view no matter which direction you're heading in. Always windy but it's worth getting your hair messed up to full enjoy the experience. I like to grab a beer at the small dining area inside. It makes the trip even more fun. I only wish California had more ferry opportunities. Freeways just aren't as fun and scenic. read more

Absolutely awesome! I'm used to the Sydney Harbour Ferries- and the ferries here in Washington are a zillion times better. Clean, cheap (only $6.70 to Bainbridge return!!!), huge (lots of places to sit inside or outside) , and they serve hot food- and beer! And awesome views. City, mountains.. everything. I was amazed that they also run until either 1 or 2AM depending on the day of the week. I am planning on becoming a regular to the Ferry System. I'm bummed that I've lived here a year and this was my first time. Proud to say I lost my Washington Ferry virginity this last weekend- and I'll be back for more. read more

WSF makes life more interesting- aside from cost- I wish I could ride it everyday and probably would live on the "other side"- aside from cost. Gotta love making out while coming into Seattle- the view is amazing! read more

Took the ferry to Bainbridge Island and back to Seattle twice on our visit. First time ever driving a car onto a ferry, but I did it so I could really tour the island once there. Great system (the whole getting on and off with a car). Decent prices $11 something for a car with a youth passenger and myself. You can relax indoors on comfortable chairs, at tables if you choose to eat onboard, or out on deck if you get beautiful days like we did. Can't beat the relaxing ride and the stunning views of the Seattle skyline and Bainbridge shoreline. A highlight for a tourist and what I'm sure is a great commute alternative for natives. read more

So as a transporation system, these are very cool. Surely you know about that. What I want to point out is that this is SO MUCH CHEAPER than an Argosy tour, or any other boat ride you might get - especially as a walk on. Is there any more beautiful site than the downtown skyline in the evening, as you approach from the Bremerton or Bainbridge ferry???? Do you need to just clear out your head a bit? Walk on and take a little boat ride. So cheap. So near. And I think they still sell beer. :-) read more

Man, I love the ferries on Puget Sound. If I ever move to the Seattle area, I'll probably opt to live somewhere where I need to take a ferry at least once a week to get to a meeting, or maybe even every day to get to work. Every time I ride one of the ferries, I wonder about all the fools stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic on Interstate 5, spending about 260 hours per year (= about 33 days) jockying for position. And that's only if they're commuting an hour per day total -- many people spend twice that time commuting in Seattle's traffic nightmare. What's not to like? You're on the water, and you're chilling out with a newspaper and coffee (morning) or paperback and beer (evening). They now have free Wi-Fi (unlike crappy Sea-Tac). You can sit inside, or go out on a deck and let the sea air hit you in the kisser. Sweet ride. Okay, to be honest, there is one thing to dislike. During certain times of the day and/or the year, the lines to get vehicles on ferries can be horrendous. That's the only reason for the lack of a fifth star. read more

I LOVE the washington state ferries!! Granted they are getting more and more pricey (thank you tim eyman) but you can't beat the view from here. Granted I don't use these to commute to/from work, and they can/are crowded on weekends on holidays - especially in summer - but I love going on the ferry and unless I'm in a hurry don't mind getting stuck waiting in the ferry line, especially if I'm at one of the ferry terminals that has an ice cream shop - can't remember which one that is but eating ice cream waiting for the ferry? Pretty nice most days. read more

Unlike most public transit in this city, the ferries seem to run by their published schedules. That alone is a blessing for somebody who uses this means of transportation several times throughout the year to go and visit family across The Sound. As foot traffic goes, there are few complaints really. For one who has only been with vehicle on a couple occasions the only complaint I can bring up is that sometimes the folks who direct parking onto the boat, seem to get confused, and then frustrated easily. This is a rarity though (by my count). The rides are fairly timely, and I've always enjoyed them, and the scenery they provide while just listening to music, or short breaks between paragraphs reading or writing. The food, is overpriced for the most part, considering the quality, but it should be noted that people should expect this, and understand what they're getting themselves into if they are that hungry. The burgers are ok, if you never had a problem with school food. Pretty standard items, nothing to complain about really. Those slight things, might not be alone to warrant a miss of the five star mark, however since their inability or unwillingness to take control of the property just outside the doors of the terminal has lead to quite a number of uncomfortable incidents, I can't justify giving it a perfect mark. The vultures who wait around for anybody coming off the boat home are annoying, and sometimes very disrespectful to the licensed cab drivers who are actually doing their jobs. read more

The best way to travel from Anacortes to San juan islands ( Friday harbor) is through Washington state ferry from Anacortes. Well organised, clean ferry,on time and easy travel. ~45 minutes of fun time.Kids have puzzles to play. Kudos to entire team. Will travel again and again For anyone travelling with a car-Please reserve your spot early and make it easy to travel. read more