(Editor’s Note: This blog post first appeared on the Captain’s Blog)
Exciting news: the West Seattle Water Taxi will, once again, serve as a floating chariot to all of your summer (socially-distanced) adventures, and increase commuting options to and from downtown Seattle.
The new West Seattle summer sailing schedule kicks off Monday, April 19, and will:
- Be in service seven days a week from Pier 50 downtown to Seacrest Park in West Seattle
- Include late evening sailings every Friday and Saturday
- On weekdays, there will be sailings leaving the dock every 35 minutes during peak commute hours and every hour mid-day
This year, given available resources, the 2021 season will kick off two weeks later and end two weeks earlier than normal (October 15, 2021). It will also not operate late night departures from downtown Seattle during Seattle Mariners, Sounders and Seahawks night home games.
Passengers enjoy a 15-minute ride across Elliott Bay while enjoying panoramic views of the Seattle city skyline, Mount Rainier and Olympic Mountains. Riders also avoid traffic resulting from the closure of the West Seattle Bridge and paying to park downtown.
The Water Taxi is accessible by transit. In West Seattle, riders can take free Metro shuttles to and from the Water Taxi landing at Seacrest Park. Route 773 serves the West Seattle junction. Route 775 serves the Admiral District and Alki.
Adult fare is $5.75 one way ($5.00 with an ORCA card). Customers with lower incomes, seniors, and people with disabilities can now apply for an ORCA Regional Reduced Fare Permit (RRFP) card using the new Reduced Fare Portal. For a limited time, ORCA Youth card applications can also be submitted through the portal.
Sailings for the Vashon Island route remain unchanged throughout the year.
The summer sailing schedule will be posted on the Water Taxi website in coming days and is as follows:
Weekday Sailing Schedule
| Departs Seattle Pier 50 | Departs West Seattle |
| 5:55 AM | 6:15 AM |
| 6:30 AM | 6:50 AM |
| 7:05 AM | 7:25 AM |
| 7:40 AM | 8:00 AM |
| 8:15 AM | 8:35 AM |
| 8:50 AM | 9:10 AM |
| 10:30 AM | 11:00 AM |
| 11:30 AM | 12:00 PM |
| 12:30 PM | 1:00 PM |
| 1:30 PM | 2:00 PM |
| 2:30 PM | 3:00 PM |
| 3:25 PM | 3:45 PM |
| 4:05 PM | 4:25 PM |
| 4:45 PM | 5:05 PM |
| 5:25 PM | 5:45 PM |
| 6:05 PM | 6:25 PM |
| 6:45 PM | 7:05 PM |
| FRIDAY ONLY | |
| 7:30 PM | 8:00 PM |
| 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM |
| 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM |
| 10:45 PM | 11:00 PM |
Weekend Sailing Schedule
| Departs Seattle Pier 50 | Departs West Seattle |
| 8:30 AM | 9:00 AM |
| 9:30 AM | 10:00 AM |
| 10:30 AM | 11:00 AM |
| 11:30 AM | 12:00 PM |
| 12:30 PM | 1:00 PM |
| 1:30 PM | 2:00 PM |
| 2:30 PM | 3:00 PM |
| 3:30 PM | 4:00 PM |
| 4:30 PM | 5:00 PM |
| 5:30 PM | 6:00 PM |
| 6:30 PM | 7:00 PM |
| SATURDAY ONLY | |
| 7:30 PM | 8:00 PM |
| 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM |
| 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM |
| 10:45 PM | 11:00 PM |