(Early this morning – photo by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor)
We’ve been noting in our daily traffic/transit notes that the Water Taxi’s fall schedule change is almost here. It’ll follow a huge summer, this news release from Metro points out:
This summer, the water taxi’s theme was “Make it a Boat Day,” and it included extra sailings for Seattle Mariners weekday evening games and the World Cup tournament, along with its regular extended summer service on weekends (Friday and Saturday) to West Seattle. Tourists and residents of the region took advantage and made the 10-15 minute ride to West Seattle and the 22-minute trip to Vashon.
The results were the biggest ridership for both routes in close to a decade — including a record 8,552 boardings for the West Seattle Water Taxi on June 19 for the U.S. vs. Australia World Cup Match, shattering a single-day ridership record of 7,721 that stood since 2018.
As summer turns to fall, the water taxi is getting ready for its shift to reduced sailings starting on Saturday, Oct. 10.
Vashon returns to weekday only service
After a year of Saturday service and the “summer Sunday” service of 2026, the Vashon Water Taxi returns to operating 10 round trips Monday through Friday, starting Oct. 10.
Metro received approximately $1.1 million from the state legislature as part of the state transportation budget in 2025. Those funds supported one additional round trip on Friday evenings and Saturday water taxi service, which began in October 2025, as well as six months of Sunday water taxi service, which started in April 2026.
The funds supported the added service through October 2026. Thousands of Vashon Island riders took advantage of the additional service.
The 7:30 p.m. late Friday sailing from Pier 50 to Vashon also ends on October 10.
Fall and winter schedule returns for West Seattle
Late night Friday and weekend service for riders in West Seattle ends on Oct. 10 with the return of the annual fall and winter schedule. Seventeen round-trip sailings from Pier 50 operated through 6:45 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. Eleven round-trip sailings operate through 6:30 p.m. on Saturdays and -Sundays.
REMINDER
Ride free shuttle buses to and from the Water Taxi. The days may be getting shorter, but whether you live in West Seattle or are coming across Elliott Bay for a day of bargain hunting in the Junction, riders can take the free Metro water taxi shuttles to and from the dock at Seacrest Park, and between other destinations on the route.
-Route 773 will get you to the businesses and restaurants in the West Seattle Junction.
-Route 775 takes you along Alki and into the Admiral District
See the Water Taxi’s fall/winter schedule here.
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