Check Seattle–Bainbridge Ferry Status

BEFORE YOU LEAVE

Five checks in the right order

1. Open the official round-trip schedule and confirm the date and direction.
2. Check WSF bulletins for a Seattle/Bainbridge cancellation, delay or terminal alert.
3. If driving, open the applicable terminal page for approximate holding-area space and camera views.
4. Use VesselWatch for location context, not as a guarantee of a sailing time.
5. Review the official fare page and ticket rules; buying a ticket in advance does not reserve vessel space.

TERMINAL STATUS

What “spaces available” leaves out

• Seattle and Bainbridge terminal pages show approximate vehicle space available in the holding area.
• Vehicles that have not yet passed a tollbooth are not counted in that figure.
• WSF specifically advises checking terminal cameras for vehicles queued outside the tollbooths.
• The display uses availability bands of 60%–100%, 10%–60%, under 10%, or cancelled/unavailable.
• A camera is a periodically refreshed view, not proof of vehicle capacity or guaranteed boarding.

TICKETS & BOARDING

Rules specific to this route

• Seattle–Bainbridge vehicle loading is first-come, first-served; WSF’s vehicle-reservation routes do not include this route.
• Passenger and vehicle/driver fares are collected at Seattle. Bainbridge collects vehicle/driver fares, while passengers and bicycles traveling Bainbridge to Seattle do not pay.
• Purchasing a Wave2Go ticket does not guarantee space on a vessel.
• Children and youth under 19 travel free, although a teenager driving a vehicle pays the adult vehicle-and-driver fare.
• WSF advises Seattle walk-on passengers to arrive about 15 minutes before the scheduled sailing.
• At Bainbridge, WSF advises bicyclists to arrive 20 minutes before departure to be loaded at the beginning of the process.

ROUTE-SPECIFIC TIPS

Use the official information correctly

1. Check the round-trip schedule because departure times differ by direction.
2. Look for Seattle/Bainbridge wording in system-wide bulletins before assuming an alert applies.
3. Check the displayed travel date; WSF schedules change by sailing season.
4. Do not treat a vessel name on today’s schedule as permanently assigned to this route.
5. Use terminal cameras alongside—not instead of—the holding-space display.
6. Buying a ticket ahead may save transaction time but does not move a vehicle ahead in the line.
7. At Colman Dock, walk-on access includes the Marion Street Bridge and elevators from Alaskan Way.
8. Do not reroute through Bremerton without separately checking its schedule, vehicle conditions, road distance and ticket requirements.

COMMON QUESTIONS

Avoid the common traps