SEATTLE – Expect a lot of company aboard a state ferry over Labor Day weekend. Close to 400,000 people are expected to travel between Thursday, Aug. 28, and Monday, Sept. 1. This rush will end what is shaping up to be Washington State Ferries’ busiest summer since 2019.

The biggest crowds are anticipated on Saturday, Aug. 30. Since 2019, there have been eight days when ridership topped 90,000 – and all of them were Saturdays. Seven of those days happened this year, including:

• 95,361 on July 26.
• 94,222 on Aug. 9.
• 93,181 on July 19.
• 92,127 on Aug. 2.
• 91,457 on May 24.
• 91,011 on Aug. 23
• 90,882 on July 12.

“Thanks to support from Gov. Bob Ferguson, we have restored critical sailings systemwide and saw our busiest summer in years,” said Steve Nevey, head of WSF. “It’s exciting to see a significant increase in ridership, but we also urge riders to plan accordingly.”

Plan before you go 

People boarding a vessel in a vehicle should use the WSDOT mobile app or visit the WSF website before heading to the terminal. The app features sailing schedules, live terminal conditions, rider alerts, a real-time map and vehicle reservations.

Busy travel times

The busiest sailings for vehicles will likely be westbound (or onto an island) Thursday, Aug. 28, through Saturday, Aug. 30, then eastbound (or off island) Saturday, Aug. 30, through Monday, Sept. 1. To help with wait times, riders may consider taking an early morning or late-night sailing or by using transit to walk or bike onto the ferry if possible.

Holiday schedule changes

On Labor Day, Sept. 1, there will be a few holiday adjustments to daily schedules for the Anacortes/San Juan Islands, Edmonds/Kingston, Port Townsend/Coupeville and Point Defiance/Tahlequah runs. These changes are marked online on each schedule by route. Seattle/Bainbridge and Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth will run on their holiday timetables. 

People using state highways to get to a ferry terminal can plan for potential holiday travel backups and delays by checking real-time traffic information on the WSDOT mobile app or online using the WSDOT travel map feature.

WSF, a division of the Washington State Department of Transportation, is the largest ferry system in the U.S. and safely and efficiently carries tens of millions of people a year through some of the most majestic scenery in the world.