Pick the Right Water Taxi Route and Fare Before You Board

Take the King County Water Taxi to West Seattle when you want a short outing that stays inside the city. Take it to Vashon Island only when the island itself is the destination and you already know how you will get from the ferry terminal to wherever you are going. Both passenger-only routes leave from Pier 50 on the downtown waterfront, and both are planned best by picking the return sailing first and fitting the outbound boat around it.

This guide carries verified 2026 fares for the Vashon route. West Seattle fares, schedules, and connections were not verified for this guide; check King County directly before you rely on them.

West Seattle or Vashon: Which Route Fits Your Day

The King County Water Taxi runs two routes from Pier 50: one to Seacrest Dock in West Seattle and one to the Vashon Ferry Terminal.

The Vashon crossing takes about 22 minutes. Secondary route information describes West Seattle as the shorter crossing, but no current estimate was verified for that route, so use King County’s published figure rather than a number from an older page (route overview).

Choose West Seattle if you have part of a day, want to stay within the city, or want the shorter time on the water. Confirm the current fare, payment options, schedule, advisories, and the transit connection from Seacrest Dock before you leave downtown.

Choose Vashon if the island is the point of the trip and you can get away from the terminal. A 22-minute crossing does not make the places you want to visit walkable from the dock; the land portion is where a Vashon plan succeeds or fails.

Vashon Fares for 2026

These are verified 2026 Vashon route fares. They do not apply to West Seattle, which needs a separate check with King County (official Vashon fare information).

The reduced senior or disabled fare requires a Regional Reduced Fare Permit. Paying with ORCA saves an adult $1 per crossing, and Pier 50 has an ORCA vending machine if you need a card before boarding.

Bicycles and pets have no additional fare on the Vashon route. That policy does not guarantee space or set handling rules. Confirm current rules for bicycles, e-bikes, carriers, or bulky equipment before you travel.

Pick your route and enter your group; the fare total updates below.

Check the Return Sailing Before the Outbound One

Operational information in this guide was verified September 18, 2026. Check the official King County Water Taxi page for schedules and service advisories immediately before travel.

The Vashon schedule reviewed for this guide runs from April 11 through October 9, 2026. For travel after October 9, use the replacement schedule King County publishes on the Vashon route page. Individual sailing times are not reproduced here because the right schedule depends on your route and date, and West Seattle operating patterns need their own check.

Work through the trip in this order:

1. Choose the return sailing that fits your plan. Leave a comfortable margin rather than defaulting to the last boat of the day.
2. Confirm the outbound sailing gives you enough useful time at the destination.
3. Read the service advisories for cancellations, delays, terminal changes, or other notices.
4. Verify the onward connection at the destination: shuttle, bus, walking, cycling, or a prearranged ride.
5. Check live vessel status shortly before you leave. Water Taxi Watch shows vessel locations and status for both Pier 50 routes.

Live tracking is a momentary snapshot. It does not guarantee a sailing will depart on time and it says nothing about how reliable the service is across a season. Use it alongside the dated schedule and the advisories, not instead of them, and do not time a last-minute arrival at the terminal off the boat’s position on the map.

Getting to Pier 50 Without a Car

Pier 50 is the downtown terminal for both Water Taxi routes. There is no parking at Pier 50; nearby options are paid lots and metered street parking, which is a reason to arrive on foot or by transit rather than building the day around a car.

The terminal connects with downtown buses and Link light rail. Which connection is most useful depends on where you start and when you travel, so use a current transit planner rather than a fixed route list.

At Pier 50 you will find:

• An ORCA vending machine for buying or reloading a card
• A covered waiting area
• Bus and Link light rail connections
• Restroom access through the neighboring Washington State Ferries terminal

That amenity list does not establish a reservation policy, a boarding cutoff, a universal payment method, or full accessibility arrangements. If you need a specific accommodation or travel with mobility equipment, ask the operator about the terminal, vessel, and sailing you intend to use.

On the waterfront, look for Pier 50 and the King County Water Taxi signage, confirm the route and advisory status, and follow posted terminal instructions.

What Waits at the Vashon Ferry Terminal

The Vashon Ferry Terminal has:

• Ticket vending machines
• Restrooms
• An indoor waiting area
• Snack and drink vending machines
• A nearby restaurant

Free parking is available nearby and uphill from the terminal. The incline can matter for travelers with limited mobility, so do not read the parking location or the amenity list as a complete accessibility assessment.

The crossing is the easy part of a Vashon day. Your plan also has to cover transportation between the terminal and your destination, and enough time to get back for the sailing you chose.

Build the Outing Around One Anchor

Keep the itinerary simple enough to survive a missed connection or a change in weather. Four elements are enough:

1. One route: West Seattle or Vashon, not both.
2. One destination anchor: a neighborhood, waterfront stretch, meal, or other primary stop.
3. One confirmed return sailing, chosen before you leave downtown.
4. One weather-ready fallback: a shorter or more covered version of the same outing.

For West Seattle, pair the crossing with one neighborhood or waterfront anchor near Seacrest Dock. Verify the current shuttle or transit connection from the dock before committing; older visitor information names specific shuttle routes, but route numbers and operating patterns change. If the connection does not fit your schedule, shorten the outing rather than adding a distant stop.

For Vashon, decide before boarding how you will leave the terminal and get back to it. A workable car-free plan could use a confirmed transit connection, a prearranged ride, or a bicycle, and whichever you choose has to line up with your return sailing. A bicycle gives you the most flexibility on the island, but confirm current capacity and boarding rules first; a no-charge bicycle policy is not a promise of space on the boat.

For rain, keep the crossing and shrink the land portion: one covered stop, an indoor anchor, or a shorter waterfront plan. Adding several backup destinations turns a simple ferry trip into a day of uncertain connections.

Before you head to Pier 50, repeat the schedule, advisory, and live-status checks, and still allow enough time to reach the correct terminal.

The Water Taxi Is Not the Bainbridge or Bremerton Ferry

The King County Water Taxi is the passenger-only service from Pier 50 to West Seattle and Vashon Island. Its fares, schedules, terminals, and boarding guidance do not apply to the Bainbridge or Bremerton crossings, which are a different operator running from a different terminal. A search result that says “Seattle ferry” may be describing any of them.

Make one last three-part check before leaving:

1. Correct operator: King County Water Taxi
2. Correct destination: West Seattle or Vashon Island
3. Current return schedule: verified for your route and travel date

West Seattle suits the shorter urban outing. Vashon requires more planning beyond the dock. Whichever you pick, start at Pier 50 and organize the trip around a return sailing that leaves you a comfortable margin.