A summer of activities is just around the corner, and the King County Water Taxi is ready to help you get to all of them!

The summer sailing schedule begins April 15 and will run through October 11.  As we close out the current winter sailing schedule and prepare for summer, Water Taxi staff will temporarily suspend service over the weekend of April 13-14 to conduct training and maintenance.

Service for the West Seattle Water Taxi begins around 6 a.m. on weekdays and 8:30 a.m. on the weekends. The midday service remains in place, but our summer schedule includes the return of late-night sailings through 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, starting April 19:

Monday-Friday (*Friday late sailings)

Depart Pier 50 to West Seattle	Depart West Seattle to Pier 50
5:55 a.m.	6:15 a.m.
6:30 a.m.	6:50 a.m.
7:05 a.m.	7:25 a.m.
7:40 a.m.	8:00 a.m.
8:15 a.m.	8:35 a.m.
8:50 a.m.	9:10 a.m.
10:30 a.m.	11:00 a.m.
11:30 a.m.	12:00 p.m.
12:30 p.m.	1:00 p.m.
1:30 p.m.	2:00 p.m.
2:30 p.m.	3:00 p.m.
3:25 p.m.	3:45 p.m.
4:05 p.m.	4:25 p.m.
4:45 p.m.	5:05 p.m.
5:25 p.m.	5:45 p.m.
6:05 p.m.	6:25 p.m.
6:45 p.m.	7:05 p.m.
*7:30 p.m.	*8:00 p.m.
*8:30 p.m.	*9:00 p.m.
*9:30 p.m.	*10:00 p.m.
*10:45 p.m.	*11:00 p.m.

Saturday/Sunday (*Saturday late sailings)

Depart Pier 50 to West Seattle	Depart West Seattle to Pier 50
8:30 a.m.	9:00 a.m.
9:30 a.m.	10:00 a.m.
10:30 a.m.	11:00 a.m.
11:30 am	12:00 p.m.
12:30 p.m.	1:00 p.m.
1:30 p.m.	2:00 p.m.
2:30 p.m.	3:00 p.m.
3:30 p.m.	4:00 p.m.
4:30 p.m.	5:00 p.m.
5:30 p.m.	6:00 p.m.
6:30 p.m.	7:00 p.m.
*7:30 p.m.	*8:00 p.m.
*8:30 p.m.	*9:00 p.m.
*9:30 p.m.	*10:00 p.m.
*10:45 p.m.	*11:00 p.m.

There are no late-night sailings Sundays through Thursdays, including after-evening events at Lumen Field or T-Mobile Park.

“The Water Taxi is a great way to travel, especially on a sunny day,” said King County Executive Dow Constantine. “Whether you’re headed to work, a concert, a baseball game, or just want to take in the views of Elliott Bay, it’s a great time to leave the car at home and board the Water Taxi.”

Treat yourself! Take the opportunity to enjoy a 15-minute ride across Elliott Bay while enjoying panoramic views of the Seattle city skyline, Mount Rainier and the Olympic Mountains. Walk along Alki Beach or the downtown waterfront. And you’ll avoid the traffic of the West Seattle Bridge or paying to park downtown.

This summer will see the Rolling Stones come into town, followed by Kenny Chesney, the Foo Fighters, Metallica and Green Day. Along with the Mariners, Sounders and Seattle Reign FC, there will be lots of events taking place in Pioneer Square and downtown Seattle. The Water Taxi is a great way to get to those events and to connect you to transit options that will take you throughout the region. 

Bring your regular, electric or “fat tire” bike on board for a ride along Alki, or take your cat or dog for a trip across Elliott Bay. For pet parents who ride with us, cats must remain in their carrier and dogs must be leashed throughout the entire trip.

Ride free to and from the Water Taxi. Whether you live in West Seattle or are coming across Elliott Bay for a day of sun and fun, riders can take the free Metro water taxi shuttles to and from the dock at Seacrest Park, and between other destinations on 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.

How much does it cost to travel by Water Taxi? Adult fare is $5.75 one way ($5 with an ORCA card). Don’t have an ORCA Card yet? MyOrca.com is the place to go to purchase a card. If you want to use your mobile device to pay your fare, download the Transit GO Ticket app on your mobile device prior to boarding. Young people up to 18 years old can ride the Water Taxi, and most regional transit, for free! Customers with lower incomes, seniors and people with disabilities can apply for an ORCA LIFT card or an ORCA Regional Reduced Fare Permit (RRFP) card using the new Reduced Fare Portal.

Additional Vashon Island sailings! The Water Taxi also is looking forward to welcoming passengers for new midday service to Vashon Island on weekdays this summer, beginning on Monday, July 1. Information on the sailing schedule will be available in June.

Grab your shades and get ready for a Water Taxi summer. We can’t wait to see you on board!