Family with tier dog riding the King County Water Taxi

‘Seize the Bay’ and enjoy a day on the Water Taxi

The back-to-school ads are out, sunset is before 9 p.m., and football season has started. Fall is coming, but you can still enjoy a few more days of summer. A great way to do that is with a trip on the water with the King County Water Taxi. Take an adventure over to West Seattle…

Festivals Ahoy! Ride the Water Taxi to the Vashon Strawberry Festival and West Seattle Summer Fest

It’s festival weekend for Vashon and West Seattle and the King County Water Taxi is here to help you enjoy it. This weekend, Vashon is going to be the center of the strawberry universe, with its annual Strawberry Festival. In West Seattle the music, food and booths wait for you in the Junction during the…

The Water Taxi glides at night through water reflecting city lights.

Safe sailing in winter: protecting passengers and vessels

Winter can be a challenging season for those who travel on the water. Winter storms and higher tides can bring additional floating debris to the surface of the water that would normally be onshore, making it a challenge to navigate. For passengers on both the West Seattle and Vashon Water Taxi that means an occasional…

It’s ‘Cool!’ It’s Water Taxi Winter!

 “Water Taxi Summer” was the hit song of the summer. It was so good you knew there was going to be a sequel. To celebrate the Water Taxi’s newly expanded West Seattle sailing schedule for the colder months, we’re excited to debut “Water Taxi Winter.” Thanks to all the riders dancing to the beat and…

Metro unveils West Seattle Bridge Closure Transit Action Plan

Passengers board the MV Doc Maynard in West Seattle

10 Years of Water Taxi

My, how the years have sailed by. The year was 2007. Washington State Ferries operated two morning runs and two evening runs to and from Vashon Island, and its passenger-only ferry was the only direct access for Vashon residents to downtown Seattle. After the Washington State Legislature directed WSF to eliminate passenger-only ferry service, the…

Scenes from the opening day of the new passenger-only ferry terminal at Pier 50

Excitement, wonder, relief. That was the mood of West Seattle and Vashon Island Water Taxi passengers on Monday, Aug. 12, who had their first look at the new passenger-only ferry terminal at Pier 50. After a week-long closure and lack of Water Taxi service, passengers disembarked and walked through the new facility. Marine Division staff…

Riders walking onto the water taxi from the dock.

Water Taxi ridership continues to climb

The evening water taxi sailings to Vashon continue to set ridership records. On July 26, we carried 241 passengers on the 5:30 p.m. sailing from Pier 50. This surpasses the previous record sailing – 237 – on a commute day set just a few weeks ago. West Seattle also has seen a rise in commuter…