Ferry fares in Washington state are poised for an increase this fall, following approval from the Washington State Transportation Commission on Wednesday.
The commission sanctioned fare hikes of 3% effective October 1, with another 3% increase scheduled for May 1, 2026. Additionally, a summer season surcharge will rise to 35% across all routes next year.
In response to rider feedback, the commission also announced a trial extension of multi-ride passes to 120 days, a change that will take effect next May, up from the current 90-day expiration period.
Commissioner Debbie Young expressed the challenges involved in raising fares, stating, “It is never a fun job to raise rates.” She emphasized that the commission aimed to minimize the impact on regular riders who often bear the brunt of such increases.
In related changes, the commission mandated that both public and private bus services, alongside vanpool and public rideshare services, begin paying tolls on the State Route 520 floating bridge and the Tacoma Narrows Bridge effective October 1. This repeal of a longstanding exemption for transit services aligns with a new law signed by Governor Bob Ferguson earlier this year, although school buses will remain toll-exempt.
The ferry fare adjustments took center stage during the meeting, as Washington State Ferries is expected to generate $408.8 million from fares over the next two years to cover daily operating expenses. According to estimates, the new fare structure should bring in approximately $412.3 million.
In addition to the fare hikes, the commission approved a 50-cent increase to the vessel replacement surcharge, which will rise to $1 per ticket beginning October 1. Ferry officials project that the additional funds from the surcharge will yield about $23.9 million, while a new 3% fee on credit card transactions, starting March 1, 2026, is expected to generate $7.4 million in the upcoming budget cycle. However, these funds will not contribute to the required fare revenue.
Ferry fares vary by route, vehicle size, and travel season. The peak season, spanning from May 1 to September 30, will see surcharges applied to the base fare of single vehicles.
Under the revised rates, riders on the Mukilteo-Clinton route will face an increase of 70 cents in October, followed by a 15-cent rise in May 2026 for standard passenger fares. For standard-sized vehicles, the fare will go up by 85 cents this October and an additional 30 cents next May.
On the Seattle-Bremerton route, passenger fares will increase by 80 cents this October and another 30 cents in May. Standard vehicle fares will see increases of $1.05 in the fall and 55 cents in May, inclusive of the vessel replacement levy but excluding the summer surcharge and credit card fee. The new summer surcharge will increase by 10% to the new level of 35% for all routes, except for San Juan routes which already levy a 35% peak season charge.
Despite fare hikes, ridership is expected to increase, with 2.3 million more passengers anticipated during the upcoming budget cycle compared to the last, representing a 6% boost in overall ferry use.
This surge in ridership is attributed to the restoration of domestic services, which have returned to pre-pandemic levels for the first time since 2019. Additionally, Governor Ferguson’s decision to delay hybrid-electric conversions for the largest ferries is allowing more vessels to remain in service.
However, current ridership figures still lag behind pre-pandemic levels. An estimated 20 million passengers are projected to travel via ferry this year, a decrease from 24.7 million in 2018 and 23.9 million in 2019.
During the public comment segment, Tom Thiersch, chair of the Ferry Advisory Committee on Tariffs, voiced concerns regarding the financial burden on ferry riders. He highlighted the disproportionate fare contributions required from ferry riders compared to users of other public transit services, stating that rising fares are making ferry travel increasingly unaffordable for many and raising concerns about sustainability.
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