Record summer for Washington ferries caps off with 400K expected over Labor Day weekend
Sep 3, 2026, 5:51 PM | Updated: 6:16 pm
Spokane Ferry pulling into dock at the Edmonds side of the Edmonds-Kingston ferry run. (Photo: Jonathan Assink via Flickr Creative Commons)
(Photo: Jonathan Assink via Flickr Creative Commons)
It was a banner summer season for ferry passengers, recording 7 million riders between Memorial Day weekend and the end of August, according to Washington State Ferries (WSF). That’s roughly 100,000 more riders than last year during the same period, and marks the highest number since 2019.
One component of the busy summer for WSF was this summer’s FIFA World Cup, which brought in an estimated 3 million visitors to Seattle.
“Seeing more people ride with us is a clear sign that we’re moving in the right direction and rebuilding confidence in our system,” WSF Executive Director Steve Nevey said. “We’re not taking that for granted.
“We remain focused on recruiting, training, and retaining the employees we need to deliver reliable service,” he continued. “At the same time, we’re working to improve on-time performance, and our crews and maintenance teams are doing all they can to keep our aging fleet sailing safely until our new ferries arrive.”
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Ferries brace for 400,000 more passengers over Labor Day weekend
During this Labor Day weekend, WSF expects to wrap up a very busy summer with an additional 400,000 travelers over the holiday weekend, between Thursday and Monday.
The busiest travel days for vehicles are expected to be Thursday and Friday, headed westbound. Sunday and Monday, all of those vehicles will travel eastbound. Saturdays are notoriously the busiest day overall, according to WSF.
Walk-ons typically don’t have to wait to board vessels. If you’re taking your vehicle, you will want to plan ahead and expect delays. The best times to avoid lengthy wait times are during off-peak hours, which are early mornings and later in the evening.
If you’re planning on traveling by air over the holiday weekend, SEA predicts 1 million travelers between Thursday and Monday.
Nate Connors is a traffic reporter for KIRO Newsradio. Follow him on X. Read more of his stories here. Submit news tips here.
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