Vashon water taxi expands to seven-day-a-week service

Published 1:30 am Friday, April 3, 2026

King County Metro will add Sunday sailings to the Vashon Water Taxi next week, giving the island seven-day passenger-only service to Seattle for the first time in decades.

The summer pilot, announced Friday by King County Executive Girmay Zahilay’s office, will begin April 12, when the first Sunday boat departs from Pier 50 in downtown Seattle. According to the announcement, the route will offer morning, afternoon and early evening Sunday crossings between Seattle and the Vashon ferry terminal into early fall.

“Vashon is a special place, and this pilot makes it easier for islanders to get to work, services and activities across King County, and for all of us to get out and enjoy everything Vashon has to offer,” Zahilay said in Friday’s announcement.

This is not the first time Vashon has had seven-day passenger-only ferry service to Seattle.

Washington State Ferries operated weekday service along with Saturday sailings — and, in many years, Sunday service as well — between Vashon and Pier 50 throughout much of the 1990s.

That weekend service ended after statewide transportation funding was thrown into turmoil by the 1999 passage of Initiative 695, the Tim Eyman-backed measure that sharply reduced motor vehicle taxes.

What makes this expansion different is that it marks the first time Vashon has had seven-day passenger-only service under King County’s own system. King County created the Ferry District in 2007, after the state ended support for passenger-only ferries, to preserve the Vashon-Seattle route.

Since 2015, the route has been served by the county-owned Sally Fox, named for the late island activist who fought to keep the service alive.

For Vashon riders, the added Sunday sailings mean a fuller weekend transit option at a time when reliable connections on and off the island remain a central concern.

For Metro and local leaders, the pilot is also a test of whether seven-day service can better link Vashon to the rest of King County while drawing more visitors to the island during the summer months.

Funding for the Sunday pilot was secured through a combination of state and county resources, according to the release.

The release said state Sen. Emily Alvarado and King County Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda, whose districts include Vashon Island, helped close the final funding gap.

“Reliable transit is a lifeline for islanders and key for mobility and economic activity for all of our communities,” Alvarado said in the release.

Mosqueda, who represents Vashon on the County Council, called the added service “a milestone” that will improve reliability for workers, create more recreational opportunities and strengthen connections to the mainland.

Amy Drayer, director of Islanders for Ferry Action, also called the expansion “a long-awaited milestone for Vashon” and said the group was grateful to Mosqueda, Alvarado and King County Metro staff for helping make it possible. She also said strong community ridership helped demonstrate demand and build the case for expanded service.

“This service is vital,” Drayer said in an email. “This next expansion opens the door for greater environmentally friendly access to cultural and recreational opportunities like Sunday baseball, football and soccer games, while also strengthening economic ties between Vashon and Seattle.”

The Vashon Island Chamber of Commerce also praised the expansion, saying it would benefit both the local economy and islanders’ quality of life.

“We’re excited to see expanded weekend water taxi service for Vashon,” Elijah Berry of the chamber said in the release. “This kind of connection is so impactful, both for the local economy and for quality of life, making it easier for visitors to reach the island and for islanders to enjoy a day or weekend in Seattle.”

Still, the added sailings are temporary. With both the Saturday and Sunday expansions set to end Oct. 9, the push for permanent service is likely far from over.

Water taxi fares to and from Vashon are $7 each way for adults, or $6 with an ORCA card. Passengers 18 and younger ride free. Reduced fares are available for riders with disabilities, lower incomes and seniors. See the updated schedule here: kingcountymetro.blog/2026/04/03/vashon-summer-sundays-king-county-metro-water-taxi-pilots-seven-day-service-to-vashon-island-this-summer/.