If you’re traveling by ferry for the Thanksgiving holiday, expect extra company.
The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) says they’re predicting 300,000 riders from Wednesday to Sunday.
There’s something to be thankful for, though – Washington State Ferries is adding extra sailings.
“We’re thankful to be able to provide more service and reliability this Thanksgiving,” said WSF Deputy Secretary Steve Nevey. “These improvements come from a lot of hard work across our organization, with support from the governor and Legislature. I’m especially grateful to our employees who will be working over the holiday weekend.”
Full domestic service was restored earlier this year, so there are now over 420 daily sailings for riders to choose from.
The busiest sailings for vehicles will likely be westbound (or onto an island) Wednesday and Thursday, then eastbound (or departing an island) Saturday and Sunday. To cut back on wait times, WSDOT says riders should consider taking an early-morning or late-night sailing or using transit to walk or bike onto the ferry.
People boarding a vessel in a vehicle should use the WSDOT mobile app or visit the WSF website before heading to the terminal. Both feature sailing schedules, live terminal conditions, rider alerts, a real-time map and vehicle reservations.
On Thanksgiving Day, there will be a few holiday adjustments to daily schedules on the Edmonds/Kingston and Point Defiance/Tahlequah routes. These changes are marked online on each schedule by route. The Seattle/Bainbridge Island and Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth runs will operate on holiday timetables.