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Colman Dock, the Seattle ferry terminal, is located on the Seattle Waterfront at Pier 52. This is where you access Washington State Ferries to Bainbridge Island and Bremerton. The Colman Dock Project completed major new elements in summer 2023, including the entry building along Alaskan Way and the elevated pedestrian connector for ticketing and terminal building access. Additional and final improvements will be completed in 2024—including removal of the temporary walkway. Please be alert to final construction activities while entering and exiting Colman Dock.

Project News

Temporary schedule for two weeks: All trips between the Seattle terminal, Bainbridge Island, and Bremerton will follow a temporary sailing schedule beginning on Saturday, Jan. 4 through Jan. 20, 2020. Find out more about the temporary sailing schedule and ways to plan ahead.

Terminal Status

Approximate Vehicle Spaces Available in Holding Area
Note: Vehicles in line that have not been processed through a tollbooth are not counted here. Please view cameras for vehicles queued outside the tollbooths, which will subtract from the listed available space.

Space Availability Legend

  • 60%-100%
  • 10%-60%
  • < 10%
  • Cancelled / Unavailable

Directions and Transportation Connections

  • From I-5: Take exit 132 (Hwy 16). Proceed west on Hwy 16 approximately 3 miles and exit on the 6th Avenue exit (signed Vashon ferry). Turn left onto 6th Avenue at the stop light. Turn right at the next stop light onto Hwy 163 (Pearl Street). Proceed north, approximately 3.5 miles, to the stop sign at the entrance to Point Defiance Park. Stay in the right lane and bear to the right. Do not enter the park. Auto toll plaza one block on right. Ferry terminal located at end of street. Parking to the left of terminal.

    Passenger Pick-Up/Drop-Off
    Continue past tollbooth in left lane to Marina Parking area. There is a bus stop to your right adjacent to the dock that offers a temporary drop-off point.

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Security

WSF has implemented a U.S. Coast Guard approved security plan, for more information please visit our Safety and Security page.

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Ferry Advisory Committee (FAC)

  • Contact the Ferry Advisory Committee chair representing your community with suggestions or concerns about ferry service.

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Tourist Information

Parking
Metropolitan Park Services handles adjacent parking.

Airport

  • Keep right on North Exit Dr. towards WA-99 / S. 170th St. / Freeway 518.
  • Follow the road signs to the freeway. Drive north on WA-99 to enter eastbound on 518.
  • You will need to get on I-5 South from 518, which you can find by following the road signs.
  • Take I-5 south for approximately 18.7 miles to state route SR-525.
  • From I-5 south, take exit 132, turn right onto the ramp towards WA-16/South 38th St./Gig Harbor, and stay on for 3.2 miles.
  • Turn right(West) onto the ramp heading towards 6th Ave., then turn left onto 6th Ave.
  • Turn right (North) onto North Pearl Street, and stay on for about 3 miles, North Pearl Street becomes SR-163 and ends at the ferry terminal.
  • You will arrive at the terminal which is located at 5810 N. Pearl St.

Motorcycles
While motorcycles are not, by Washington Administrative Code (WAC 468-300-700), a preferential loading category of users, they are often loaded prior to automobiles for operational and staging purposes. Arrival at the dock after vehicle load has commenced requires motorcycles to wait until all cars have been loaded for the next motorcycle loading opportunity. Motorcycles should proceed, while on the dock, at no more than 10 mph. Use caution when car decks are wet. The following information details specific staging for this terminal:

  • Motorcycle Fare Purchase/Redemption
    Roundtrip Fares Purchased at Point Defiance, Kiosk, or Online.
    Purchase tickets at the auto tollbooths, at the passenger booth, at the kiosk inside the terminal waiting room, or online in advance.
    Pre-ticketed customers can be scanned by ticket taker.


  • Motorcycle Entry/Staging
    Traffic permitting, may bypass holding lanes by using local access lanes and purchase fare at the booth on the dock.
    Motorcycles entering the upper tollbooth area are instructed to exit out of the holding lanes then proceed down to lower dock across from passenger ticket booth.


  • Motorcycle Loading
    Loading order: bicycles, motorcycles, vehicles, late arriving motorcycles as space permits.


  • Motorcycle Special Communication
    If vessel is off-loading, please wait to access holding area.
    Motorcycles traveling in large groups must check in with the seller, located at the top of the hill, in the upper tollbooth for processing.
  • Trucks
    The vessel assigned to this route has a height clearance of 16'. The overhead wires on the way to the terminal and at the terminal are only 13' 6", so anything higher will not be able to get to the terminal. WSF requires trucks with a gross vehicle weight of over 80,000 lbs and/or over 8’6” wide to have “travel approval” before crossing any of our routes. Vessels on this route have a limited height clearance and trucks may be loaded out of sequence.

    Trucks that have a gross vehicle weight of over 80,000 lbs but are hauling less than 80,000 lbs will need to provide a weight slip.

    Please fill out our Oversized/Overweight Vehicle Travel form and email it to wsfinfo@wsdot.wa.gov. Please allow three business days for completion and approval. You can contact us at anytime for status updates at (206)464-6400. .

    Trucks with a ground clearance of less than 14" may not be allowed to travel to/from Vashon Island during periods of extreme low tides.

    Bikes
    Bicyclists may bypass the line of vehicle traffic to get onto the lower ferry dock where they can secure their bike and purchase their tickets from the lower booth.

    Bicyclists should arrive 20 minutes prior to departure time to be loaded at the beginning of loading process. If a bicyclist arrives after vehicle loading has begun, they will be loaded at the end of the load. Riders should walk their bikes on and off the ferry to avoid injuring passengers. The terminal has two lockers through Pierce Transit but no bike racks.

    HOV
    Carpool/Vanpools must be ticketed and in line 10 minutes before scheduled sailing time to receive preferential loading. If you are late, you will be loaded on a space available basis at the end of the loading. For information or to register for our rideshare program see ourcarpools and vanpools page.

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    Terminal Features and Amenities

    • Overhead Passenger Loading: No
    • Elevator: No
    • Waiting Room: Yes
    • Food Service: No. Galley
    • 7:35a.m.-5:10 p.m. Daily
    • Restrooms: Yes

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    Fare Discounts

    Fares are only collected going to the island on the Point Defiance/Tahlequah route. Fares are not collected or sold at Tahlequah. In fact, there is no staff at Tahlequah; WSF terminal employees arrive via the vessel that is landing at Tahlequah.

    We offer seniors (65+), persons with disabilities and passengers with a Medicare card, or other eligibility verification, travel at half the regular passenger fare rate. We offer special rates for youth ages 6 to 18. Children ages 5 and under travel free.

    Multi-ride cards are good for 90 days from the date of purchase and are non-refundable.

    For more information check Fares.


    Pre-purchasing Wave2Go tickets does not guarantee a space on the vessel.

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    Transit Options

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    Lost and Found

    Lost and found items on this route are turned in to the Point Defiance ferry terminal. Due to storage limitations, found items are held for 10 days from the date they were found. Our Information Agents can assist you with lost and found inquiries from 7:00 am to 5:30 pm (daily) at (206) 464-6400 or 1-888-808-7977.

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