"If WSF switches its schedule, Kitsap Transit will change the Southworth Fast Ferry Schedule." That line sits on Kitsap Transit's Southworth Fast Ferry page, just above the departure times. It explains why the passenger boat to Pier 50 has two weekday timetables. Kitsap Transit shares the Southworth Ferry Dock with Washington State Ferries, and WSF runs the Fauntleroy–Vashon–Southworth route with either two or three boats, depending on crew and vessel availability. When the state's boat count changes, the fast ferry's times change with it.
For anyone in Manchester who catches the fast ferry at Southworth, the important number is how many car ferries are on the Triangle route that week, more than anything printed on Kitsap Transit's own schedule.
This fall's switch, and where it stands now
From Monday, Oct. 5 through Sunday, Nov. 8, WSF ran the Triangle on a two-boat schedule with an unscheduled "bonus" third boat. On the last day of that stretch, Nov. 8, the bonus boat didn't run either, because WSF needed crews that weekend to move vessels. WSF's alert put the route back on three boats starting Monday, Nov. 9, with the Kittitas as boat #1, the Cathlamet as #2 and the Issaquah as #3.
So since Monday, Nov. 9, the three-boat version of the fast ferry timetable is the one that applies, unless a new alert says otherwise.
Which trips actually move
The two timetables match more than they differ. Each has eight weekday departures in each direction. The first and last sailings never change: 5:10 a.m. and 6:45 p.m. from Southworth, and 5:45 a.m. and 7:15 p.m. from Pier 50. Seven trips do shift, and every one of them moves earlier on three-boat days.
| Direction | 2-boat departure | 3-boat departure |
|---|---|---|
| Southworth to Seattle | 8:45 a.m. | 8:35 a.m. |
| Southworth to Seattle | 3:30 p.m. | 3:20 p.m. |
| Southworth to Seattle | 4:40 p.m. | 4:30 p.m. |
| Southworth to Seattle | 5:45 p.m. | 5:40 p.m. |
| Seattle to Southworth | 8:10 a.m. | 8:05 a.m. |
| Seattle to Southworth | 2:55 p.m. | 2:45 p.m. |
| Seattle to Southworth | 4:05 p.m. | 3:55 p.m. |
The shifts are five or ten minutes, and some of these trips are followed by long gaps. Look at the morning boat out of Seattle. On the three-boat schedule it leaves Pier 50 at 8:05 a.m., and the next westbound departure is 2:45 p.m. Both timetables have a midday gap of roughly six and a half hours or more. Westbound, it's about 6 hours 40 minutes on three-boat days and 6 hours 45 minutes on two-boat days. If you walk up at 8:07 because you remember the two-boat 8:10, you've missed the last boat home until mid-afternoon.
The afternoon works the same way on a smaller scale. Most of the other gaps run about 60 to 75 minutes. If you aim for the 2:55 and the boat left at 2:45, you're probably waiting for the 3:55. Kitsap Transit also asks passengers to arrive at least 10 minutes before departure and to be on board 2 minutes before the boat pulls away. That leaves very little room to work from a remembered time.
The crossing itself takes about 26 minutes. On two-boat days, the 5:45 p.m. from Southworth reaches Pier 50 at 6:06.
Why the state's boat count keeps changing
The reason sits in WSF's own planning. Its April 2026 Service Contingency Plan says full three-boat Triangle service needs three 124-car Issaquah-class ferries. When those aren't available, WSF may bring in the 90-car Sealth. When no suitable boat is free, it may run two boats plus the unscheduled bonus boat.
The same plan expected about five weeks of two-boat-plus-bonus service during fall and winter for planned maintenance and preservation work. This fall's Oct. 5 to Nov. 8 window fits that estimate.
Unplanned switches happen too. On June 18, West Seattle Blog reported that the M/V Kitsap had been out of service for a day and a half, which cut the route to two boats until it returned as boat #3. On the first day of this fall's two-boat period, Kitsap Daily News reported cancelled and reduced service on WSF routes because of crew shortages, and the Triangle was among them. Crews, boats and maintenance can each change the count, sometimes with only a day's notice. Because the fast ferry follows that count, its passengers feel the change even though they never drive onto a state boat.
The holiday dates where the boat count still matters
The holidays are coming up, and Kitsap Transit's Fast Ferry holiday schedule is worth putting on the calendar now:
- Thursday, Nov. 26 (Thanksgiving): no Southworth Fast Ferry service.
- Friday, Nov. 27: regular service.
- Thursday, Dec. 24 (Christmas Eve): regular morning service, then limited afternoon service. The last departures depend on the state's boat count. On a two-boat schedule they're 3:30 p.m. from Southworth and 4:05 p.m. from Seattle. On a three-boat schedule they're 3:20 p.m. and 3:55 p.m.
- Friday, Dec. 25: no service.
- Thursday, Dec. 31: regular service.
- Friday, Jan. 1, 2027: no service.
Christmas Eve shows the whole pattern in one day. Even the last boat home on a holiday afternoon depends on how many car ferries WSF has on the route that week.
WSF's winter sailing season runs from Dec. 27, 2026 to March 20, 2027. Last winter, the Triangle moved to a two-boat schedule on weekends, West Seattle Blog reported when that season began. The fast ferry runs Monday through Saturday, and its Saturday service operates only from May through September. In winter, the weekday timetables are what matter for fast ferry riders.
The dock both schedules depend on
The two operators coordinate at Southworth because they share one terminal, and that terminal is scheduled to be replaced. WSDOT's Southworth Terminal Preservation page says the terminal was built more than 60 years ago, served more than 825,000 WSF riders in 2025, and has also served Kitsap Transit's fast ferry since March 2022. WSDOT describes it as aging and vulnerable to earthquake damage.
The work is split into two projects:
- Terminal building replacement: planning and design from 2025 to 2027, construction from 2027 to 2028.
- Trestle replacement: design from 2027 to 2029, construction from 2029 to 2031. This project replaces the dock's trestle only.
The project is listed as pre-construction, with completion by 2031 and funding "to be determined."
WSF has started on the building. Its predesign study weighs four options. No Build leaves the building as it is. Remodel renovates it and adds piles for structural support. Near Shore builds a modern terminal near the shore. Over Water replaces the building where it stands now. An online open house ran from March 16 to April 5, 2026. Participants weren't asked to vote, but in open-ended comments, 47 mentioned Near Shore, 31 Over Water, 28 Remodel and two No Action, according to the engagement summary.
Commenters said they value the current building's shelter, restrooms, seating, views and community character. They asked for more space, more restrooms and seating, Wi-Fi, concessions, covered waiting areas and walkways, safer walking and biking access, clearer signs and more parking. Anyone who has waited for the 5:10 a.m. boat in November will recognize most of that list. WSDOT takes questions at [email protected].
Keeping the right timetable on your phone
Kitsap Transit keeps both versions online, the two-boat timetable and the three-boat timetable, and offers fast ferry alerts by subscription. WSF posts its boat-count changes on its alerts page. This fall's return to three boats was announced on Nov. 6 for Nov. 9.
If you're getting to the dock without a car, Routes 184 Harper Shuttle, 185 Mullenix and 186 Southworth connect with the fast ferry, along with the Southworth Ride Fast Ferry Commuter Service. The terminal is at 11564 SE State Highway 160.
The quickest check is the 8:05 a.m. westbound boat. If it shows 8:05, you're on the three-boat timetable. If it shows 8:10, WSF is down to two boats.
For a lot of South Kitsap households, the Southworth commute is part of deciding where to live, and a schedule like this is easier to understand from someone who knows the dock. If you're weighing how a Seattle commute fits your plans, Wendy Crenshaw is happy to walk through it with you, from the 5:10 a.m. sailing to the homes within reach of the terminal. Let's Connect.
