Ferry Ridership Rebounded Further In 2022: WSDOT

SEATTLE — Ridership on the nation's largest ferry system returned to nearly three-quarters of its pre-pandemic normals last year, carrying 17,4 million riders, officials announced Thursday. The overall increase was a slight improvement over 2021, at 0.5 percent, but walk-on passengers jumped nearly 18 percent.

Vehicles outnumbered walk-on passengers in 2020 and 2021 for the only time in history. Last year, passengers outnumbered cars as normal, accounting for 8.8 million of the total figure. Washington State Ferries credited a shift in travel patterns as most pandemic restrictions eased and officials have been working to restore more service across routes.

Officials expect ridership will continue to increase in 2023 and the years ahead.

“Following the successful restoration of our Anacortes/San Juan Islands, Seattle/Bainbridge and Mukilteo/Clinton routes in 2022, we kicked off the new year by moving our Edmonds/Kingston run to a trial of two-boat pre-pandemic service levels,” said Patty Rubstello, head of WSF. “We plan to restore our Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth route early this year, but the timing of full restoration on our Seattle/Bremerton and Port Townsend/Coupeville runs remains dependent on the number of captains and mates who complete training in spring 2023.”

The Seattle-Bainbridge route had the biggest surge in ridership, with vehicles and passengers up 19 percent, making for the busiest route in the system with 4.4 million riders.

Ferry routes by the numbers in 2022:

• Seattle/Bainbridge Island: System-high year-to-year jump in vehicles of 13%, walk-ons surged a system high of 31%.
• Mukilteo/Clinton: Total riders down 3%; vehicles decreased 4% (remains busiest route for drivers), walk-ons grew 19%.
• Edmonds/Kingston: Total riders dropped 12%; vehicles declined 16%, walk-ons climbed 11%.
• Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth: Total riders down 2% from 2021; vehicles decreased 3%, walk-ons jumped 15%.
• Anacortes/San Juan Islands: Total riders dropped 2%; vehicles declined 1%, walk-ons remained nearly flat.
• Seattle/Bremerton: Total riders down 7%; vehicles decreased 12%, walk-ons grew 4%.
• Point Defiance/Tahlequah: Year-to-year total riders up 3%; vehicles increased 3%, walk-ons surged 16%.
• Port Townsend/Coupeville: Total riders rose 2%; vehicles grew 2%, walk-ons jumped 7%.
• Anacortes/Friday Harbor/Sidney, British Columbia: The international route did not resume service in 2022 due continued crewing and vessel availability challenges.