Fast-ferry fares, parking fees will increase on Oct. 1
Passengers in line to pay fare for Kitsap Fast Ferries.
Starting on Oct. 1, 2024, one-way fares on Kitsap Fast Ferries will increase for the first time since the service launched in 2017 in response to ongoing inflationary conditions and growing urgency to preserve the long-term sustainability of Kitsap Transit’s marine fleet and facilities.
The westbound fares from Seattle to Kitsap on the Bremerton, Kingston, and Southworth fast-ferry routes will increase by $2, from $10 to $12, and will rise to $13 on Oct. 1, 2025. Eastbound fares to Seattle on the three routes will remain unchanged. Reduced fare, which is half the cost of full fare, will continue to be available to those eligible for the discount.
In addition, the price of a monthly pass for Kitsap Fast Ferries will go up from $168 to $196 on Oct. 1, 2024, and to $210 on Oct. 1, 2025. These passholders will receive a new benefit for the month their pass is valid: Unlimited free rides on the Local Foot Ferry as well as Routed, ACCESS, and On-Demand/Dial-A-Ride bus services — an incentive to use Kitsap Transit’s buses to get to and from ferry terminals in Kitsap County.
Holders of the PugetPass, which covers trips operated by multiple transit agencies, will see the cost of the Eastbound & Westbound product rise from $360 to $432 on October 1st this year and to $468 next year.
Prior to the fare increase in 2025, Kitsap Transit will study the usage of transfers on its fast-ferry services, the revenue impact on the Ferry Fund and the potential feasibility and impact of eliminating transfer credits on the fast ferries.
In May, Kitsap Transit provided the public with notice of the planned increases to fast-ferry fares and parking fees and fines and invited public comments on the fare policy proposal.
A common question we get: Why are fares so different depending on whether you travel eastbound or westbound?
When Kitsap Transit developed the business plan for its fast-ferry service, the directional fare structure was set based on how Washington State Ferries (WSF) collects fares for walk-on passengers. WSF collects fare only for westbound sailings, so travelers going to Seattle on WSF do not pay a fare. Based on extensive community outreach, Kitsap Transit set its fast-ferry fares to be $2 more than what WSF charged in each direction at the time the business plan was developed.
Kitsap Transit picked the first day of October for the fare increase for several reasons: We need time to update and reprint our fare tables and provide notice to our transit partners, including the ORCA fare-payment system. Our fast-ferry services switch to their winter sailing schedules in October. Oct. 1 is also the same day that WSF raises their fares, which provides some consistency for travelers using both services.
Annapolis Ferry Terminal entrance from parking lot.
Parking fees and fines to increase
As part of the fare policy changes approved by the KT Board on Tuesday, parking fees and fines at all lots that Kitsap Transit leases or owns.
The $5 daily parking fee at the Annapolis Ferry Terminal will rise to $7 on October 1, and the monthly parking permit will go from $80 to $115. These fee increases are designed to align with market rates in Port Orchard and incentivize users to carpool to the lot.
In addition, Kitsap Transit’s fare policy now includes parking fines for a variety of situations, including rideshare violations ($75), RV camping/overnight parking ($100), handicap parking space violations ($450) and electric-vehicle (EV) overtime parking violations ($25).