West Seattle Water Taxi fall/winter schedule announced

(September 27 photo, shared by Ross)
As first reported here earlier this year, the West Seattle Water Taxi will indeed continue on into fall and winter – and today, full details have just come out about the new weekday-commute-hours-only schedule to start one week from today – the complete announcement is after the jump:

News release from King County:

This year, West Seattle commuters won’t have to say goodbye to the West Seattle Water Taxi for its winter hibernation. The King County Water
Taxi will continue to operate commuter service through fall and winter
on the West Seattle-Downtown Seattle route starting Monday, Nov. 1.

The new commuter schedule will sail weekdays from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30
a.m., and from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Starting Monday, Nov. 1, the water taxi
will sail every 20 minutes while the vessel Sightseer, owned by Argosy
Cruises, replaces the Rachel Marie, which is undergoing repairs after
colliding with a pier on Sept. 26. While the Sightseer provides the West
Seattle Water Taxi service, passengers will arrive and depart from Pier
55 in downtown Seattle and from Seacrest Dock in West Seattle.

“When it comes to moving people and cutting through congestion in this
region, the solution is all about giving people more options, and I am
committed to making the water taxi a safe and reliable transportation
option for commuters,” said Ferry District Chair and King County
Councilmember Jan Drago, who represents West Seattle and Vashon Island –
the two communities that the King County Water Taxi currently serves.
“This move to year-round service on our West Seattle route will go a
long way toward giving commuters the consistency, reliability and
frequency they need to make the water taxi part of their daily commute.”

The new fall/winter service for the West Seattle Water Taxi will operate
weekday mornings and evenings only. Weekend service and midday sailings
are expected to return for the spring/summer season starting in April
2011. Vashon Water Taxi passengers will continue to use Pier 50 in
downtown Seattle, with no changes to their year-round schedule.

Also new this fall, water taxi passengers can purchase one-way fares for
both the West Seattle and Vashon routes from recently installed ticket
vending machines located at the three King County-operated passenger
ferry terminals-Pier 50, Seacrest Dock, and Vashon Island. The ticket
vending machines accept credit cards and debit cards, but not cash or
coins. Tickets purchased from the vending machines are nonrefundable and
do not guarantee a seat on a particular sailing. …

For more details about schedules, fares and service, visit:
www.kingcounty.gov/watertaxi.

When you visit the website, you can also sign up for the water taxi
e-mail alert system that notifies passengers of delays, cancellations,
and other disruptions to both the West Seattle and Vashon routes. Future
changes to the fall/winter schedule and a change from Pier 55 to Pier 50
in downtown Seattle will be announced by water taxi email alerts.
Passengers are encouraged to sign up for alerts for the water taxi and
other King County Metro Transit service to stay on top of the latest
transportation information. Information about the Transit Alerts can be
found online at: www.kingcounty.gov/metro.

To connect with the water taxi in West Seattle, there are two free King
County Water Taxi bus shuttles that operate between local neighborhoods
and Seacrest Park. Shuttle Route 773 serves West Seattle Junction, and
shuttle Route 775 serves the Admiral District and Alki Avenue Southwest.
Riders can also use Metro routes 37 and 53 to get to the Seacrest Park
dock.

The King County Ferry District is a special purpose government created
to provide passenger ferry service in King County. The Ferry District’s
Board of Supervisors is composed of the members of the King County
Council. The King County Marine Division operates the service under the
name King County Water Taxi. For more information about the King County
Ferry District visit www.kingcountyferries.org

King County West Seattle Water Taxi

Fall/Winter Schedule
Mon. – Fri. starting Nov. 1

Departs Downtown Seattle
from Pier 55

Departs West Seattle
from Seacrest Dock

6:30 am

6:50 am

7:10 am

7:30 am

7:50 am

8:10 am

8:30 am

8:50 am

9:10 am

9:30 am

4:00 pm

4:20 pm

4:40 pm

5:00 pm

5:20 pm

5:40 pm

6:00 pm

6:20 pm

6:40 pm

7:00 pm

JayDee October 25, 2010 (5:52 pm)

I suspect the schedule formatting is a tad messed up — Sure I would love a 6:30 sailing from Seacrest but suspect that refers to the Pier 55 sailing to Seacrest.
–
One wonders how long the RM is out of service. If I could marry the atmosphere of the Sightseer (you can get coffee onboard) with the speed of the RM and (for me) the ease of Pier 55 I’d never get back on the 56. Walking from Pier 50 is an obstacle course and a few blocks longer. Pioneer Square may be quaint but the pedestrian is a target.