TRANSIT: Most Water Taxi, Metro bus fares rising; West Seattle service not changing

(File photo)

Metro has announced both its next “service change” plan for buses and a round of fare changes for bus and Water Taxi service – almost all increases. Here’s how West Seattle service will be affected:

AUGUST 30 SERVICE CHANGE: Metro’s twice-yearly list of changes to various routes is out, and this time, no West Seattle routes are on the list – no service additions or subtractions in this area.

BUS AND WATER-TAXI FARE CHANGES, MOSTLY INCREASES: Two days later, on Monday, September 1, fare changes kick in for Metro bus and Water Taxi service. You can see the full table here. Key changes:

Full fares
*Metro bus/Flex adult fares rise 25 cents to $3
*West Seattle Water Taxi adult fares rise 50 cents to $6.25

ORCA fares
*West Seattle Water Taxi, up 25 cents to $5.25
*West Seattle Water Taxi ORCA LIFT, down $2.75 to $1

Metro notes that the 25-cent increase in full adult bus fares will be the first one since it established flat fares in 2018.

P.S. In case you’re wondering, October 10 is the end of this year’s “summer schedule” for the West Seattle Water Taxi, which means regular Friday and Saturday later-night service will end then, until spring.

9 Replies to "TRANSIT: Most Water Taxi, Metro bus fares rising; West Seattle service not changing"

  • Al King August 6, 2025 (3:56 pm)

    Would be curious to know what percentage of actual costs for buses/water taxi/light rail is covered by fares.

    • John August 6, 2025 (5:23 pm)

      I would like to know something similar for streets/roads/highways. 

      • Daniel August 7, 2025 (8:43 am)

        The closest approximation you might get is the percentage of road maintenance covered by use taxes (read: nearly all gas tax, licensing, plus WA’s ev tax on licensing).  It varies extremely widely between states, but in WA it’s 78%.  Not as high as some states (95-100%), but still in the top 20 of states.

    • Anne August 6, 2025 (8:00 pm)

      For heavens sake -it’s always been a very low percentage -but we dare not charge more  realistic fares -fares that actually cover more of the cost. 

      • ILiveHere August 8, 2025 (2:28 pm)

        >but we dare not charge more  realistic fares -fares that actually cover more of the cost. That would bring in less money which would further burden tax payers. Higher fares mean less riders which means less total collection, even if it means higher collection PER rider. Also public transit is a subsidy that benefits all of society. Should we charge preschoolers to pay their teachers salaries? Do you want workers to be able to get to work so they can pay taxes and rent? 

  • Alex Wood August 7, 2025 (9:12 am)

    How dare they leave the Admiral District and Alki alone by not adding 56/57?! I’m really tired of waiting only for them to be reduced further! (Not that they’re being reduced this time though)

  • Rob August 8, 2025 (11:16 am)

    Any up date on sound transit trying to rework the cost problems with the rail in west seattle.  The west side journal had a article about this.

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