Planning study news
After nearly two years of work by Washington State Ferries staff and SJI communities the winter season sailing schedule for the Anacortes/San Juan Islands route has been updated. The new schedule begins Dec. 29 with vehicle reservations available on Oct. 29.
The next task force meeting will be held on Jan. 29 from 4 - 6 p.m. See registration information in the 'History and background' section below.
Purpose
What to know about the updated winter sailing schedule
Vehicle reservations for the winter season are available as of Oct. 29. The updated winter sailing schedule will begin on Dec. 29. Make sure to check out the new schedule before you make a reservation.
Vehicle reservations
- Vehicle reservations for the winter 2024 schedule (Dec. 29 through Mar. 22) on the Anacortes/San Juan Islands route are available now.
- The two-week and two-day releases will remain at 7 a.m. that day for the Anacortes/San Juan Islands reservations.
- WSF will open 90% of vehicle space for reservations and keep open the remaining 10% for stand-by vehicles. Space is released in three phases – at two months, two weeks, and two days prior to the sailing.
- In 2023, WSF restricted reservations to 75% of vessel space to provide more flexibility for our terminal staff and better predictability for reservation holders during service disruptions. With the new schedule, WSF expects reliability to improve and disruptions to decrease, so reservations are returning to 90% of vessel space.
- To ensure a smooth and fair experience during this high-demand period, WSF will continue using a virtual waiting room.
Next steps
- WSF will monitor the new schedule and vehicle allotments closely. If issues become apparent, WSF is prepared to adjust the schedule.
- The new spring/fall and summer sailing schedules will be shared in early 2025.
- Please be patient, especially for the first few weeks as customers and WSF staff get used to a new schedule.
How the winter sailing schedule was developed
Since the schedule was last updated more than a decade ago, the Anacortes/San Juan Island route has seen a lot of change, including ridership growth, the addition of vehicle reservations, and recent vessel and crewing challenges. The new schedule includes adjusted island stops, revised sailing times, and updated vehicle allotments for each island. Weekend interisland service was added to the upcoming winter sailing schedule, thanks to temporary funding from Gov. Jay Inslee’s office. As WSF created the new schedule, it included more realistic crossing times and dwell times (how long vessels stay at each terminal between sailings). These schedule changes will help improve on-time performance and provide more certainty for customers that boats will arrive and depart on time.
How community engagement informed this process
For nearly two years, we worked closely with a 24-member community task force to create the new schedules based on local priorities. We looked to the unique perspectives of all customers, and input was gathered from rider groups, business owners, government agencies, and individuals across each community. We also gathered input through public meetings and an online open house, which saw over 4,700 visitors 400 comments.
How we built vehicle allotments
Vehicle allotments are for eastbound traffic, to ensure all islands receive an appropriate “share” of total eastbound capacity. They are split into regular and tall allotment to provide space for commercial users. We built allotments with targets by island population and demand (subject to change on a daily/weekly/seasonal basis, not applicable for a specific sailing). Allotment distribution is percentage based and can vary by vessel assignments and season.
Friday Harbor-42 percent
Orcas Island-36 percent
Lopez Island-20 percent
Shaw Island-2 percent
