No. We welcome bicyclists and have a capacity for 18 bicycles per sailing.

No. The Southworth-to-Vashon ferry is operated by Washington State Ferries, which sets and collects fares for that route.

WSF fare information

You are welcome to pay with cash, but please be aware of the following:

• The deckhands do not carry change, so you must pay the exact amount.
• At the time Water Taxi service starts, there will be no change or ticket machines at the terminals.
• The fare is $4.50 when you use cash compared to $3.75 when you use a pass or ORCA.
• If you purchase and register an ORCA card, you receive balance protection: If your registered card is lost or stolen, the ORCA Customer Service Office will assist you with replacing your card and restoring the lost value.

If you currently use this to pay your fare	After Oct. 1 your closest equivalent would be this	Difference in cost
WSF monthly passenger-only pass	$3.75 PugetPass for $135	+ $17
Ship-to-shore pass	$3.75 PugetPass for $135	- $54.80
WSF multi-ride card	$3.75 ORCA E-purse fare	+ $.07 per ride

The following passes will be accepted:

• Monthly PugetPass
• ORCA card with either a monthly regional transit pass, Business Passport or E-purse loaded.

ORCA cards and PugetPasses may be purchased at Metro customer outlets (at Westlake Center and at Second Avenue S and S Jackson Street in Seattle) and the Vashon Island Thriftway customer service counter. Passes will not be sold at the ferry terminals.

ORCA (One Regional Card for All) is a regional fare payment system for King County Water Taxi, King County Metro Transit, Community Transit, Everett Transit, Kitsap Transit, Pierce Transit, Sound Transit (including Sounder Commuter Rail and Link Light Rail) and Washington State Ferries.

An ORCA card has an electronic chip that can hold the following products and keep track of the fares you pay:

1. A regional monthly transit pass – similar to the plastic monthly PugetPass.
2. Stored value known as an E-purse. Fare value is deducted from your E-purse each time you use it to pay a fare.
3. A transit agency pass such as a Metro Vanpool or Kitsap Transit monthly pass.

For a limited time, the standard ORCA card is free. After Dec. 31, 2009 a $5 fee will be charged. ORCA cards have a 3–5 year life.

Cardholders can add passes or E-purse value to their ORCA cards by any of the following methods:

• Online . Online purchases require a valid Visa or MasterCard.
• By mail . Mail purchases may be made with a check, credit card or money order.
• At an ORCA Customer Service Office. Most forms of payment will be accepted at customer service offices.
• At a participating retail outlet. Most forms of payment will be accepted at retail outlets.
• By phone at 1-888-988-6722 or TTY Relay: 711/1-888-889-6368. Phone purchases require a valid Visa or MasterCard.
• At a self-serve Ticket Vending Machine. TVM purchases require cash, Visa or MasterCard.

More information about adding value (ORCA Web site)

Yes, cardholders with a registered ORCA card can set up an Autoload to automatically add a transportation product to their card when it is needed. More information can be found at www.orcacard.com.

Cash transfers are not available from the Water Taxi and the Water Taxi will not accept transfers from Metro. However, if you pay your fare with an ORCA E-purse, on either Metro or on the Water Taxi, within 1.5 hours, the fare you have paid will register as an electronic transfer and you will only be charged the difference in the fare (if applicable).

You can immediately add transportation value to your ORCA card by visiting an ORCA customer service office or retail outlet, or by using a ticket vending machine (located on Sounder and Link light rail station platforms). If you add value to your card online or by phone, it will take 24 hours for the value to appear on your card.

For fare payment, there is no difference between the two. All plastic monthly PugetPasses will be phased out in 2010; after that, monthly passes will be available only on an ORCA card.

No. Neither the monthly Puget Pass nor the monthly regional transit pass (on ORCA) are specific to the Water Taxi, to the bus, or to the train. Both pass types are accepted by the King County Water Taxi and most regional transit systems except WSF. Both pass types entitle the pass/cardholder to unlimited trips throughout the month. The pass is accepted as fare payment for a specific trip value (shown on the front of the PugetPass). The trip value corresponds to the cost of the monthly pass. For example, a monthly pass with a $2 trip value costs $72 for the month while a monthly pass with a $3.75 trip value costs $135 for the month. You should purchase a monthly PugetPass with the trip value you use most often.

It depends on how often you plan to use public transportation. If you ride public transportation more than 36 times per month, a monthly pass will save you money. If you ride less frequently, an ORCA E-purse may be a better option for you.

Yes, you can pay the difference in cash or with an ORCA E-purse. For example, If you have a $2 PugetPass you must pay $1.75 with cash or an E-purse.

The PugetPass is transferable but may be used for only one customer per trip.

No. Because the pass is accepted for unlimited fares throughout the month—as opposed to a specific number or rides—copies of PugetPasses are not accepted for fare payment.

Your FlexPass is an annual pass that your employer provides under contract with Metro. The contract does not include fares for the Vashon Island/Downtown Seattle Water Taxi, so FlexPasses are not accepted. Employers will be converting their FlexPass accounts to ORCA between mid-2009 and mid-2010. When an employer converts its employee transit benefit to ORCA, it will be accepted. Check with your employee transportation coordinator to discuss the timing of the employer's transition to ORCA and plans for employee commute benefits.

King County will not offer a multi-ride card; however, an ORCA card with an E-purse provides similar convenience and will allow you to travel throughout the region.

The WSF passenger-only multi-ride card was valued at $3.68 each way. With an ORCA E-purse the trip will cost $3.75 each way, or 7 cents more per ride.

You can use the ORCA E-purse as fare payment to walk on the Vashon/Fauntleroy auto ferry, but you will not receive a discounted fare.

No, WSF does not accept the PugetPass as fare payment, but you can load a WSF pass onto an ORCA card or use your ORCA E-purse to buy a single full fare for passenger travel on WSF. All ship-to-shore passes will be discontinued at the end of 2009.

WSF passes and multi-ride cards will not be accepted on the King County Water Taxi after Sept. 30. WSF will issue refunds for any unused rides on the WSF passenger-only multi-ride card. Refund envelopes are available at the passenger terminals.