Report on the 2025 Revised Winter Schedule Survey

Over the second half of April, the San Juan County Ferry Advisory Committee conducted a survey of local residents to gain insight into their experiences of the revised winter season ferry schedule for the Anacortes/San Juans/Inter-Island route. There were 31 responses, spread somewhat unevenly, from across the four ferry-served islands. Despite this small sample, some key trends emerged across the routes which align with anecdotes heard during the season and, in fact, with the experience of Committee members as well. Standing out the clearest: westbound sailings are inadequate from midday on through the evening.

Washington State Ferries, with funding provided by the state legislature, has indicated that going forward, the San Juan Islands routes will operate on a two-season schedule: peak and off-peak. While the off-peak schedule will be the same or similar to the newly rewritten spring schedule (ended June 14) and the peak based on the new summer schedule, a detailed copy of this report is being shared with WSF.

In order to offer WSF updated and actionable information on what will be the 2025 off-peak schedule (similar to the 2025 spring schedule and which will be in effect for 8–9 months a year), we are again surveying our community.

Please fill out this short Survey on the 2025 spring schedule.

All Islands High-Level Results




“Tell Us More” Text Responses

Total responses: 28

  • Inconvenient Schedule for Doctor Appointments: The 8am boat from Friday Harbor to Anacortes is too late for many mainland doctor appointments, especially with the added Lopez stop.

  • Inconvenient Schedule for Day Trips: The current ferry schedule is not suitable for day trips, with early arrival and departure times, and limited options for reasonable trip durations.

  • Long Gaps in Afternoon Schedule: The long gaps in the afternoon ferry schedule, both eastbound and westbound, make travel difficult, especially with young children.

  • Limited Off-Island Travel Due to Winter Schedule: The new winter schedule resulted in less off-island travel due to inconvenient sail times, leading to more online ordering and delivered goods.

  • Weekday Schedule Gap: A 5-hour gap between the 10:10 am and 3:05 pm sailings from Lopez is expressed as unacceptable.

  • Interisland Ferry Schedule: The extra time for turnaround [dwell time] at each island should not have been equally applied to each island—makes the full trip too long; commercial traffic unable to make typical deliveries due changes.

  • Lack of Late Evening Option: The absence of a regular late ferry limits evening activities, work commutes, and return trips from Seattle or Everett; this negatively impacts residents’ quality of life and forces them to consider relocating.

  • Reservation System Needed: Request a reservation system for Lopez–Anacortes crossings to avoid long waits and uncertainty about securing a spot on the ferry.

  • Positive Ferry Schedule Feedback: New ferry schedule is more reasonable, with more time for runs, turnarounds, and disruptions.


Please fill out this short Survey on the 2025 spring schedule.



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